i read up on softmodding and installing bigger hdd's. i have found tutorials and lots of things for both but i can't figure out when to do what. i have everything to softmod the box i'm working on. do i softmod on the 8 gig first and then upgrade the hdd? or is there a way to put the blank hdd in and start fresh with it?

Think there's a tutorial on just what you need in my sig.

With a softmod you can't just put a blank HDD in and have it work. It must be prepared first. Hope that helps.
Just follow the tuts, and all will go well!

You cannot use your new HDD without formatting and locking it. To get the lock code, stored in the EEPROM, you need to use ConfigMagic. This is an app, which can only be loaded from a hacked dashboard, which in turn needs a mod to load.

So mod the 8GB first. If you do not have it already, use Krayzie's Ndure Installer.

Then run ConfigMagic and use it to create an EEPROM backup. FTP this to your PC and use it in the XboxHDM boot disc you create.

Boot to the XHDM disc with your new HDD on primary master. Use XHDM to first format the new drive, and then lock it. It should then work when you put it in your box. Then use Krayzie's installer to mod the new drive.

A word of caution: If you upgrade your HDD and keep your old EEPROM, you will get your new HDD and your EEPROM banned from Live as soon as you try to sign on. If you want to get on Live, you will need to replace your EEPROM and lock both HDDs with the new HDD code in the EEPROM.

Heres what I did:

Took my eeprom put it in the XBOXHDM eeprom folder. Then I took the C drive from Slayers and put that in the C:/ folder. Then put that on the new drive and re installed the softmod.

maybe i'm more of a newb than i thought. what's the xboxhdm? also, i've already gotten aid2 to softmod with instead of krayzie's. does that matter? also, i'm not worried about xbox live, i wont' be using it. i have a softmodded box of my own will that help me to copy/ftp any files over?