Since the DVD drive of my XBOX give signs that reach end of life, I decide to upgrade the Hard Disk in order to play my games from HD.
I have already install UnleashX dashboard and I have a DVD with XBOX utilities (Slayer's)
I have already transfer a few games via FTP to the original HD and play them without problem, so I'm quite familiar with the process.
I read some articles and I see a few YT videos on how to make the upgrade, but still I have a few questions...
Here is what is my plan:
I already have a 80GB IDE Hard Disk so no need for SATA converter
I plan to back-up game saves via FTP to my PC.
Then (If I understand correct) I have to format the 80GB IDE Hard Disk using my old XP computer using FAT32 file system, put the formatted 80GB IDE Hard Disk to XBOX and using the utilities from Slayer's DVD (NEW INSTALL/FULL REBUILT) to prepare the new 80GB Hard disk.
Than I will transfer the backup-ed saves to the D partition.
Is this the correct route?
Do I have to do something more - else?
Can I skip any step?
Any help, welcomed
Thanks in advance.
Hard Disk upgrade
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Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Hard Disk upgrade
Sounds like an over-complicated method to me. It is already softmodded (?) so...........................
The long preferred method of replacing the original HDD with a larger one is to use an Xbox app to clone the existing HDD: Chimp 261812. This YT video is old but by the guy who himself updated Chimp:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBC9599ww6I
There are other ways of doing the same thing but that is the simplest and, usually easiest way. No rebuilding of the dash on PC or by installer disc or anything else required. The important thing to remember is that if it is a softmod the HDD must me locked with that specific Xbox's eeprom or you'll get an error message when you try to boot it.
With Chimp 261812 it is all done on the Xbox, including copying all the game saves/DLC, and you can lock the new HDD afterwards there and then as part of the process.
I'd only question you decision to use an 80GB HDD. Sure you're going to be able to install maybe 15 - 20 games you'd be surprised just how quickly the space gets used up with all the other things you might want to install as well.
The long preferred method of replacing the original HDD with a larger one is to use an Xbox app to clone the existing HDD: Chimp 261812. This YT video is old but by the guy who himself updated Chimp:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBC9599ww6I
There are other ways of doing the same thing but that is the simplest and, usually easiest way. No rebuilding of the dash on PC or by installer disc or anything else required. The important thing to remember is that if it is a softmod the HDD must me locked with that specific Xbox's eeprom or you'll get an error message when you try to boot it.
With Chimp 261812 it is all done on the Xbox, including copying all the game saves/DLC, and you can lock the new HDD afterwards there and then as part of the process.
I'd only question you decision to use an 80GB HDD. Sure you're going to be able to install maybe 15 - 20 games you'd be surprised just how quickly the space gets used up with all the other things you might want to install as well.
Re: Hard Disk upgrade
Thank you for your answer.
In any case cloning is not what I'm looking for.
I just want to put the fresh disk and FTP the saves, I think is enough.
I XBOX to play only some exclusive games unable to find elsewhere.
All the games I want to play are less than 30GB, so 80GB is more than enough.
I do not plan to go for "full library" or similar. If a game is also available on PS2, Windows or GameCube, I prefer to choose another machine. I need XBOX to play exclusive XBOX games.
In any case cloning is not what I'm looking for.
I just want to put the fresh disk and FTP the saves, I think is enough.
I XBOX to play only some exclusive games unable to find elsewhere.
All the games I want to play are less than 30GB, so 80GB is more than enough.
I do not plan to go for "full library" or similar. If a game is also available on PS2, Windows or GameCube, I prefer to choose another machine. I need XBOX to play exclusive XBOX games.
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Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Hard Disk upgrade
Unless it is a chipped or TSOPed Xbox you can't do what you want to do. The Slayers disc won't boot with an empty, unlocked HDD installed, simple as that.
In short, if it is a softmod, Chimp 261812 is still the simplest method of doing what you want. No HDD reformatting on PC necessary.
Only time I would do that is if the HDD already had content on it - I'd use DISKPART to 'clean' the HDD then Windows > Disk Management to re-initialise and Quick Format, it doesn't matter whether it is FAT32 or NTFS. The HDD is then good to go on the Xbox.
As said, with Chimp the saves and DLC will be cloned onto the new HDD as part of the process. The new HDD dash will look exactly as it did on 10GB original softmodded HDD except you'll have an F:\ drive with around 60GB of free space.
All you'd need to do to make the Chimp clone as quick as possible is delete any games you've already installed to E:\Games.
You can FTP the whole Xbox content to PC by FTP now if you want to back it up. That's what I do with full backups of C:\, E:\ and F:\ and as F:\ has about 350GB of games, emulators, ROM sets, Apps, Music etc installed that is at least half a days work
.
But when coming to replacing the HDD on a softmodded machine my advice is still to use Chimp.
In short, if it is a softmod, Chimp 261812 is still the simplest method of doing what you want. No HDD reformatting on PC necessary.
Only time I would do that is if the HDD already had content on it - I'd use DISKPART to 'clean' the HDD then Windows > Disk Management to re-initialise and Quick Format, it doesn't matter whether it is FAT32 or NTFS. The HDD is then good to go on the Xbox.
As said, with Chimp the saves and DLC will be cloned onto the new HDD as part of the process. The new HDD dash will look exactly as it did on 10GB original softmodded HDD except you'll have an F:\ drive with around 60GB of free space.
All you'd need to do to make the Chimp clone as quick as possible is delete any games you've already installed to E:\Games.
You can FTP the whole Xbox content to PC by FTP now if you want to back it up. That's what I do with full backups of C:\, E:\ and F:\ and as F:\ has about 350GB of games, emulators, ROM sets, Apps, Music etc installed that is at least half a days work
.But when coming to replacing the HDD on a softmodded machine my advice is still to use Chimp.
Re: Hard Disk upgrade
Thank you for your answer.
Yes I forgot to mention that my XBOX is chipped with EvoX.
From your answer I understand than my plan has many possibilities of success.
In any case I will keep the original 10GB HD intact, so if something goes wrong I will always put back the original and try other solution like cloning.
I understand that FTP is slow, but in my case I will back-up via FTP just a few MB's with game saves, not the 350GB of your HD....
Yes I forgot to mention that my XBOX is chipped with EvoX.
From your answer I understand than my plan has many possibilities of success.
In any case I will keep the original 10GB HD intact, so if something goes wrong I will always put back the original and try other solution like cloning.
I understand that FTP is slow, but in my case I will back-up via FTP just a few MB's with game saves, not the 350GB of your HD....
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Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Hard Disk upgrade
OK with the hardmod now confirmed: in that case you can just install the new HDD into the Xbox and boot up an installer disc and it will walk you through the process of formatting and installing a dashboard of choice.
Chances are the HDD has already been wiped and formatted to NTFS or FAT32 but if you're pedantic, like me, you can (re)do that before installing it in the Xbox just to make sure it is completely cleaned.
Personally I would not use Slayers, there are more modern and/or, arguably, better hardmod installer tools but it'll still work OK. You're not installing a large HDD so the new extended partition F:\ should be correctly formatted. But I'd still check it with the Xbox app: XBPartitioner v1.3 just to be sure.
Once done you're good for FTPing the content you backed up from the old Xbox HDD on PC to the new HDD.
Again there are now other ways of doing that but that involves taking the HDD out again and attaching it to the PC. With the time you'd likely spend just physically doing all that you could be well into your FTPing session.
Chances are the HDD has already been wiped and formatted to NTFS or FAT32 but if you're pedantic, like me, you can (re)do that before installing it in the Xbox just to make sure it is completely cleaned.
Personally I would not use Slayers, there are more modern and/or, arguably, better hardmod installer tools but it'll still work OK. You're not installing a large HDD so the new extended partition F:\ should be correctly formatted. But I'd still check it with the Xbox app: XBPartitioner v1.3 just to be sure.
Once done you're good for FTPing the content you backed up from the old Xbox HDD on PC to the new HDD.
Again there are now other ways of doing that but that involves taking the HDD out again and attaching it to the PC. With the time you'd likely spend just physically doing all that you could be well into your FTPing session.
Re: Hard Disk upgrade
Not necessarily. They only mention having an EvoX splash screen, which is possible with a softmod.
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Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Hard Disk upgrade
I do think that unlikely - if he is seeing the Evox pinky/purple 'triangle' logo at boot then it is 99% certainly either a chipped or TSOPed Xbox.
You can create an UnleashX or XBMC (not sure about Avalaunch) dash loading screen which mimics that which might fool the inexperienced but the difference would be obvious to those who had experience of both.
The real Evox logo appears during the 'flubber' sequence immediately on boot so if it was a dash loading screen it would not appear until after that.
foufoutos may not be that experienced but a). he can check or already knows it is a hardmod and b). when was the last time you saw a loading screen that tries to mimic a hardmod BIOS boot?
I have over a thousand UnleashX dashboards, hundreds of EvoX, Avalaunch and around thirty XBMC skins and I've never seen any softmod dash loading screen that even attempts to do that let alone successfully.
He'll also know straight away if it is not a hardmod when he puts in a cleaned empty HDD and tries to cold boot a Slayers or AID or HeXEn or whatever install disc.
You can create an UnleashX or XBMC (not sure about Avalaunch) dash loading screen which mimics that which might fool the inexperienced but the difference would be obvious to those who had experience of both.
The real Evox logo appears during the 'flubber' sequence immediately on boot so if it was a dash loading screen it would not appear until after that.
foufoutos may not be that experienced but a). he can check or already knows it is a hardmod and b). when was the last time you saw a loading screen that tries to mimic a hardmod BIOS boot?
I have over a thousand UnleashX dashboards, hundreds of EvoX, Avalaunch and around thirty XBMC skins and I've never seen any softmod dash loading screen that even attempts to do that let alone successfully.
He'll also know straight away if it is not a hardmod when he puts in a cleaned empty HDD and tries to cold boot a Slayers or AID or HeXEn or whatever install disc.