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[ArMaGeDdOn]

Ok, so as you can see, i've been here for 3 days, and have what, over 140 posts or something?  yeah.  i'm a troll.  anyways.  The thing that i've noticed which bugs me a LOT is people saying that they have bought, or will buy a 2nd xbox for xbox live.  considering you have to use retail games anyways,  there is NO need to buy another XBOX!

So, as i mentioned in some other posts, there is a way to have *2 xbox's* without actually HAVING 2 xbox's.  let's call this project, "VBOX" for "Virtual Box".  What we're going to do is create an easy way to be able to have both a virgin box with original hard drive, and also a modded xbox with a larger hard drive.  and this is going to be on the same xbox.

what is does it create 2 switches to easily change between small/large hard drive, and modchip connected/modchip physically removed.  this way you can easily and safely change between your original xbox state, and your completely modded system with large hard drive.  no need for a 2nd xbox!!

[NOTE:  I know many people do some freaky matrix mode 3 and other stuff, but i don't trust that too much, and decide to point this out for people that want to be 100% sure that their system will NOT be banned!!!  so please, don't tell me anything about other ways to do it.]

Required Material:

-  Ide cable with 4 ends [3 drive support] or a standard 3 end [2 drive support] ide cable with extension possibility. [has an extra "reverse end" which a standard end can plug into.  allowing you to add another ide cable to it.  (the extension end looks just like the original ide plugin spot on the motherboard].  you can get custome made 3 drive support ide cables from any computer store that makes their own.  or you can make it yourself if you have the tools.

here is a picture of an ide cable with an extension end:


-  a hard drive power switch.  used for switching power from one drive to another.  [therefore enabling or disabling a hard drive]  [since the idea for the hard drive part is from project 411gb, you can take a look at how the switch is made here:  http://208.34.209.68/411gb/411gb.htm.  it is all very well documented there, and i will not repeat their work.  go and read that part.  very good diagrams.

-  power-supply power splitter

-  soldering gun

- solder

-  20 short (about 11 cm.  or longer based on how far out from the xbox you want the switch to be) stripped end wires.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

keep in mind.  the whole part about the hard drive switching is from http://208.34.209.68/411gb/411gb.htm  you can go there for how to do it.  it is stupid for me to re-write someone elses work when they're done such an awesome job o nit.

now.  you need to have connected 2 hard drives [original, and large one].  now.  also follow the instructions for creating a power switch to be able to select between the hard drives.  ok, so if you've followed the instruction from  [site]Here, then you have the hard drive switching part done.

ONTO THE MODCHIP.

now here's the thing.  you will have to do soldering for this part.  this way you can assure a complete and physical disconnect of the modchip from the board when set to off.  this will make it safe against all future modchip detection schemes [as far as we could possibly expect at this point].  

well, anyways.  you need to solder wires from the modchip contact points.  i recommend you do NOT solder the bottom of the pogopins!  doing so might/probably will cause damage to their springy ways, and you will never be able to return the chip to its original working state.   well, anyways.  solder wires to the top of the pogo pins (top = top side of the chip -- side where the switch is).  also wire some from the contact points on the board (where the pogo normally make contact with).  now then.  pull the wires out from the side of the xbox.  (hint:  use masking tape to label which wire from the chip should make contact with which wire from the motherboard.

now you're all set.  once the corresponding wires from the modchip and motherboard connect, your modchip is connected.  once they're disconnected, your modchip is physically disconnected.  isn't that great?  i thought so too.  this is very straightforward now, and you can make your own switch for it.  i recomment building a something like the connection pins between the matrix modchip and the programmer.  that way is easy, and quick too.

well, you're all done.  you can now switch between your original xbox, and your modded one in under 5 seconds!  you saved $200!!  well, guess there are costs for parts here, so you saved over $180!!!  ooh, don't forget the tax!

anyways.  that's it.  i haven't done this yet myself, but will be doing it soon, once i have some time.  i want to be able to easy play both my hard drive games, and go on xbox live, so i decided to do something like this, and i wanted to give you guys an idea of something you can do, and still be completey sure you won't get banned!!

oh, also, for extreme safety,  DO NOT INSTALL XBOX LIVE ON YOUR MODDED SYSTEM.  if oyu don't, you'll be compteley safe.  if you install it, and accidentaly go somewhere you shouldn't have gone with your modded system, you might get banned, but if you don't install it, you will be completely safe, because there is no modchip detection, and no connectino to xbox live!  also, this way, you won't have to worry about MS messing up your dashboard and such.  you'll have your xbox-live-free modded system, and your virgin xbox live system.

uhmm...yeah.  if you try this, let me know how it goes.  i KNOW it DOES work.    there's no reason for it not to.  i will be doing this myself shorty.  just have to find some time.


also, please remember, don't start criticizing me and telling me you haven't been banned on matrix mode 3.  i just don't want to risk it.  and this is just an idea for some people.  so, please, if you like it, do it.  if you don't, don't criticize for any reason.

thanks.



[NOTE: idea behind hard drive switching is COMPLETELY from project 411gb [http://208.34.209.68/411gb/411gb.htm]  I do NOT claim ownership for this idea.  Pictures are also used from that]

[ArMaGeDdOn]

that IS a possibility. first off, this doesn't make any permanent changes to the system, and you still have the complete modchip disconnection switch.

that's all i can say for now.  i will let opjose comment on this.  i don't know which parts of the xbox can be written to (ram can't and neither can bios for this function).  

well, unless you can be more specific in what you saw, please keep it to a minimum.  i know it's easy to criticize, but in criticism, try to make it a way that helps others to fix the problems.

given the current situation, this is the safest method.  i guess i'll add a note.


[NOTE:  to my knowledge, this is the safest thing out right now, and will be for a while.  I do NOT KNOW if there will be any way for them to detect this.   You should be 100% safe if you did not install xbox live on your modded system, because even if there ARE good flagging methods it has, it won't be able to check anything if there are no xbox live programs installed!!!  now see why i mentioned that earlier?.  the thing brought up by the person above will only apply to people that install xbox live on their modded/large hard drives!!!  follow what i said (including, DO NOT INSTALL XBOX LIVE ON YOUR MODDED SYSTEM) nd you will be fine.]

can i get opjose to make a comment on this?  as far as i know, this should be 100% safe.

[ArMaGeDdOn]

i only buy games i like like suikoden, final fantasy, and mech assault.

i won't pay for games i don't like.  i bought mech asault, and that's all i play now.  remember, i was mad for getting banned while trying to play original mech assault cd that i bought!

anyways, this post is no place for you!  bye bye.

forgot to mention.  cover all contact points on your modchip with black electrical tape to prevent from short-circuiting and burning your modchip or your xbox.

[ArMaGeDdOn]

it's my post, and i asked for people not to post shit.

if you can't understand that, then please don't tell me not to play backup games.  you don't respect me, and i don't respect MS.

[ArMaGeDdOn]

BUMP

[opjose]

While this is rather extreme in it's precautions, I fail to see any reason why it will NOT suceed.

Effectively you are isolating the Xbox from ever "reporting in" via XBLive by keeping the drives and mod chip offline.

I've used a not so elaborate mechanism myself with sucess. I find that a simple disable switch for the LPC's mods will suffice.

Ideally a dual throw switch would also flip the drives for you at the same time giving you a rather "elegant" solution. We still need a cheaper one though, heh.

There is a potential weak point which you need to address through vigilance though.

Namely anyone, sibling, family member, etc. could do you the favor of booting up an XBLive disk with the mod chip turned ON.

You'll need to keep the XBLive enabled games away from the console for good measure.

But otherwise GO FOR IT! Good post.

[ArMaGeDdOn]

here's the beautiful part!

in evox.ini, choose NOT to boot games on startup!  that way with your modded system, you can play oyur backup up games.  and no one can install xbox live on it either!  [you shouldn't have installed it yourself either]

and when you're in your original mode, you'll be fine!  do whatever you want!  

what do you think?

[ArMaGeDdOn]

hahaha.  uhmmm...no.  there is nothing proven about anything being written to any other parts of the xbox yet as a flag.  this is currently the safest method.  and the 2 hard drives are the original hard drive, and the standard hard drive with your video files, backups, and roms in it.  so it's not like you have used any extra hard drives.

anyways, i'm sure if MS doesn't write to other parts of the xbox, then neither would/could electronic arts.

and thanks for the support you are giving to the community..........

[ArMaGeDdOn]

oh no, it's fine.    i was just in a crabby mood.  it's 3:31am here, and i have to be in class at 8am.



uhmm....it's just that i had mentioned that it is as safe as it can be at the moment.  if you think about what MS can do later on, then nothing right now is safe.  in this community we work at everything as it comes up.  

anyways, no offense taken bud.   but what you said is something that is very unlikely.  at least for a while.  i mean, seriously, if MS doesn't/can't do it, then how can electronic arts?

also, i don't think electronic arts would have permission to do something like that because they could technically spy on you and what you do.  that would be very nasty.

but anyways, what i have posted here, is, "THE SAFEST AT THE MOMENT."  hope everyone sees this.  it is, in my view, something that will be safe for a LONG LONG time.   perhaps even always, but it's good to have a warning sign.

anyways, yeah.  if anyone does this, let me know how it goes.  

i'm really excited to try it myself to see what happens.  my friend asked me to do it for him too.

[icantstandtoburntolong]

I have an idea so you dont accidentaly log on to XBlive with a mod on.

I have my dashboard updated and booting from ybox.xbe on my 120g hdd so I am safe from the dash update from games.So I place my online account on but enter a invalid user id and password in the pppoe settings. That way the dash will never be able to connect.

I would then add my original hdd externaly on a switch

This way I can acess my dash on my 120g hdd for maitenence and copying files(maps, downloads, ect) between the 2 drives via memory card.

This is what I am going to try but i am not sure whether to use matrix mode 3 or to make a switch? Is it concievable that they could detect the chip if it is disabled, also is there an easy way to completely disable the matrix without removing it every time?

[opjose]

QUOTE (ArMaGeDdOn @ Nov 21 2002, 08:56 AM)

here's the beautiful part! in evox.ini, choose NOT to boot games on startup!  that way with your modded system, you can play oyur backup up games.  and no one can install xbox live on it either!  [you shouldn't have installed it yourself either] and when you're in your original mode, you'll be fine!  do whatever you want!   what do you think?

                                    Eh, you are fogetting something...

With the Xbox mod chip switched on...

put an XBLive game disk in, reboot Xbox, hit "go live", get banned.

The Xbox will ALWAYS boot from the CD in the drive FIRST, so you must be vigiliant!

[Zander]

^
^
Very True.

Z

[opjose]

QUOTE (aGeMo @ Nov 21 2002, 02:58 PM)

Great ideas here but still this isn't a solution for xboxs that are already banned. If no solution arises within the next week or so I'll be making a trip out to buy a second xbox for live.

                                    Solution already available! Keep watching this space!

[AnonymousCoward]

QUOTE (aGeMo @ Nov 21 2002, 11:27 AM)

I mean a solution which doesn't involve me stealing someone else's serial number to use. I'm not about to screw other people over for deciding to mod my xbox. I accept the fact that I was banned and even though I hate it, I understand why MS did it.

                                    Do you really?  Why doesn't MS offer us a program.. say mail the X-Box to MS Service with a $50 dollar non-refundable check .. and have their technician check and make sure no mods are present and re-enabling X-Box Live access for your machine?  Instead of forcing us to go out and buy a second X-Box...

[aGeMo]

Even though I hate to say it, when we signed up for xbox live we agreed that we wouldn't be using a modded xbox on the live service when we accepted the EULA. I DO see why MS is banning modded xboxs and even though I was banned myself and am mad about it, I kinda agree with it. I know I would never cheat on xbox live I can NOT speak for the whole mod community. MS is just trying to create a cheat free online gaming enviroment by banning all modded xboxs. Yes, this blocks the "legit" modded xboxs out but it's keeping the service totally cheat free.