Writing To and Reading From an Xbox

Possible Writing Methods

There is no shortage of ways to write to an Xbox. For reading files from an Xbox, it's pretty much the same information as writing to an Xbox, although there may be a little bit more easy options for reading from the Xbox (such as Linux running an httpd server.)

Although there is no shortage of ways to write to an Xbox, there are fewer ways to actually write to an unhacked Xbox, especially without access to another Xbox that is hacked. For those without a hacked Xbox, skip right past the Ethernet section because it is, initially, not all too useful.

This chart is massive because there are quite a few ways to write to an Xbox, and quite a few details that may be useful in selecting which way you want to use. This page continues to have information past the chart.

  • Memory Unit (also referred to as a "Memory Card")

  • Primary IDE cable

  • Secondary IDE cable

    You can copy data to the Xbox Hard Drive by just copying data from the DVD Drive. However, the official Microsoft dashboard doesn't have the ability to do this built into the program. One can either execute a program from the hard drive which will allow data to be copied from the DVD drive, or run a program from the DVD drive which will allow data to be copied from the DVD drive. The problem is that the Xbox won't allow a program to be run unless Microsoft has approved the code, and Microsoft doesn't approve of people copying code from a DVD drive unless very specific rules are followed (like DOA3 costumes must go into a directory that the Xbox can tell is related to DOA3). So, in order to do this, signature checking must be defeated. Once the problems related to signature checking are worked around, an FTP server could be run. See the details of running an FTP server under the section detailing getting software to an Xbox using Ethernet, as the processes will be quite similar. Note that there are at least three different manufacturers of Xbox DVD drives, and some Xbox DVD drives are not as capable of reading certain not-approved-by-Microsoft-for-Xbox-use media, such as CD-RW's and DVD+R's, as other Xboxes.

    • Using the Memory Unit

    How to put files onto the Xbox varies based on the software and hardware being used. See the above chart for details.

    Misc Info

    Comment on Ethernet cables

    The way I like to write to an Xbox is by plugging an Ethernet cable into the Xbox. (Note: You'll need to make sure you correctly use whichever is needed, either a "straight-through" Ethernet cable or a "crossover" cable. A cross-over is generally necessary, although depending on what you hook your Xbox to, the device may cross-over for you, and crossing over twice results in the same sort of connection as a straight-through.) I generally use FTP, which means running an FTP client and an FTP server.

    Comment on saved data location

    The main place that people new to Xbox software modifying will want to write to is saved game exploits, so that they can continue on with the process of running any unsigned code of their choosing. This data will go into subdirectories under E:\UDATA\ (most of it being at least two deep under E:\UDATA\.) For example, the James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire saved data gets stored in E:\UDATA\4541000d\000000000000. Some audio hack data may get stored in E:\TDATA.

    ?

    If you're copying from a memory card, the data goes into subdirectories off of root. For example, 007: Agent Uner Fire could be stored in H:\4541000d\000000000000\. Using Microsoft's original dashboard (or UnleashX) you should be able to copy the saved games from H:\4541000d\ to the hard drive, and then they will go into E:\UDATA\4541000d\. Note that Microsoft's original dashboard will not find the saved games on a memory card if they are placed in a UDATA directory (H:\UDATA\4541000d\); How:
    The biggest thing you'll need a reference for is: What data to write, and where to write it to? You may need more help than that, but that is the least that you'll likely need. Exploits based on the audio hack are generally considered safer, though possibly less convenient, than those requiring a font hack, for a couple of reasons. First, they are manually initiated, which means they don't execute unless you tell them to, and so you probably won't get in trouble if something unexpected happens, such as your Xbox losing track of time and asking you to input it again. Second, the font hack can be done entirely by writing to the E: (although the most popular thing to run, Phoenix BIOS Loader, may load a BIOS that wants a dashboard on C:, you can still run PBL without using the C: and see that it works). If you do write to the E: and delete a file or even cause partition corruption, you're may lose your saved games. On the other hand, problems on the C: can result in your Xbox system failing to boot. I'm more comfortable modifying my list of custom soundtracks (especially since I had none) than boot files that the Xbox relies on.