HOW to read your XBOX's EEPROM and GET the HDD KEY WITHOUT removing the chip Or Modding the XBOX

READ ME FIRST

I now offer two ways of connecting the xbox eeprom reader to the eeprom chip.
Solder method: The most difficult, but you will get a perfect read everytime.
Solderless method: The easiest, but you may have to apply pressure to the wires in order to get a good read. I recommend trying this method first, if it does not work for you then use the solder method.

Soldering the 2 wires to the eeprom legs is going to be the hardest part. If you are not great at soldering, practice on something else first. I am great at soldering and this is still a little tough. I dipped my wires in flux and tinned them first with a thin rosin core solder, then put just a tad of solder on the leg. Touch wire to leg and then touch the wire with the soldering iron. This is just temporary, so you don’t need to use much solder. Actually using too much can run between 2 legs causing a short. Don’t touch the eeprom leg with soldering iron any longer than absolutely necessary, you don’t want to burn up the chip.
http://www.aaroncake.net/electronics/solder.htm http://www.mediacollege.com/misc/solder/index.html


On some models the white cable’s orange wire may actually appear more yellow. If after reading the tutorials, you still don’t understand something, don’t hesitate to drop me an email. I want you to be able to extract your HDD key. I do not offer tech support for anything that you want to do with that HDD key after you get it (legal reasons). I may included some real fine rosin core solder and a couple hook up wires.

Note: Don’t try to plug your computer Ethernet cable into the eeprom reader, I just used the RJ45 box because it seemed to work well for this project.

Do tutorial “Connect Eeprom reader to xbox” first!
Then do tutorial “PonyProg tutorial”

If you don’t know how to open the case, there are instructions (with pictures) at http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/open1.php , you just need to go as far as removing the case, HDD and DVD, don’t continue removing motherboard,etc. Once the DVD is out of the way you should be able to see the eeprom. I removed my HDD just so I had more room to solder.

Good Luck!!

 

PONY PROG

• Xbox powered off
• Install and launch PonyProg
• SETUP – Select options, setup and make sure to select serial, SI Prog API, then select your com port. After this is done hit Probe, you should immediately get a window that says Test OK, if not double check the setup parameters (probably picked the wrong com port)
• CALIBRATE - Select Options, calibration, yes
• Power on Xbox (it may reboot itself a couple times, so wait till all that is finished)
• READ EEPROM – Select Device, Read. You should get a bunch of data on your screen , if not check all connections and try again.
• SAVEAS – Select File, Save as, Save in (put it somewhere that you remember) filename (lets call it EEPROM) and Save as type (.bin)
• Turn off xbox (if it doesn’t turn off, then unplug it)
• Save your EEPROM.bin to a floppy or cd for archive purposes.
• Make a folder and put LiveInfo_Beta_3 in it and Move a copy of your EEPROM.BIN file into this directory.
• Launch Live_Info, Select LOAD EEPROM (should be in the Live_Info directory) and hit open.
• There is a line that says Unique HDD Key – this is your HardDrive Key/Password.
• You can now unsolder/unplug the wires from the eeprom.

 

HOW TO BUILD AN EEPROM READER

I have a real nice "easy to understand" drawing of how to build one on a sheet of paper, so just go to llama.com and look at there drawing, it is pretty straight forward as well.

http://llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/Reading_Xbox_Hdd_key.htm


As far as parts list, I use:
1 ethernet wall mount box
1 9pin female D-sub connector and hood ($1 mouser electronics)
2 silicon zener diodes part# 1N4733A 5.1V/1W (eBay 25 diodes for $5)
2 3.9K ohm resistors
5 feet of cat5 cable
1 cat5 connector (plugs into one end of my ethernet box)
1 box of shrink tubing (think 1/8")

As with everything you can buy online in bulk for alot cheaper than you can buy at your local radioshack. I always bought enough components to build 50 eeprom readers at a time.

After alot of practice I could build an eeprom reader and test it in about 35 - 45 minutes. This is why they sale for $30 online, not because of the cost of the components. Not to mention the time spent writing a bullet-proof tutorial.

Read that last paragraph again Varnull.

 

I wish to send out a big warm ThankYou to Unicorn for getting the ball rolling, Chunkhead for getting me interested in the eeprom reader, the guys at llama.com for cleaning it all up and AfterDawn for keeping this thread running for so long.

 

Hi, i actually have a version 1.6 xbox and it is booting to an error 07 screen because my hardrive is dead. I dont have a backup of the eeprom but i want to build a reader so that i can fix this issue. Now if i want to do it the solderless method by attatching it to the lpc do i have to rebuild it first because i have a 1.6 or should i just stick it in the lpc holes?

 

I would wait until I extracted the eeprom data from the motherboard before I rebuilt a new hard drive (using XboxHardDriveMaker).

 

Yea but i am trying to get the eeprom on my versions 1.6 from the lpc so do i have to rebuild it or just leave it and put the wires in the lpc holes?

 

When you say "it" are you referring to your hard drive?

 

Well basically im trying to read the eeprom by using the lpc holes but since i have a 1.6 do i have to rebuild the lpc?

 

Also when i attached the reader directly to the eeprom chip my xbox turned off and on 3 times and could not get a read. Is the rebooting supposed to be normal or is it a problem from my hand?

 

reboot happened to me too just use external power. I used 2 AA battery (3.0V) + goes to the lpc (pin 15) and - goes to ground

 

Where would i attach the external power if i want to connect the reader directly to the chip? And does the external power have to be connected to the eeprom reader in any way or should i just connect it directly to the chip to basically power it up?

 

When power is connected the xbox power button lights up yellow. the - side of the 3 - 5v power supply goes any ground point. The power supply + goes to pin 8. It states that in the tut. Also I borrowed this picture from the tutorial.

 

vcbc thanks for the reply, i really appreciate it, but what are all those other colored lines? Why are they going from the lpc holes to some other points? I have a 1.6 xbox so would i need to do the rebuilding in order to use lpc holes?

 

So when i conncet the 3-5 volt power supply to the eeprom chip then the xbox will light up? Even if the xbox is not powered up using its own power source, just by connecting the 2 AA batteries the light will be yellow?

 

I used 2 AA batteries as the external power source and connected the positive to pin 8 and negative to a screw pad(ground). All it did was quickly and i mean quickly flash orange and then when i took it off and connect it to pin 8 again it wouldnt even flash that time. So i waited a while and then again it flashed orange maybe for a half a second. Why is this? Maybe i need more volts? The 2 batteries add up to 3V and they are fresh. Please help me

 

Your mistake.. when you are using the external battery power you don't need to power the xbox.. Its not safe to do so (LIVE PARTS EXPOSED>> UNSAFE). All you need are the batteries and the reader.. no mains power to the xbox. Ignore the front led..

Thanks for the update to the tutorial Guppy.. your comment made me laugh.. you have no idea who I am have you?

 

I never turned on the xbox with external power already attached. i aint that dumb!! Wait so the front LED doesnt matter? and no i didnt blow the chip becuase i was able to turn my xbox on with video and audio!

 

Ignore the front led.. the important thing is to power the eeprom, that's all. If the board is badly messed up (failed chipping attempt) you may have to actially remove the eeprom to get a reading. Think tht was discussed about 10 pages back.