Topic: Anyone Else Go Online With Halo2 Only To Get Banne (Read 1073 times)

Leafz · « **Reply #45 on:** November 10, 2004, 01:34:00 AM »

GOod luck to you all.

savah · « **Reply #46 on:** November 10, 2004, 02:03:00 AM »

hello guys,

I've got an x3 and a stock HDD... tomorrow (europe) i'm getting my hands on the game so more results about modchip and stock HDD are coming up...

Let see.....

savah · « **Reply #47 on:** November 10, 2004, 02:26:00 AM »

Leafz · « **Reply #48 on:** November 10, 2004, 02:30:00 AM »

bagofice · « **Reply #49 on:** November 10, 2004, 03:26:00 AM »

Anyone else notice that when you log on to Live in halo 2 it takes a little while. It says logging in or whatever, but then halfway through you can see in the background (blurry) down the bottom it has the 'Press Y for friends list' like its already logged in, but it still says connecting, so maybe its scanning or something after you log in.

dherman · « **Reply #50 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:05:00 AM »

I am confused here... Why is everyone balking at spending $150 to get a new dedicated live XBOX? I bought a new video card for my PC for Doom 3 and Half life 2. That was a hell of a lot more than $150.

I did cancel my live account last night, but I am seriously considering buying a 2nd xbox for live use only.

Dave

Noiz · « **Reply #51 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:19:00 AM »

This is an interesting turn of events but it's very unlikely that either:

1) EEPROMS are being compared with previous logins and banned if changed.

or

2) Hard drive serials are being compared and banned if changed.

Why? Because by design you're allowed to copy your Live account to other Xboxes and login from there. Both the EEPROM and HD serials would be different from these boxes. That is unless they're checking and comparing both to eachother...

Possible scenario:
Login with stock HD and EEPROM, both are recorded.

Change HD

Login again. The EEPROM from the first login is found to have a mismatched HD serial. That could be grounds for a banning.

So in theory if you change your EEPROM at the same time as your HD then you'll be fine. Or don't login to Live at all with any Xbox until after you've upgraded the HD. Of course they could also check the HD model as stock boxes probably use a very limited batch of different models.

I have 2 modded boxes, both with upgraded HDs so I'll report any bannings I get when I get the game tomorrow.

onesikgypo · « **Reply #52 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:29:00 AM »

interesting theory noiz and well thought through, you may be onto something

Gumba · « **Reply #53 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:53:00 AM »

Gumba · « **Reply #54 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:16:00 AM »

My current theory.

When you go on XBL with an XBox MS marries your EEPROM to your HD serial in their database.

If at anytime in the future that marriage is broken (ie EEPROM or HD is changed, but not both) then the EEPROM is banned (and possibly the HD too!)

(there is now a separate topic for this theory here http://forums.xbox-s...howtopic=304652 <-- GO HERE!!)

...

A solution would thus be to swap both EEPROM and HD (bummer, but just put your big Xbox HD in your computer and get another big HD)

BUT, the problem is, does Halo2 take this further? Does H2 scan model numbers? If H2 scans model numbers and reports them to MS then they can also ban you if your HD model is not one they use in Xboxes... and this is the killer.

So, based on what I can see

1) if you are going to use an Xbox on Live and you want to upgrade its HD, Upgrade its HD *BEFORE* you take it on Live for the first time

2) currently rumours : if you have an upgraded HD *do not* go on live with H2!!!

2 needs to be tested unfortunately. Someone who has fine access with every other XBL game and as far as Live knows always had the same eeprom and HD (upgraded of course) needs to go on Live with H2 and see if they get banned... and if they do that sucks.

if 2 happens then we have 2 options

* buy a new xbox or downgrade back to stock
* get a new virgin (to XBL) eeprom (because the old eeprom and HD were married)

and everyone else has to either use an XBL stock Xbox, or a modded xbox with dual-drives, one with stock, one without, and always go on live with the stock drive, from the very beginning.

sucky poo.

(luckily, it appears "2" doesn't happen )

...

UPDATE:
There seem to be enough confirmations to say that my main theory is correct, and also that H2 is not banning people based on HD model numbers.

So, from what I can tell, you only get banned if you swap your HD *after* you first go onto XBL with a given Xbox.

If you're planning to upgrade an Xbox's HD, you need to do it before you first connect it to XBL.

But if you didn't do your upgrade before you signed on to XBL with that Xbox the first time, then you should sell your Xbox, and remod another one.

And finally, remember to use an XBL blocking BIOS so you don't get banned for having an active modchip!

nezff · « **Reply #55 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:23:00 AM »

man, guys, i hate to say it, but i got the error message also. I played yesterday with some buddies on xblive, and everything was fine. i went to xenium OS and loaded retail bios, and everything was fine, today i did it and NO GO, it gave me the error message:Error Message: "Your Xbox console cannot communicate with Xbox Live because the software or hardware may have been modified"

SHIT, anyone wanna buy a brand new xbox with xenium chip, 200 gig hdd??? or the other one in my sig, they are both sweet. let me know PM ME.

This post has been edited by nezff: Nov 10 2004, 02:37 PM

Gumba · « **Reply #56 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:19:00 AM »

nezff · « **Reply #57 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:39:00 AM »

umm no. i bought this one for xblive strictly. went on xblive a long time ago with it. i don't think i have been banned. so i might go get a new xbox today. and ill update and let u know if it worked.

Gumba · « **Reply #58 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:35:00 AM »

C_Ripper · « **Reply #59 on:** November 10, 2004, 06:45:00 AM »

Author Topic: Anyone Else Go Online With Halo2 Only To Get Banne (Read 1073 times)