Just Successfully Softmodded Your Xbox? Great!.. Now read this before you do ANYTHING!

Just finished softmodding your beloved Xbox? Nice.

Now before you get started, it is VERY IMPORTANT to keep a backup of your files. In the rare event that your softmod has problems, and you may need to re-build/hotswap your harddrive.

Make sure you also backed up your eeprom as this is a very important
precaution (with the knaves/krazie softmod installers you default have to backup your eeprom or you cannot continue with the softmod installation anyway)

First, go to your new hacked dashboard (EvoX, UnleashX, XBMC etc.) make sure you have FTP enabled and that you can connect properly ( Default Username = Xbox Default password = Xbox)

If you have problems with FTP then look here at "Techniique's" very good FTP tutorial - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/228294

Now, FTP into your C drive as shown below, and transfer everything within the folder to your PC.



Now, after this has completed, FTP into your E drive as shown below, and transfer everything within the folder to your PC.




(Note. that this it is not compulsory to transfer everything in this folder, but it is recommended as this way you will have a full backup of your Xbox system)

Now. You will have a full backup of your eeprom/system, so that in the event, something goes wrong, you can build a new hard drive/ hotswap to restore your system to the way it was immediately after a successful softmod!

(Note. Your EEPROM/HDDKey is located in - E:\Backup and should be kept on both your Xbox and your PC aswell as your system files)

==External Info==

If in the event your Xbox has failed to boot due to an EEPROM failure, and you did not backup your EEPROM this is your last resort - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/357863


Very good hotswap tutorial by "TheReturn" - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/332766


Tutorial : -- Building a new HD For Softmod --
Source : Xbox-Scene

First.. check the HD compatibility chart - http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/?p=statistics

OK. If you have come this far then well done. Now I will give you a very easy method of how to put in a spare or brand new PC hardrive into your xbox and make it work.


!!!!WARNING!!!!

In order to make a regular PC hardrive work in your xbox it is going to require you to format the hardrive so you must either make a backup of the hardrive if you have any needed things on it or use a brand new one.

Also you are doing this at your own risk and i will not accept any blame for any stupid mistakes you make. However i can tell you that if you follow this tutorial word for word then i am pretty certain that nothing will go wrong and if it does i will try my best to give you all my help.


OK, So here we go again.


Using this method you will not need to do anything to your original hardrive which means that if anything does go wrong you will still have an xbox


Needed Equipment/Software:

xboxhdm 1.9 (Found in usual place) (/XBOX/Operating Systems/linux/distributions)

Torx 10, Torx 15 And Torx 20 Screwdrivers - To Open XBOX

A Spare/Blank PC Hardrive (Can be anything from 10gb to 10000gb i think)

FTP Program (AceFTP, SmartFTP etc.)

Formated Floppy Disk

A blank DVD-R/W


Steps:


1. On your xbox's evox dashboard go to system utils and select backup. Once this has complete, on your PC run the desired FTP program and access ur xbox. Go to E:\ and download a file called 'backup_linux' to your PC hardrive.
Then go to the root of your xbox and download the full folders of C:\ and E:\ (You can use F:\ to if you want it) to your PC's hardrive.

Now extract all files in xboxhdm 1.9 to your PC'S hd and open up the folder 'linux' in that folder is a folder called 'eeprom' Inside the backup_linux folder you download earlier is an eeprom.bin put that into the eeprom folder in xboxhdm. Now go back and put the C:\ and E:\ which were downloaded earlier from ur xbox into the xboxhdm\linux folder and overwrtie the ones already there.

(This method is for if you want all your files (evox, gamesaves etc.) from your original xbox hardrive on your new one. If you dont then there is no need to put the C:\ and E:\ folders into the xboxhdm\linux folder)

Now in the root of xboxhdm are two files named 'make-dos-floppy' and 'make-iso-win'
You must run make-iso-win and wait for it to finish once it has finished.
Now run make-dos-floppy and insert a formated floppy disk.

Now burn the .iso which was created to a blank cd-r/w using nero or alcohol etc. When burning is finsihed shutdown pc.


2. Take out all other hardrives leaving a DVD drive in and put in the hardrive you wish to make an xbox hardrive and set it to be the primary master. Boot up your PC and as it is loading press escape and set your PC to boot from CD. Now reset your PC and put the cd-r/w with the .iso you created on it, in the cd/dvd drive.

It shud come up looking like this:

_ __ __ _ __ __ ______ __ ___ __
| |/ // /_ ____ | |/ / / / / / __ \ / |/ /___ _/ /_____ _____
| // __ \/ __ \| / / /_/ / / / / / /|_/ / __ `/ //_/ _ \/ ___/
/ |/ /_/ / /_/ / | / __ / /_/ / / / / / /_/ / ,< / __/ /
/_/|_/_.___/\____/_/|_| /_/ /_/_____/ /_/ /_/\__,_/_/|_|\___/_/
__
____ _____ ____/ /
/ __ `/ __ \/ __ /
/ /_/ / / / / /_/ /
\__,_/_/ /_/\__,_/
__ __
________ _________ _ _____ _______ __ / /_____ ____ / /
/ ___/ _ \/ ___/ __ \ | / / _ \/ ___/ / / / / __/ __ \/ __ \/ /
/ / / __/ /__/ /_/ / |/ / __/ / / /_/ / / /_/ /_/ / /_/ / /
/_/ \___/\___/\____/|___/\___/_/ \__, / \__/\____/\____/_/
/____/

1) Boot VGA console with xbox-drive utilities (default)
2) Boot text-console with xbox-drive utilities
3) Boot linux with locking/unlocking utilities
4) Boot to DOS with HD unlock tools
(use with caution. Passwd log-files are not saved after reboot)


Choose Option 1 and press enter.

When it asks you for a login type xboxhd.

Now you will see this:

__ ___ _ _______ ___ ___ _
\ \ / / | | | | | _ \ | \/ | | |
\ V /| |__ _____ __ | |_| | | | | | . . | __ _| | _____ _ __
/ \| |_ \ / _ \ \/ / | _ | | | | | |\/| |/ _' | |/ / _ \ '__|
/ /^\ \ |_) | (_) > < | | | | |/ / | | | | (_| | < __/ |
\/ \/_.__/ \___/_/\_\ \_| |_/___/ \_| |_/\__,_|_|\_\___|_|


You have the following options :
1) Build a new Xbox HD from scratch
2) Rebuild C-partition on existing Xbox-drive
3) Clone existing Xbox HD
4) Install F-drive
5) Wipe current fatx partition table
6) Generate HD Key (requires eeprom)
7) Make DOS floppy with HD lock/unlock tools
8) Quit


Choose option 1 again and it will begin to format and write the partiton table etc.

If you put your C:\ and E:\ onto the CD then when it asks you about them type yes and when it asks you if you would like an F select yes, it is all pretty self explanatory.

When it has finished and is back at the option choosing screen choose option 6 '6) Generate HD Key (requires eeprom)' when it loads write down the hdd pass. !!!

DOUBLE CHECK YOU HAVE WRITTEN DOWN THE PASSWORD CORRECTLY!!!


Alternativley you can choose option 3 at the main selection screen - 3) Boot linux with locking/unlocking utilities
Then type hdlock
!This will require your eeprom being on the xboxhdm disc and it will look at the eeprom and automatically lock your hdd for you!

If your still a bit unsure then continue to the begining of step 3 and lock it using the password which you wrote down ;-)

Now quit and turn off the PC.

You now have a brand new nearly-usable xbox hard drive if this worked.


3. OK now for the hard part which is easy to mess up so be careful!

Shutdown the PC and insert the floppy which you put the bootable dos floppy files on.
Boot the PC and wait for it to load. Now type in hdlock and when it asks for a password type in the password which you wrote down earlier from the option 6 on the CD. It should lock the hardrive and save the hddpass to the floppy.

3A. If u wish to go for an easier way and put the eeprom.bin on the cd instead of loading the floppy up and typing in the hdd pass load the cd and on the first option screen of the CD pick option 3 '3) Boot linux with locking/unlocking utilities' Type in lockhd

It will now search for the eeprom on the CD and will automatically lock the hardrive.

The master password is set to XBOXSCENE
You can use this to unlock the HDD if you loose the eeprom password you your eeprom gets lost. Boot the xboxhdm to DOS (option 4 '4) Boot to DOS with HD unlock tools') and run the atapwd tools to unlock using Master passwords.

Now Turn off the PC and take out the hardrive when it has finished locking.

WELL DONE YOU NOW HAVE A BRAND NEW CUSTOM XBOX HARDRIVE!!!


4. Now use the link below to open up and remove your original xbox hardrive and replace it with the brand new one (You must remove the black casing around the hardrive to put a new one in)


http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/open1.php

Put in your brand new, custom hdd in place of your old one.

-Mike

UPDATED : 21/10/06 - Added info. Torx 15 screwdriver is also needed (thank you JXP2307)

UPDATED : 13/12/06 - Changed FTP tutorial from "pimpdawg"'s to Eddies - "Techniique"

 

Nice double tut

 

Cheers, Ben. How does it feel to see your old Xbox being used for the good of mankind?

-Mike

 

wow Mik3h, 3 stickies.

 

Yeah. I'll try get some more written

-Mike

 

i do not have msdash.xbe can you point me in teh right direction to download it please

 

Download the latest version of the Microsoft Dashboard - http://freakyhosting.be/ms-c-hosted-by-pirrup.rar

-Mike

 

Wow Mik3h yea 3 stickies....~EXCELLENT~

 

Thank you PAN5Y

-Mike

 

hey i downloaded that file and its the same as the one in my c drive...so does that mean i have msdash.xbe....cuz on my unleash x dashboard when i go to clikc on ms dash it says its not there...do i need it....oonh yeah anyone have a tutorial on how to upgrade a harddrive...i have a softmodded xbox

 

You probably don't have a dual boot softmod then. MS Dash should be in C:\ and your other dashboard EvoX/XBMC/UnleashX etc. should be in E:\ for a dual boot.

And there is a tutorial on upgrading hard drive right up there ^

-Mike

 

Ok nice job.

The only thing that bugs me about all these hard drive install tuts, is that You need also a Torx 15 screwdriver to actually get the hard drive out of the xbox tray. No one ever mentions that....

But really nice job.

*tips hat*

 

Thanks for the extra info there JXP,!

-Mike

 

Well Mike, like I said before, you did a heck of a job on this tut. I finally have an afterdawn thread I can link people too on soft mod HD installs. Good job!

 

Wonderful job Mik3h! This thread cannot be stressed enough! I was going to do this but ran out of time, so GREAT WORK! And I'm glad you added xboxhdm to the guide. At first it didnt look like you were going to have it but I'm glad you did...that will save just about everyone if you have xboxhdm, your eeprom and your msbackup

Xbox Softmod Tutorials

 

Thank you Azzid, hopefully this will save some lives. Xbox lives that is


-Mike

 

EDIT. Double post.

 

I installed Unleash X with your tutorial (Thanks, this tutorial is extremely effective and user friendly!), and my xbox is now modded, but for some reason I cannot get the Unleash X Dashboard to load when the system is turned on. I have uninstalled and re-installed UnleashX a few times, and I am unable to figure out why? Can anyone help me with this, it gets really annoying! Thanks!

 

What game did you use to softmod with? Tom Clancy's