Usb Stick Question For Softmod Options

[bword]

Hey guys I was wondering if you have a incompatible stick will the screen flash on the memory section?? I literally tried 2 different Usb sticks and 3 different SD cards via usb adapter. I bought the cable of Ebay which is the standard 3 port standard xbox male end and usb female end. If I connect a usb keyboard it doesnt flash but I have no way of checking to see if it actually works. Am I supposed to reformat the stick in the xbox format first or shouldnt the xbox do it for me? Should I just say screw it and hunt out one of the known good usb sticks for the softmod??

I just tried using a older 30 gig ipod and it actually reconized but it claimed to be damage and did not offer to reformat. Does that mean it might work if I format it correctly??

This post has been edited by bword: Feb 9 2011, 06:36 AM

[1hotjob]

Have you tried to format it in the Xbox?

[fallenangle]

Not come across a screen flashing response myself but how USB memory sticks or similar devices behave when they don't work, or work unreliably, in my experience, is random. It may depend on the version Xbox being used, I've not had the inclination to test that out though. I suppose there might even be a specific BIOS feature that causes such a phenomenon if a faulty USB attachment is detected.

What I do know is that in testing five different virgin memory sticks only once has the Xbox I used, a v.1(0b), produced a, MS dash only(?) reformat option message. The reformatting worked but the device still didn't.

The others which haven't worked get the MS dash only(?) "damaged......" messsage or the equivalent flashed up message when using XBMC. You also get the "damaged..." message when a device that has been working but gets a "Copy Failed.." error, then goes missing from the dash and you try to reattach it without powering off first.

If you check your storage devices info in XBMC or it's File Manager that should show whether the stick has been reformatted to FATX. I don't know if any other dash File Manager confirms the FATX reformat but just because it has doesn't mean it will work.

Using UnleashX's Game Saves Manager won't show there's any memory device attached until you have something on it. Use UnleashX's File Explorer to see if it's there, usually it's either the L, J, or N drive depending which port you're using. If it's not or you see scrambled text alonside one drive that probably means it either hasn't been reformatted, failed during a copy or simply doesn't work.

IMHO it's best to use the MS dash to test these USB devices. The well designed graphics interface in Memory show you immediately what attachments are recognised and what aren't. If they go missing at any stage of the process you'll get instant visual confirmation and explanatory error message too.

This post has been edited by fallenangle: Feb 9 2011, 03:49 PM

[bword]

Have you tried to format it in the Xbox?

I did I tried 5 different usb memory formats. And my xbox reacted the same way with all of them. The screen would flash repeatedly when I clicked on the Memory menu. Once I removed the usb stick it would be normal again. Is this how the xbox react when you attempt to use a incompatible stick???

[bword]

If you check your storage devices info in XBMC or it's File Manager that should show whether the stick has been reformatted to FATX. I don't know if any other dash File Manager confirms the FATX reformat but just because it has doesn't mean it will work.

Just installed and checked out XBMC 10.0.. so your saying I need to run the usb stick using XMBC on my pc first and format it there. And then attempt to use it on my xbox ??

[fallenangle]

What type of mod, if any, does your Xbox have ie. chip. softmod, TSOP?

Are you using the MS dash, if not what dash are you using?

[Heimdall]

Formatting it on the PC is of absolutely no use to you nomatter which application you use.

If the MS Dash memory screen flashes when you try to access the USB stick then yes, the stick is incompatible, and nothing you do will change that. You need to find an older USB stick (not an SD card), it has to be less than 4GB (preferably quite a bit smaller so you can be more certain that it's older technology that the Xbox will recognise), and with no on-board features e.g. no protected partitions, no U3 or similar software, etc.

This post has been edited by Heimdall: Feb 9 2011, 03:56 PM

[fallenangle]

Heimdall beat me to it. No what I meant is look at the stick(s) attached to your Xbox using XBMC's, if you have it as a main dash or app,, storage device info or it's file manager. If they've been reformatted they would show up as FATX, if not FAT16 or FAT32.

Meant to mention the 4GB limit too.

But I've never come across that flashing screen thing though. Is it Xbox/retail BIOS version specific? Maybe it's just that all the sticks I've tested have been, eventually, reformatable to FATX even when non-working.

BTW the list of working USB sticks you can find elsewhere is old and unreliable. You've certainly been very unlucky but by the sound of it none of the devices you've tested are compatible.

Sorry I couldn't provide any more help.

[bword]

But I've never come across that flashing screen thing though. Is it Xbox/retail BIOS version specific? Maybe it's just that all the sticks I've tested have been, eventually, reformatable to FATX even when non-working.

BTW the list of working USB sticks you can find elsewhere is old and unreliable. You've certainly been very unlucky but by the sound of it none of the devices you've tested are compatible.

Sorry I couldn't provide any more help.

On the contrary you guys have already helped me out greatly. Now I can stop wasting my time with these Usb sticks lol. Theres a place called Gamexchange near me who happens to stock the old stuff (Nes,sega,ect). I actually got 007,mechassault, and splinter cell1 for under 10 bucks there .
Im gonna see if they have the action replay to save me some headaches of chasing a working Usb stick.

This post has been edited by bword: Feb 9 2011, 04:30 PM

[Heimdall]

I've had the flashing screen with a couple of memory sticks.

AR is a complete pain to set up. I'd try borrowing a memory stick first - it can always be reformatted afterwards.

[bword]

I've had the flashing screen with a couple of memory sticks.

AR is a complete pain to set up. I'd try borrowing a memory stick first - it can always be reformatted afterwards.

Yeah im asking around at work for anyone who has a OLDDDD mem stick and havent had too much luck.

[bword]

Went there no AR which im not suprised. But hey wasnt there a tutorial to somehow combine a controller and usb cable and also throw a xbox mem stick in the mix????? They have a over abundance of old controller that I could sacrifice. In a nutshell im wondering if I could mod a xbox controller to have a USB port on it, connect to my PC and then pop in a old xbox mem stick. Would the xbox actually see the memory stick threw the controller if I install the right drivers???

This post has been edited by bword: Feb 9 2011, 08:40 PM

[fallenangle]

If you use the forum search you should be able to find other threads about working USB sticks.

The one I last subscribed too "USB stick not recognised by AR" gives a little more detail but unlikely to help as the flash drive I mentioned there is one of the non-working ones.

However I have found two commonly available USB 2.0 working ones of the same brand/model but different sizes 1GB and 4GB. Different physical design too - black body and slide out connector rather than the non-working one's all silver 'skin'.

I should make clear this isn't a recommendation. Although the ones I bought worked please remember that it is a lottery even if you can get hold of seemingly identical ones. I've had that very frustration myself.

While I say they work I do still get regular 'Copy Failed' errors, usually with large files, copying to them from a Xbox HDD. But if you're just trying to get a game save exploit/installer onto a stick from a PC and then onto a Xbox HDD there wouldn't be any trouble at all.

Far from ideal I know but once on either flash drive everything I've ever copied back or to another Xbox from them has worked perfectly first time.

Hope you can find a working one and as Heimdall said USB v.1 and v.1.1 do seem to work more often. I've certainly never had any problem with my two but I know finding those now is very difficult.

[1hotjob]

Ebay Link

I may pick up another one myself. I have had one of these for years and have never had a problem with it. May get one just in case.

Krazie's Ndure 1.1.1 fits on my 8 meg card just fine.

[fallenangle]

That link didn't quite work for me but from what I can see of it looks like independent 8MB Xbox memory cards. Using those also requires a Xbox controller to USB adapter cable for this purpose wouldn't it?

If that is the idea and there's a softmod that will fit on an 8MB card why not get an used official one? Probably cheaper and there are certainly some of those still around, maybe new ones too.

Even with an installer/exploit package like Splinter Cell/SID, which is definitely more than 500 blocks/8MB, it's more hassle but isn't it possible to use two memory cards for each part or simply use one card twice? If they're technically compatible maybe one of those independent 16MB cards I think you can still get would resolve the problem entirely no matter what installer package was being used.