Hello all,

I just wanted to throw something out there to clear up something for all of the people blaming CFW for bans. I know this is probably not the best place to post it, and the mods can freely move/delete it if they like. I do flashing on all 360 drives, as well as chip installs, and I am currently aware of numerous NME2.0 users who have been banned in the most recent wave. This is an indication that the banning is most likely disc related, and has nothing to do with the CFW being run on the drives. The NME2.0 does not modify the FW of the drive, so if the bans were being done based on CFW detection (which it seems many people are believing) these systems would not be affected. I know many of us are already aware that MS reading the CFW is not possible (or at least we believe so), but for those of you who are thinking that it is a flaw in the CFW that is being detected, I can say that this is most likely not the case. Just my $0.02.

And this "opinion" is based upon what evidence?

I am not here to start any arguments, nor am I here to say that I know what is and isn't being done. I am just informing people of what I have seen personally.

There have been numerous people who have been banned without having ever put a backup disc into their Xbox

i guess 4 things are almost 99% sure
1st
MS cant read the Firmware directly

2nd
there is someting "wrong" with almost all the custom firmwares, so the Console could detect it.
It cant read it, but it can tell the difference od some responses.
I guess no matter if an original or copy is played.

3rd
This info is stored (flaged) in the XBOX360s flash even i you went never online.
There is no way to "unflag" your xbox

4th
in a "banwave" your xbox is banned, if you go online. Not ever, but you have a high chance.
even without disc in drive, even with an original in drive.

The results of a ban are well known:

You loose warranty.
You cant log in to LIVE
Your console looses the ability to digitally sign content.
Therefore your gamesaves only work on your banned console
And you cant install or play games from HDD

It would be really interesting to know if:

all console with different custom firmwares get flaged and not all get banned from live for some reason or
if only some consoles get flaged and all flaged get banned from Live.

Perhaps we could find something to test if the console is flaged.