x-box - softmodding

Anubis · 30 July 2008, 20:09

Soft modding x-box - is it worth it??

I might soft-mode my x-box, but I would like first to hear from you guys if is worth it. Mainly I would use it to play some avi files and for emulation. (no need for playing 'backups' as I already have all titles I was interested in)

Did anyone soft mode x-box and what are experiences?

How good are mame, snes, gens and amiga emulations?

Links and suggestions are welcomed.

killergorilla · 30 July 2008, 20:25

I've softmodded 3 xboxes very recently actually. Used somekind of linux bootdisk in my PC and hotswapped the drive (yeah I know it has risks).

Went fine on all of them. Takes about 10 mins, but you do have to open up the xbox.

Megadrive/MegaCD/32x emulators are pretty much perfect.

SMS perfect.

Mame is perfect for anything old.

FBA-XXX Pro is great for all neo-geo /cps1/cps2 games (Metal Gear, SF2, SFA, MVC).

WinUAEX is a superb emulator as well it just doesn't do AGA games very well.

Snes emu is pretty much perfect too.

PCE is great as well.

N64 and PSX are wank but some people do persevere and get 'ok' results. I completed Mario 64 but that's about it.

I'd highly recommend doing it, even if it's just for an emu box to take round a mates house.

Retroplay · 30 July 2008, 20:26

Well I don't know much about soft modding as I hard modded mine with an Xecuter3 CE modchip.
But it's definately worth modding it one way or another.

Once that's done XBMC should be installed ASAP and you'll have a very advanced media player capable of playing tons of different formats.
The Amiga, Mega Drive and SNES emulators you're asking about is top stuff too.
WinUAEX runs pretty much anything you throw at it full speed (except some AGA/CD32 games).
NeoGenesis (ported from Gens) runs all Genesis/Mega Drive/SegaCD games without a hitch, there's even an option to overclock the 68000.

Not all 32X games work and SegaCD 32X games dont work with it at all.
And for SNES there's Snes9Xbox and ZsnexBox which also runs pretty much everything.
So I'll say go for it, you won't regret it.

DamienD · 30 July 2008, 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retroplay

Well I don't know much about soft modding as I hard modded mine with an Xecuter3 CE modchip.

My Xbox also has an Xecuter3 modchip so I've never needed to try soft modding

Bloodwych · 30 July 2008, 20:31

I don't know about soft modding, but I have a hard modded XBox with an 80GB hard drive and the AutoInstaller Deluxe CD iso:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...deluxe&spell=1

It basically prepares the new harddrive, installs XBox media centre, emulators, games and films to hard drive tools etc - it's brilliant!

The XBox came alive that day for me. It felt like a new machine!

keropi · 30 July 2008, 20:33

nice, I have a softmoded xbox with the stock HD (from the previous owner)
I want to use a bigger HD, is AutoInstaller Deluxe CD all I need?

Zetr0 · 30 July 2008, 20:36

@Anubis

I would sware by a hard mod, there not hard to do!

have a lookie here

Now i know Alexh would sware by softmod action, however if and when it goes tits up... only a hardmod is gonna recover it! (just ask Sarek2k)

besides you get more control using a hardmod

Console Hackery might also interest you

But heres my latest XBox project XDream 128MB there is a specific version of Mame for the XBox (mame128) which provides better emu

Now lets talk emulation on the XBox

if you ask me its what it was built for.... I have spent countless hours with friends just spanking the crap out of LOADS of games, from Mario Kart N64, to 4 player Bomberman on the SNES, THEN theres the 2 player game on the Megadrive!!! Oooo its AWESOME

Friday night is Curry and retr0 Gaming round my house all strapped up to the 42" Plasma

its wholesome and the ONLY way to enjoy great games is with good company!

Oooo and then theres movie watching etc!!!

[edit]
for more luscious info!

Retroplay · 30 July 2008, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloodwych

The XBox came alive that day for me. It felt like a new machine!

Agreed.

Btw I'm planning on buying either a 750GB or 1TB HDD for my box.
The recently released XBPartitioner v1.1 makes it possible.
My 200GB drive is getting to small these days thanks to all the movies I've been stuffing onto it lately.

Bloodwych · 30 July 2008, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

nice, I have a softmoded xbox with the stock HD (from the previous owner)
I want to use a bigger HD, is AutoInstaller Deluxe CD all I need?

I'm not an expert on the softmod and any limitations it may impose, but there are a few things you need to make sure of when upgrading the hard drive.

It has to be lockable - many people in the past chose maxtor drives as they have been confirmed to work (including me). Then I found a list:

http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/?p=list

Once you fit the drive, you simply boot the AutoInstaller Deluxe CD or DVD (depending on what you burn the iso to) on your modded XBox and it has menu options to do the rest!

It's that easy.

keropi · 30 July 2008, 20:44

wow!

Zetr0 · 30 July 2008, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

nice, I have a softmoded xbox with the stock HD (from the previous owner)
I want to use a bigger HD, is AutoInstaller Deluxe CD all I need?

send me your XBox motherboard and a mod chip, and i will hack it for you my friend.

http://www.modchip-store.co.uk/Xbox-...0-p-1-c-2.html

I would recommend an Xecutor 2.6CE any day! but there are quite a few cheap clones out there, like the DuoX 3 I have 2 of these as well as the Xecutor

Bloodwych · 30 July 2008, 20:46

Nice one Zetro. Those games and film nights sound awesome - don't let age put a spoiler on those. Keep your friends motivated!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retroplay

Agreed.

Btw I'm planning on buying either a 750GB or 1TB HDD for my box.
The recently released XBPartitioner v1.1 makes it possible.
My 200GB drive is getting to small these days thanks to all the movies I've been stuffing onto it lately.

Interesting. I think my bios supports larger than 130GB harddrives, so I may be able to do the same.

The XBox never gets old once it's modded. Although I do have a SFF PC with joypads and X-Arcade sticks too as backup - can't have too many reto-capable machines!

DamienD · 30 July 2008, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloodwych

Although I do have a SFF PC with joypads and X-Arcade sticks too as backup - can't have too many reto-capable machines!

I must admit that I don't really use my Xbox that much anymore...

I just connect my laptop up to the 32" TV and use either my HotRodSE or Xbox USB adapter with all emulators installed / configured appropriately

Zetr0 · 30 July 2008, 20:49

the latest 512k BIOS from XBINS will support 250GB HDD's, any more than that you will need XBPartitioner.

Thanks to Alexh for that info

alexh · 30 July 2008, 21:16

Alex does swear by softmods... they take 5 minutes to perform. They do not require you to open your case. They are as good as a hard mod in every way (48-bit LBA, HD capable etc.)

All you need is:

A memory card
One of the susceptible games (Splinter Cell 1, 007 Agent Under Fire, Mechassault) which must be an original
A way of getting the special save game onto the memory card (A modified USB cable, a pre modified x-box, an Action Replay)

Once the xbox is soft-modded and the HDD lock key FTP'd to your PC it is as safe as any hard-mod, cheap (perhaps even free!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zetr0

however if and when it goes tits up... only a hardmod is gonna recover it! (just ask Sarek2k)

Bollox!! A competent computer user would not have needed a hard mod. It takes 5 minutes to learn how to create a replacement locked drive using the key you FTP'd off when you made the softmod.

AND if you wanted to be doubly safe, after you have performed the softmod you could just make two easy solders (much easier than a full hard mod) which makes the onboard flash writable and voila : Free hard mod!

Anubis · 30 July 2008, 21:25

Woow, thanks all!

I had no idea how much you guys are into XBox modding.

Zetr0, great work there with soldering. I'm afraid I am not that good at it and I don't have good tools, so that option is out of question for me.

I do have one of the games that will allow softmode, but I don't have AR. Do I have to have only software or I need software + hardware? Will just any memory stick work??

The way I understood, I should first soft mode my original HD, then after I get the key, I can open X-Box, place bigger HD and install back softmoded menu and eventually AID?!

Again, thank you all for the input.

Zetr0 · 30 July 2008, 21:30

@Alexh

I did a complete LPC v1.6b rebuild in under 10 minutes

same difference in time and I dont have to worry about the HDD Locking / Key

not everyone is gonna make a note of the key, and worse of all its easily lost on a bit of paper, yeah a sticker on the inside of the Xbox would be good but not EVERYONE is lateral in thinking. (and ink fades)

I suppose it how one is afraid of the soldering iron or not

alexh · 30 July 2008, 21:39

Dunno about you but I store my xbox keys on my PC which is backed up.

I talked Sarek2K through the softmod procedure and how important it was to back the keys up.

killergorilla · 30 July 2008, 21:42

I have no idea what any of my keys are

alexh · 30 July 2008, 21:45

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