The Ultimate XBox Newbie Guide

[rms2001]

XBox Live & Modchips

Ok, so you got your XBox modded and want to play the top games on XBox Live. But, you heard that you can't play a modded XBox on Live. What should you do? Well, here is your answer.

How to play onXBox Live with a non-flashable modded Xbox

The most important thing to know is that your MS dash must be named xboxdash.xbe. When you first run XBox Live, it will update that file with the new MS dash with the Live tab. So, you may ask "What about EvolutionX?" Well, sorry guys, but you will have to run EvoX off a CD.

So now that you know that your MS dash has to be xboxdash.xbe, you will have to install a switch on your modchip. The switch will disable it, or enable the modchip.

The most important thing when playing on Live with a modded XBox is that you must always have the modchip off when playing on Live. Turn your modchip off, and then power on XBox if you power it on than turn your modchip off, your XBox is still running on the hacked BIOS. It is always best to have the modchip off, even when you are installing Live for the first time.

Now, if you want to play backups, turn your modchip on and power on XBox. You can boot your EvoX CD and load your backups off the HDD, or you can boot your backup CDs. However, you must make sure you DO NOT access any Live-oriented tabs within the game. DO NOT select "Download Content", "Play Live", etc. tabs in a game. When doing so, your XBox will connect to Live, and MS will detect a modified BIOS, and you will then soon be banned.

How to play on Xbox Live with a flashable modded Xbox

So, you have the best field of modchips out there, so you have better options. The first thing you want to do is flash your modchip with a BIOS that boots a file another than xboxdash.xbe. For example, flash with a BIOS that will load evoxdash.xbe first. You can store your EvolutionX dash on your HD, and have it be evoxdash.xbe. But, be sure you keep your MS dash as xboxdash.xbe. That file will be updated when you first install Live and having the MS dash as xboxdash.xbe will make it a good update.

If you have a newer modchip, with an external on/off switch. Just make sure when you boot up your XBox, the switch is set to off.

For those of you with the Matrix, you will set your Matrix in mode 3. How mode 3 works is, your flashed BIOS will load when the XBox is powered on. This means the modchip is on, and you can check that by looking inside the XBox at the modchip and it will have a green LED. But, for those who want a nice, put together XBox, I recommend getting a BIOS that is a colormod. So, when your XBox boots, your XBox logo will be blue for example meaning the modchip is on.

So, you are now at your EvoX dash or MS dash with the modchip on. You will then run a game (an original or a backup) or even a homebrewed program, and when the game is running, press the big eject button. Your XBox will reboot and the original BIOS will load. The normal green XBox logo will show and this means the modchip is off. Also, the modchip will now show the red LED.

If your feeling good about your self and are willing to do a little soldering you can install an external on/off switch to your Matrix. Get your self some 26ga wire, enough to go from you chip to where you want your switch. Remember you will need to make two runs with the wire, one from the chip to the switch, than from the switch back to the chip, so if you want your switch 6 inchs from your chip you will need 12 inches of wire. To do is cut the trace between the D0 pogo pin and the chip it self. Remove about 1/8 in of the trace. Solder one end of the wire to the top part of the D0 pogo pin on the Matrix and the other end to the cut trace leading to the chip. From there run the wire to where you want your switch. Cut the wire where the wire meets the switch and strip both ends. If you have not allready install your switch do so now. When your switch is installed unscrew the two screws in the switch and connect one of the the wire to each screw and tighting each screw.

As I said above, you must make sure you DO NOT access any Live-oriented tabs within the game when the modchip is on. DO NOT select "Download Content", "Play Live", etc. tabs in a game. When doing so, your Xbox will connect to Live, and MS will detect a modified BIOS, and you will then soon be banned.

How to play on Live with an upgraded HDD

Playing on Live is easy with an upgraded HDD. It must always be locked. The original MS BIOS, when the modchip is off, demands a locked HDD or else your XBox won't boot. You may ask if a locked HDD is ok to do with the modchip on. Yes, it's okay.

Relating to the xboxdash.xbe file, this must be in the root of C:\

As a quick note, if you are in a situation where you must run the EvoX CD, you can keep all your EvolutionX files (skins folder, evox.ini, etc) in their usual places on the HDD, as you just will need default.xbe (EvoX dash) on the CD.

How to get unbanned from Xbox Live

So, you made a mistake. Your "little brother" selected a Live tab with the modchip on and now you are banned. Well, you can get unbanned. XBox Live just bans your XBox's HDD key. Not your gamer account.

To get unbanned, you MUST obtain an unbanned EEPROM. These are not posted at the usual places, you must get it from a friend who has a modded XBox and doesn't plan to go on XBox Live. To update your XBox's EEPROM with a unbanned EEPROM, download Configmagic and use that program. The program is easy to use and it is all menu driven.