It has been confirmed that MS is banning.
Post here if your console is banned - xbox-scene

Thanks to ****Podger*** and others from xboxhacker.net there is no longer a need for the passkey when flashing your 79 Hitachi drives. This news is tremendous. Before this tool the 79 Hitachi was by far the most difficult and troublesome xbox360 drive to mod. Tutorial in comments.

Passkey No Longer Needed!

If your purchasing a new xbox-360 with manufacturing date after 8/11/08 chances are it will have the “lite-on” dvd-drive that is currently (read only) and unmodifiable. You may also find these in recently repaired systems from Microsoft service center. The drive tray looks just like a BenQ/Phillips drive, so it is difficult to identifying systems that have this drive. See the comments for a tutorial on Lite-On detection.

Currently there is no way of conventionally mod/flashing this version of dvd-rom, but it is possible to dump the “lite-on” so that you can get the key and just spoof it as another drive (Hitachi/Samsung/Benq). It’s not super easy and extra hardware is needed, but probably worth it if you really need that new xbox modded. If you can find the “Benq drive” decently priced that’s the ideal way to go.

A great “Tutorial” for spoofing the lite-on (source: Xboxhacker.net) can be found in the comments.

Looks just like a BenQ…

Read the rest of this entry »

Super Mario Galaxy has new copy protection that was quickly cracked and is now working 100%. If you have a wiikey modchip installed (recommended chip) your update fix can be applied by downloading the bootdisc file by clicking here. After downloaded you can burn(no padding required) it to dvd-r or +rw (cdr wont work) insert the disc and follow the instructions. Use this update on your wii that won’t play the new games(smg, mh2, etc.).

[03.26.08] Wiikey released 1.9s (as in smashbros) beta released! (Click Here for Tutorials and more info)
[01.11.07] Wiikey update 1.9g (as in galaxy!) beta released!

We are pleased to announce that BETA HOTFIX v1.9g of the Wiikey firmware is now available to download. Please note that this is a BETA HOTFIX released as an immediate response to feedback from users regarding SMG. There are three iso’s in the update, one for each system region(jap, pal, us).

If your new to firmware flash modding the Benq xbox 360 dvd-drive, here are the files and info your going to need to make things easy. Click here to download this file with video tutorial.

If you are looking for modding services click here for Installers by Region. You can get a direct quote from me Jason@TeamXmods by clicking here.

C4eva has released new hacked firmwares for the BenQ Xbox360 dvd drive. iXtreme BenQ v1.1 rev 2 and a regular Xtreme version. Beware of using the Xtreme FW online without properly stealth patched games or you will get banned. With the ixtreme Rev2 you have the option to choose a custom drive read speed. Most people use fast 12X because its fast loading(12X is the default speed for unmodded drives) and sound levels stay the same. The 8X setting is also nice if your drive is too loud for you or your having trouble reading dvd+r dl verbatim media. Special thanks goes to C4eva.

If you buy a new xbox 360 chances are you will receive the 79fk-fl Hitachi, BenQ, or less likely the Samsung dvd-drive. These new 79 drives require a 9 wire passkey chip installed if you want it to play backups. The 79FL is mod-able with the Maximus 79passkey. There is also another obstacle in the way of modding these new 79 drives. Black epoxy covers the connection area preventing access. This is not normal epoxy, its very strong. The suggested removal technique is using a (heat gun) or Weller® (pyropen) with a hot air nose tip.

I decided to try my (rotary tool $35) or dremel and scrape the epoxy off uncovering the traces. I then used a razor blade to finish it up. I would say it worked great for me but I’m not sure I would recommend it to anyone who thinks they may mess something up because its real easy to brick your drive like this. The hot air gun is also a risk, but may be easier if your not skilled with a dremel.

Again, contact someone to do this for you if your not confident yourself. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Email: Teamxmods (@) gmail (dot) com
Contact Us: Jason@TeamXmods

UPDATE 11-04-08 The passkey is no longer needed - this guide is old way of modding the 79.

A new firmware replacement for the TS-H943 xbox360 drive..
Features:
(v1.2) Extra verification performed on Stealth backups

Note: The extra features added in both 1.1(not public) and 1.2 release are directly related to security. A security-hole was found after 1.1, which lead to the jump in version numbers.

We strongly advise that you upgrade from 1.0 to 1.2 in the near future for the safety of your xbl account. Currently, 1.0 is safe, but in the future there will undoubtedly be new checks that 1.2 addresses!

The Hitachi Version of iXtreme is currently available also.

This technique does not require you to heat-up the sticker in anyway. You just need to separate one side of the sticker from the case (note: the entire sticker does not need to be removed). This tech is incredibly simple, just requiring patience and a little work. The blowdryer + razor tech didn’t work for me, but many have said it did work for them. Maybe a combination of both methods would work best.

You can now send your xbox 360 in for repairs if ever in need. Microsoft’s servicing department hasn’t been known to do this, but they could perform a ultraviolet light check and see that one side of the sticker has been removed. I don’t think this will constitute warranty voidance or become standard practice, but use at own risk.

Sticker Removal Instructions

“When you have the face plate and the side vents off Just lever the 1st clip (on the left) a little while pushing the case apart slightly, so the clip stays open, working your way from left to right towards the seal do each clip the same. When you get to the clips closest to the seals try and get them both open while the seal is still attached, a little levering should do the trick Then just gently lift the case by the seal while at the same time pulling it apart and you will find the seal gives way to the pressure and one end always slides off intact leaving the whole sticker in tip top condition. by Whirlers

Works every time for me, just takes a little practice.

After firmware flashing your xbox360 or getting it done you might want to think about doing a few simple internal cooling mods while the case is open. These mods are cheap to do and can lengthen the life of your console. A cooler running console wont overheat and cause game freezing or worse the “red ring of death” that is very difficult or impossible to repair.

Thermal camera showing 360 hot spots + inlet temp..

Xbox 360 - Air Cooling Analysis chart
More on xbox-scene…

Step 1
Add heat sinks to the high performance ram chips. Pulling the heat off these will help lower on board memory operating temperatures. This add on mod can only enhance performance and help keep things running smooth at a constant 60fps frame rate at prolonged periods of time.
(Buy ram heatsink)(Buy ram heatsink 2)

Step 2
Next you’ll want to increase airflow inside your 360 case. Forget about the nyko cooler I wouldn’t advise you to use it, or any other product that costs a lot and drains even more power during usage. Some draw power from the xbox and have been known to cause problems. New models of the nyko cooler seem to be ok. Increasing your fans voltage to 12v works great, but this will increase noise levels and you lose the auto sensing feature that increases your fan speed based on the temperature inside your case. if you don’t want the added noise you can order quiet high performance fans for around (approx $27shipped). You can also get the Xbox 360 Glow Stand with Fan.

Xcm High Speed Fan Vs Talismoon Fans

Talismoon Whisper Replacement Fans claim to move 58% more air, thats just marketing blurb but still a significant difference over stock fans.(order here)

Update Jan 08
New Talismoon fan for cooling the 360 is available for purchase..

If your having problems with your dvd-drive reading media discs, tweaking the pots might not be enough to give you uninterrupted game playback. The preferred solution is to replace the weaker Samsung optical laser with the stronger Hitach optical laser. 360 dvd-drives are not high quality, they are cheaply made and have weak lasers (especially the Samsung drives) if your having problems swap out the laser-optical unit from another drive or buy a new one. The Hitach’s can be purchased for relativity cheap (approx $30shipped)(order here)(try ebay).

You can read up and do this mod yourself or you can contact me. I have given free email support for the last 4 years so give me a try if you have any questions.

Email: Teamxmods (@) gmail (dot) com
Contact US: Jason @ TeamXmods

Samsung & Hitachi Laser replacement tut X-S
Xbox 360 Dvd Pot Calibration Tut

One thing is certain, if your having trouble….

* Dirty Disc Errors
* Discs sometimes loading, and sometimes not being recognized
* Games crashing half way through , due to reading problems
* and also glitching FMV or slow loading games (some games are just slow, its normal so be patient)
* the classic “OPEN TRAY” problem

New optical laser’s are a cheap & easy way to take care of your disc reading problems.

Hitachi dvd drive optical laser closeup…

I’m sure you have seen the $75+shipping Blaster360 product from Xecuter that’s been in the news. If you still want to flash new feature firmware updates & backup your original 360 games without opening the case every time or paying a lot for add-on hardware, here is a nice simple functional mod for you. This mod requires opening the case. To flash and update you need a compatible VIA chip-set. If you don’t want to do this yourself contact me Jason@Teamxbox for installation services..

Do it yourself “Blaster360″ cheapmod. (if your having me flash your 360 I can do this mod for you). Above are some pics of the blaster360.

1. One short sata cable is all thats needed.
2. Wire cutters work great to cut the metal case shielding.
3. Simple plug & play installation. Quick, functional, works flawless.
4. Most people will only flash periodically, so popping the plastic end off to get access isn’t really a chore.

Total cost? = You can do 2 of these mods for $6.00+ shipping
(Buy sata cable here)(Save even more)

See more on xbox-scene…
See more thread two…

—new update—
Because of the frequent 3rlod problems this mod is no longer recommended. Its not good to modify the case if your sending it back to ms.

Xeno Top Gear is available. This is Xeno’s answer to the Blaster360. A much cheaper version ($45+shipping). The cheapmod enables the same functions, without the buttons. xenotopgear.com
————————

Simply grab the wire and pull it out. (No need to make your sata connections inside the case)

So which one is the better drive and quieter? Well the Samsung is the best of the two but both fail miserably compared to the BenQ. The BenQ is not firmware flashable yet so if you buy a new xbox 360 with it, you will have to wait to get it modded.

If you have a Samsung drive that is really loud, flashing the firmware to ixtreme will allow you to slow down your dvd drive to 4x and make it much less noisy or you can leave it stock and have faster loading times.

Pros of slower drives 4x-8x speed:
- Less noisy
- Less wear on the laser
- Reads cheap media better
Cons of 4x-8x speed:
- Longer loading times(2-3 sec on avg)
Note: Ms cant detect if you change drive speeds.

Use this link to find the dvd-rom drive model that you want…
360drives Dvd Drive Database

First establish what drive you want, 360 core, premium or elite. Now, look for the shop you are planning to get your 360 from. Now write down all of the lot numbers. Take those to the store and ask them if they have a 360 with that same lot number.

Date on back of my elite with 78fk drive is (:MFR 2007-03-06)

Updated… 5/2/07

3 Versions:
- Hitachi 79fk (Hackable, but requires a modchip)
- Hitachi 78fk (Hackable using slax and fwtoolbox 3.x-4.x)
- BenQ/Lite On (Currently soft moddable)

The 79fk requires you to remove epoxy and install a 9wire passkey(the rest is the same as 78fk).

Find out more… BenQ…
Find out more… 79fk…

(Note: New BenQ drives are light gray not black in color like shown)