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[steveju]

QUOTE(feflicker @ Apr 23 2007, 05:16 PM)

I would suspect that MS$ will eventually add some sort of firmware check to make sure the drive is "original". Don't the drives have manufacture codes, etc? The probability of them doing this is only in the 1/4 range though I suppose...

That data is in the sectors read from the original Microsoft Xbox 360 HDD. I think I remember seeing the drive model number written there. If I remember correctly, then the only way to determine if the drive is an original is to compare the boot up, data access times, etc. that would differ dramatically from the original HDD.

What would be really nice to do now actually, is to figure out what the heck is all that data that has been copied from sectors 16 to 32. In other words, what is really stored there.

[BillMan]

Someone just make the file and then we can use a hex editor to put in the HD model code.

Like where all the code is just put [Insert code here]

That way we dont go to go through such a long dramatic process.

The nice part about this is just dont post the serial number of the HD online.  Of course, microsoft will proabbly be looking for multiple HD's with the same serial number on xbox live.  But if they don't.  Then you can borrow them out to friends and etc.


But making the file would be much simpliar.  Then all we need is a runme.bat  file an that will make the whole image of the HD what you need


Pretty simple if you ask me.


Anyways.  Microsoft is not checking this at this point.

I meant [insert serial number here] or whatever code you need from the HD.

[jacobesterque]

i have been reading around and it seems as though even if you had a external sata connection, you still need to worry about powering the 360 hard drive.

doesn't the 360 give the 360 hard drive data connection AND power through its sata connection?  what is the difference between the 360's sata connection and a regular pc's sata connection?

the reason i ask is to see if it is at possible to have the 360 hard drive connected to the pc without opening the enclosure and thus voiding your warranty.

[bobasp1]

yeah have one of the xfer kits from ether datel or the xecutor w/e kits thats 1 way you not void ur warrenty.

[TheDrizzle]

So what would happen if I extract the hdss file from my existing 20g 360 drive, and tried to apply it to one of the 'hackable' 120gig WD drives using this tool. Would the 360 not boot? Would I get booted (from live)? TheSpecialist's release says that the size in sector 16 is signed, and must be a valid size... so would it work if I took my drives ss and changed sector 16 to (the now valid) 120gb size? Would that work? The drive key would still be 'unique' and the size is valid. Maybe?

[Math1]

Clever work, but it seems like a waste of time just to "save" $120. If I assume 2 hours of labor to make this work (and I still have to figure out how to move my data over) plus the potential to get banned, it seems like paying retail for the drive from MS isn't that bad a deal.

[FIGS]

i know this question has been asked here already but i have read all the posts and there hasnt been a really definitive answer yet, so here goes.

What exactly is the use of this program? from my understanding it is ONLY meant for cloning a hard drive u already own thereby allowing you to go from a 120 gig HD to say 240 gigs on two hard drives which u can interchange. BUT i ask you... who really needs this? honestly how much crap can u possibly download from Live in order to fill a complete 120 gig hard drive and have to use a second hard drive..

With the 20 gig hard drive i can see the use of this program to upgrade to say 40 or 60 gigs total.. but 120? how are u gonna fill that with live content. and if ur  intent is to just download a hdss.bin file and use that for ur hard drive then what good is the 120 gigs because u willbe banned from xbox live and therefore will only be using the hard drive for game saves.. 120 gigs of gamesaves? i dont think so.

So please tell me if i am wrong and u can actually use this program to clone a 120 gig hard drive several times so that ur friends can all have cheap hard drives. if that is the case then this is awesome, but if everyone gets banned from live because ur all playing halo2 together with the same hard drive then what is the point? thanks in advance

[appleguru]

QUOTE(TheDrizzle @ Apr 23 2007, 04:48 PM)

So what would happen if I extract the hdss file from my existing 20g 360 drive, and tried to apply it to one of the 'hackable' 120gig WD drives using this tool. Would the 360 not boot? Would I get booted (from live)? TheSpecialist's release says that the size in sector 16 is signed, and must be a valid size... so would it work if I took my drives ss and changed sector 16 to (the now valid) 120gb size? Would that work? The drive key would still be 'unique' and the size is valid. Maybe?

You'd have a valid hdd that would boot fine.. but only have 20GB availible (Even though it's a 120gb hdd)

[Gugo]

I'll get error "error reading file", have someone an idea?

I'll have the right drive and the hd***.bin, but when i type hddhackr -f ill det these error-msg.

have_phun Gugo

This post has been edited by Gugo: Apr 24 2007, 12:42 AM

[TheSpecialist]

Thanks for the kind words everybody

I've read some concerns about the risk of a LIVE ban. I'd like to elaborate a bit on this. First of all, no one has been banned from LIVE for using a cloned HDD yet. However, there are tons of ways for MS to detect you're running a WD BEVS drive. For example, there are low level hardware commands that can be used, they could check for read/write timing like someone noted, the contents of the HDD is different and then of course there's the same hddss.bin info that's used on multiple HDD's. So, yes, if they WANT to ban you for using a WD BEVS drive, they surely CAN.

Question then is of course, are they going to do that ? Are they going to refuse customers from their LIVE network who bought a HDD from a competitor instead of paying that $120 extra ? I'm not a laywer, but I seriously think that would be considered as an attempt to frustrate a free and open market and that would be illegal in a lot of countries. Also about the copyright logo in the hddss.bin file: as stated on free60, US courts have held in at least four separate cases that copyright cannot be used to prevent interoperation. And even if it would be legal, I still doubt MS would do that. Everybody can understand it when somebody gets banned from a service if they're caught using pirated warez. But I think this is quite something different and I think a lot of people wouldn't understand getting banned only because they've bought a drive from a competitor. I personally think that would quite hurt their reputation and I don't think MS wants that.

Also, don't forget that MS has said that they felt that their 120 gb HDD was fairly priced ( http://www.next-gen....c...19&Itemid=2 ). So if the price is really fair, then lots of people will want to pay that extra $120 to get an official x360 HDD with a 'plug and play experience' instead of using tools like hddhackr, so then there isn't any problem at all, is there ?

So personally I seriously doubt that they're ever going to ban you from LIVE because you bought a WD drive instead of their own HDD. However, like I said, I'm not a lawyer, this is just my personal opinion, I can't give any guarantees and you'll have to decide yourself. But at least, now you HAVE a choice

Enjoy,

TS

[TheSpecialist]

QUOTE(Gugo @ Apr 24 2007, 01:48 AM)

I'll get error "error reading file", have someone an idea?

I'll have the right drive and the hd***.bin, but when i type hddhackr -f ill det these error-msg.

have_phun Gugo

You'll get that message when the dos function 'read file' failed. Possible reason could be that the hddss.bin file attribute is set to 'read only', file size is incorrect (should be 3584 bytes) or that the medium that the file is on, is corrupt.

This post has been edited by TheSpecialist: Apr 24 2007, 01:46 AM

[qhplar]

How do we tell when ordering the drive if it's a LAT or RST ?

Anyone know the differenece?

thanks

[BillMan]

yo uwill not get baned.

first of all you can't check by read and write times.

Their is lag and etc that can interfer and it is impossible to be able.  It will be different each time.  However, you might, just might be able to look it up.  However, if you are really scared aboug getting baned.  Then use the original 20 GIG HD and just transfer your stuff on the 120 GIG HD all the time.   Problem solved. and only put the 120 GIG HD on the xbox when wanted.

However their is no official way to check this.  Just like you can't check a drive firmware hack.

However, it would be interesting to find out what 120 GIG HD Microsoft uses then you could just purchase the exact same one.


So don't worry, their is no way to check what kind of drive is in the xbox.  Only see how big the HD is.

If their is an HD key, they will be able to look that up however. (but jus tlike the original XBOX1) Their was no way to tell what kind of HD you had in your XBox as you could replace it with any size and go on live as long as you

[capboy210]

QUOTE(BillMan @ Apr 23 2007, 09:19 PM)

yo uwill not get baned.

There is always a possibility of getting banned......  Remember people back in the day thought they were safe, until Xbox live 2.0 came out. Just a matter of time in my opinion. I'm sure there will be another work around even if they do start banning people. Just wanted to point out the slightest possibility.

[Gugo]

QUOTE(TheSpecialist @ Apr 24 2007, 02:44 AM)

You'll get that message when the dos function 'read file' failed. Possible reason could be that the hddss.bin file attribute is set to 'read only', file size is incorrect (should be 3584 bytes) or that the medium that the file is on, is corrupt.

You're right, the *.bin was corrupted, now i've tried, and it works, thats a funny thing  

To all the guys, that are always saing the same shit - YOU'LL GET BANNED - thats not a very useful Post.

I'll only want to test this thing out, nothing more. I'm using in the future the same 20gig Hdd, why? I don't need 107gig of free space, for what? Watching movies? Listen to music? Thats all shit, downloading HD movies is better anotherway, and watching via MediaCenterPc.

For only gaming, a 20gig Hdd is enought. But if it'll be possible (in the far far future) to boot homebrew, thats something quiet different thing.

Thats it for me, sry for my english - it's not my motherlanguange, so have a nice day.

have_phun Gugo