Hacking First Time Modding Advice

[Xuman]

Hey all!

Long story short ive started a modding service in my hometown for different consoles and i want to expand my knowledge to the 360.

From reading around i understand that getting that x360usbpro kit is a must.

I also know that different dashes and drives require different methods, and different methods offer different possibilities. But there are a few questions i still have.

1. With DVD flashing (for disc backups) or using an ODDE, is it possible to use Xbox Live?

2. For j-tag/rgh/r j-tag do these require additional hardware to be installed with each console?

3. If yes to above, what/where would you recommend i should buy?

Thanks for any help!

 

[FAST6191]

"x360usbpro kit is a must"
I reckon you could get by with a compatible motherboard or sata card, and I would really suggest some non 360 method of powering the drives. That said you are not going to go wrong getting a standalone flashing kit/adapter kit.

1) Yes. A while back there were bans but we have not seen any in years. JTAG and RGH have no online, save for dual NAND on RGH. Oh and JTAG/RGH/RJTAG do not inherently allow copied DVD games (not that anybody really cares when you have USB and hard drive), though some people did some stuff with firmware flashing 360 drives from the 360 if you had JTAG/RGH.

2) Yes they are all types of hardware driven/launched hack.

3) JTAG is a bunch of basic electronic components you could get at Frys or radioshack when that was a thing. RGH, RGH2, RJTAG are standalone mod chips with the only thing extra being wire (people would generally suggest some kynar wire rather than basic PVC coated), though if you are doing lots you might want to spring for a programmer rather than futzing with a parallel port each time. I am not up to date on all the various RGH chips out there, various people made various ones and they did all sorts of things with regards to getting faster boots, more compatibility with more motherboards (I would not bother to do more than DVD flash on anything older than a Jasper motherboard on the original models). So yeah it will depend what models, dashes and such you are getting in.
You might be able to buy in bulk from team xecuter directly but otherwise it is the standard modding device sites to stock up from.

There are some other mods (12V hard drive, 12V fan, case colours...) but most of those are wires as well.

 

[brickmii82]

1. Live is generally safe for properly burned disc backups. Verbatim Dual Layer is what's recommended. @DinohScene knows more about this than I do tbh though. I never dealt with disc backups because I primarily do rgh service/retail repairs. The USB pro v2 is an excellent product for servicing disc drive firmware and whatnot, but you'll need an SPI NAND flasher device more than anything. I recommend the JR Programmer V2, or a NAND X(if you can find one).
2. Yes you will need additional hardware to be installed on consoles for RGH service. I generally used to recommend the CR4 glitch chip for beginners, because it's easy to install and you don't have to fool with timing files. However the reputation of the chip has been recently tarnished, due to prominent members in the TX community finding a large amount of CR4's to be faulty upon arrival. They're breaking consoles. As far as current recommendations, I'd suggest stocking up a few matrix glitchers for rgh 1.2(phat console hack), and ace v2/3 glitchers for rgh 2(slim console hack). The JR Programmer also functions as a chip programmer, so you'll have that covered as well.
3. I've covered what I recommend to buy for the most part, however I'd also recommend a postfix adaptor for corona boards with post out removed, and a 4gb NAND R/W kit or two(the jr pro doesn't work with 4gb Corona mobo's). Also arctic silver 5 thermal past, kynar wire 30ga, and the purest rubbing alcohol you can find. As far as where to buy, use the TX website to find genuine distributors for the USB Pro, and the JR Programmer. The mod chips you can find on EBay.

On a side note I want to say that the claim you cannot take a rgh/jtag online is simply FALSE. I don't care who this pisses off, it's simply untrue. The truth is, it's a monster pain the ass and extremely expensive to take your modded 360 online. You're looking in the neighborhood of 250$ US a month. Not to mention literally HOURS of troubleshooting when things go wrong. Anyone who tells you otherwise is simply lying, one way or the other. If you're on a cheap server, your paying a crapload for replacement KV's. If your KV's are lasting awhile, you're paying a crapload for stealth. The reason I mention this to you is because many customers that come your way will be inquiring about "online modding". While it is possible, you may want to tell them that it's generally unrealistic to sustain it. Do more research and you'll find out what I'm talking about.

Anyways, good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!!

 

[DinohScene]

Stealth servers and hacked consoles ruin online gameplay.
Not to mention the absurd costs.
I simply tell people they can't get online so they stop whining about it.
You know how pirates are.

Anyway, for disc backups and Xkeys, your 360 backups must be patched with ABGX 360.
Then XBLive is possible.

 

[Xuman]

Hmm, ok so I think that I'm getting a pretty good understanding of how to go about this. First and foremost I'm going to test this with my phat 360 I have lying here. So then this brings up a few more questions.

@brickmii82 With the JR, is the X360usb Pro still necessary? Also, is this something say like the E3 flasher with the PS3 where it's not perma installed per console, but to be used with glitch chips (meaning, if i understood you correctly, i install a matrix/ace and use the JR to program it.) or each 360 needs a JR +Glitch?

@DinohScene So then for those who JUST want game backups and online, they should be good as long as they patch it. Im assuming this is probably the easiest because im just flashing the drive.

Lastly, Are there any good video tutorials for J-tag/RGH install for phat/slims that anyone cold recommend? Sure i could just youtube but if theres a decent tut out there im all for it.

EDIT: Also, my xbox phat has dash 14719 and I understand that it needs RGH 2. JR can still help with this correct?

 

[brickmii82]

While not necessary, a disc drive servicing tool(as in the USB Pro V2) is highly recommended to have in your toolbox if you plan on having a business with servicing 360 consoles included. It will allow you a wider range of services/repairs. Here's a good example, a customer brought me a unit to repair. He said a couple years ago it stopped reading discs after an update. Upon inspection I found the PCB in the disc drive was bad. After some research, I concluded that when Microsoft issued the update with AP2.5(a disc drive firmware update), they fried his disc drive. Now here's where the USB Pro is handy, you can't just slap a new PCB in a disc drive and have it work. It has to be programmed correctly. MS assigns what's called a CPU key, and a DVD key, to every console ever made. Each one is unique to it's specific console. A Disc drive won't work unless the correct DVD key is programmed into it. With the USB Pro, you can do the programming process. Quite easily I might add. I found a matching PCB in my spare parts, did a temporary RGH to retrieve the DVD key. Unlocked the SPI on the replacement PCB and programmed it with the USB Pro, slapped it back together and off it went. As a retail(I couldn't convince him RGH was uber lol)

Now the JR Programmer is not a permanently installed device, and will be used for 3 things mainly. You are correct that it is like an E3 Flasher.

1. Firmware retrieval(NAND read)
2. Mod chip programming
3. Hacked/retail firmware installation(NAND write)

Onto the Phatty...
First you'll want to ID your mobo. Use this pic for reference.

Basically just make sure it's not a zephyr or xenon board. Next, I'd suggest updating to at least 17150. That's the dash RGH 1.2 for Phats was created on. Sign up for team x360 forums, and you can find all the installation diagrams, tutorials, and timing files you'll need. If you want a video tut, try this one



I'm going to do a full tut on it when I get my stuff back from the ex, just for our Tempers here who want to give it a shot. But who tf knows when she'll stop being a bi*** to me and give me my sh**. Anyways, good luck!!

 

[Xuman]

While not necessary, a disc drive servicing tool(as in the USB Pro V2) is highly recommended to have in your toolbox if you plan on having a business with servicing 360 consoles included. It will allow you a wider range of services/repairs. Here's a good example, a customer brought me a unit to repair. He said a couple years ago it stopped reading discs after an update. Upon inspection I found the PCB in the disc drive was bad. After some research, I concluded that when Microsoft issued the update with AP2.5(a disc drive firmware update), they fried his disc drive. Now here's where the USB Pro is handy, you can't just slap a new PCB in a disc drive and have it work. It has to be programmed correctly. MS assigns what's called a CPU key, and a DVD key, to every console ever made. Each one is unique to it's specific console. A Disc drive won't work unless the correct DVD key is programmed into it. With the USB Pro, you can do the programming process. Quite easily I might add. I found a matching PCB in my spare parts, did a temporary RGH to retrieve the DVD key. Unlocked the SPI on the replacement PCB and programmed it with the USB Pro, slapped it back together and off it went. As a retail(I couldn't convince him RGH was uber lol)

Now the JR Programmer is not a permanently installed device, and will be used for 3 things mainly. You are correct that it is like an E3 Flasher.

1. Firmware retrieval(NAND read)
2. Mod chip programming
3. Hacked/retail firmware installation(NAND write)

Onto the Phatty...
First you'll want to ID your mobo. Use this pic for reference.
View attachment 44475
Basically just make sure it's not a zephyr or xenon board. Next, I'd suggest updating to at least 17150. That's the dash RGH 1.2 for Phats was created on. Sign up for team x360 forums, and you can find all the installation diagrams, tutorials, and timing files you'll need. If you want a video tut, try this one



I'm going to do a full tut on it when I get my stuff back from the ex, just for our Tempers here who want to give it a shot. But who tf knows when she'll stop being a bi*** to me and give me my sh**. Anyways, good luck!!

Thank you sooo much! I did forget to mention that I have a Jasper but you have given me more than enough info to get my own 360 service started in my area. I'll be sure to thoroughly read and watch everything I need. Thank you so much!

 

[DinohScene]

I'd recommend an Xkey, it allows people to play games off off an external harddrive (seeing people whine about USB loading games these days anyway)

RGH is pretty much only for people who are looking into modding and what not.