Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject: Easiest Way To SoftMod Xbox
My reason for writing this brief explanation on how I softmodded my xbox is because by using other tutorials i found alot of the information was either incorrect, out dated, difficult to understand, or the methods used were over complicated. So I will now list the required materials which is pretty much the same as most tutorials have listed, and just to clarify my method works REGARLDESS OF XBOX DAHSBOARD/KERNAL VERSION, that should make alot of people happy, i've read countless posts of people whinning because there were plenty of tutorials but none for people who had a very recent version of the MS dashboard.
1. Kingston 1GB Data Traveler 100!(this is very important alot of the problems people experience while trying to soft-mod their xbox with a usb memory stick is due to them not using a compatible flash drive, and even those that are listed under the compatibility list on the xbox-linux wiki are in fact completely incompatible. So do yourself a favor if you dont have a memory card and plan on using a usb flash drive and just get this one because i know for an absolute fact it works.)
2. USB->XBOX Cable(You can either buy one or build one yourself by using a usb extension cable and an xbox controller cord. Just cut the controller cord as close to the controller as possible, strip the main insulation exposing the wires, then find a usb extenstion cord cut the female head off leaving at least 5 inches of wire, strip the main insulation to expose the wires inside then just match the color corresponding wires together and forget about the yellow one on the xbox cord, tape it off or something your not gonna be using it. Should look something like this when you are finished. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2211/2220036897_d7ef393f20_o.jpg
3. Copy Of Mechassult(I know the other guides have listed MA along with splinter cell and 007 agent under fire as compatible games but its alot easier if you just get MA when following my little tutorial cause thats what i used) AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT- Make sure the serial on your MA disc along the inside of the inner ring reads as follows-MS02301L. IF it is any other serial it wont work don't bother.
5. USB VIEW(can be downloaded here (http://www.biline.ca/dl_files/usbview.zip)
Okay so you should be set, you have your usb flashdrive or memory card, a copy of mechassault the original, Action Replay software, and the program USBview.
Now if your using a memory card skip this section, okay so for you flashdrive users before you can use your flashdrive as a memory card you must have it formatted. Now this is probably the easiest step throughout the whole process, all you do is plug it into your xbox with the cord you built earlier. Once inserted into the xbox turn on the console and you should get a message that says something along the lines of "Memory could not be read it was erased" This is fine just means your flasdrive is now formatted to fatx dont worry about what that is just know it means your flashdrive can now be used as a memory card. So your flashdrive is formatted GREAT, Now you have to install the proper driver software provided by Datel which is the company that manufactures action replay so their software can recognize your flashdrive. So with your flashdrive plugged into your computer open the program USBview, the window should be divided into 2 sections one with a list of connected usb devices the other with the device information, on the left click the device that is connected, now on your right should be data displaying information about that device. The only 2 sets of numbers/letters your concerned with are the idVendor and idProduct ones. Begin recording the numbers after the "0x" for both idVendor and idProduct. For idVender we will refer to these numbers as "yyyy" and for idProduct we will refer to them as "xxxx" Once this information is recorded i reccomend just opening notepad and copying them down, you need to navigate to the driver folder located in the default folder action replay is saved, the location should be as follows C:\Program Files\Datel\Action Replay XBOX\Drivers now in this folder there is a file named "xbreader.inf" open this file. With the idVendor/Product numbers on hand scroll down the xbreader file until you come across the device section, the changes you will be making are on the first line under the device section. Replace the 4 digit set of numbers after the section of the line VID_ with the "yyyy" ones you wrote down , and replace the 4 digit number after the section of the line PID_ with the "xxxx" numbers you had also recorded earlier. Once you have done this save the file and close.
Now that the xbreader.inf file is updated you can install the proper driver onto your memory stick so action replay will recognize it, this is accomplished very easily. With the flashdrive still inserted into your pc open up your control panel, on the left select "classic view" now scroll down to system, click it, then click hardware tab, then click device manager, expand the Universial Serial Bus Controller section and where you see your device(if it isn't clear unplug your flashdrive and see which one dissapears from the list) right click and select update driver. A window will appear asking if windows can connect to windows update to search for software, select "no, not this time", then click next, your are then asked "what do you want wizard to do?" select the option install from a specific location. Now you are prompted to select your search and installation options choose "Don't Search, I will choose the driver to install" Now you are prompted to select the device you want to have the driver installed on, should only have the flashdrive in the list so now click the button "Have Disk" a new window appears asking to install from disk click the "Browse" button and navigate to where the xbreader.inf file is located should be in the driver folder inside the action replay one. Now select the xbreader.inf file and click open, once you do this the driver should be installed and your flashdrive is now capable of being recognized by action replay.
Now if you've read this far your probably saying to yourself how does this tutorial differ from the various others out there it seems exactly the same, but there is one major difference the majority of tutorials i've come across instruct the reader to install specfic game exploits, or other files that will enable your xbox to run linux when the data is copied from the flashdrive to the xbox HDD. Alot of the links provided with those tutorials dont work or the process for retrieving/unzipping the downloaded files and transfering them onto your flashdrive is difficult to understand and just overcomplicated. Now for the Final Steps.....
With the driver installed on your flashdrive, Open up action replay, the "AR" emblem should blink green and gray and finally remain green if it recognizes your flashdrive if it doesn't you didn't properly install the driver or edit the xbreader.inf file. Now With the Action Replay Window open you should see its divided into 3 Columns, One for your Memory Card, PC Database, And Code Junkies.com. Now what makes this tutorial so much easier then the rest is the retrieving of the game save exploits and copying to your memory card, all you need to do is under the Code Junkies Column expand Online Saves, then Expand the community saves, now find Mech Assault, under Mech Assault you should see a save titled "the one working softmod" simply drag this file over to the memory card column and if the copy is successful the bar on the memory card will turn orange and slowly progress until the copy is complete. Other tutorials have you download Files, unzip them and tell u to drag and drop them into the memory card column of action replay, but it doesn't work or at least now with me and they don't even specify which file out of the few that are compacted into the folder your instructed to download to actually drag into the memory card column although it may seem obvious it took me a few tries to realize which one and even then AR kept saying it wasn't a valid save.
But neways once you have the game save copied onto your flashdrive or memorycard just plug it into your xbox select it under the memory option located in the Dashboard, and select the Mech Assault Game save press right on the D-pad, A-button, then select copy and just copy it to the xbox hardrive. Once that is complete pop in your mechassult game, select campaign, then choose Run Linux and thats it. Hope this helped some of those who thought they couldn't soft-mod due to their kernal or dashboard version or were confused about how to transfer the game saves properly or where to get them
Last edited by badreligion9265 on Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:41 am; edited 2 times in total
Dkoots Moderator
Joined: Oct 13, 2007 Posts: 1015 Location: VA
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject:
I can mod three XBOXes in the time it took to read this whole post. Sorry man, but this is far from being the best or easiest modding tutorial. Take a look around the site. _________________
bomernee Xbox-Hq Genius
Joined: Apr 20, 2006 Posts: 1105 Location: UK
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:38 pm Post subject:
maybe not the easiest but probably the cheapest i bought a action replay just to softmod, and ive afterwards tried to do this one but ive got as far as getting the ar software to recognise the mem card, but as soon as i transfer on to it it wont go, also ive had a lot of tricky experiances with different sized flash drives, i find that 128mb are pretty much a guaranteed success, yet ive had a diffulty with sizes above 512mb, ive got a 256 to succesfulyy work but its hit and miss i bleieve theres also a section on memory cards on this site somewhere!!
badreligion9265 Xbox-HQ User
Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 12
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:17 am Post subject:
okay maybe it isn't a very good read but honestly i believe it to be the most newb friendly explanation on how to soft-mod using a game save exploit. If there is a simpler method please refer me to its location.
Dkoots Moderator
Joined: Oct 13, 2007 Posts: 1015 Location: VA
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:24 pm Post subject:
Take a look in the tutorials sections like I said in my first post. There quite a few in there that are faster and easier than this one. A few of them are for 5-10 minute mods. Check it out. I promise, they are way more simple. _________________
TECchip Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: 1.4,1.6 Modded: Softmod - 160g seagate
Joined: Nov 11, 2007 Posts: 81
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:
Come on guys we got to give him credit for trying their are alot of tut that are hard to understand and then their's some that is easy. We got to give him credit for even trying to explain it. Hey we might not understand it but theirs others that will. _________________
wes213 Administrator
Joined: Feb 04, 2007 Posts: 10520 Location: Harrisonburg V.A.
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject:
TECchip wrote:
Come on guys we got to give him credit for trying their are alot of tut that are hard to understand and then their's some that is easy. We got to give him credit for even trying to explain it. Hey we might not understand it but theirs others that will.
TECchip is right , its not a bad guide at all just a long winded one.
Lot's of noob's need each step laid out for them and i cant say i have never been there.
The only thing i see wrong is its labeled EZ way to soft mod but all it covers is how to get the saves on a USB and tells nothing of the steps in the soft modding software half of the proses.
badreligion9265 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: 1.4,1.6 Modded: Softmod - 160g seagate
Joined: May 26, 2008 Posts: 12
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:28 am Post subject:
lol alright i admit defeat, it wasn't by any means a good tutorial but the only reason i wrote it was cause i wanted peeps to know that the game saves were available through action replay and regardless of kernal/dashboard versions the save acquired through AR would work.
no dont admit defeat, personally this is one of my faves! i like this method! as far as im aware the only 3 exploits i know are 007, mech assult and splinter cell but the main trouble ive always thought was getting the game save over to the xbox either through one of the cheat save things or from an already modded xbox the other way i know which ive done is if u have a copy of ur eeprom u can copy the game save onto xbhdm and just create a hard drive for the xbox and lock it but this requires an eeprom from the xbox ur modding to lock the hard drive, which i think to get ud need the xbox to be modded already unless u make an eeprom reader, get the eeprom and use this to lock the hard drive! just pondering a few softmods, this articule will probably help some one at some point.
freestyle Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: 1.4,1.6 Modded: Softmod - 160g seagate
Joined: Feb 26, 2009 Posts: 50
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:47 am Post subject: Wrd
Hi guys. I'm sort of a newbie here. Just joined but I been peeping the forums fopr a while. Anyway this is the method I just tried to softmod
and it seems like everything worked fine, but for some reason when
I try to plug in the kingston data traveller into my xbox it just flickers.
Almost like its conflicting with something, but when I pull it out it the
xbox doesnt flicker anymore. Its just like a light flicker/shutter effect.
I think I did everything right cause action replay recognizes the kingston
as a memcard and shows the saves, but for some reason its just hooking
it up to the xbox is where I have trouble. When I unplug it the flickering
stops. it just shows the light on the kingston blinking repeatedly and it almost seems like the xbox is trying to read it but it canyt.
I have seen the tutorialswhere they have the ms dashboard at 1.00.5960.00. Mine is actuallylike a 1.00.4xxx.xx.. Could that be the problem?? Should I update??The chord I won was off of ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250375726562 and was from china, but I dont think that matters or does it. Is it my chord?? I'm thinking I'm almost there since I got through most the steps so its gotta be something little. Is it the kingston data traveller. I just might xnay the data traveller and get a memory card and do it like that. I would really appreciate it if anybody can help me out on this. I have a feeling I'm close, theres just something I did wrong or something I'm missing.
*OnE*
wes213 Administrator
Joined: Feb 04, 2007 Posts: 10520 Location: Harrisonburg V.A.
This is what you want to see:
K: 1.00.????.01 (This doesn’t matter)
D: 1.00.5960.01
Have you checked the list to make sure your usb drive is compatible?
freestyle Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: 1.4,1.6 Modded: Softmod - 160g seagate
Joined: Feb 26, 2009 Posts: 50
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:12 pm Post subject:
Hey thanks for the response. I did everything in the tutorial that was written, and I cant acces the other one cause I'm not vip. I'm just gonna keep poking at it. I'm almost there I think. Maybe just the updated of the
kernel will make it work. If not it could be the usb memory drive, and Instead i'll just get a memory card and should be good to go. Thanks for letting me know whats up.
*OnE*
BuddyHiggins Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: xbox v 1.0 Modded: softmod with unleashedX
Joined: Feb 01, 2009 Posts: 86 Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject:
I also had problems with formatting a flash drive.. the only way that I can get the xbox to format the flash drive is from the m$dash.. with unleashed X in the file explorer it gives me an option to format it but it does nothing.. but from the m$ dash it formats it with no problem
freestyle Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: xbox v 1.0 Modded: softmod with unleashedX
Joined: Feb 26, 2009 Posts: 50
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:49 pm Post subject: Cool
Cool. I finally got it going. Once I got the memory card it was a breeze really. Although I didnt see the gamesave titled "the one working softmod"
I used one that said Run Linux 100%. And that did the trick. Neat,
*OnE*
repubsandemosuck Xbox-HQ Member Xbox Version: xbox v 1.0 Modded: softmod with unleashedX
Joined: Jul 22, 2006 Posts: 58
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject: Toots
LOL---after reading this whole page----I have modded 7 xboxes---took the trash out ---fixed dinner for my family and made love to my wife---lol----but then again it was a nice toots for the noobs. Remeber we all started out as "noobs".
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i bought a action replay just to softmod, and ive afterwards tried to do this one but ive got as far as getting the ar software to recognise the mem card, but as soon as i transfer on to it it wont go, also ive had a lot of tricky experiances with different sized flash drives, i find that 128mb are pretty much a guaranteed success, yet ive had a diffulty with sizes above 512mb, ive got a 256 to succesfulyy work but its hit and miss i bleieve theres also a section on memory cards on this site somewhere!!
the other way i know which ive done is if u have a copy of ur eeprom u can copy the game save onto xbhdm and just create a hard drive for the xbox and lock it but this requires an eeprom from the xbox ur modding to lock the hard drive, which i think to get ud need the xbox to be modded already unless u make an eeprom reader, get the eeprom and use this to lock the hard drive! just pondering a few softmods, this articule will probably help some one at some point.
