modding tutorials

Xbox Debug Kit Pictures    Source: XboxHackz.com    Posted: 2/2/02 

Xbox Debug Kit pictures

XBE File Format, Document V 0.9,     Source: Robin Hood    Posted: 1/21/02 

XBE file format documentation in Adobe Acrobat format.   *** link fixed 3/5/02 ***

Dumping your Xbox HD under Win32    Source: RustyBall    Posted: 1/13/02 

WinHex (all you need is demo but, you can buy it if you want) Get it here ftp://ftp.darmstadt.gmd.de/pub/pc/win95/diskutil/winhex/winhex.zip

XboxDumpCL.exe (ported to Win32 by opcode from Andy + Luke’s Xbox HD dumper) Available at http://www.geocities.com/rustygrom2000/FATXExplorer.zip and http://home.cfl.rr.com/buddamus/FATXExplorer.zip

Note: This process will not work on a fat32 drive because of its file size limit.

First issue is the Xbox HD password lock. There are two ways of bypassing this. Either spend a lot of money and get a logic analyzer or have access to one, or, the much easier route of the “cable switch” method. To do the cable switch, plug a power plug from your pc into your xbox hd and fire up your computer. Right when it starts booting up, start pressing the Pause Break key and do not let it detect your drives. Then, make sure the IDE cable is going from the xbox to the HD and turn on the xbox. After it gets to the dashboard, unplug the ribbon cable that is going from the Xbox to the hd and replace it with one that is connected to your computer. Now, press a key to allow your computer to continue booting.

Once into windows, run WinHex. Go to tools > disk editor. Find the xbox hard disk in the list and hit ok. Then, hit ctrl+a and go to Edit > Copy Block > Into new file. Save the file somewhere and leave your comp alone for a while.

Once it is done, the next process begins. Working with the image file you just made. 

To dump a file, load the image file and select the partition you want to see. Next select a directory from the left pane, any files in that directory will be shown in the list on the right. To dump one or more files, select the files in the list, then right-click and select "Dump Files..." this will show a Save dialog for each file you selected with the XFAT filename put in as the default name. To save the file simply press save and it will be saved to the directory/name you selected.

Game Controller USB Pinout    Source: xboxhacker.net    Posted: 12/06/01 by ozpaulb

I took apart my Xbox tonight, and (along with the datasheet for the TI USB controller used on the Xbox's controller daughterboard), figured out which pins on the controller ports are for which USB signals.

The USB standard has 4 signals: +5, GND, D+, D-

The Xbox controller connectors have 5 pins - it is assumed (but maybe not yet proven) that the extra pin is +12V for the rumble-pack-vibrator inside the controllers.

Looking head-on at the front of your Xbox, with controller port "1" to the left, and port "4" to the right, if you look into one of the controller ports, you'll see 5 pins along the bottom half of the port (on the center piece of plastic, there's a small triangle on the left side pointing down to the first pin, which I'll call "pin 1"

___________
|v         |
-----------
 1 2 3 4 5

("v" denotes the triangle pointing to pin 1)

Here's what signals correspond to each pin:

1 - +5V
2 - D-
3 - D+
4 - ?? (probably +12V)
5 - GND

Pins "1" and "5" are longer than the other pins.  This is just like standard USB connectors - the power/GND signals get connected first when you insert a connector, assuring a solid power connection before any of the other signals get connected.

I've actually measured 5V across pins 1 & 5 while the Xbox was powered-on.  NOTE: When Xbox is powered-off (but still plugged-in), I read ZERO volts across these two pins - this probably means that it would be impossible to make a remote-control that can power-up the Xbox.

Pins 1 & 5 are common across all 4 connectors (Pin 1 on port 1 is connected to Pin 1 on ports 2/3/4, the same goes for Pin 5 across all 4 ports).  This makes sense - it's just a fixed power supply.

Pins 2&3 (USB D-/D+ differential data lines) are separate pairs to each port (this also makes sense - they have to be).

Pin 4 (which is believed to be +12V) is NOT common across all for ports.  This (along with the fact I can't measure 12V on it) probably means that it's not just a steady power-supply signal that a controller's rumble-pack can tie-into as needed, but a signal that the main CPU controls independently per port.  It may be 12V that gets turned on programmatically, or it could be something else.  Whatever it is, this signal seems to go out (on separate pins) off the USB daughterboard onto the main board (whereas the D+/D- pins don't - they go directly to the TI USB controller on the daughterboard).

An additional bit of info (not helpful unless someone wants to hack at the USB daughterboard itself), here's where each ports' D+/D- signals connect onto the TI USB chip:

Port 1's D+/D- go to TI's "DP3/DM3" pins.
Port 2's D+/D- go to TI's "DP4/DM4" pins.
Port 3's D+/D- go to TI's "DP1/DM1" pins.
Port 4's D+/D- go to TI's "DP2/DM2" pins.

I hope someone finds this info helpful.

- Paul