Gaming Some Xbox questions about mods and hardware failure

[SG]

Basically I've been discussing with a mate chips and Xboxes of the 360 variety. He wants to get it done, I've been advising against. He's one of these people that thinks he knows everything when he knows sweet FA and admittedly as I'm not an Xboxer, I do not know the latest on these things so I'm, here to ask you so I can better advice the stupid foolhardy bastard better.

1) Modchips and Xbox Live: is the case that they are still banned or are there easy workarounds? Because if there's a mistake to be made then he'll make it. If for instance you have to disable the chip every time you go on Live, and once fucks it up, he will fuck it up.

2) Hardware failure: Are the latest models prone to the red ring of death? He reckons that the Elites aren't. If a modded Xbox cocks up, he's got no comeback.

 

[FAST6191]

There are a couple of threads discussing the minutia of the 360 modding "scene" but as you asked for an overview.

1) Modchips have fallen out of favour in place of drive firmware flashing. All that is needed is a compatible sata port on a PC and a bit of effort.
Live (assuming xlink kai is not to your favour) is possible, the latest detection works by detecting corrupt sectors inbuilt to a disc and judging by that (meaning it is all dual layer discs). Make sure you have decent dumps and decent burns and the risk is minimal (all the sites with info have loads of FAQs and the like on this). Some advocate a two xbox approach and you can also unban an xbox if you have another key (admittedly it is a long winded process but it can be done.

2) They seem to have ironed out most of the hardware gremlins, unflashing a drive is something I will defer to someone else on today.
See also x-clamp fix.

 

[deathfisaro]

1) I've had mine flashed last fall and hasn't updated my firmware either, still got Live; no ban.

2) Arcade/Pro are safer than Core/Premium which are obsolete (I think). You don't need the Elite unless you really want the accessories and 120GB HDD.
Again, some people's launch Core/Premium are still working. I don't see too many Arcade/Pro RROD-ing in less than 2 years.
When you've ripped the warranty seal anyway you can go with the X-clamp mod to hopefully fix the RROD.

 

[raulpica]

1) If you use the latest iXtreme firmware for your drive, and correct stealthed backups, you'll have no problems. If I reckon well, it's pretty simple to unflash a drive. You can make a backup of your original firmware when you're flashing it the first time, so just revert to that and you're set.

2) The latest models seem to not suffer RRODs as the first ones. Personally, I got an used RROD'd Xenon (the first ones, and the most prone to RROD) and fixed it myself without doing the X-Clamp mod. Now it has almost 6 months and it's still working great. I've done an X-Clamp fix before, but I believe that if you fix the RROD properly, there's even no need to do it.

 

[lewjay]

As for hardware failures, if the rumors are true, there will be a new revision coming out in August. Jasper will have 65nm gpu so it'll be cooler running, and hopefully even more stable.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Even the falcons with the 65nm cpu get the RROD. So I'm sure the jasper will too and even the other one with the combined gpu/cpu chip that's coming out after that one.
It's the way the heatsinks are held onto the board and the solder-free lead. This causes warping and broken solder joints.

I'm on my second 360. This time though I had it flashed by someone who puts the warranty sticker back on the way it was. (couldn't be bothered to try this out myself..like i said second 360..couldnt afford a mistake)

 

[Armadillo]

Meh , don't see why everyone is so worried about failure once they flash. Couple of copied games and there you go enough money saved to buy a nice cheap arcade if your box dies. Swap over the hdd , and then sell on the memory unit and a controller if you want , even if you don't , arcades are like £150 now , price of about 4-5 original games.

 

[SG]

Thanks for the replies. So the long and short is...

-Still prone to fail.

-BUT can be softmodded and thus still replaceable?

-No Live ban if softodded?

 

[raulpica]

So the long and short is...

-Still prone to fail.

-BUT can be softmodded and thus still replaceable?

-No Live ban if softodded?

1) It seems so.
2) As long as you don't destroy the warranty sticker, yes.
3) If you use correctly stealthed copies and the latest firmware for your drive, no ban.