Og xbox hard drive.

Discussion about Modding the XBOX, including hardware and software hacks.
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katdog123465
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Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2025 7:27 pm

Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

My dad gave me two original Xboxes one works and is soft modded, the other doesn’t because its hard drive was taken for the working one or something. The broken one is hard-modded, and I wanna use it for random stuff. Is there a way to get it a new hard drive without the other Xbox?

Also I do know how to do soldering and other stuff.

Also im at school so if anyone sees this and has anything ill respond at like 4pm or when I can.

Ill give all the info when i get back home.

its the hard drve thats missing
Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by Coldly-Indifferent »

If it is hardmodded (chipped or TSOP) then 'all' you need to do is install a new HDD or SSD. No soldering or anything like that needed. A set of torx screwdrivers to open up the Xbox that should be all the DIY skills needed.

BTW there is no significant benefit in speed terms using a SSD in an original Xboox and you'd also need a 2.5" > 3.5" tray adapter mount too.

Once installed and assuming your DVD drive is working, burn a Xbox installer disc on PC (DVD-R using ImgBurn), cold boot that in the Xbox and it will walk you through the install of a modded dashboard etc.

If the DVD drive is not working, an increasingly common problem, then instead you'll have to build the new Xbox HDD on PC with FATXplorer. That program I believe now has a trial period of 7 days after which you will have to buy a licence to use all its features.

The only other problem you may have is if the HDD you have available is SATA rather than IDE. New HDDs have used SATA for years so unless you have an old IDE HDD you'll need to buy a SATA > IDE adapter, ideally with Master and Slave jumper options. Those options aren't needed for your purposes but may prove useful with the softmod Xbox if you want to upgrade the HDD.

Only other thing, considered mandatory by most modders using SATA HDDs, is an 80 wire IDE cable, ideally 24"/60cm. Those IDE cables are not always that easy to find now; you can use shorter ones, down to 18"/45cm, but they require some serious cable origami to reach.

That is about it really.
katdog123465
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

My disk drives seem to last forever so that's not A problem but is there A ide to sata that doesn't look like it will break in 1 month also I dont want to spend more than $20
katdog123465
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

katdog123465
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

My dvd drive works also I want to give it A 2tb hard drive will this work? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FD98N7N?ta ... th=1&psc=1 also can i install an xblast lite modchip into it?
Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by Coldly-Indifferent »

A 2TB Seagate SATA HDD is as good as any.

The important thing with a a 2TB HDD is that unless you are using CerBIOS (you won't be unless you've updated the chip's BIOS previously) you must split the volume ie. the two supported extended drives: F:\ and G:\ (better described as partitions), are limited to 1TiB each. So you must remember to partition those extended partitions with XBPartitioner v1.3 after the HDD is installed.

Personally I wouldn't worry about updating the BIOS, chances are you have a EvoxM8+, IND or Xecuter BIOS and they have no problems with a 2TB HDD.

The often recommended SATA > IDE adapter is the Startech one but I've had no problems with the ubiquitous 'Chinese' type which were recommended here in another thread years ago. As previously said, they're ones with Master and Slave jumper options which you don't need for your purposes. Do some searching in this forum and you'll probably find the thread.

If you already have a working modchip/BIOS then I'm not sure why you'd want to replace it but if you do then I don't know of any reason why you couldn't do that. But I'm not a chip or recent BIOS expert, I'm old school and for keeping everything as simple as possible.

When something works then any extra options fitting a new chip or flashing a new BIOS may offer are icing on the cake and not essential. Ask yourself: do I need support for HDD larger than 2TB? Do I need boot customisation options? If no, then why not stick with the existing chip/BIOS?
Last edited by Coldly-Indifferent on Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
katdog123465
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Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2025 7:27 pm

Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

I want to replace the mod chip because i want a newer one because i know for a fact its atleast 10+ years old
Last edited by katdog123465 on Thu Feb 20, 2025 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
katdog123465
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

Well ill check the modchip when i get home
katdog123465
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by katdog123465 »

I cant find the fourm about the adapters nvmd found it
Coldly-Indifferent
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Re: Og xbox hard drive.

Post by Coldly-Indifferent »

This is the thread I was thinking of:-

viewtopic.php?t=649&hilit=sata+adapters&start=160

There's plenty of other info relevant to your project there too.
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