Gaming Get Banned for a Homemade HDD?

[sjones900]

I've been curious about this, some people say that you can get banned for doing this but you can't really tell if their using iXtreme and they "swear on their life and unborn child" that they weren't. So can someone clarify does this happen? Or is it total horseradish? Because I'm thinking about making a 250GB...

 

[Blue Zoidberg]

I'm curious about this myself (does a HDD mod flag you for a ban on Live?)

Also, what's the maximum HDD size that is recognized by an Xbox now, 250GB?
If I remember, you can't just slap a 500BG into the carriage and magically have it work.

 

[Teny]

Well, when you are upgrading your 360 HDD the cheap mans way, you can either only get a 20GB, 60GB, 120GB, or a 250GB (not sure if the file for this one is available yet). For example, when if you get an 160GB, you can only either use 20GB, 60GB, or 120GB, and not 250GB, and if you chose the 120GB, then you lose 40GB (HDD size wise). You have to do this or the 360 won't recognize your HDD, and if you are the only person with an 160GB HDD installed on the 360, then I'm pretty MS sure will ban you.

I did it, I took my old WD Scorpio 160GB and changed it to an 120GB, took my 20GB out, and installed my new 120GB in. All worked, and I still continue to play Xbox Live. I'm sure a lot of people did it too, and I haven't heard any complaints. Also, FYI, I am running an non-modded 360 if that makes a difference.

 

[Costello]

there were news of MS banning consoles that use "3rd party" storage devices,
it turned out to be true but...
- it only concerned memory cards, not HDDs
- live accounts were banned, not actual consoles as far as i know

MS has not banned users using custom hard drives.

 

[spectral]

There have been no bans for any kind of memory unit or HDD. The Nov 17th update will disable 3rd party memory units made by companies such as Datel. All that will happen is the memory unit will stop working, no bans. As for hacked HDD's, it has no effect on them at all. I'm in the preview program for the update and have been using it for a couple of weeks with a hacked 120GB HDD. Hundreds of the things have also been sold on ebay as legit HDD's so if they ban them they'd be in for a support nightmare, probably more trouble that its worth. If they ever do go after them the worst that will happen is the HDD will be disabled, not bans. They only ban consoles for piracy issues, which a hacked HDD doesn't allow.

 

[kobykaan]

LOL never had a problem with my PS3!!! ... SONY played an ACE with a self upgradable non warranty replaceable HD

.....but seriously MicroShaft suck at sensible ideas its ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! YOU HAVE TO BUY THEIR HARDWARE REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS!

 

[Teny]

LOL never had a problem with my PS3!!! ... SONY played an ACE with a self upgradable non warranty replaceable HD

.....but seriously MicroShaft suck at sensible ideas its ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! YOU HAVE TO BUY THEIR HARDWARE REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS!

Isn't that how most companies out there are? All businesses (except nonprofit organizations) out there are trying to make a profit, and they have their own ideas on how to do it, even if they made it a monopoly.

 

[ZeWarrior]

LOL never had a problem with my PS3!!! ... SONY played an ACE with a self upgradable non warranty replaceable HD

.....but seriously MicroShaft suck at sensible ideas its ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! YOU HAVE TO BUY THEIR HARDWARE REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS!

So tell me, when did Bill Gates come to your house with a 9MM point it at your head and tell you "YOU MUST BUY OUR ACCESSORIES!! RAWRR!!"

Honestly, its a CHOICE. No one is FORCING you to do ANYTHING.

 

[Blue Zoidberg]

LOL never had a problem with my PS3!!! ... SONY played an ACE with a self upgradable non warranty replaceable HD

.....but seriously MicroShaft suck at sensible ideas its ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! YOU HAVE TO BUY THEIR HARDWARE REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS!

Yes yes, now go back to your PS3 board and leave us 'down-trodden, heathen 360' users alone.

Thanks for the useful info guys. I've seen the 250GB formatting available on some sites, might plop my spare laptop drive in for no discernible reason...

 

[codezer0]

I thought it was simply a matter of where it just won't register the "unauthorized" hard drive/memory unit?

 

[sjones900]

Okay well it's good to know it's only the memory cards.. That's kinda harsh tho banning your profile for using a 3rd party memory card? I can see it now some little kid want a memory unit and his mom can't afford the "1st party" memory unit so she buys him a datel memory and a month later his xbox live account gets suspended. That sounds really to over the top to do, some people just can't afford official brand so they just get 3rd party and there's nothing wrong with them either... it's just "unacceptable" in M$ terms..

 

[spectral]

The account doesn't get banned it just stops the 360 using that memory unit. According to MS it's because Datel cards can also be connected to a PC and some have Micro SD card slots in, that people have been using to cheat in games/achievement hack.

 

[Armadillo]

If that's the reason, then Microsoft fail. Official cards can also be connected to the pc, I have a home made cable for my cards or you can buy one and the hdd can be connected to the pc and the same done with a cable they will supply you with (transfer cable). That reason sucks and is a crap cover up for Microsoft just being greedy and wanting people to pay for overpriced official cards.

 

[Joe88]

The account doesn't get banned it just stops the 360 using that memory unit. According to MS it's because Datel cards can also be connected to a PC and some have Micro SD card slots in, that people have been using to cheat in games/achievement hack.

the gamesaves are signed to a gamertag

but recovering said gamertag and loading the gamesave then using the login glitch to get all the other gamertags achievements for that game will work however

as far as gamesave hacking, I know thats how a lot of people cheated in cod4
there was a program and everything

 

[DSGamer64]

Well I will lay down what I know about the 360's HDD and how you can upgrade it for less then buying a brand new drive or one off eBay. Basically, you are limited to the Western Digital Scorpio WDGWD1200BEVS which is the 120GB SATA laptop drive, this is the only drive you can use. Here is a link to an article on how to do it, the process is fairly simple.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/150970/upgr..._the_cheap.html

 

[sjones900]

You can do 250 GB HDDs I've already done it. And it is no longer confine to that specific model. ANY Western Digital Scorpio series hard drive can do it.

-edit-
On another note I just discovered this.