Softmodded Original Xbox Dvd Drive Reading Unknown

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The original Xbox can exist turned into a media centre that can play classic video games, videos and music. Xboxes are very inexpensive ($30) from places like Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon, Kijiji or even gratuitous from someone that doesn't want it anymore. In social club to use the Xbox in these ways start it must be modded. There are a few means of doing this, but here I will describe a way to softmod without needing anything else (using the hotswap method).
Terms
- HDD - Hard disk drive Drive
- Softmod - Software simply Xbox mod Aka Software Modern
- Hardmod - Modern that requires a flake Aka Hardware Mod
- Dashboard - The master program that the Xbox runs when yous starting time showtime it. Like to an operating arrangement for a PC.
- UnleashX, Evox - Two mutual Dashboards.
- Ndure - Program that softmods.
- XboxHDM - General Xbox modding tools.
- IDE/PATA - Older difficult drive connector, used by the Xbox.
Overview
So why exercise yous want to modern an Xbox? How should I know?
Why do I mod Xboxes? Because it turns a crappy $30 console into a multimedia center. A modded Xbox volition be able to play archetype games (Atari, NES, SNES, Sega, Game Boy, N64), play nearly any video format, play music, as well equally playing Xbox games directly off the HDD. Those are the primary features, only y'all tin also browse the spider web, play other games, and run various other programs. Yous have a couple options that will depend on what features yous want. The power to run emulators (classic games), will come up with whatever modded Xbox. However, if you want to play Xbox games from the HDD or scout videos and listen to music the stock 8 GB HDD won't exist big plenty. If you don't intendance about Xbox games I recommend you lot merely put your videos and music on your home network and share them. The Xbox volition be able to play them from the network quite easily. Xbox games though can't be played over the network (at least I oasis't been able to get them to piece of work). Guess near iii gigs per game, to figure out how much room you will want. Also remember you lot can keep the games on your PC and bandy them out on the Xbox, although this takes a chip of fourth dimension. If you choose to install a large HDD, it must be IDE, non SATA, and slower speed drives are actually better since they are cooler. Personally I have an eighty gig HDD in the Xbox with about fifteen games on information technology, then I have my video on the network.
At present to review the ways of doing this. The outset method was the hardmod. This involves buying a mod chip for around $30-$fifty, opening your Xbox and soldering it in (later solderless adapters were made). This method has the do good of giving yous the most freedom to use your modded Xbox how you want. However, progress was made and now most anything that tin be washed with a hardmod can be done with a softmod.
The softmod doesn't involve whatsoever hardware changes, everything is done in software, hence the proper name. At that place are 2 types of softmod, the commencement requires you have one of three specific games and a way to copy files from your calculator to the Xbox (either memory bill of fare + Action Replay, or USB drive + USB to Xbox adapter). You'll likely have to buy these items. However the benefit is you don't accept to open up the Xbox at all, and then if you are scared of releasing the demons that live in your Xbox this is probably the best bet for y'all.
The last method is the one I adopt. It'due south the hotswap softmod. Yous have to open the Xbox and unplug the HDD and plug it into your PC while they are both running. Thus it can be rather risky, particularly if you preform the performance in a bathroom of salt water and shake uncontrollably. The do good is that information technology only requires the Xbox, and a PC, you don't take to buy anything else.
You volition need:
- Xbox
- Some blank CDs/DVDs
- Torx 20, 15, ten screwdrivers (sometimes tiny apartment screwdrivers can be used instead)
- PC with IDE/PATA ports
- Larger HDD if you want to exist able to play Xbox games from the HDD
- Want to work on insides of PC while powered on.
- Oxygen to breath while conducting
Before yous begin you have to do some stuff in the stock Microsoft Dashboard to prepare. Showtime plough on the Xbox and go to the fourth dimension set, make sure your time zone is right. Next go to the game save manager and delete all the game saves to free up room (y'all don't accept to do this, simply if you bought the Xbox used you probably don't want the saves anyhow). And then you need to rip at to the lowest degree ane song to the Xbox HDD. I use The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Original Soundtrack, you lot can probably use something else.
Then yous need to detect out what version dashboard and kernel yous accept. Get to Settings > System Info and wait for the text to whorl, at the bottom of this text is the versions:
K:1.00.5838.01
D:1.00.5960.01
The higher up dash is 5960, this is the newest dashboard, yous should make sure yours is upwards to date. I haven't seen one since I started modding again that wasn't. I've heard you can just play any new game or log on to Xbox Live to update the dash. The kernel above is 5838, there's a skillful take a chance yours is dissimilar. The kernel is based on when the Xbox was made, and won't modify for whatever one Xbox. You'll demand to know what kernel you have later on so write it downwards.
Make Disk
You'll need Ndure three.1, and xboxhdm one.9. Automobile Xbins is a proficient tool to utilize to find Xbox software. Ndure is the actual softmod, and xboxhdm is a full general programme for Xbox stuff. Yous'll employ xboxhdm to run Ndure. Kickoff beginning up the Ndure program and select your options. For the most role the defaults are fine, still, there are two key changes. Starting time you must select your kernel, 2d you must select "Create XBOXHDM Installer". Afterwards you practice this cease the steps to build your Ndure files. When the program is done you lot should take a folder chosen "ndure", you accept to copy that folder into your xboxhdm/linux/ binder. See my screenshot for clarification.

Now you go to the base xboxhdm folder and run the file "make-iso-win.bat". This volition create a file chosen linux.iso, this is your CD you will utilize to mod your Xbox. Fire this iso and you lot'll exist fix to open your Xbox.

Opening the Xbox

The Xbox is fairly piece of cake to open up, once you lot know where the screws are. There are 6 long T-xx screws holding the case on. They are all on the lesser nether the feet and stickers. You lot'll have to pry the 4 anxiety off (I use a small flat screw driver, they can be quite hard to remove). You can feel around for the holes under the stickers for the other two screws. Once you find them punch a hole through with your screwdriver and remove them. Come across my moving picture for locations.

Remove the example hat. Inside yous will notice a compensation of candy and happiness. Afterwards you finish the candy you will see the gray ribbon cablevision, hidding underneath it is a single golden T-ten spiral, remove information technology.

Now you should try to unplug the ability and IDE cable from the back of the HDD. They sometimes are quite hard to remove, wiggling may exist necessary. Then you lot can lift the whole blackness plastic HDD tray out. The HDD power cable is routed through it to brand your life harder. Lastly there are four T-fifteen screws, ii on either side of the HDD tray, they will have to be removed to remove the HDD from the tray.

Now that you have your modding CD and your Xbox HDD it is time to brainstorm the actual modding. All Xbox HDDs must exist locked in order for the system to kicking. Locking is a rather obscure HDD feature which I don't recall I've e'er seen used for anything other than Xboxes. When the organization is first powered on the HDD asks it for a a key. If the organisation provides the correct cardinal so the HDD is unlocked. It will remain unlocked for as long equally it'south powered, and will return to a locked state every bit soon as it loses power. It's important to note that whatsoever loss of power volition cause the HDD to relock, the system doesn't have to tell it to or anything. Luckily relocking isn't really a big deal, since the Xbox has the key to unlock information technology again. If something goes wrong during the hotswap (for instance the CD times out before you consummate the hotswap) you can only turn everything off and start over.
Ok, so now you volition want to remove whatsoever HDDs you may have in your PC and so they don't become messed upward. Get out only your CD drive every bit the secondary master. Then put the Xbox HDD in the PC, and plug a power cablevision from the PC into it. Withal, you lot will plug the IDE cable from the Xbox into it. To summarize the Xbox HDD volition be in the PC, powered by the PC, but take an IDE cable running to the Xbox. This will require the Xbox and PC to be quite close. You'll want to practice the movement you'll accept to do a few times with the power off. You'll be unplugging the Xbox IDE and then plugging in the PC IDE, so that the Xbox is the primary primary in the PC (and at this point the Xbox will take no connections to the HDD). Make sure the PC IDE cablevision is hands accessed, and that you'll be able to remove the Xbox IDE. Keep in mind you lot'll be doing this while everything is powered up and running, then there is a adept run a risk you'll dice. Too the HDD spins very fast while on, and in general doesn't have kindly to trigger-happy shakes, so try to remove the IDE cable gently.
You'll want to set up your PC to boot from CD. Also a quick note. My Dell Dimension 8100 that I employ for this has a very annoying BIOS that doesn't like it when drives appear out of nowhere. Equally such I have to take a random HDD plugged in to the primary master IDE channel when powering on. When it comes fourth dimension to plug that IDE cablevision into the Xbox HDD I have to showtime remove it from the random PC HDD. You shouldn't worry about this unless you have bug with the modding CD non seeing the Xbox HDD. Just don't be alarmed when you lot see the second HDD in my pics, the bottom HDD is the random PC HDD, and the top is the Xbox HDD.
Make sure you have enough of cables. Also an electric organ tin't hurt.

Now that y'all are all practiced and gear up information technology's show time. Make sure the CD is in your PC and that it boots to the CD before you try the hotswap. When you lot're fix you'll power on the PC, look a second or two and so power on the Xbox. Hopefully the PC volition supply the power to the Xbox HDD and the Xbox will be able to access without suspecting a affair. As shortly as the Microsoft dash is loaded go into your soundtracks and play a song, as soon as it starts playing y'all tin can be sure the HDD is unlocked, and so you can pause it. Now your PC should be at the xboxhdm main card, waiting for your choice. Remove the Xbox IDE cable and connect the PC IDE cable. Once the connectedness is made the Xbox is no longer continued to the PC or HDD in anyway, you tin can turn the Xbox off. On your PC cull choice 1 "Boot VGA console with xbox-drive utilities (default)". If the hotswap went well xboxhdm should load. If not it'south a sign you've angered the mighty warlord Odin. Determine what you did wrong and ready it, to the lowest degree he unleash his wolves Geri and Freki upon you. When you are prompted you will enter "xbrowser", which will load the xbrowser. This volition let you navigate to your Ndure folder, and run your Ndure script (ndure.htm). This will launch Ndure, where you volition want to choose choice i "Install Ndure [Install merely ndure files]". Ndure will and then mod your Xbox. There are 3 steps and it takes roughly ten minutes. Often time errors will show upwardly, I've had success with the "ignore it and promise information technology goes away" policy. Once it is done you lot can power off the PC, and put the Xbox HDD dorsum into the Xbox. The Xbox should be modded now. Congratulations you lot've brought celebrity to Odin's name.
Xbox Basics

I'll take this opportunity to become over some Xbox nuts and so you can follow along. First up there are 5 partitions on the HDD. C: - default dashboard stuff as well every bit the modernistic, generally don't mess with C:. D: - DVD drive. E: - This is the main drive where you will be installing apps and what not. Your default dashboard (UnleashX) is here in East:/nuance/. X: Y: Z: - these are caches, each virtually 750MB in size, they are required to play Xbox games, and probably for a lot of the mod stuff too. You won't mess with them. Those are the 5 that every Xbox has, but if you have a larger HDD y'all may have an F: or even G: also. By and large if yous put a bigger HDD in you put all the actress space in F:, leaving East: at the default size. G: is only needed if you apply a HDD larger than 137GB, and even and then you can use only F: instead of splitting it upwardly. If you are sticking with the stock HDD you will put everything on East:. If you lot are upgrading the HDD yous volition have the option of E: or F:. Generally I put all apps on East:, and all data (ROMs) on F:
Next thing is FTP. FTP is the best mode to access the files on the Xbox, and is pretty easy to ready. If you take a router you lot plug in your Xbox and prepare the option to utilize DHCP. Information technology volition find an IP and UnleashX or AID should show the current IP on the opening screen (example - 192.168.1.110). Become an FTP program, utilize the IP as the address/host, password and username are both xbox (generally all usernames and passwords are set to xbox as defaults, sometimes Xbox), leave the balance as defaults. Hit connect and it should work. If not you'll have to notice a more than in depth Xbox FTP tutorial. It should be pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to effigy out what'southward going on. Information technology's probably a good idea to explore the folders (mainly on East a scrap.
And so at that place'south the Xbox filesystem and programs. The Xbox uses a custom version of FAT32 chosen FATX. FATX has some limitations that yous should be aware of. File names are express to 42 characters, max filesize is 2GB, and some characters aren't allowed. At that place are programs you run on your PC that volition convert filenames to legal FATX filenames. As for programs they are actually quite unproblematic. The Xbox version of .exe is .xbe (are you starting to observe a common theme?). In general programs are named default.xbe, and they are in a folder named for the program, along with whatever config files they may demand. For instance if yous wanted to install the Evox app it would just be a folder called /evox/ with a default.xbe file in it forth with a config file. You'd just copy that folder onto your Xbox into your E:/apps/ folder (or anywhere else yous want).
Another fun aspect of working with the Xbox is that any software that runs on the Xbox itself and isn't authorized by Microsoft (read everything related to modding) is illegal. Thus you will have trouble finding it. Notation the source lawmaking isn't illegal, only the compiled .xbe files that you really need to run. The place to detect these files is referred to equally the "usual places". Mainly this is an IRC channel called xbins. There are many tutorials explaining how to become into it, only it's a rather complex process. Luckily there is a plan called autoxbins that does everything for you lot. You just download it then run it, look a minute or two for it to connect, and and so can browse the files.
You tin get the programs you desire one by i from xbins and install them, although it is a bit abrasive. Luckily once again there are car installer disks. The one I use is called Automobile-Installer Palatial (AID). You just download the iso and burn down it then after the Xbox is modded you'll be able to boot to it and install many programs at once.
I never used an Xbox other than modded ones. So I have no thought how intuitive the controls would exist for someone who plays Xbox, but either way I'll go over the bones controls most programs tend to utilize. A tends to be OK, and B abolish. If you want to exit a program back volition usually serve as escape. The triggers are often used every bit a way to ringlet fast through long lists (very useful), the farther yous press them the faster you whorl. Sometimes correct and left and the D-pad volition skip through messages in lists (as in Every bit then Bs, then Cs, then Ds...). The remainder don't really have full general functions but, especially in the more complex programs, they all tend to do something. Play around.
Setup

Get-go off you desire to test to brand certain everything went well. Put the Xbox HDD dorsum into the Xbox and plug in the cables, merely don't bother screwing anything in yet. Power on the Xbox and you should be taken to an UnleashX screen. It tends to take longer than the default Microsoft dashboard, so don't be alarmed if zilch immediately happens. If you go to the dashboard and your house hasn't burned down nonetheless you lot tin breath a sigh of relief (I lost 4 houses when I was starting out).
Your beginning guild of concern is getting your HDD eeprom.bin. This is the key which allows you to lock and unlock your HDD at volition. Once you have this y'all can build a new HDD from scratch and put it in your Xbox. Until y'all accept this you are at risk of permanently bricking your Xbox if something unexpected happens (for instance Ragnarok). The best way to become your eeprom backup is EvoX. EvoX is a dashboard just similar UnleashX. If it was installed yous tin launch it from UnleashX. Look for an applications menu item, or launch a file browser and await for it at Due east:/apps/evox/default.xbe. If you don't have it installed you'll have to install it yourself. Luckily installing programs on the Xbox is as easy as moving them onto the HDD. The ii obvious options are to either FTP in to your Xbox and place it in the apps folder, or use an autoinstaller similar AID to install it.
If yous go with Assistance this is how it works. You lot'll load the DVD, if nothing seems to happen it ways your Xbox won't recognize your media. Xbox DVD drives are very fussy most which brand disks they volition read, if your make doesn't work the only thing y'all can practice is endeavour a unlike brand. AID takes about a minute to load. Once it's started you go to: make backup, Fill-in / Restore HDD >Backup Eeprom > expect for load > Backup Eeprom > Motility to East: > Dorsum to main menu. Once this is done yous should be able to FTP in to Help and await for the backup. I've had trouble getting this to work sometimes, so oftentimes I'll just install Evox from Assistance (Application Section, Install Nuance equally App) and so launch that.
The Evox backup is a binder with 5 small files (bios.bin, disk.bin, eeprom.bin, hddinfo.txt, and hddkey.bin, total size 1.5MB) in it. Yous may have other folders called backup, don't be distracted by them, keep your eye on the prize. Copy the entire fill-in folder somewhere on your PC, and rename information technology something like backup.myxbox. Since it'south such a pocket-sized file (and is even smaller if y'all zip it), you tin email it to yourself if you lot are really paranoid.
This may seem complicated and non immediately necessary, just trust me you'll want to accept the backup around (and you need information technology if you programme on putting in a bigger HDD).
In one case yous have your fill-in you can keep with copying over programs and files. If y'all plan on installing a larger HDD though y'all should practise that first, every bit installing anything on the smaller HDD will just be a waste of fourth dimension. If y'all are sticking with your stock HDD (or after you've upgraded) you can either FTP programs over or use AID. I similar to u.s. Help and merely select install all apps, so install all emulators.
Installing A Larger HDD

As long as you take your eeprom.bin installing a larger HDD is relatively painless. All yous have to practice is create a HDD with the Xbox partitions, format, and files, then lock it. A HDD must be able to lock to be used in a softmodded Xbox. There are some sites that have lists of HDD models that lock. The only way to be sure is to just try it. The easiest mode to practice this is to make some other xboxhdm CD. First FTP in and re-create over your C and E drives to your PC. They should be something like 400 MB. Become to your xboxhdm binder and put the contents of the C and E drives in the folders chosen C and E. Annotation this is the C and Due east folders directly at /xboxhdm/linux/C/. There are also C and E folders in the ndure folder you moved over earlier, those aren't needed. Yous don't need ndure at all anymore, so you can delete the /ndure/ folder entirely (in fact it probably won't fit on a CD if yous don't). After yous have your C and E folders copied you also demand to copy your eeprom.bin into the folder conventionally called /eeprom/.
Later C, E, and eeprom.bin are in the correct places you tin run "brand-iso-win.bat" again. It'll overwrite the linux.iso file with a new ane. Once it's washed get ahead and fire the disk. Identify the new larger HDD into your PC, no other HDD should exist connected (the original Xbox HDD isn't used at all). Kicking to CD as before and once more choose option 1 (Boot VGA console). Here you volition blazon "xboxhd" instead of "xbrowser" equally before. Then you accept to type "yes" (full yep not just y). At the menu you lot want pick ane "Build a new Xbox HD from scratch". After the process starts you'll have to type "yes" again at three dissimilar prompts. Afterward a few minutes it'll finish, y'all can restart the PC.
Now y'all take a properly formatted Xbox HDD, nevertheless it still won't work in an Xbox unless it'southward locked. So later on the CD loads at the beginning menu y'all'll choose pick iii "Boot linux with locking/unlocking utilities". It should load and detect your HDD. Now yous will take the ability to lock and unlock your HDD. I remind y'all that if you lock a HDD with an unknown key information technology'due south virtually impossible to recover the drive, you won't even exist able to format it. That's why you put the eeprom.bin file on the CD. This way the CD can automatically use that primal to lock/unlock, and you don't have to worry about something like a typo bricking your HDD. The command to lock your HDD with the primal on the CD is "lockhd -a". You tin type just "lockhd" to see the options. It should display a screen telling you if it's locked or not. Information technology also tells you that it ready the principal countersign to "XBOXSCENE". This primary password can be used to unlock the HDD if yous lose the regular fundamental (by default the stock HDD doesn't take a master password).
Now you tin but put the new HDD into the Xbox and ability it up to see if it works. If so you tin can begin copying files over. You may want to unlock the old HDD at present, and then that information technology tin be used for nonxbox purposes afterward. If you want to the process is the same as locking except the final command is "unlockhd -a". A great thing about the Evox backup is that information technology includes a text file with the HDD serial in it, that makes it piece of cake to find the correct key to unlock a random HDD from a large pile of old Xbox HDDs later.

Tony B Ťｻ∑ ㄕ◊к∑㎡◊и Lifetime Gold

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Phew, I feel sooo relieved
Xatoku Good News Anybody! Lifetime Aureate

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Just bumping this as its a fairly extensive Softmod Guide and there are a lot of new threads in this department and so it may come in handy for other, but it won't if they cant notice it
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I wish I had a computer with a IDE connector. Think I might get a sata with an adapter.
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:wtf: Jtag y u got to break down on me!!!
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Hi, can anyone recommend a sata to ide jumper that works for this. Thank you