Xbox CPU and RAM Upgrade?

[N64 freak]

Hi,
I think this is the correct section for this, or? If not Mods Please move or delete :nod:.

My Plan is Replacing the original Xbox Processor against a P3s Tualatin with 1,48Ghz ;-)
and the ram upgrading to 128mb (or Possibly more :confused:).
I have the technically needed stuff to remove the cpu and get in an socket or another
Prozessor in there. I just need to know if i have to change anything else that the Xbox
works with the new Prozessor. And if there are any adaptors for converting a Socket 370 Prozessor
to use in an Socket 495 socket, so i can use the 370pin P3 tualatin in my xbox?
And to the ram Part, are there any possibilities to use more as 128mb of ram?
(Dumb question, I know. But i would like to get an clear answer :thumbsup:)
Or is there a source where i could get new ram chips for the xbox?

I hope somebody here nows the answer or at least somebody with an Dreamx-1480 could help out, that i don't have to test around with the stuff.

[Barc0de]

replacing the CPU? I m no expert but I d say fat chance.

As for the RAM, there is a manner of expanding it to 128MB but never seen more.

[lwizardl]

well it is possible to upgrade the CPU on the original xbox but they max out at 1.4GHz which is very nice for the xbox console since it was originally only a 733Mhz. here is a link to a place that sells the upgraded xbox consoles.

But remember I have not purchased anything from these guys I just did a search about this a couple months ago and found them.

http://www.gamestron.com/enhancedxbox.html

[Alchy]

replacing the CPU? I m no expert but I d say fat chance.It's been done. I'm not really sure why anyone would bother, but there you go.

[8bitplus]

I am thinking of upgrading my 1.0 xbox to 128mb ram. The process is not to bad, you just need plenty of flux and a new soldering wick.
There is a very good video on youtube, sorry no link as I am at work.

With more memory some emulators like FBAXX, MAME and N64 should work better.

The proecssor on the other hand is much harder, the pro done ones have a switch to get "compatibility" 733mhz.

[karsten]

it's mainly for xbox linux distros and for xbox media center i guess.

[8bitplus]

A faster processor will help with XBMC when running high quality video formats.
On the whole the xbox is a great console, and dosnt need much tampering with.

[Dano2k0]

Ive had a good bit of experience with both upgrades, the processor upgrade i went with a GHZ chip, the process is complicated and no NONE of the processors ive ever seen would make a direct replacement, some trace rework is required to the motherboard.

The easiest way is to have a custom type adapter and solder directly to the motherboard, and the CPU soldered straight onto this, depending on exact processor type of course.

RAM is maxed at 128MB, no means of going any higher than this. I from time to time do sell the 4 chips i remove from other boards to people wanting to attempt the upgrade, but be warned you must have decent soldering skills or your upgrade will never happen, you'd more than likely kill your board in the process.

Ideally a rework station is what you'd need, though something like a small wattage soldering iron, ie 10-12watts with a fine tip is ideal, plenty of flux and desolder braid and with a few hours time you'd probably get it working alright if your skills are reasonable and your patient and set plenty of time aside.

How exactlly did you plan to remove the CPU and better yet, what means do you have to re-ball the motherboard? Not meaning to be putting you down, but alot of people underestimate exactlly what this involves.

The Dream-X 1400mhz box didn't ever run 733mhz, the switch cut half the FSB if i remember correctly or was it emulated some how, without having a look at my notes on the stuff i can't remember off the top of my head exactlly how it worked, but any realistic terms, it clocked in at 740mhz, and wasn't genuinely processing properly at 740mhz, hence the reason playing games on this machine was indeed so bad.

Another guy whos in China has done a good few 1GHZ upgraded boards, there is no step down and they run 1GHZ all the time, a patch has been wrote that enable the majority of games to run correctly on these systems however, so in my opinion has better games support than the Dream-X machine.

Oh also, watch out for the link above, i know someone who about a year ago orded one from that site, they never charged him, but never responded to anything he sent, we assume the company no longer trades, though i don't understand why their site is still up.

Here are a couple of pictures i did while doing my experiments, please excuse the blurry-ness to the photos. Also, please note that some of the crap you see on the board is indeed flux.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/Dano2k0/cpudesolderedandpointssorted.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/Dano2k0/cpudesolderedpointsdone.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/Dano2k0/cpuinplace.jpg

Hope this info has been of use.

Cheers.

[problemchild]

Gamestron doesn't sell Dreamx anymore, I have called and talked to them recently they quit selling them awhile ago. That site is pretty much dead and hasn't seen an update in years.

[TmEE]

I'm interested how do you exactly get a BGA chip off the board and then put another one on ?

[N64 freak]

Hi TmEE,
I get the cpu from the motherboard with the help of an JBC hot air station, or with the rework station ;-).
With the hot air station the processor should be dead after removing, i think.
But as my plan is using a new Processor that shouldn't be the problem.
Then after cleaning the pads on the motherboard of the xbox, a socket 495 socket will get it's place on there. In this socket i would like to place an adapter socket for an socket360 in which i would place a 1,48ghz tualatin.

My problem is just i haven't found such an adaptersocket like the one used in a dreamx. So i most likely will just be able to place an 1ghz socket 495 Processor in there.

If it works i will probably have 1 or 2 of the boards more as i need, so they will probably get sold in the marketplace ;-).

But for now i first have to find out what i have to do at all, and it would be good to get as many information together as possible.

@Dano2k
From what i can see, you already did what i want to do. And thanks for all the information you gave to me. And you said something of a neede trace rework, what excactly do i have to rework.

PS: The ram chips i wouldn't solder in by hand, i would get them to the board with a profesionell reflowing system :110:. And the reworking station is a brand new model which works with infrared :thumbsup:.

PS2: With this equip i could repair 360's, too. But before i go too big steps i start with such an project. And when this project gets finished and works i probably start to repair 360 :rolleyes:

[TmEE]

Hi TmEE,
I get the cpu from the motherboard with the help of an JBC hot air station, or with the rework station ;-).
With the hot air station the processor should be dead after removing, i think.
But as my plan is using a new Processor that shouldn't be the problem.

Any non destructive solutions ? Would heating the board upside down beneath the CPU work ? The electrolytic caps they love to put where BGA chips are would die, but all other parts should be fairly heat tolerant...
I've not messed with BGA stuff before...