XBOX Error Codes Explained
Originally posted by deezp1, July 14th 2005
Corrections by Synthetyc_Syn
OK, I have seen many times people ask about error codes and have to wait for someone to tell them what it means. To make everyone's life easier (Mods, Members, and n00bs), I am going to post a listing of all of the error codes with some explanation of what they mean and how to fix them. I hope this thread will help everyone with their Xbox error problems.
Also, I don't want to take credit for compiling the information (but I will take credit posting it!). I have to credit OCnewB and Superfro of the Xbox-Scene forums. He is the one who originally compiled all the information, I just put it here on our forum, but I did clean it up a little, added some input, and kept only the most recent updated fixes(the original had a lot of fixes that were out of date).
So with all that being said, Behold:
XBOX ERROR CODES EXPLAINED
For those of you that don't know or are not sure if or when you have seen an error, you will see an error during the normal boot up sequence. Instead of your booting the M$ dashboard or Hacked Dashboard (Evox, UnleashX, Avalaunch, etc.), there will be an message on the screen that says, "Your Xbox Requires Service" and you will see a number on the upper left hand corner of the screen <- this is your error code number. The error codes are listed below
Beware, you won't see the bootldr errors because (thanks to: Lordvader129) : "when you see this" is not entirely accurate, you never see the bootloader errors, as they are one that cause the reboot/FRAGs
2 - bootldr - Eeprom check failed
When you see this error most of the times you have flashed something wrong. Or you dropped solder on your eeprom chips.
4 - bootldr - Ram check failed
Your Xbox ram chips are wasted.
Maybe you dropped a little solder on it (try to remove it CAREFULLY!). Note, if they are fried, removing solder won't fix them). Maybe you were static when you touched the ram chips. They are kind off sensitive. If they are, they are fried, sell your Xbox for spare parts.
5 - kernel - HDD not locked (The retail Xbox bioses require the HDD to be locked)
When you upgrade your hard disk drive for one that is larger, you most of the times use a new hard drive that you bought in the shop. Now, when you put this HDD in your Xbox and you try to boot up with your chip off, it gives you error 5. Why you ask? Well I will try to explain it simple.
The original (also called "Retail") hard drive is locked by MS. Why did they lock the hard drive?
Well if it wasn't it would've been more than easy (in the start of Xbox hacking)
for hackers to change content on it. That's why MS locks it. It is just a security measure.
This locking process uses information that's on the motherboard. The "Lock" on a Xbox hard drive contains information that is based on the hard drive itself and the motherboard it came with.
One thing that makes this clear: You can not change a retail hard drive with another one from an other not modded Xbox. With every Xbox there is only ONE I repeat ONE compatible hard disk drive. That is, if they are locked.
If you don't mod your Xbox (tsop or modchips) you can not change hard drives. Not even from another Xbox. However when your Xbox IS modified you can change your hard disk for almost every other hard disk (that's UNLOCKED). This means that even when your Xbox is modified, you can not just put another (retail) XBOX hard disk in your Xbox. However some smart people made programs that can lock or unlock your Xbox hard disk on the fly.
So when does the error occur? The only time this error should occur is when you boot up your Xbox in original mode AND you have a hard disk in your Xbox that is not yet locked. So now you ask what do i have to do to make your Xbox work again?
Well the answer is pretty easy. Boot up your Xbox with the chip on. Preferably with a slayer evo-x CD. Now you choose "Eeprom management." Than you choose: "Lock HDD." It takes one second. After its ready it should say something like "Done"
When it is "Done" just turn off your Xbox. Disable your chip and try to boot in original mode. Now there should be no more error 5.
6 - kernel - Cannot unlock HDD
If you understand the above, you should be able to understand what this means. It means you are trying to boot up the Xbox with a hard disk that is locked in combination with ANOTHER motherboard than you are using it with right now.
What can i do about it, you ask? Well place the hard disk back in the Xbox where it came from. After that, UNLOCK the hard disk with the same procedure i explained above (see error 5). Now when the hard disk is UNLOCKED, put it in the Xbox which gave you the error. Now when you boot up with the chip ON it should not give you an error anymore.
However when you put the Xbox on with the chip OFF your Xbox will give you an error (error 5). So to make sure you can boot original and boot with the chip ON. Next do the same as above: "Boot up your Xbox with the chip on. Preferably with a slayer evo-x CD. Now you choose "Eeprom management." Than you choose: "Lock HDD." It takes one second. After its ready it should say something like "Done"
When it is ready just turn off your Xbox. Disable your chip and try to boot original. Now there should be no more error.
7 - kernel - HDD timeout
Most of the times, the IDE cable is not properly connected when you see this error. Please reattach the IDE cable. Not only to the hard disk drive but also to the DVD drive. Also try to reconnect the IDE cable to the motherboard.
Press pretty hard so it goes all the way in. Make sure it is seated straight and proper in the drives and the motherboard. If you still have an error 7, try another IDE cable. If that won't work try another hard disk. If there is still no go, try to set the jumpers on the rear side of the hard disk drive. Set it to master or cable select. If still no success, good luck and sell your Xbox to me rolleyes.gif
8 - kernel - No HDD found
Please make sure your Xbox HDD is attached properly. Most of the times the IDE cable came loose, or isn't seated properly in the IDE port of your hard disk. Also make sure the power supply cables are intact and working.
Make sure the IDE cable is also connected properly to the rest of the hardware (DVD and motherboard).
9 - kernel - HDD parameters (PIO/DMA/or size {debug}, certain size minimum is required for debug)
Not very common error, please try another hard disk.
10 - kernel - DVD timeout
Actually its almost the same as error 6/7/8. But also make sure the yellow cables are properly connected to the motherboard and the DVD drive.
- Make sure IDE cables are connected good.
- Make sure the yellow cables are good and properly connected.
- Still no success? Try another DVD drive of which you are sure it is working.
11 - kernel - No DVD Found
Same as #10 So read up please!
12 - kernel - DVD parameters (PIO/DMA)
Same as #10, only not very common.
13 - kernel - Dashboard launch fail (due to missing/bad key, or anything else that would prevent it from running) and the dashboard didn't specify why it failed.
The error it gives is because of the incompatibility between the (older) dashboard (4920) that older slayer CD installs and the new dashboard/kernel versions found in some new Xbox's and found in Xbox's that have been connected to Xbox Live (when you go on xbox-live, it'll upgrade your dashboard file to i believe it is now 5659.03. This dashboard is incompatible with the dash that (old) slayer CD installs (for example 2.5 or lower) for you.
(In detail, in the eeprom chip there is a kernel which is incompatible with the dashboard (4920) that slayer installs.)
So what do you do to fix it? You can use the dash-update found on most new Xbox games! Be sure to 1st unplug your Ethernet cable before you do so!!!
Besides that, just use a good installation disc and all is fine. Use a 2.6 slayer or something similar.
14 - dashboard - Error loading dashboard (dashboard generic error)
Same thing as above (error 13). This time it is also a little mistake from you on changing names or having played around with files on the Xbox hard disk. Error 14 is most often because you changed boot orders or names of startup files on the hard disk. It can also happen when you are rebuilding your Xbox hard disk with a slayer CD and the power was cut.
16 - dashboard - Clock cannot be set
Basically it comes down to this. Error 16 has to do with not finding the menu setting with which you can set the clock of the HDD. This happens to a lot of people that erase their HDD (original/upgraded) or MS dashboard files and after that they don't immediately install the HDD but leave the Xbox without power longer than 5 hours.
It's all about the HDD not being able to find the menu with which it can set the clock. This is mostly because the Xbox HDD is empty (you removed dashboard or fux0red it via ftp). The problem arises when Xbox searches for menu to set clock with, can't find it and voila: error 16. Well read on please!
So you have an error 16 huh? Don't worry "nothing" is broken!
You have an Xbox HDD that is locked. And normally you can boot in original and modded mode. Retail or upgraded doesn't matter. You start playing around with xboxdash.xbe etc. using ftp programs. While doing this you "accidentally" remove your MS dashboard and also your alternate dashboard (Evox, etc.) so there is no dash anymore on the Xbox HDD.
You end the ftp session and after that you shut off your Xbox. Normally when you would start up again it gives you an error 13/14 ( no dashboard found). No worries with a slayer Evox CD (and a hardmod), all is ok. BUT this is only WITHIN 3 hours or so.
This is because the internal clock of the Xbox will only be kept alive by the capacitors for only 3 or 4 hours. So when you leave your Xbox unplugged from electricity for over 5 hours after you have played with the .xbe's AND you have removed your (ms and evo-x) dash from your Xbox than you are fux0red. Why do you ask?
Why can't I boot from disc?
Its as follows Xbox starts booting==> (almost 1st thing an Xbox does is) searches for internal clock==> doesn't find internal clock because there hasn't been any electricity on the Xbox for 5 hours so battery that kept clock alive is empty and clock is gone==> searches for the proper dashboard menu to set clock with ==> doesn't find msdashboard or evo-x dashboard menu because you have removed it from the HDD for whatever reasons you had==> Xbox gives error 16: cannot set clock.
So what do you do about it? Two options!
1. There are some bios'es around that allow the chip to boot past the clocksetting. (do a search!). So how do you get that bios on your chip because you cant boot to a flash program or something? Well you need to have an external flasher.
It seems the m8 bios will take care for you of booting past the clocksetting. Or use the latest Xecutor bios.
2. This is the more easy and newbie friendly strategy
- Get a friend with a modded Xbox.
- Unlock his HDD with eeprom management from a slayer evo-x CD.
- Then, place his HDD in your Xbox.
- Boot with your chip on.
- Now the Xbox DOES find a dashboard when you boot in original mode and you can set the time in the msdashboard clock settings.
- Shut off Xbox and remove your friends HDD
- Place his HDD back in his Xbox and lock it again
- Install your HDD
- (clock has been set) So boot up with slayer CD.
- Install normally whatever you want to install
- lock HDD
If you get an error 13 after this, please read up on the error 13 explanation!
20 - kernel - The dashboard was attempted to load and failed
It was a cold boot, and the dashboard didn't specify why it failed, but it
(for some reason) needed to be noted that the DVD passed the challenge/response authentication.
21 - anywhere -
This error says that the machine was booted to display an error, basically someone told the machine to reboot (or launch a .xbe) with this flag, and the error code just means its been rebooted by the flag.
This occurs frequently when the Xbox is unable to boot due to dashboard changes being made (ie Gcue true blue hasn't been resigned, parts of the stock dash are missing - incomplete FTP backups copied to a new HDD for example).
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So there it is, the listing of all of the Error Codes. I hope this will help people for now on with there modding problems. I also hope nobody will need this thread, but I know a lot will. I am not responsible for whatever happens to your Xbox when following this advice. It's just what I found to be working so don't blame me when you kill your Xbox. That being said, although I know a little about the Xbox, modding, and the error codes, I am not an expert, but I do want to help. Also, feel free to add to this if there are any mistakes or if you feel you would like to add to this thread.
Good Luck to all, I hope this can help!
