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How to proceed with softmodding and HDD upgrade (newbie)


R1CKSO
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Hello guys,

This is my first post on this great forum, lots of info and input is amazing! The reason of this probably repeated post is that I want to upgrade my HDD to a 1TB or 2TB HDD (what's the max capacity I can go with my motherboard?), I watched lots of tutorials and seems the way to go is using OGXBox (downloaded and burned version 1.5.3 to a DVD, also have TruHeXEn 2021 on another DVD disc if needed) my questions are mostly regarding how to proceed now, I got this console from a very good friend some 15 years ago, and it was modded as it alwas played back up DVD's, I opened the console to look if there was any physical chip or mod to the board but couldn't find any or I'm too dumb to detect it, seems like it is only soft modded? Current BIOS and Dash versions are attached in pics along with more pics of the motherboard so I don't know if you guys can see any mods performed to it. I already purchased the SATA to IDE adapter and performed the 80 way/40 pin IDE cable conversion and everything seems to be working after that I was able to play my backup DVDs  and play from the original HDD as well, so basically which route do I follow now? because I don't want to perform something that might brick the console by interfering with the already installed mod, also is there any specific model of 3.5" SATA HDD I need to choose?, I know there's like a list of working/locked HDD so do I need to consider that when purchasing my new HDD? I was plannig to get a WD blue or Seagate Barracuda.

 

Thank you very much for all your help guys!

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Edited by R1CKSO
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You can get whatever size HDD you want, but the Xbox can only use 2.2TB max if I’m not mistaken. So you’re better off just going with a 2TB. 
 

As for swapping them out, there are a few methods to get it done. My method of preference is with an IDE to USB adapter. You can get them off eBay for $5USD shipped. This one device will allow you to both softmod and upgrade to the bigger HDD, without the need of a usb stick, exploitable game, or tool disc such as Hexen 

Edited by MadMartigan
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4 minutes ago, MadMartigan said:

You can get whatever size HDD you want, but the Xbox can only use 2.2TB max if I’m not mistaken. So you’re better off just going with a 2TB. 
 

As for swapping them out, there are a few methods to get it done. My method of preference is with an IDE to USB adapter. You can get them off eBay for $5USD shipped. This one device will allow you to both softmod and upgrade to the bigger HDD, without the need of a usb stick or an exploitable game. 

Hey man, thanks for your reply, since the bug of upgrading the HDD bit me, I always thought why just not clone the HDD´s outside, swap the new one in and call it day? I already have an IDE to USB cable and a power supply I can use to power both hard drives and connect them to the PC and use a cloning software, but will all the partitions be good to go and use all the 2TB or more exotic partitioning will be needed? I was just reading about how TSOP is done and looks fairly simple (it was probably done before as the console has been defintely been opened before, I will check if any solder points are joined and that would confirm if my console was only softmodded or TSOP flashed as well right??) and knowing I can already read DVD-r I can use the OGXBox method too, just want to clear everything before I break something lol

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7 hours ago, R1CKSO said:

Hello guys,

This is my first post on this great forum, lots of info and input is amazing! The reason of this probably repeated post is that I want to upgrade my HDD to a 1TB or 2TB HDD (what's the max capacity I can go with my motherboard?), I watched lots of tutorials and seems the way to go is using OGXBox (downloaded and burned version 1.5.3 to a DVD, also have TruHeXEn 2021 on another DVD disc if needed) my questions are mostly regarding how to proceed now, I got this console from a very good friend some 15 years ago, and it was modded as it alwas played back up DVD's, I opened the console to look if there was any physical chip or mod to the board but couldn't find any or I'm too dumb to detect it, seems like it is only soft modded? Current BIOS and Dash versions are attached in pics along with more pics of the motherboard so I don't know if you guys can see any mods performed to it. I already purchased the SATA to IDE adapter and performed the 80 way/40 pin IDE cable conversion and everything seems to be working after that I was able to play my backup DVDs  and play from the original HDD as well, so basically which route do I follow now? because I don't want to perform something that might brick the console by interfering with the already installed mod, also is there any specific model of 3.5" SATA HDD I need to choose?, I know there's like a list of working/locked HDD so do I need to consider that when purchasing my new HDD? I was plannig to get a WD blue or Seagate Barracuda.

 

Thank you very much for all your help guys!

21354.jpg

7868775.jpg

9789785.jpg

54343544.jpg

78575456.jpg

879687986.jpg

987987578.jpg

8765876678.jpg

First thing to do is download all of the files from the C, E and other extended hard drive partitions F and/or G to backup the System.  

Need to preserve the replacement dashboard that it has installed and any other files that possibly are on it that can no longer be found since many of the old Xbox modding web sites have went offline.

Then, share the archived content on a file sharing site such as mediafire.com or mega.nz.

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It looks soft modded and I suspect the Xbox was repaired by Microsoft going by the sticker on the HDD and you will probably fine there is a sticker over the top of the 2 warranty stickers.

Add 2 links to the board and flash the onboard bios chip,

Then fit the new 2tb HDD and use a installer disk to setup the new HDD.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

 

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I did a more in-depth review of the images in the original post. 

The v1.0 console has a stock Seagate 10GB hard drive installed. (MS formatted them to use only the standard 8GBs of space)

@R1CKSO, do you happen to have a copy of the ZXBInstaller Installer disc?

 

Edit: I did a bit of web searching and found several different versions of ZXBInstaller available from links that are posted on several YouTube videos.

Watch on YouTube the 💿 ZXBInstaller 4.5 Revisión 2💿 XBOX Clásico video.

Links to download the v4.5 and older v3.3.1 release are found in the description of this video.  For the v4.5 release to be accessed on mega.nz, the 5 at the end of the URL must be removed.  If you don't, it asks for a decryption key. 

https://mega.nz/folder/KvYAyCKC#RbT60sQToHp4-N6yPaXCqA5 

The key is already present but wrong with that extra digit/character, 5, on the end of it.

So, it should be

https://mega.nz/folder/KvYAyCKC#RbT60sQToHp4-N6yPaXCqA

 

The YouTuber juanfrancisco1405 has several other videos in Spanish about modding and repairing original Xbox's and for older releases of the ZXBInstaller.  As does, DJThunder1281.

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4 hours ago, MadMartigan said:

Bioschecker

TruHexen2021

Figure out what you want to order and where you want to go first and then we can get those drives swapped out. 

Thanks man! burned TruHexen and OGBoxInstaller, tried both discs, guess they both do different things but inside OGBoxInstaller is everything! (not that I know much everything about xbox modding yet lol but seems like everythings in there, including Bioschecker)

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4 hours ago, KaosEngineer said:

First thing to do is download all of the files from the C, E and other extended hard drive partitions F and/or G to backup the System.  

Need to preserve the replacement dashboard that it has installed and any other files that possibly are on it that can no longer be found since many of the old Xbox modding web sites have went offline.

Then, share the archived content on a file sharing site such as mediafire.com or mega.nz.

Ok then! I'll backup tomorrow and share my files/partitions guys as I'm not home yet with my tech stuff :(

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Guys I'm such an idiot, i killed my xbox today, I decided to perform the TSOP soldering  while I did more maintenance, replaced thermal paste on both CPU and GPU with artic silver, cleaned all the board with canned air, did the top side solder perfectly (I thought hey this is too easy!) thought the botton was going to be the same sadly things went terrible as I pulled both tabs on R7R3 tried to repair with jumper cables, messed it even more and now my console is dead as it doesn't even boot now just beeps and button stays red, I'm so mad at myself right now, I'll try to purchase another V1.0 board and try to salvage my Xbox, but at this moment I feel so stupid and angry, I want to really say thank you to everyone who helped I should have just kept it softmodded and leave it alone, but thought hey you already took everything apart just solder those 2 points in case it's needed later on, big mistake... I'll probably come back if I get a new board, Thank you so much for your help guys.

 

Here are some pics before and after the disaster

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3 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

Can you remove the red links and post a pic of the location that's damaged.

The link you put on the top of the board is near perfect you get a 10/10 for that one.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

Hello again Dave,

I'll show the carnage when I get home, even managed to destroy the resistor on the bottom side, I don't think the board is salvageable at this point.

Yeah it's so sad the top went so perfectly and the bottom so bad 😭 had most of the job done and dropped the ball a few inches from the goal, on another note just purchased a v1.0 board for $20, don't know if it will work as seller can't tell if it's on proper working condition but at this point looks like the only option I have

 

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If you’re just looking to play some games without the bells and whistles, I’d just go with a softmod. Especially if your soldering isn’t up to the task. You can perform a soft mod and upgrade your HDD all at once. This is of course if you can get the eeprom from the new board. 
 

There are more alternates points to connect if you’re willing to try the other board down the road. I wouldn’t totally give up on it. Sometimes you get it on the first try and other times it takes a few to get everything secure. Here are some other options if you choose to reconsider. 
 

 

B8C05800-A296-4DF9-A328-B462A141ED43.jpeg

Edited by MadMartigan
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  • 1 month later...

Well, well how tables turn (well not that much) but managed to return to life my pronounced dead 1.0 box (will probably never attemtp a TSOP again unless using conductive ink), after reading on a post on here that after a messed up TSOP solder you can still install a chip to bypass the TSOP area completely, decided to give it a go since already my board was already  effed up, purchased a cheap chinese Aladdin XT2 + followed SS Dave directions for that chip had zero expectations on the install as you know 1.0 consoles have the LPC header blocked with solder and after learning the bad way on how easy is to lift a pad or trace I was quiet sure I'll mess the install but I decided to use dupont cables instead of the solid included header with the chip as it made it considerably easier as I could heat on one side while gently pushing an individual dupont cable trough the port without burning my finger lol, then I just connected each cable to its corresponding port on the chip, final install of course is not as pretty or robust but lo and behold on the first startup I saw the EVOX logo and then my little xbox booted without any problem to my original 10Gb HDD, then it was easy peasy by using an install disc in order to upgrade to my Hitachi 2TB hdd, had to return Amazon's kingwin SATA adapter as everytime I did IGR it went straight trough error 16 , changed to the startech one and now works flawlessly. Also purchased a Hitachi DVD unit, works and reads a lot better than the original Thompson one so I guess now I have a very pimped box!

Here are some crappy pics

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27 minutes ago, R1CKSO said:

Well, well how tables turn (well not that much) but managed to return to life my pronounced dead 1.0 box (will probably never attemtp a TSOP again unless using conductive ink), after reading on a post on here that after a messed up TSOP solder you can still install a chip to bypass the TSOP area completely, decided to give it a go since already my board was already  effed up, purchased a cheap chinese Aladdin XT2 + followed SS Dave directions for that chip had zero expectations on the install as you know 1.0 consoles have the LPC header blocked with solder and after learning the bad way on how easy is to lift a pad or trace I was quiet sure I'll mess the install but I decided to use dupont cables instead of the solid included header with the chip as it made it considerably easier as I could heat on one side while gently pushing an individual dupont cable trough the port without burning my finger lol, then I just connected each cable to its corresponding port on the chip, final install of course is not as pretty or robust but lo and behold on the first startup I saw the EVOX logo and then my little xbox booted without any problem to my original 10Gb HDD, then it was easy peasy by using an install disc in order to upgrade to my Hitachi 2TB hdd, had to return Amazon's kingwin SATA adapter as everytime I did IGR it went straight trough error 16 , changed to the startech one and now works flawlessly. Also purchased a Hitachi DVD unit, works and reads a lot better than the original Thompson one so I guess now I have a very pimped box!

Here are some crappy pics

1.jpg

 

 

 

5.jpg

6.jpg

 

I hope there is some insulation here.

5-jpg-7e60cdca2ef90003e2303dbcd1d249cb.j

I use a 3d printed panel that can be found on thingiverse.com

PXL-20211206-202429782.jpg

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

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2 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

I hope there is some insulation here.

5-jpg-7e60cdca2ef90003e2303dbcd1d249cb.j

I use a 3d printed panel that can be found on thingiverse.com

PXL-20211206-202429782.jpg

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

Hey Dave,

yes I did place some insulating tape between the HDD and the adapter not as fancy as yours but guess it will work ok!

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