Hacking Is upgrading (size) a RGH 360 HDD a simple case of copying the files?

[NormalMisha]

Hi,

I have a standard internal 120GB HDD in my RGH1 Falcon (with Aurora dash). I want to replace it with a 500GB internal drive. What is the simplest and quickest way to achieve this? Is it simply a case of copying all the files from one HDD to the other? Presumably I would need to first initiate the new drive such that it had all the required partitions, which I believe might be done by the 360 itself.

Back in the day there was lots of fannying around when you wanted to change your HDD (e.g. a HDDSS.bin file, maybe only for non-RGH). Has that all disappeared now we're in the world of consoles running unsigned code?

Ideally I don't want to lose any of the stuff that is installed on the existing hard drive.

One other related question: can you have multiple HDDs (in the official 360 enclosure) each with their own installation of Aurora, which you alternately attach/detach to/from the 360 to play different sets of games? I ask because I have about 3 other 360 HDDs in official enclosures lying around. I was worried that if I connected one it might mess with the dash version (probably illogical) on the console, because I have no idea what is on those hard drives anymore.

I really want to upgrade the HDD before I give this console away to some kids, but I don't want to risk losing it all.

Thanks,

Misha

 

[godreborn]

man, it's been over a decade since I upgraded an hdd with the 360. the system will format the hdd based on the serial number, which you can get in system settings (think in the same location it shows dash kernel). and, you'll have to inject the xbox partition (won't format the system). then, it's pretty much just copy and paste from what I remember. I think saves and the profile will be fine, but these have a device and profile id just like content. the content will be 0'd or F'd out, but I think the profile and device ids are fine being on the same system. I believe device id is based on system, not hdd. someone else may be able to help further, because I'm just trying to remember after that many years. it's not as complicated as it is with the ps3 though. as far as using different hdds, I believe you can do that.

 

[NormalMisha]

man, it's been over a decade since I upgraded an hdd with the 360. the system will format the hdd based on the serial number, which you can get in system settings (think in the same location it shows dash kernel). and, you'll have to inject the xbox partition (won't format the system). then, it's pretty much just copy and paste from what I remember. I think saves and the profile will be fine, but these have a device and profile id just like content. the content will be 0'd or F'd out, but I think the profile and device ids are fine being on the same system. I believe device id is based on system, not hdd. someone else may be able to help further, because I'm just trying to remember after that many years. it's not as complicated as it is with the ps3 though. as far as using different hdds, I believe you can do that.

Hmm. It seems a bit more smelly than I had hoped. I presumed that any security checks the console did on HDDs were patched out, just like how the "disc must be in drive" check is patched out of the modified stock dash.

I'll have to try and find a tutorial somewhere of at least a clean drive installation.

Cheers,

Misha

 

[DinohScene]

Copy all partitions to your PC/laptop via FTP, swap out the drive and let the 360 format it.
Then run XeXMenu to enable a FTP server, FTP everything back.
Don't forget to run hddxfixer to reenable the Xbox emulator.

Edit: I have a perfectly good tutorial on how to install FSD.
One can substitute FSD for Aurora if needed.

 

[godreborn]

Hmm. It seems a bit more smelly than I had hoped. I presumed that any security checks the console did on HDDs were patched out, just like how the "disc must be in drive" check is patched out of the modified stock dash.

I'll have to try and find a tutorial somewhere of at least a clean drive installation.

Cheers,

Misha

yes, security sectors don't matter with an rgh.

 

[NormalMisha]

Copy all partitions to your PC/laptop via FTP, swap out the drive and let the 360 format it.
Then run XeXMenu to enable a FTP server, FTP everything back.
Don't forget to run hddxfixer to reenable the Xbox emulator.

Edit: I have a perfectly good tutorial on how to install FSD.
One can substitute FSD for Aurora if needed.

So you mean copy the data from within each partition to, say, a separate folder on the PC. Then copy each folder's data back to the correct partition of the newly formatted HDD?

Will the 360 really accept and format a shop-bought HDD? Will a 512GB be OK? I know there was some issue with waiting for an official release by MS (presumably for the hddss).

I have Aurora on the existing drive. I naively assumed that if I manage to copy all the data to the new drive, everything will just work as if nothing's changed.

Thanks,

Misha

 

[godreborn]

probably won't have to format an official drive. a normal drive though, yes. if you want the newest hacked xbox emulator files, you need to enable access to hddx, then transfer over the files. it doesn't work by simply copying and pasting for that partition only. content will though.

 

[DinohScene]

So you mean copy the data from within each partition to, say, a separate folder on the PC. Then copy each folder's data back to the correct partition of the newly formatted HDD?

Will the 360 really accept and format a shop-bought HDD? Will a 512GB be OK? I know there was some issue with waiting for an official release by MS (presumably for the hddss).

I have Aurora on the existing drive. I naively assumed that if I manage to copy all the data to the new drive, everything will just work as if nothing's changed.

Thanks,

Misha

Yep exactly that.
The HDDX partition doesn't exist yet on the new drive after formatting, it must be made first with HDDX fixer.

hardware hacked machines accept any 2.5 inch drive up to 2 TB yep.
SSD and HDD is fine, as long as it's SATA.

Well you could try and do that after you've formatted the new drive (hook up the new drive via USB)
I never attempted it cause of the dashboard keeping files in cache and what not but I don't think it'll work like that.
Feel free to prove me wrong on it tho.

 

[NormalMisha]

Yep exactly that.
The HDDX partition doesn't exist yet on the new drive after formatting, it must be made first with HDDX fixer.

hardware hacked machines accept any 2.5 inch drive up to 2 TB yep.
SSD and HDD is fine, as long as it's SATA.

Well you could try and do that after you've formatted the new drive (hook up the new drive via USB)
I never attempted it cause of the dashboard keeping files in cache and what not but I don't think it'll work like that.
Feel free to prove me wrong on it tho.

I'm not sure what I'm proving wrong here. Are you saying it's better to effectively set-up a new hard drive, with a new Aurora install and then *only* copy over the contents of the 00000000 folder, e.g. game installs, XBLA, saves and DLC?

Looking to pull the trigger on a new drive tonight but if it's a real ball ache to upgrade I'd rather not. Presumably this was done countless times back in the day by all RGH users.

BTW, I'm not particularly bothered about XBOX emulation.

 

[DinohScene]

The new drive has to be formatted on the 360 before it can be used as a internal drive.
The only thing that doesn't need to be copied is some "partition" where FSD/Aurora keeps its files to run as it loads from the HDD upon boot iirc, if you where to copy your old drive to the new one.
Idk the name of it anymore and I don't have access to me machine to check, sorry.

Worst case or easiest method, would be reinstalling Aurora/FSD from scratch and then FTPing the game installs etc back.
It's a good way to just refresh the system anyway since you're upgrading drives.

I'd personally do the latter.

 

[NormalMisha]

The new drive has to be formatted on the 360 before it can be used as a internal drive.
The only thing that doesn't need to be copied is some "partition" where FSD/Aurora keeps its files to run as it loads from the HDD upon boot iirc, if you where to copy your old drive to the new one.
Idk the name of it anymore and I don't have access to me machine to check, sorry.

Worst case or easiest method, would be reinstalling Aurora/FSD from scratch and then FTPing the game installs etc back.
It's a good way to just refresh the system anyway since you're upgrading drives.

I'd personally do the latter.

Yeah, I have totally forgotten where the Aurora files live and how it autoboots. Dashlaunch is embedded in the modified NXE dash, so presumably there is a setting in dashlaunch (the name suddenly means something to me) which controls which XEX is booted.

Part of the Aurora files must go on the main partition as that's the only safe partition size-wise. All the meta stuff Aurora downloads can get big.

Assuming I don't mess with the nand or the existing hard drive (having removed it), is it fair to say that I can always go back to the old hard drive worst case scenario?

Ideally I would like to copy/keep the title updates, DLC and covers (assets) that Aurora has downloaded on the old drive, as I have limited bandwidth right now. I reckon you can pretty much copy an Aurora installation across, even if it has to rebuild a cache or something. This software is bullet-proof right!? It's not like it was just cobbled together between the authors' stints in various DMCA prisons...

I'll let you know how it goes either way. Cheers.

 

[DinohScene]

Yup, you can easily swap out drives if you didn't modify the NAND.

Aurora is pretty solid yep.

Good luck mate!

 

[MrPockets151]

Hi hoping to hijack a bit - I just upgraded my HDD on my RGH Trinity. I used FATXplorer to transfer the DLC , achievements , etc... Drive is formatted and all games transferred, save data etc.

Except my avatar is blank, it doesn't show my main avatar as on my old drive. Also, Aurora launch icons are greyed out. I can see them but they won't launch on the new drive unless I go into file explorer and launch the .xex file.

So what did I screw up here? Kind of vauge post but it's been a decade or more since I've been in the mod scene. Here I am trying to teach my teenager now.

 

[godreborn]

Hi hoping to hijack a bit - I just upgraded my HDD on my RGH Trinity. I used FATXplorer to transfer the DLC , achievements , etc... Drive is formatted and all games transferred, save data etc.

Except my avatar is blank, it doesn't show my main avatar as on my old drive. Also, Aurora launch icons are greyed out. I can see them but they won't launch on the new drive unless I go into file explorer and launch the .xex file.

So what did I screw up here? Kind of vauge post but it's been a decade or more since I've been in the mod scene. Here I am trying to teach my teenager now.

not sure if Aurora records the serial number of the drive or not, but the reason your avatar is blank is because you have to install the official update of the same kernel you're on. it should fix the issue.

 

[MrPockets151]

not sure if Aurora records the serial number of the drive or not, but the reason your avatar is blank is because you have to install the official update of the same kernel you're on. it should fix the issue.

Ah eureka ! Ok that makes sense. The Aurora thing I'm just going to do a fresh install. Probably do a fresh install of Dashlaunch and XEXmenu too. I can just delete those off the hard drive and reinstall without issue. Or do I need to watch for permissions on something ?

@godreborn I see you have a tutorial on this.....? ★ How To Update Your Jtag/RGH/RJtag W/ Xebuild.gui ★

 

[godreborn]

deleting dashlaunch won't remove it from the system. it writes two files to the internal flash. think it's launch.xex and helper.xex. to remove it, I think you need to reflash without dashlaunch included. you can reinstall dashlaunch through xexmenu if you do that.

 

[MrPockets151]

deleting dashlaunch won't remove it from the system. it writes two files to the internal flash. think it's launch.xex and helper.xex. to remove it, I think you need to reflash without dashlaunch included. you can reinstall dashlaunch through xexmenu if you do that.

Ok so then it's better to re-flash then. I can reflash using Xell ?

 

[godreborn]

yes or use a nand flasher.

 

[MrPockets151]

yes or use a nand flasher.

I can just follow your tutorial ? I already have my back up nand on my PC and CPU key ★ How To Update Your Jtag/RGH/RJtag W/ Xebuild.gui ★

 

[godreborn]

@DinohScene , I think, has a tutorial with pictures. that may be more prudent.