Your Xbox specs

[Noodle]

I just figured since there are two other Xbox threads on the top of the list in the watercooler I thought I'd start one more.

So for the Sprintusers that have an Xbox what are your specs.

I just ordered a Xenium Ice chip for mine and have a spare 120GB hard drive I'm going to swap out with the origonal. Still have to figure out what bios to use with the chip.

I'm thinking about doing some case mods to it also. A few cold cathode lights and such.

[640k]

I just figured since there are two other Xbox threads on the top of the list in the watercooler I thought I'd start one more.

So for the Sprintusers that have an Xbox what are your specs.

I just ordered a Xenium Ice chip for mine and have a spare 120GB hard drive I'm going to swap out with the origonal. Still have to figure out what bios to use with the chip.

I'm thinking about doing some case mods to it also. A few cold cathode lights and such.
I don't know why I'm being such a wuss about modding my xbox, but I plan on getting the Xecuter with the programmable BIOS.

Haven't seen too many with modified cases, not really my thing. I like cases to be hidden and out of the way, not the center of attention.

[LoDown3]

just a modded xbox...bought like that in chinatown
no it works beautifully
but havent even seen/used it

[Noodle]

I don't know why I'm being such a wuss about modding my xbox, but I plan on getting the Xecuter with the programmable BIOS.

Haven't seen too many with modified cases, not really my thing. I like cases to be hidden and out of the way, not the center of attention.
Yeah I got my xbox for $50 used and figure if I fry the box itself I won't be out too much.

If I do any case mods it will probably be just a jewel change and maybe 1 or two subtle lights.

[640k]

I got mine from Best Buy, but then again, my EX paid for it, so what do I care? I think she bought the extended warranty on it though.

Anyone know if Best Buy checks the stickers to see if the box has been opened?

[threeinchflams]

Just exactly what kind of mods can you add to an Xbox and how do they affect performance?

[kush_14]

yeah...im looking to mod my xbox, but i wanna get a mod chip that can allow me to shut it off because i play xbox live. could somone suggest a site or chip to get me started
i was something good, but not too expensive

[sami]

I have moded my xbox and just about everyones i know. executer lite chip and a 200gb hard drive. comes out to about $140 in parts.

[kush_14]

will the executer chip allow me to still play on live? and is the 140 including the HD?

[Noodle]

you can't play on live with the chip on you will get banned. go here www.xbox-scene.com it can be a bit overwhelming in the forums section since there are so many different things you can do but they have great guides for newbies and tutorials.

[Noodle]

Just exactly what kind of mods can you add to an Xbox and how do they affect performance?as far as affecting performance about the only thing you can do is maybe upgrade your hard drive from the stock 5400 RPM drive to a 7400 RPM drive. a bit faster load times. But with a mod chip and say a bigger hard drive in the system you can backup your games to the hard drive and play them off there. There are all sorts of media and emulators you can run off the xbox too.

I've already have a NES, MAME (arcade), and N64 emulator that will run on the xbox.

A friend of mine has his that he bought used is running as just a mail server and web server. He doesn't even use it to play games.

[640k]

will the executer chip allow me to still play on live? and is the 140 including the HD?
As long as you don't get the "lite" chip, I think you can turn it off and run the standard XBOX bios and connect to Live, but you won't be able to play any of the games you have saved on your HD.

[dustman81]

Just don't run Halo 2 since it checks the size of your HD and bans you from Xbox Live if your HD doesn't match the standard size HD.

[640k]

Just don't run Halo 2 since it checks the size of your HD and bans you from Xbox Live if your HD doesn't match the standard size HD.
Are they doing that now? I don't see how it would work.

1. If you're running a non MS BIOS and run Halo 2, as long as you're not connected to Live, you should be OK.
2. If you're running the MS BIOS and run Halo 2, Halo will only see 8gb anyway. I'm pretty sure with the Xecuter, the MS BIOS only recognizes the original 8gb partition. The MS BIOS requires that the BIOS reports back that the HD is the original size. The only thing I can think of a way around this is if the diagnositcs look for a different brand HD??

I also heard that some of these new MS games and Live connections are automatically applying patches to your XBOX.

[LoDown3]

Are they doing that now? I don't see how it would work.

The only thing I can think of a way around this is if the diagnositcs look for a different brand HD??

I agree...how else would it chek? or maybe it checks how much space taken/left on HD also??

[640k]

I agree...how else would it chek? or maybe it checks how much space taken/left on HD also??
That wouldn't matter because when you switch back to the MS BIOS, the partitions report the correct sizing. All of your MP3s/Games/Etc, reside on an additional partition (I think), that becomes "invisible" to the MS BIOS.

[dustman81]

Taken from CNET News.com

http://news.com.com/Is+Microsoft+using+Halo+2+to+thwart+Xbox+hackers/2100-1043_3-5449160.html?tag=nefd.pop

[640k]

Taken from CNET News.com

http://news.com.com/Is+Microsoft+using+Halo+2+to+thwart+Xbox+hackers/2100-1043_3-5449160.html?tag=nefd.pop
"The current theory that I am subscribing to on the mass bans from Microsoft are that when you originally signed up for their service, they listed your hard drive in a database," Datapusher said via e-mail. "During one of their recent...service updates, they checked to see if the serial number of the drive matched the number listed in their database. If you were one of the unlucky people who had been flagged in this scan, you were banned from their service on the eve of one of the biggest game launches I can remember."

Datapusher said he was temporarily able to regain access to Xbox Live after some tinkering Wednesday night, but was banned again shortly after. He vowed not to give in and buy a new Xbox, the route reportedly taken by many hackers eager to join the online "Halo 2" scrum. "I won't give up that easily," he vowed. "Someone will find a way. Microsoft may be clever, but not as much so as the open-source community...there will always be a way around Microsoft security protocols."
So they've logged your S/N in the Live! forums and are comparing the results. It sounds like from the article though, that they are logging your initial HD S/N, so maybe it will work anyway if you just register with the new HD? I'm sure Team Xecuter will figure it out. I can imagine they will be able to clone your old S/N much like Routers do with MAC addresses.

[Noodle]

Correct, at lest the main way they are banning right now is say you set up a live account with a stock Xbox and it will log your hard drive serial number. If you later get a mod chip and upgrade your hard drive to a larger size the new hard drive will have a different serial #. If the new serial # doesn't match the one in their database you will get banned.

If you set up your Xbox with a mod chip and everything else before setting up a live account then as long as you don't change your hard drive after that you should be fine as long as the mod chip is turned off and such before logging onto live.

Another safe guard is to run live from a memory card as opposed to the box's hard drive because that way some games that are "live aware" won't try and connect for updates if you don't have the memory card in. (hope that makes sense)

I know there are programs out there that can change the hard drive serial # but I'm still doing some reading on if this works. (ie get the serial # of the origonal hard drive you used when you signed onto live and then adding it to the new hard drive)

[640k]

Correct, at lest the main way they are banning right now is say you set up a live account with a stock Xbox and it will log your hard drive serial number. If you later get a mod chip and upgrade your hard drive to a larger size the new hard drive will have a different serial #. If the new serial # doesn't match the one in their database you will get banned.

If you set up your Xbox with a mod chip and everything else before setting up a live account then as long as you don't change your hard drive after that you should be fine as long as the mod chip is turned off and such before logging onto live.

Another safe guard is to run live from a memory card as opposed to the box's hard drive because that way some games that are "live aware" won't try and connect for updates if you don't have the memory card in. (hope that makes sense)

I know there are programs out there that can change the hard drive serial # but I'm still doing some reading on if this works. (ie get the serial # of the origonal hard drive you used when you signed onto live and then adding it to the new hard drive)
Can you get Memory Cards for the XBOX??? I don't think I've actually ever seen one. I knew they were rumored.

[LoDown3]

Can you get Memory Cards for the XBOX??? I don't think I've actually ever seen one. I knew they were rumored.
yeah...Xbox Memory Units as they call em(how cute... :rolleyes: ) i think they go on back of the controller?see all that space?
but anyways, i never thought of the memory card trick, good idea noodle

[chucka]

Can you get Memory Cards for the XBOX??? I don't think I've actually ever seen one. I knew they were rumored.

I use to have one with my first xbox i had. it came in handy when i wanted to use my guy from tiger woods at my brothers house. there is not much use for them unless you play 2 xbox's alot.

[640k]

I use to have one with my first xbox i had. it came in handy when i wanted to use my guy from tiger woods at my brothers house. there is not much use for them unless you play 2 xbox's alot.
Yeah thats what I mostly understood them for.