This a condensed version of my popular seamonkey's guide to xbox modding. The guide was created for the matrix mod chip but the concepts still apply to all modding. Prerequisites: XBOX (willing to give up warranty too by opening it!), Mod Chip (matrix, executer, xenium, etc), Harddrive (optional), Bios files, Evolution X Dashboard, Other Apps.
This is a quick recipe for true enjoyment of one's xbox, thus seamonkey420's quickie to XBOX Modding and Harddrive upgrade.
xbox game backup summary
materials needed:
--HARDWARE--
-XBOX [duh! :-)]
-a mod chip ( i like the matrix, solder less!! and you can flash the bios)
-an ethernet card/NIC
-a router or a twisted network cable
-a dvd burner
--SOFTWARE--
-FlashFXP (to ftp into your xbox)
-xISO (to create XBOX iso files, a bit buggy but there are other programs that do the same)
-Nero Burn (to burn the XBOX iso files to a blank dvds)
-Evolution X Dashboard (for the xbox)
-Evox D6 Bios (flashed on the matrix mod chip, or any newer bios out there!)
Step 1. flash the mod chip with the Evox D6 Bios (or which ever version of the evox bios you have or use). Install the mod chip. Then install the Evolution X Dashboard onto the xbox harddrive (see other xbox forums or sites on the specifics on how you do this)
Step 2. After you get evolution x dashboard installed, hook up the network cable in the back of the xbox and into the network card in your computer (xbox game backing up requires you to take an outside in approach).
setup the network settings so you can FTP into your xbox (assign an IP address)
Step 3. Insert the game we want to rip, into your XBOX and open up Flash FXP and connect to the IP address you assigned your xbox.. The user name is : xbox, the password is: xbox (defaults). Once you are connected, it will bring up a list of folders (c:, d:, e:, f:, x:, etc). The main ones we want to worry about are the C: and the D:. The C: is the main xbox drive, and the D: is the XBOX DVD Drive (this is the one we need to worry about).
Step 4.
Go the d: folder and copy the folder to your harddrive.
Step 5. After you copy it to your harddrive (your pc's), you'll need to use xISO to make an XBOX .iso file.
Step 6. Burn teh xbox iso file to a blank DVD.
Step 7. Play the burned game and enjoy! ( i use dvd+rw's on the first, test burn to be sure i don't waste dvds on games that didn't rip right)
-NOTES:
-if you have probs connecting to xbox via a crossover cable, make sure your network settings are setup in the evox.ini file so you have a static ip assigned and the gatway, subnet, and etc match your pc's (also be sure static ip is not the same as your pc's)
________________________
*--Harddrive replacements--*
-not responsible for any damages done--
(alternatively can use slayers hd installer)
The stock MS harddrive varies from around 8GB to 10GB, depending on the number on the harddrive. Most XBOX games average around 1 to 2GBs in size, so the stock drive allows you to save only about 4 - 6 games. lets change that!
-Overview/Requirements- You need to have a mod chip installed onto your xbox, flashed with a bios that alllows for a HD swap (evolution X and EvoX bioses do, not sure about others, i personally use EvoX D6 Eject Fix Bios)
1. In the evolution X dashboard, go to system utils > Backup. this will back up important info into the C:Backup folder on your xbox (make sure that it does backup, some earlier versions of evolution x dashboard didn't backup the files right, evolution x dashboard v 1.8.3285 works beautifully, there should be five files in there)
2. Backup both your C and E drives of the xbox harddrive (you'll want this to copy back onto the new harddrive and to have just in case)
3. Make a new folder for the evolution x dashboard hd install cd we need to make.
You can use the evox.ini file from the xbox (the one we backed up earlier). You'll need to change a few things in it:
-leave everything else above this part alone, but go down to the [MENU] part.
Replace what is there with this:
[Menu]
Section "Install Menu"
{
Item "Install New Drive",@210
Item "Settings",@9
Item "Reboot",@5
}
[Action_10]
Info "Install HDD"
Warning "This will format all drives"
Warning "Make sure you have a backup of C & E"
Progress "Formatting Drives"
ConfigSector "backupdisk.bin"
Format c:
Format e:
Format f:
Format x:
format y:
format z:
[Action_11]
[Action_12]
-then save it to the new folder, also copy over your evolution x dashboard file and rename it to default.xbe and also copy the folder "Backup" from the C:Backup of the xbox.
so you have these files in the new folder:
evox.ini
default.xbe
backup\bios.bin
backup\disk.bin
backup\eeprom.bin
backup\hddinfo.txt
backup\hddkey.bin
and then make an xbox image file (i use xISO) and burn it to a blank cd-rw (one that you know works in your xbox).
4. Disassemble your xbox and replace the Harddrive (make sure the jumpers on the harddrive are set to Primary or Master.
I am not sure about what harddrives work or not.. but i would assume any IDE ata/100 5400RPM or better, the max size you can replace is about 130GB, i guess the xbox doesn't recognize anything above that or something...
Now hook up the harddrive like any harddrive and reassemble your xbox.
(keep your old xbox harddrive, just in case something goes awry)
5. Boot up your xbox with the cd we just created in step 3. It will load the evoluation x dashboard, go the the Install HD and follow the steps and wait for it to finish.
6. then just reinstall your c and e drives and make sure your evox.ini file or settings has USE F Drive? to a Y for YES. Your F Drive on the new hd will be the biggest and where you'll want to save games, music or apps..
-NOTE, there are ways to use your G drive now and to use bigger hd (larger than 130gb) but this is just a beginners guide...
