Modded Xbox Options

[jberwick]

Hi all,

I bought a modified Xbox from Emporium in Bangkok about 4 months ago... once I heard that Xbox Live has started banning modded Xboxs, I have not logged onto Xbox Live, as I don't want them to ban my Xbox.

But I have some questions:

1. Is there any fix for modded Xboxs to start using Xbox Live again if they have never been banned?

2. If I use original games (ie. not copies) on my modded Xbox on Xbox live, will I still get banned?

3. If there is no solution to using my Xbox on Xbox Live ever again, is there a way to switch my Xbox back to being unmodded?

Thanks!

[phazey]

From what i know:

MS ban 3 ways, and it's done manually.

1) searching for error E65 in the console status log (generated when machine is powered up with no DVD drive connected)

2) comparing drive seek times (copied games differ from originals)

3) challenging PFI/DMI (i could be using the wrong acronyms, this is done from memory) sectors of the disk. (stealth disks challenge ok)

I've not played a "backup" since live started banning, but still use XBLA & download demos - no ban yet. I'm yet to find out if the "backups" will work because the are chinese "mass produced" and not burned one by one....

in answer to your Questions.

1) nope, there's even been reports of MS sending out refurbs that have been banned, and not allow them on (that's <deleted> up!)

2) originals are fine to play on live with amodded console

3) i doubt, as you need the original firmware for your drive, which contains a unique key that marries it to your console - and as 360's enter Thailand pre-modded, no chance

Edited July 14, 2007 by phazey

[LivinLOS]

Originals may not be fine (on live) on a modded console as some of the drive firmwares (mods) will give different speed reports to standard unmodded drives. This is one of the detections systems and its a risk (tho not one of the highest risks, bad game rips prolly the worst).

There are safe firmwares for some types of drive.. Last time I looked there were live proof firmwares for sammy drives.

Once a machine is banned its banned.. Theres no unbanning mod. You can however unmod your console if its not banned and be 100% safe.

[jberwick]

Thanks LivnLOS for that info!

Just to restate, I have not logged onto Xbox Live since they began banning, so I am pretty sure my modded Xbox has not been banned as of right now.

I have a few more questions though:

1. You say there may be a firmware fix if I have a Sammy (I presume that means Samsung?) drive? How can I tell what kind of drive I have in my Xbox? And if I do have a Sammy drive, how do I go about finding and updating the firmware?

2. If I did want to unmod my Xbox, what is involved? I am pretty good with software stuff, but anything hardware (ie. soddering, etc) is something I have no experience in.

Thanks!

Edited July 14, 2007 by jberwick

[LivinLOS]

Modding an xbox firmware is not that tough (no soldering) but you need to be carefull .. Inside your DVD drive is a unique key that is locked for your drive to your motherboard / the rest of the box.. that key must be 'extracted' and injected / patched into the firmware and then that firmware file updated onto the drive..

To do that you need a SATA drive adapter and a power source (you can use the xbox but the xboot booting without a connected drive is one fo the error codes MS are watching.. You can however boot without the video cable connected and the machine doesnt boot and you can use its power.. problem here is it doesnt last long and you can toast your dvd if you are slow about flashing it and the power cuts..

If you hit google (or xbox-scene) and ask xbox drive differences or similar you will see pics.. The sammys seem the most sold drive here in asia but theres also benq and hitachi possibly others now (not been reading as much as before). As I say last time I looked there was a firmware for the samsung drives that was considered 'safe' for xbox live with correctly ripped and burnt backups.. I tend to think most people who are getting banned have backups with bad security sectors and rip data, early rips were released onto the scene and downloaded were not done properly. The new firmware also will not load bad game rips, added safety.

I am currently not on live.. Playing offline and will look again a week or two after halo is out.. Last time halo was the start of the banhammers and again this time with the beta halo release.. I will let others be the lemmings and see if smarter people than I can work out what is or is not safe, I do want to have a halo / live setup.

Saying your not banned as you havent logged in is probably true but not certain.. Last I read they thought MS had been collecting data since the fall update and used the spring update to start banning.. Some people without the spring update still got banned just from previous use. You can see if you have been hit with a banhammer by doing a network test, if your banhammered you get the hammer error codes at the 'live' portion of that test.