New User - What to do?

[jasch]

Well, there's allways a first time for everything. Just as someday was my first time with DirecTV, then with TiVo, it comes the moment of X-Box...

What are the current recommendations for a new x-box user who want to hack it?

Can I backup the HD Image? Should I? How can I do it? Do I need a hardware mod?

I've read several places about BIOS replacements, what are these? Which one is the best, how do I go into replacing my current bios?

Thanks for any answer. I know how tedious is to see 'new-user' threads, but this forums is relatively small (few posts), and no FAQs or sticky's like the other forums...

-
Jorge Asch
San Jose, Costa Rica

[experimentals]

Yeah Im also a newbie. to the XBOX thingy. I heard of people who upgrade their hard drive then they are able to copy the games directly to the HD???

I would love to that

[mrblack51]

Originally posted by jasch
Well, there's allways a first time for everything. Just as someday was my first time with DirecTV, then with TiVo, it comes the moment of X-Box...

What are the current recommendations for a new x-box user who want to hack it?

Can I backup the HD Image? Should I? How can I do it? Do I need a hardware mod?

I've read several places about BIOS replacements, what are these? Which one is the best, how do I go into replacing my current bios?

Thanks for any answer. I know how tedious is to see 'new-user' threads, but this forums is relatively small (few posts), and no FAQs or sticky's like the other forums...


new users: read read read.

backup hd image? yes, its probably a good idea, just incase you want to put your xbox back to normal or screw stuff up. as i recall, ghost can do a good backup, or dd. you will need to unlock your drive with the available tools first (evox and hdunlock), or back up the files via ethernet when booted in evoX.

do you need a hardware mod? to run anything other than stuff directly from microsoft, you need some sort of modchip. the easiest chips to install are the matrix/xodus, x-ecuter 1.1, openBioxx, and/or the new pandora chip. by installing a modchip, you can play 'backups' as well as run programs created by normal users. this includes evolutionX (allows you to play games and run programs from the hard disk), dvdx2 (allows you to play dvds without the dongle kit, can be hacked to do progressive output), MAME, and a host of other things.

sites to check for tutorials:
www.xbox-scene.com
www.xboxhacker.net

[mrblack51]

Originally posted by experimentals
Yeah Im also a newbie. to the XBOX thingy. I heard of people who upgrade their hard drive then they are able to copy the games directly to the HD???

I would love to that

evolutionX allows for that functionality. you install a modchip that allows larger F partitions (any of the modchips i mentioned in the previous post will work), then install a larger hard drive if desired. to install the bigger hard drive, its similar to the 'blessTiVo' procedure we know and love, with a different set of tools. Once the new drive is in and formatted, you just start copying the game data to the HD and play away. evolutionX has a great interface for this.

[experimentals]

Mrblcak51 thank you very much for that. Really appreciate your input and links

[jasch]

Thank for the help. Actually the backup (just as I did backup my TIVO), was not to restore configuration in case of a screw up, but sometimes HDD's go bad. I don't want to send back to repair, just swap with a different drive and go...

[experimentals]

so would it be possible to rent games from say Blockbuster and copy them to the XBOX HD and play them without the DVD or CD being in the DVDROM? Of course with the right modchip

[Juppers]

That would be possible. I do that now with my games, I copied them all to the drive and used evox to make a menu. I just pick the game and play. My discs stay pristine, and my Xbox dvd drive gets practically no use.

[mythic69]

I've been reading and doing as much research as I can before I jump into my new project and I have most of the software downloaded (ie evolution 2.5, hdd bigger software etc.) and I am just wondering which forum is best for How to's and information for newbies like myself.

I plan on going with Matrix and I also found a really cool site that sells back up DVDR and CDRW for all platforms including PC and PS2.

I apoligize if this is against any rules but here is the web site for backup software www.its-big.tk I have not ordered from this site yet and I am going to send an orfer in later on next week and I will keep you guys posted on the outcome. The only thing I am worried about is getting across the border as I am in Canada.

He has Xbox backup games for 7.00 US and Pc backups for 2.75.

Later

Mythic69

Dtivo - Hughes with 2 x 80gb full hacked and Phillips - 40 + 60 full hacked.

[mrblack51]

purchasing 'backups' is way beyond the questionable legality of modchips. I would not recommend buying or selling 'backups' of copyrighted work, because you are crossing the line between misuse to actually profiting from the illicit sale of others work.

lets try to keep this stuff focused on hacking the xbox with modchips, adding a bigger hard drive, replacing the dvd, adding a keyboard/mouse, new software, hacking in a digital coax out, etc. buying backups is not 'hacking' by any means.

if you would like to discuss how to rip games from originals for your own personal 'backups', thats completely different than purchasing them.

[Psydork]

Since the bios replacements are all out there, you might consider my route also.

I have a needham eeprom programmer at work, so I just removed the hynix chip from my xbox mobo, and reflashed it with evoX and soldered a socket back on the board, popped in the reflashed chip, and bingo...

There are tons of apps out there that do a lot of really cool stuff on the xbox.

Next, I plan on adding an external switchable box that I can install 2 hard drives in. 1 for playing backed up games, and one that I will have Linux on. The connectors on the front of the xbox are really just USB, so a soldering iron and a pair of wire strippers would let you plug in a usb keyboard/mouse. WebTV the way Bill never intended! :p

[jasch]

Ok, I managed to purchase a Matrix modchip (solderless). Now. I need to flash it with a bios, as I understand it.

But, I see that several are available... evolution, etc...

Which one is recomended. I supposer they are all alike, some with better features than other. Which one is the one with most widespread use?

Thanks

[mythic69]

jasch

Check out www.xtracer.net in the forum section under xbox bios section.

Supposedly the best Evox bios for Matrix/Xodus is the 2.3.

I am still waiting for matrix to come in and I am as fresh as fresh can be for Xbox but I have been doing lots and lots of reading and the is what I have been finding that Evox 2.3 is the one to go with.

Check out that site it has lots of good reading and tutorials.

Later.

Mythic69

Andy

[mrblack51]

the best bios to use is evox 2.5. it contains all the current patches, including allowing you to play debug stuff.

[mythic69]

mrblack51

Have you or do know for a fact that Evo 2.5 will work with the new Matrix Modchip.

I don't want to screw up my new xbox.

Thanks for all the feedback and help.

Mythic69

[mrblack51]

the matrix modchip is a standard 256k modchip. any standard bios (not a full debug bios) will work, so yes, evox 2.5 will work with it.

[mythic69]

Sounds good to me. I just wanted to make sure. I already downloaded Evox 2.3 and 2.5 and I am still waiting for my modchip to arrive.

Thanks

Mythic69

[jrogers]

Originally posted by mythic69
jasch

Check out www.xtracer.net in the forum section under xbox bios section.

Supposedly the best Evox bios for Matrix/Xodus is the 2.3.

I am still waiting for matrix to come in and I am as fresh as fresh can be for Xbox but I have been doing lots and lots of reading and the is what I have been finding that Evox 2.3 is the one to go with.

Check out that site it has lots of good reading and tutorials.

Later.

Mythic69

Andy

I just checked out this site, and they are no longer allowing bios to be downloaded, or any other apps for that matter. Where else can we get this stuff?

Thanks

[mythic69]

Hey Jrogers.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones that download some of files before they were shut down.

I have no idea how to use them or exactly what they do but I can zip them and email them to you.

Here is a short list of the most recent files I download:

Color Bios 2.5.rar
DVD region X Patch
EvoX23_fast_ani.rar
Msxboxdash.xbe Progresive Patch
px-hdlv1.rar
boXplorer096beta
dvdx2.rar
NewHDEvoX1.2.rar
ProgPatcher
xhdprepa
GiveIO Driver Setup (this is the driver to load the Matrix if you have windows XP)
Xodus_Matrix_Manual

All files zipped is 14mb so I am not to sure what is the best way to send it to you.

Let me know.

Hopefully we can all help each other out and we all benefit in the long run. If some knows how to post or wants to post these files let me know I can send each one to one by one and then they can put into the file downloads.

Mythic69