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[lurch101]

Hey all, I was trying to softmod a buddy's xbox and ran into a snag.  I couldn't get the Action Replay software to load the Splinter Cell exploit onto my Jumpdrive like I had in the past (I used the tutorial), so I tried downloading the files from my modded xbox.  When I tried to run the savegame, it thought the xbox was already modded.  Here's where I become a moron:

I tried uninstalling the mod, which of course wasn't there, and the installer told me so.  So I said, "let's try the restore from recovery disk option."  I know the answer is probably 2-words starting with "You're" and ending with "F'd", but I thought I might try.  I did try backing up the eeprom to the jumpdrive, but being as it wasn't an actual xbox memory card in a controller, it couldn't back it up.  Did I just completely brick my buddy's xbox?

[zacebac]

next time, you should use a router to transfer eeprom to a computer through evox. but i think you can boot xboxhdm disc in pc and connect the xbox hard drive to pc using the xbox power to read the eeprom. but i'm not sure if that's hotswapping, which is dangerous.

[obcd]

That is hotswapping.

You won't be able to read the eeprom that way, as it probably was never backupped to the xbox harddisk in the first place.

You could try the hotswap method to reinstall the correct dashboard files on the xbox harddisk. It will only work if the xbox harddisk is in an unlocked condition when you do the hotswap.

You have 2 other options to get things running:

1. Temporary install a modchip. Use it to backup the xbox eeprom contents and to ftp them to your pc.
2. Build yourself an eeprom reader to obtain the same result.

To access the contents of an xbox harddisk on a pc, it must be unlocked with a password. That password is unique for every xbox and harddisk. It is calculated with the eeprom hddkey and the disk model and serial number.

regards.

[ahero4heor]

Well, first things first. If you know your way around a computer and its cables I'd go for hotswapping. I did it about a year and a half ago (12 years, I might add) and it was easier than F***!
From there just use a burned copy of xboxhdm and the ndure pc mod.

[krayzie]

Unless the xbox has been unplugged several hours it should be easily fixable by coldbooting the game and load the gamesave and ftp in.
And I don't know how many times I gotta say it. You need a new untouched save if you are modding a new xbox. You can't use saves from a modded xbox. Don't you read the readme?

[lurch101]

Krayzie - I apologize, I'd modded a few in the past and couldn't get my AR software to transfer the save to the USB drive as I had in the past.  It's been about a year since I read the readme, but yes, I did.  I mentioned that I was a moron for doing it that way.  If I'd realized FTP was available during the process, I would have backed up the EEPROM that way.  Again, moronic.

It's been unplugged since I posted this originally, as I'd just swapped it in where mine was.  After I told it to restore from CD, I got the flashing red ring of death, and decided I'd killed it enough for one day.

Now having hit the forums, I know I could have used the alternate software, but it took me killing it first to direct me here to learn that.  A catch-22 of sorts.

ahero4heor - I did a hotswap on *my* xbox and dropped an old 120GB drive in it, so I'm not afraid of that method.  I just figured I'd need the EEPROM to get the HDD key to unlock the drive before doing anything else.

obcd and zacebac - thanks for the suggestions.  If I'm still getting the RROD and krayzie's method doesn't work, I guess a $15 modchip to save a $100 Xbox is a decent plan.  Suggestions on chips and places to get them?

thanks to everyone for the help.  I'll try these tonight and let everyone know how it goes.

[lurch101]

Okay, so I was able to load the gamehack, FTP in, and upload the proper files directly to the hard drive.  Upon loading them, I immediately made a backup of the EEPROM.  I'm currently transferring the contents of C and E to my PC for backup.  One thing I did notice was that there was no default.xbe in C:\.  I assume this is due to the recovery process I started.  I was unable to begin a new softmod because it said I didn't have the 5960 dash.  So my question is this:

Can I download a proper 5960 dash from MY xbox, which is working, and upload it to the friend's xbox so I can start the process?  I assume the correct dash will be in e:\backups, yes?  Thanks again for the help.

[obcd]

Hi,

if you have the Slayers rescue package, you can extract the xiso and find the 5960 dash files in there.
The M$dash needs a couple of folders on the E drive as well as far as I remember.
If you google, you might even be able to find the dash files. (Not so reliable)
Your backup should be fine as well. At least for the C partition.

The xbe that is the M$dash is called xboxdash.xbe (and not default.xbe as usual)

regards.

This post has been edited by obcd: Jun 4 2008, 11:27 AM

[ldotsfan]

QUOTE(obcd @ Jun 4 2008, 06:25 PM)

if you have the Slayers rescue package, you can extract the xiso and find the 5960 dash files in there.

CASH 1.1 might be easier to find and it has the msdash files as well. You can use qwix to extract xiso.

[lurch101]

I went looking for Slayers rescue package in the usual places, but came up empty handed.  I found a torrent for Cash 1.1, but with no seeds.  I do have a 5960 dash backup which I loaded to my friend's, and I even FTP'd my backup c drive files to his c drive before trying to mod it again.  It failed half way though noting wrong files, so I'm trying to get a repair package to I can start from scratch.  If anyone has a better link, please PM me.  Thanks again.

[lurch101]

I believe I have the box working now.  I dumped my backup c drive files to his Xbox, uploaded a new install package, and everything is looking good.  I did come up with an Error 112 once I was finished, and I've still got almost 3GB left on the E drive, so that confused me.  But everything seems to be operational and I'm going to drop a bigger HDD in it next week.

I wanted to thank everyone for their help.  I honestly thought I was going to have to buy a new Xbox (as if I could).  You guys are awesome.