XboxHDM 2.2 (USB Edition) Options

[scullc]

Well I was trying to make a hd for my xbox cause I have the retail 10gb and is not enough

know what you mean. i run a 160gb HDD in my main XBOX and i am down to my last 20gb.
I don't know where you are based but here in the UK i managed to get a free PC off a recycle scheme (its called Freecycle). Before it gave up the ghost i was able to rebuild my 160gb HDD with the original xboxhdm CD.
Alternatively you could get a mod-chip for the XBOX, install it & rebuild through Slayers Evox or AID 4.5. Or get a loan of a modern(ish) PC somewhere - anything to get you access to IDE ports & bootable USB. Just make sure you keep that eeprom safe somewhere as its importance cannot be understated.
Anyway good luck with what you do.

[SpecialForce]

Will updated instructions for using NDURE 3.1 along with Xbochdm 2.1 be posted?
BTW, is there a easier way to make a drive bootable? I was unfortunatly unsuccessful in my attempt :/ I'm running Windows 7 Professional on top edge hardware, so i'm a little surprised.
Thank you all for making Softmod possible. I'm amazed by it's many oppertunities

[scullc]

I have no experience of Ndure3.1 but had a quick look anyway. This response seems to give a broad answer but just to let you know - xboxhdm2 CAN lock/unlock your drive (using the eeprom). Maybe you fancy compiling some instructions if you are successful in the above thread? I may be even interested myself

xboxhdm2 will create an xbox HDD for you and if you do things right it will be bootable. The only other 'easy' way i can think is a mod-chip but that is another technical feat. At least you don't need to lock the drive. If you are prepared to put the time/research in - it will become much easier...believe me.

xboxhdm2 was not tested in Windows 7 - only XP/Vista. Can you try a rebuild in one of those and feedback?

[Magimog]

Has this release fixed the issues using Intel processors? I have 3 separate Pentium 4 procs and last I knew it only worked for AMD.

[scullc]

Has this release fixed the issues using Intel processors? I have 3 separate Pentium 4 procs and last I knew it only worked for AMD.

that's news to me...where's that documented?
personally, i tried this out on a Core2 Duo & AMD chips - with no issues at all.
IIRC i also tested the CD-kicker method on an old Pentium system which worked fine too.
Why not test it out & report your efforts here.

[Magimog]

that's news to me...where's that documented?
personally, i tried this out on a Core2 Duo & AMD chips - with no issues at all.
IIRC i also tested the CD-kicker method on an old Pentium system which worked fine too.
Why not test it out & report your efforts here.

The original xboxhdm would not lock HDDs in Pentium 3/4 machines due to the IDE controllers freezing the drive. No matter what you select in the bios (I go one option at a time, till all controllers are turned completely off) it's going to give you the "Hard Drive Frozen". Like I said earlier, I tested 3 separate P4s, and one P3 and all gave the same output. Your release is no different on these machines. I've tested it in a virtual environment using VMWare Workstation and live with the same results. I'm also not sure what the "CD-kicker" method is. Are you talking about just using a live cd?

The only time I was able to work it was on an AMD Athlon XP and an old Pentium II board. I've accomplished my HDD swap using your tool to transfer the files and a thankfully partially usable old HDD, booting into Chimp and locking it right there (using a 1.0 box)

[ldotsfan]

The original xboxhdm would not lock HDDs in Pentium 3/4 machines due to the IDE controllers freezing the drive. No matter what you select in the bios (I go one option at a time, till all controllers are turned completely off) it's going to give you the "Hard Drive Frozen". Like I said earlier, I tested 3 separate P4s, and one P3 and all gave the same output. Your release is no different on these machines. I've tested it in a virtual environment using VMWare Workstation and live with the same results. I'm also not sure what the "CD-kicker" method is. Are you talking about just using a live cd?

1. Locking will never work from a virtual environment.
2. The hard drive frozen issue is with the Bios and not the CPU. The Bios implemented the ATA Security feature.
3. The CD-kicker method is to get around usb booting and use the CD to boot first and transfer control to the usb drive.

[Jimz360]

Im having a small problem
When i type xboxhd2 in slax i get a this message
I went into the help folder and copyed the string in the xbox.txt file, and just added my mount points, my usb was on /mnt/sda and the hdd was on hdb1 but then says error with /dev/hdb1 or similar, should have write it down but didnt think at the time, so when i went back into slax i opened media and my hdd is recognised but is not mounted, but when i double click on it it says unable to mount /hdb1.
the hdd isnt locked for sure as i was using it in an old xp rig

This post has been edited by Jimz360: Nov 20 2009, 07:45 PM

[Jimz360]

ha ha managed to get it going
thanks so much, after upgrading my rig, the old cd hdm wouldnt boot, and to be able to use this is a saviour
thanks

[Magimog]

1. Locking will never work from a virtual environment.
2. The hard drive frozen issue is with the Bios and not the CPU. The Bios implemented the ATA Security feature.
3. The CD-kicker method is to get around usb booting and use the CD to boot first and transfer control to the usb drive.

Pardon my ignorance on the issue. I guess I just have bad luck with attaining old computers!

Again thank you and scullc for your work, with a combination of methods I am able to get everything back up and kicking!

[scullc]

@Magimog - well done. glad you got it sorted!
@Jimz360 - glad you figured it out - seemed like a 'build' issue to me.

good to hear people are having success with the tool

[welandB]

Neither xboxhdm 1.9 nor 2.1 worked for me. I'm attempting a soft mod on a virgin xbox. My main desktop is a one year-old quadcore with only one pata connection on the motherboard.

My first step is to backup my eeprom.bin. Using xboxhdm 1.9, I could load the OS from cd via my sata dvd-rw drive or a pata dvd-rw drive with jumper set to slave. Upon attempting to use the ndure script, it would give me the "Linux cd not found!" error. I worked with this for over an hour last night and several hours tonight, including reading previous threads on the error and solutions.

The best solution I've found is to use a computer that has two pata connections on the motherboard. Alas, my previous tower (which has two pata connections on the motherboard...) is dead. The tower before that does not support booting from cd-rom drive, let alone usb drive.

I then attempted to use xboxhdm 2.1. Amazing work, by the way. I'm truly awed at the skill and cooperation that went into this. I got everything working on my sandisk cruzer 2gb flash drive. PC booted perfectly into slax and I could run xboxhd2 via konsole. After loading in qemu, I came to the exact same result upon loading xbrowser (to backup and retrieve my eeprom.bin).

If anything, this has made me more determined to get it working, so I'm off to the store to buy a copy of Splinter Cell tomorrow. I'll splice a USB connection into a breakaway cable to use my memory stick, as buying a new cable is cheaper than buying a used memory card and will provide another route to load data onto my xbox in the future.

I'll post an update on my progress as it occurs.

[ldotsfan]

After loading in qemu, I came to the exact same result upon loading xbrowser (to backup and retrieve my eeprom.bin).

Am I missing something here? Virgin xbox with eeprom.bin? You have to softmod the xbox first to get an eeprom backup.

Anyway apart from xboxhdm2.1, there are many ways to get to Rome

[welandB]

Am I missing something here? Virgin xbox with eeprom.bin? You have to softmod the xbox first to get an eeprom backup.

Anyway apart from xboxhdm2.1, there are many ways to get to Rome

No, I misunderstood the eeprom backup process. I now have copies of Splinter Cell & Mech Assault ($2/ea at the used games store). I'll try the process from your linked thread tomorrow, hopefully.

[scullc]

Anyway apart from xboxhdm2.1, there are many ways to get to Rome

thought I knew a fair about the scene - but i missed that one. excellent.
I think my xbox hacking days are behind me now (too busy) but its great to see developments like this.
I used to do the 'hotswap method' - then stick on my game save from the xboxhdm CD to the XBOX HDD (but that changed with xboxhdm2 and run the soft mod that way.
anyway good luck welandB