# Anyway to play Xbox games without a disc reader?



## Apostrophe (Jul 10, 2014)

So I uncovered my old Xbox and found that anytime I put in a game/dvd/cd I get a disc read error. I opened up my Xbox today and plan on cleaning the laser, and then softmodding it through hotswap. 

I'm just worried that cleaning the laser might not fix the error, or if it does, it will just be a temporary fix. I know there are ways to play back-ups with apps like DVD2Xbox, but is there a way to play back ups if the disc reader is broken?


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## DinohScene (Jul 10, 2014)

You'll have to upgrade the HDD or constantly FTP games to your HDD, swapping the old ones.

I'd say flash your TSOP if possible.
That way you can install a hacked bios which allows you to boot from the DVD drive (to install the larger HDD) and make use of non lockable harddisk (removes the harddisk lock)
Or use XBox HD maker to make a new larger HDD (you'll need to dump your HDD key for it or you can manually input it, if you've flashed your TSOP, you don't need a HDD key anymore)


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## Apostrophe (Jul 10, 2014)

DinohScene said:


> You'll have to upgrade the HDD or constantly FTP games to your HDD, swapping the old ones.
> 
> I'd say flash your TSOP if possible.
> That way you can install a hacked bios which allows you to boot from the DVD drive (to install the larger HDD) and make use of non lockable harddisk (removes the harddisk lock)
> Or use XBox HD maker to make a new larger HDD (you'll need to dump your HDD key for it or you can manually input it, if you've flashed your TSOP, you don't need a HDD key anymore)


 
I'm still fairly new to this, so forgive me for not totally understanding. So I should upgrade my HDD following a tutorial like this one right? That will allow me to hold more than a game or two. If I upgrade my HDD but don't flash my xbox, will I be able to transfer my games (iso files I assume?) any other way besides ftp?


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## elmoemo (Jul 10, 2014)

If the drive isn't reading games it could be as simple a fix as swapping out the laser.

If that doesn't work you may need a new drive and swap the PCB or flash it.

If you don't need/want Xbox live you could rgh the box and play all games off a hard drive.

Do you have any equipment to soft mod (its called flashing with xboxes that makes you be able to play backups) equipment like ck3 etc

Tell me which option seems best to u and I'll help from there


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## Apostrophe (Jul 10, 2014)

elmoemo said:


> If the drive isn't reading games it could be as simple a fix as swapping out the laser.
> 
> If that doesn't work you may need a new drive and swap the PCB or flash it.
> 
> ...


 
Wait, flashing is necessary to play back ups on the original xbox? I don't have any equipment for flashing, but was going to do a hotswap in the next day or two which I've read softmods the Xbox.


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## DinohScene (Jul 10, 2014)

elmoemo said:


> *snip*


 
Ehh...
You might want to look at the section this is posted in.
It's not the 360 ;p



Apostrophe said:


> I'm still fairly new to this, so forgive me for not totally understanding. So I should upgrade my HDD following a tutorial like this one right? That will allow me to hold more than a game or two. If I upgrade my HDD but don't flash my xbox, will I be able to transfer my games (iso files I assume?) any other way besides ftp?


 
This is a good guide to flash your TSOP (your Xbox has to be a 1.0 to 1.5 one, if it has the Xbox logo on the scaler chip then it's a no go)
Softmodding can be done with a game exploit or a hotswap (the guide you provided)

Yes, if you get a 320 GB IDE drive you'll be able to hold a ton of games.
Games will have to be extracted with Qwix, then you can FTP the game folders to the harddisk.


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## elmoemo (Jul 10, 2014)

My bad I'm on my tapatalk app so didn't realise what section it was in lol ignore everything I said except maybe the laser replacement


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## retrofan_k (Jul 10, 2014)

Either buy a new refurbished drive from ebay or soft mod or Tsop flash the console and install a bigger HDD and FTP the games to the HDD. There is no restriction to drive swapping like the 360 (no keys or flashing) just plug n play a replacement. However, i'd try to track down a Samsung, as Thompson/Philips original xbox drives are shite.

Yes to that guide for installing another HDD.  Chimp is great and easy to use, no messing around like plugging it into a PC, which some guides show.  Its all done via the xbox via molex splitter so you can power both drives.  

Follow this to guide you to a HDD as they need to be locked (lockable) as some dont lock.  You can also get a SATA 2 IDE converter so you can use a Sata drive.  I have a 750GB drive in both my consoles.  

http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/?p=list


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## Apostrophe (Jul 11, 2014)

Alright cool. I'll follow that guide after softmodding, and install a larger HDD and use Qwix to ftp my games to my new hard drive. Thanks guys!

I'm just still not quite sure what flashing the TSOP does. That unlocks the HDD I install? What's advantage of that?


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## retrofan_k (Jul 11, 2014)

Apostrophe said:


> Alright cool. I'll follow that guide after softmodding, and install a larger HDD and use Qwix to ftp my games to my new hard drive. Thanks guys!
> 
> I'm just still not quite sure what flashing the TSOP does. That unlocks the HDD I install? What's advantage of that?


 

Tsop is basically flashing your nand chip with a custom bios and is like having a modchip without a modchip, if you get me If you have a Tsop flashed machine you dont need to lock the HDD, as with a modchip too. All locking does, is it contains the info, such as, the drive key (MB) in order to boot the console, etc. There is no disadvantages or advantages of a locked or unlocked drive because its just technical data the console needs , yet Soft modding requires a locked drive, otherwise the console will error code on boot. Tsop and chipped machines allow the console to bypass the boot hdd info code, as they use their own code like Xecuter.

Tsop requires some soldering experience and patience


Chimp clones the existing stock HDD and transfers the data to the Slave (new HDD) which you then lock afterwards and then swap out the stock hdd with the new one set as a Master drive.

Soft modding is good as I have used it many times, yet dont mess around with anything you dont know, as it will possibly break the mod.  Always backup the Eeprom for restoration purposes just in case anything happens, as without that your screwed.  All guides cover Eeprom, as its one of the 1st things you do when soft modding.


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## Apostrophe (Jul 11, 2014)

Alright, I'll keep TSOP flashing in mind. If it's not necessary, I might steer clear of of it since I have no soldering experience. But who I'll see if I need in the future. Thank you.


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