Upgrade my HDD in my hard modded xbox

[Bouncyball]

Hi all,

At the moment, I have an 80GB HDD in my xbox and want to upgrade it. I'm going SATA so I've already purchased a IDE to SATA adapter and have an 80 pin IDE cable.

I've downloaded and burnt Slayers 3.3 and actually installed a dash to the new drive but I want my old dashboard and layout, roms and emulators etc. Would I be better just moving the folders from my old HDD to my new one? Do I need to lock/unlock any of my drives? (I don't actually know what this is for)

This xbox was setup a good 12 years ago so my knowledge is very limited and someone from an xbox forum actually helped me set it up!

I assume I don't need to mess about with my mod chips BIOS? It boots up and the xbox logo in blue which is a little odd?

Thank for any advice given

[shloader]

Welcome to the forum, you've come to the right place.

About the slayer's disc. It's not the most current disc out there. You're probably better off with the latest Hexen disc. I see there's a Hexen 2018 disc out there (giyf). Having used the 2017 disc rather extensively I'd say it's a good resource. I don't think Slayer's is still being reworked and added to, could be wrong though.

I assume I don't need to mess about with my mod chips BIOS? It boots up and the xbox logo in blue which is a little odd?

If you're booting up on a Sata drive, you're well past the hard parts.

As for how to restore your old setup, it's probably as easy as replicating the whole folder structure 100% when a modchip is involved. That will involve having to FTP everything off your old drive... ~70GB, shouldn't take long, and then overwrite it onto the new drive. I recommend being booted into a Slayers or Hexen disc whenever doing this, and definitely not the installed dashboard.

Quite lit at the moment, so that's all I could think of. Any other questions?

[Coldly-Indifferent]

We're assuming it is a chipped machine so the locking/unlocking HDD question is likely irrelevant. The HDD only needs to be locked if it is a softmod. As shloader has said, you seem to have done the first part: installing a dash to the new HDD. AID or HeXEn would have been better than the aged Slayers but there is no reason for that to be the cause of any problems.

The question really is just how to get the contents of the old HDD onto the new one?

As shloader also suggested the easiest method would be to FTP everything from the old HDD to a PC and FTP it back to the new one. But you can also use Chimp 261812 to do it direct. It will 'simply' clone the old HDD content and structure to the new one. If the old HDD was working as you wanted then that's what I'd suggest doing. It won't be as quick as FTPing but it will probably be less trouble.

You actually do not need to install a new dash to the new HDD be able use Chimp, in fact it is often recommended the new HDD you're cloning too is either virgin or wiped clean first, although that is not essential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBC9599ww6I

Once the old HDD is cloned you swap the new HDD in remembering to change the jumper setting to Master from Slave first.

The only problem I can see with using Chimp is the F:\ drive formatting and that will depend on the size of the new HDD. The F:\ drive (and G:\ if used) must be correctly formatted if it is larger than 256GB. Cloning F:\ from the 70GB old HDD will mean that it is formatted for 16K clusters.

Later reformatting of the extended partition(s) for 32K or more, depending on the HDD size, will wipe the cloned F:\drive content, which is a bit of a problem.

So if that is the situation in this case I do not know if there is any way of using Chimp to clone the F:\drive but with the correct cluster size for the new larger HDD. Rocky5 will be able to explain if that is possible but you might be better off using the FTP route instead.

[Bouncyball]

Thank you both so much for the extensive replies!

Here's where I'm at ;

I scrapped the Slayers install but I'm guessing because I was using it, it formatted partitions for me? Anyway... I downloaded Chimp and followed Rocky's video - success! It didn't copy the contents of my F: partition but this wasn't an issue as I just FTP'd everything over - all working great!

Since, I've downloaded Coinops 8 and installed that - great bit of kit!

The only thing I'm not sure about and don't really understand is the clusters etc? I wouldn't know what clusters my HDD has because of the way I've installed things. It's a 500GB HDD and I'm not using the G: partition (My choice) so I'm throwing everything on F: - I have kept my old 80GB drive as a backup so worse case, I could start again with a fresh install if someone isn't installed correctly and will cause me problems later on?

Thanka for the replies guys, always appreciated.

Kind regards

[Coldly-Indifferent]

If you've used Chimp 261812 and its extended partitioning tools the F:\drive should be correctly partitioned to use the appropriate cluster size. With a 500GB HDD and the F:\ drive using all the free space will be <500GB (obviously) but >256GB so it must use 32K clusters.

If it is partitioned and still using the default 16K when the content of the F:\drive reaches 256+GB it will corrupt: stuff will go missing and be irrecoverable.

You can use Chimp again to check the cluster size being used for each partition but XBPartitioner v1.3 (must use this version) launches faster and will show you very clearly if there is a F:\ drive (Partition 6) cluster size issue with it marked "ER" (for error).

If it does need to be reformatted you'll lose anything already on the F:\drive.

However, if that is a problem for you, there may be a solution to preserve your current F:\drive contents. I've not tried this myself so I do not know for sure if it works. That is to format a G:\drive (Partition 7) separately to use >256GB of the existing free space.

If it that is possible without needing to reformat the F:\ drive too it would mean the F:\ drive is limited to <256GB and so be fine with its existing 16K clusters setting whilst the new G:\ drive, being >256GB, will be formatted to use 32K clusters.

Hopefully someone with more experience of using XBPartitioner or Chimp in these circumstances will be able to confirm if this solution is viable.

[Bouncyball]

Thanks again for the reply.

I'll check later with Chimp or download the program you recommended and try that too.

I went to softmod a friend's xbox, I have the relevant material (USB to controller adapter, Splinter Cell) just need to find the right files. I want to use a 500GB drive in they too - Do I need to do anything regarding the clusters? That's a point... How can I softmod a drive with no operating system on it?

I need to do a little more research I think

[Bouncyball]

Downloaded and installed XBPartitioner - doesn't show any errors at all.

Does Chimp set the clusters automatically for you?

Thanks again

[Coldly-Indifferent]

It does and has done what Rocky5 said it will do ie. automatically format the default extended drive(s) on the slave drive correctly. Older versions of Chimp defaulted to 16K whatever the size so, if necessary, you had to remember to reformat the extended partition(s) once installed as Master HDD.

As regards the softmodding: you have to softmod the retail HDD as it is then just do almost exactly the same thing you've just done with your Xbox: clone that to the new 500GB HDD using Chimp 261812. You know that it handles the extended formatting correctly.

Only difference this time, because it is a softmod, you must remember to lock the new HDD (as Slave) immediately after the cloning using the option from the Chimp menus. Once done you can replace the retail HDD with the newly cloned locked 500GB HDD, remembering to reset the jumpers to Master first, and all should be good.

If you had the right hardware it is possible, and preferred by some, to prepare a virgin HDD on PC for use in a Xbox using XBHDM (Xbox HDD Maker) but to do that you need the eeprom from the Xbox in order to lock it. As said, when it is going to be used for a softmod that is essential.

The problem is, of course, that you can't get the eeprom from the Xbox easily unless it is modded first. So you're going to have to do that anyway and IMHO using Chimp 261812 to clone the softmodded retail HDD is the easiest solution for most people now.

That softmodded retail HDD is also your safety net so don't dump it or use it for anything else. Store it out of harms way and if anything goes wrong with the 500GB HDD or any future HDD you might want to use you always have it available as backup.

[Bouncyball]

Thank you so much for your help and advice! I'm away on a work course for a few days but I'll give it a go when I'm back. The only thing I'm worried about is his retail HDD doesn't sound too good - the console has had a nasty fall. It powers up and works etc so I'm just hoping it'll stay alive enough for me to softmod it and use Chimp to clone it.

Does the softmod save to the HDD or the xbox BIOS itself?

Another random question about my xbox - For some reason I have 3 different programs on there that I think do the same job - they rip games to the HDD. I'm not by my console at the moment but one is Px HDD Loader, dvd2xbox and complextools (I'm sure that's all of them)

What's the best one to use so I can scrap the rest?

Thanks again, much appreciated!

[Coldly-Indifferent]

The softmod files are all on the HDD. That's why it is quite important, particularly if other people are going to use the Xbox, to install a protected softmod using HeXEn or Rocky5's Xbox Softmodding Tool. What they do is use a shadow C and virtual eeprom which makes it more difficult, but not impossible, for games/dash updaters or a fiddle paw users to mess up the softmod by playing around with the files when they do not know what they're doing.

Yes you really only need one disc ripping app and DVD2Xbox is the one to use. Its reliable and if you can find a copy with the full ACL (Access Control List) set so much the better. DVD2Xbox will automatically or manually ACL patch any games that need it to be able to run from the HDD.

Unfortunately finding DVD2Xbox with the the full ACL set (200+ games) has been made more difficult recently as a number of web sites which provided it have been closed. However most copies do come with a fair number of ACL files (around 16) for the most commonly encountered games that need patching and the majority of Xbox games work fine from the HDD either un-ACL patched or when patched with the default ACL file.

BTW once a game is installed on the Xbox HDD, however it gets there but particularly when using a softmod, it is good practice to use the file manger to delete any update.xbe or dashupdater.xbe the game may include.

[Bouncyball]

Thanks again for the reply, I appreciate it!

I don't suppose you could tell me where to get this copy of DVD2XBOX can you? Guess it might be against forum rules?

My copy would be from when the xbox was built. Does this version has a specific version number?

Thanks again

[Coldly-Indifferent]

The final (?) version of DVD2Xbox was v0.7.8 R2.

As for a source for this; I'm sure there is and I think it is included in Auto installer Deluxe v4.53, if you can find that now, but having done a quick search myself today it wasn't easy finding an easily accessible/working download. However eventually I did.

I can't post a direct link because it will probably be removed but if you Google: Digiex you may well get lucky . It is probably available via the archaic but still useful Xbins and the only other place I know has it for sure is Eurasia. Both have initially 'difficult' access/login procedures though.

[TurbodTalon]

EDIT: SOLVED. The modchip had an non-LBA48 supported BIOS flashed to it. Fixed by using the Hexen disc to reflash another BIOS.

Good morning. I'm new to this forum, so I did not want to start a new thread on (roughly) the same subject. I'm experiencing a slightly different issue with the 2TB SATA HDD in my Xbox.

Info:
- XBox v1.1
- Aladdin XT Plus2
- 80-wire IDE cable
- SATA to IDE adapter
- 2TB 3.5" drive

I've got all of the 'hard' stuff done, and am booting from the SATA drive. I have formatted the 2TB drive using XBpartitioner with 949.989GB F: and G: drives using 64kb clusters. Both F: and G: would normally be the same size, but I have already FTP'd a couple of games onto F:, so ignore that.

The problem is that the Hexen tools dashboard is the only place that shows F: and G: as having 950GB each. If I'm in UnleashX or EvoX dashboards, only F: is shown, and it only has the normal 123GB capacity.

I'm about to transfer a LOT of data to the HDD, but I don't want to bother if I'm only going to be able to use 123GB of it.

How can I get the UnleashX and EvoX dashboards to show both F: and G: drives as having the ~950GB capacities that they show in Hexen tools?

Any help is much appreciated.

[Coldly-Indifferent]

It could just be something as simple as you have not enabled G:\ in the dashboard. With UnleashX it is usually disabled by default so go into the System > Settings > Storage and check. You will have to save and reboot but I'd recommend saving and shutting down/restarting as UnleashX is sometimes quirky when it comes to certain system changes.

HeXEn, like many installers uses a modified UnleashX dash so as it is showing the correct split there I'd check HeXEn's own system settings page and see if there are any obvious differences between it and your main UX dash if it is not the ^ first thing.

If it is not solved then I'd expect it to be BIOS matter. You need better advice on this than I can give but this old thread I found here may be useful if nobody else chips in:-

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=154&start=20

One thing I noted from that is both Xbox version and UnleashX version may be factors. Check what version UnleashX dash you have and compare that to HeXEn's dash info. It may be appropriate to update your main UX dash but do not do that without posting again here first.