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[lordvader129]

OK, first off, I would like to emphasize this is Marriage Theory, no one can say for sure this is whats going on, its simply the explanation for current bannings I find to have the most evidence to support it.

Preface: When Did All This Start?

QUOTE

Marriages seem to have been made since July 2004 or so, the bans started circa November 9th 2004.

What this means if you have not been on Live since July 2004 you can upgrade your HD now and get back on Live without worry.

It also means that if you have been using the same HD since July 2004 (IE you upgraded before that time) you are also safe from ban.

Chapter 1: What Is Marriage Theory?

Marriage Theory is simple, when you first log in to XBOX Live your Eeprom and Hard Drive serial number are "married" or linked together in whatever files MS has on their servers.

Chapter 2: OK, So What Does That Mean?

Well it means that instead of just banning the Eeprom, as in the past, you Hard Drive is also banned.

Additionally, it means that if either Eeprom or Hard Drive are changed without the other (IE: HD upgrade after using Live or Eeprom replacement after banning) you will get banned.

**UPDATE** It seems that while eeproms are married to HDs the Hard Drives can be polygamists, an unbanned (yet not "virgin") HD can be married to multiple Eeproms. So moving an unbanned Hard Drive to a new xbox will not result in a ban, even if the HD has been on Live with another Xbox.

Chapter 3: Whatever, Just Tell Me How Do I Get Around It?

Well, obvious solution, don't change HDs after using Live.  However, if you must, you can do 1 of 2 things...

Option 1: Set up a switch to use your old Hard Drive on Live.

Option 2: Obtain and flash a new Eeprom at the same time you upgrade your Hard Drive.

And as always, never, EVER connect to Live with your modchip enabled.

Chapter 4: What If I Am Already Banned? What Do I Do Now?

As before you will need to obtain an unbanned Eeprom, however now you will also need to obtain an unbanned Hard Drive (you can still keep your old one if it is an upgraded HD using Option 1 from Chapter 3)

**UPDATE** See Chapter 5 below

Chapter 5: Flagged GamerTags

Guess I was wrong on this one folks, it seems MS is indeed flagging GamerTags, if you have been banned under a particular GamerTag it seems to be scrutinized more closely, and will get you banned again if you have any upgraded Hard Drive (even if you comply with Marriage Theory and have the chip off)

Obvious solution: get a new GamerTag.

However you can still use a flagged GamerTag provided you only sign on with a stock Hard Drive (see Chapter 3, Option 1)

I do not believe they are actually banning GamerTags, if you receive a messege saying your account has been suspended for 1-3 months this is not due to a modified Xbox, this is due to complaints and negative feedback from other players.  This is generally a direct result of your actions during games, these negative actions include rudeness, swearing, racial and ethnic slurs, cheating, teamkilling and generally being a buttnugget.  Take your suspension, do your time and when you come back just grow up.


Once again I would like to stress this is merely the working theory for whats going on with the recent bannings, I do not claim to know for certain what is going on at MS headquarters or in Billy G's head.

This post has been edited by lordvader129: Jun 2 2005, 11:37 PM

[lordvader129]

Appendix A: What About LPC Scanning?

I have only seen one person with any evidence to to show MS is scanning the LPC bus for modchips, this was posted about 2 months ago and no new concrete evidence has surfaced, I feel this theory is pretty much dead.

**UPDATE** I have seen alot more mention of this, but still no EVIDENCE, just more and more people worried about it. From what i have seen MS is NOT scanning the LPC bus for a modchip.

Appendix B: What About HD Scanning?

Section 1: Upgraded HDs

I personally have been on Live for about 5 or 6 months with a Maxtor 250gb HD, I have complied with the Marriage Theory and as of this post I am not banned.  Many other people are using Live with upgraded HDs as well (and complying with Marriage Theory) and are also not banned.

Section 2: File Scanning

On C:  Not sure about this one, I personally have a clean C drive, but i have heard other people with custom dashboards on C:/ using Live with no troubles, I don't feel this is an issue.

On E:  I have demoed just about every homebrew app, dashboard, game and emulator available at the usual places, and most of which save settings and profile info in E:/Udata, i also have an exploited gamesave for 007: Agent Under Fire containing several hacked bios and unsigned xbes. I reiterate: I have not been banned.

On F: MS couldn't scan this drive if they wanted to, at least not on the bios currently used on stock Xboxes (kernels 5838 and lower) the F partition is not enabled nor mounted, and cannot be accessed by either MS or homebrew code.

Appendix C: What About <<Insert New Theory Here>>?

Bannings that people attribute to the above theories and likely any new theories can most likely be explained by the basic Marriage Theory I have outlined, if any new concrete evidence surfaces I will certainly update this post.

Appendix D: Combinations of EEPROMS, HDs, and GTs and Results

Read This Thread


**UPDATE**
I Replaced My EEPROM And/Or HDD But Now getting Live Not Found...What Gives?

Well from what I have been reading lately it seems you are unfortunately banned again, and this error is a precursor to the actual Modified Hardware error.  I guess MS can detect broken marriages as soon as you log in and prevent you from even accessing Live until they add you to the banned list.

My Theory as to why this is happening like this:

I believe MS has instated a sort of Live password as part of the Marriage security measures. Live prompts your xbox for a login of sorts, this login is the same as your EEPROM serial number. It then asks for a password, this password is your HDs lock code or HD serial number. If they do not match what MS has on file on their servers you cannot connect to Live (Live Not Found) and it adds your EEPROM serial to the list of pending bans (same as folks who log in with a hacked bios) If it is a EEPROM they do not have on file they put it on file with the HD code and thus the marriage takes place.

This explains why people who change HDs without changing eeprom cannot access Live at all (since the "password" isnt correct they cant log in) and then only later get the modified hardware error (after the "classic" ban has been processed)

This also explains the odd scenario of HDs being able to be used with multiple Eeproms, MS checks for duplicate "logins" (Eeproms) not duplicate "passwords" (HD serials)

This post has been edited by lordvader129: Sep 2 2005, 12:13 AM

[xprimex]

great post LordVader!

[singh]

this should get pinned. Great post

[Gumba]

This current thread deals with only the basics of Marriage Theory. For those who are interested in the nitty gritty details you can check out the original in-depth Marriage Theory thread which has full references and expanded info on broad range of Marriage Theory and related topics.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=304652 <-- GO HERE

Also, check the section on "Flagged Gamertags" which explains why people get their xboxes rebanned if they use a gamertag which has already been banned.

This post has been edited by Gumba: Feb 26 2005, 01:57 PM

[harrytasker]

What happens if i copy my live account from one original XBox to another original XBOX?
I mean if i have two XBOX i can only use my gamertag on one XBOX and not on the other cause of the marriage theory.
Bit confused because that would mean if one of my XBOX breaks down i can't use the account on another XBOX because they have different EEprom & HDD or am i wrong?

[Fofer]

QUOTE(harrytasker @ Jan 7 2005, 08:11 PM)

or am i wrong?

Bingo: you're wrong.  Read the post, open your mind!

And think: why would M$ prevent you from moving your gamertag from one original xbox to another original xbox?    

 

[lordvader129]

QUOTE(Gumba @ Jan 7 2005, 09:59 AM)

Also, check the section on "Flagged Gamertags" which explains why people get their xboxes rebanned if they use a gamertag which has already been banned.

im not sure GTs get flagged at all, if they do its not part of a the normal "ban procedure" sinc ei know a few people who have been banned multiple times with a single GT and still use it just fine

[shanafan]

QUOTE(singh @ Jan 6 2005, 10:27 PM)

this should get pinned. Great post

Mentioned in the pinned topic just now

[aaron1017]

LordVader,

Not sure if this contradicts the marriage theory or what you would classify it as.

Here are my Xboxs:

Red Xbox:
* 1.0 with Xecuter 2.6 Lite and 160GB Hard Drive
* I upgraded the drive BEFORE going onto Xbox LIVE. Played on LIVE everyday for about 3 weeks and was never banned.

Crystal Xbox:
* 1.6 with Xecuter 3 and Stock Hard drive.
* Never used it on LIVE until I upgraded the Hard Drive.

I took my 160GB Hard Drive out of my Red Xbox and installed it into my Crystal Xbox. I added my LIVE account to the Xbox using the Account Recovery option. I've been using this Xbox since November 9th to play on LIVE everyday and I haven't been banned. It is in my livingroom and gets used ALOT, people even try to sign in with the modchip on too since I have two guest accounts.  

[ferrari_rulz_02]

this is a great thread. good thinking lordvader129

[lordvader129]

hmm, when was the last time you used the red xbox on Live? the marriage bannings started around the same time as halo 2s release (maybe a bit before, possibly as early as the french leak)

as for attmepting to sign in with chip on, you are usin an x3 bios, correct? that blocks access to Live to prevent banning

[ferrari_rulz_02]

QUOTE(lordvader129 @ Jan 10 2005, 01:10 PM)

as for attmepting to sign in with chip on, you are usin an x3 bios, correct? that blocks access to Live to prevent banning

i was going to say...
if you signed in with teh chip on, ud be out of live for sure.
so i think lordvader129's right, its not actually goign on live. it wouldnt let you on with the chip on.
and i think all of this started a bit before the french leak of h2.

[Gumba]

QUOTE(aaron1017 @ Jan 10 2005, 02:54 AM)

LordVader,

Not sure if this contradicts the marriage theory or what you would classify it as.

Here are my Xboxs:

Red Xbox:
* 1.0 with Xecuter 2.6 Lite and 160GB Hard Drive
* I upgraded the drive BEFORE going onto Xbox LIVE. Played on LIVE everyday for about 3 weeks and was never banned.

Crystal Xbox:
* 1.6 with Xecuter 3 and Stock Hard drive.
* Never used it on LIVE until I upgraded the Hard Drive.

I took my 160GB Hard Drive out of my Red Xbox and installed it into my Crystal Xbox. I added my LIVE account to the Xbox using the Account Recovery option. I've been using this Xbox since November 9th to play on LIVE everyday and I haven't been banned. It is in my livingroom and gets used ALOT, people even try to sign in with the modchip on too since I have two guest accounts. 

The Marriage Theory post says this

Drive Cross-Referencing
You can use an unbanned but not virgin HD with a virgin EEPROM but you can't use a non-virgin EEPROM with a different HD (without copying the drive 'disk.bin' info from one to the other)

Which basically means, you won't get banned for doing what you've done

[Gumba]

QUOTE(lordvader129 @ Jan 8 2005, 04:22 AM)

im not sure GTs get flagged at all, if they do its not part of a the normal "ban procedure" sinc ei know a few people who have been banned multiple times with a single GT and still use it just fine

Are they using large HDs?