Is my XBox dying?

ceejay

My XBox has started acting up. When I switch it on, it has taken to making nasty-sounding noises as it tries to access the hard disk. More often than not, I get a screen up about contacting Microsoft because my XBox needs servicing, with a code 7 up the top left. This seems to indicate a HD timeout according to my searches with Google. I can still get in every now and then, but it's getting worse. I've bought a memory card and transferred as much as I can of the saved games, etc., but some of them are huge (KOTOR ones are 1600 blocks each, and my 16MB card only has 1000 max).

So, is the HD dying? Will I lose it all if I get the XBox "serviced"? Will it cost more than a new XBox to sort out? Anyone else experienced this?

Ciarán.

elmer

yeah error 7 is a hdd timeout. i'm assuming it's not under warranty any more? if it is you could send it back to microsoft but they'll more than likely just ditch the hard disk and put in another.

if it's not under warranty then now's the time to mod the xbox. get yourself a bigger hard disk. hopefully you'll get one or 2 decent boots out of the old hard disk and be able to get the save games off it.

I see you're in dublin. if you can get the xbox to me i should be able to sort it. I have replacement xbox hds but no larger ones too.

or if you just fancy getting a new one i'd take the old one off your hands for a few quid. i'd also be able to get the save games onto the new one(provided i can get them off the old hdd that is) without voiding warranty or leaving anything behind on new xbox hdd

Nige

ceejay

Yep, it's out of warranty since April - typical And Microsoft want to charge me 111 euros to have it repaired (though that does include a collect and deliver courier service and 3 months warranty). For an extra 40 euros I could get a new one instead, now that the price has dropped.

Modding the box does sound interesting though - I'll have to check out the sticky thread now

Ciarán.

elmer

111 euros - that's insane - provided you can get the dodgy hdd going for a few min you should be able to ftp in and grab the udata directory - that's where all the save games are

Nige

_CreeD_

I'd go with the mod/ftp/new std. hdd option. There are guides up all over the web for replacing your Xbox Hdd, it's not hard at all once you have it mod'd. And considering the original Hdd's are pretty weak you will end up with a better system (and presumably more space unless you spend the time tracking down an ancient 8Gb drive ).

peterk19

you would be mad to pay that kind of money for itif you just modde it you would get a chip and a much larger hdd for that money
Ps. it worked out about €150 for me to put a 160gig and a xecuter2.3b lite in mineif you decide to mod it yourself ill give you a copy of slayers auto installer if you like just tell me what type of dvd rom is on it basicly if it has 2 extra holes on either side of the spindle hole of the disc tray
Pete

ceejay

As it happens, I actually do have an ancient 8GB drive hanging around

I've been kinda busy, so I haven't had the chance to read up properly yet, but one option I'm considering is using a s/w exploit rather than a modchip. All I really want is a functioning XBox for less than €111, and if I can get in there and ftp the stuff off the disk and set up a new one easily enough, then that'll do for now. I don't know if this is even possible, but when I get some time, I'll check this out further. Thanks for the offers of help so far, I may well be getting back to you

Ciarán.

elmer

the software exploits rely on a having a functional hdd - the original locked drive in fact. but that said you could borrow a chip and use it to get the other hard disk sorted. you're better off with a nice beefy one though

Wolf

Hehe, this is just one of the many reasons why I always tell people to stay well clear of the X-Box.

One time when I was talking to a guy I know who works for them he gave me the whole talk on the machine when they first came out. Then he told me what it really meant. The hardware of the X-Box is actyally set-up to take the most money out of consumers pockets.

You should get rid of that usless thing and get any of the other consoles, or better yet upgrade your PC or something X-box is a money well.

elmer

no idea what you're basing the xbox being a money well on. you could just as easily have a similar problem with a ps2 or cube(obviously not the hdd ) though replacement parts are much easier to get for the xbox than the ps2 etc

ceejay

elmer wrote:

the software exploits rely on a having a functional hdd - the original locked drive in fact. but that said you could borrow a chip and use it to get the other hard disk sorted. you're better off with a nice beefy one though

What I was hoping is that if I could get one or two more boots out of the original drive I could use a software exploit. Sounds like it might be possible then, from what you seem to be implying. My main concern is how to get a new drive up and running as cheaply as possible, with secondary concerns about trying to get the saved games off the original disk and also still being able to play on Live. I have many of my games on a memory card, but some of them were huge, so I think I'd have to do something like FTP them off the original drive and put them onto the new one - but this obviously means I have to be able to boot the disk again.

Anyway, I still have to finish my research on this, and I may end up going the modchip route, but at the moment I don't have enough time to sort it out properly.

Ciarán.

elmer

tbh you're probably better off waiting and using a chip. if the disk is that bad it'll probably be knackered before you get near the save games - software wise it wouldn't be too bad if you have someone with a modded xbox and you can get a copy of the eeprom off your own. they can flash their xbox with your eeprom and then lock you a hard disk

still the quickest most reliable way would be to mod it and be done

Nige

Wolf

elmer wrote:

no idea what you're basing the xbox being a money well on. you could just as easily have a similar problem with a ps2 or cube(obviously not the hdd ) though replacement parts are much easier to get for the xbox than the ps2 etc

The x-box hard ware is designed to make people spend money more often and more of it, but, never mind ill say no more. Also, hes right you should get the chip it will sort out lots for you in the long run tbh.

ceejay

Well, things have progressed a little. I followed some of the tutorials on xbox-scene, and managed to make myself a free Action Replay using a controller, a spare USB cable, and the downloadable drivers for Action Replay. Using these I was (eventually!) able to do the Splinter Cell exploit. I had left my XBox alone for about a week, and the HD was behaving itself, so I was able to get in and FTP the save games and get the eeprom details, etc. So I thought that maybe the problem had gone away, but after a day or two the HD started acting up again. So, looks like I'll be digging up that old 8GB disk I have lying around somewhere and replacing the disk in the XBox.

I'm doing it this way because a) I'm a cheapskate , and so far it's cost me 20 euros for a memory card that I was going to get anyway; b) I'm not really interested in using the XBox for anything other than playing the games; c) I'm not great at soldering at small scales; d) I don't want to run the risk of being banned from Live

Maybe when XBox 2 comes out I'll chip it

Ciarán.

shabbyroad

Wolf wrote:

One time when I was talking to a guy I know who works for them he gave me the whole talk on the machine when they first came out. Then he told me what it really meant. The hardware of the X-Box is actyally set-up to take the most money out of consumers pockets.

Complete and utter nonsense.

monument

Yeah, agreed. It is complete and utter nonsense that a company wants to make money. :rolleyes:

If their wasn’t a very obvious feature which enables the below, I'd have question it…

Wolf wrote:

The x-box hard ware is designed to make people spend money more often and more of it, but, never mind ill say no more. Also, hes right you should get the chip it will sort out lots for you in the long run tbh.

…However, Xbox Live was planed from the outset of the console’s life – and from the outset of Live, extra money is involved, after that there are other pay-for feature such as downloads – thus Wolf’s assertion that the Xbox is designed to make people spend money more often is correct.

elmer

Goood to see you've progressed - if you fancy a quick solution send me the eeprom and hd and i'll lock it for you - you pay the postage both ways though

Nige

ceejay wrote:

Well, things have progressed a little. I followed some of the tutorials on xbox-scene, and managed to make myself a free Action Replay using a controller, a spare USB cable, and the downloadable drivers for Action Replay. Using these I was (eventually!) able to do the Splinter Cell exploit. I had left my XBox alone for about a week, and the HD was behaving itself, so I was able to get in and FTP the save games and get the eeprom details, etc. So I thought that maybe the problem had gone away, but after a day or two the HD started acting up again. So, looks like I'll be digging up that old 8GB disk I have lying around somewhere and replacing the disk in the XBox.

I'm doing it this way because a) I'm a cheapskate , and so far it's cost me 20 euros for a memory card that I was going to get anyway; b) I'm not really interested in using the XBox for anything other than playing the games; c) I'm not great at soldering at small scales; d) I don't want to run the risk of being banned from Live

Maybe when XBox 2 comes out I'll chip it

Ciarán.