Broken CD drive + wrong default.xbe = SOL?

[tempneff]

I finally got around to setting up the old xbox media center for the kids. I dug it out and promptly F'd it up. I was poking around and trying to open evoX dash, instead of googling like a intelligent person. I changed the evo xbe to the default (renaming the default DONTLOSETHIS.xbe). Of course now it doesn't work, and I can't FTP into it to rename things. The kicker is the disk drive has never worked (i got the xbox used) so I can't create a boot disk... any other options? Is there some software somewhere that will let me access the drive from my pc via a HDD enclosure.....

[r3dsk1n]

You might be able to use the hotswap method.

[BuZz]

hardmodded? you can use a pc drive I think? or you could pick up a cheap second hand xbox - useful to have a working drive anyway.

[Kozz]

Yes you could use a pc ide dvd-rom with any xbox, hard or soft modded, provided you keep the yellow connector plugged into the xbox dvd-rom and have a disc inside, then provide power to the pc dvd-rom and plug the ide cable into it. Since you only messed with the dash .xbe , your mod will still be in place and should boot any of the installer discs Like Slayers, AID or Hexen, Once booted into any one of these installers you should have ftp access again to rename your dash xbe

[tempneff]

Awesome, thanks for the replies. I never thought of replacing the drive. I have a few lying around and I'm gonna try that today. Thanks again

[tempneff]

An update:

Kozz's advice worked perfectly. I used a generic ide dvd drive from an old PC. I burned SlaYer's boot disk onto a DVD-RW and it booted nicely. Thanks again!!!!

[bigkidoz]

So Kozz, by that reasoning you should be able to just short a couple of wires on the yellow cable so you dont have to keep the xbox dvd drive plugged in ?