Hotswap Can Fix Xbox With Error 13, 14, 16, 20 And 21, can reinstate Xbox's HDD To Factory Condition, can also Install/Reinstall Softmod Files. Al...

[bold]Hotswap[/bold] method can fix all kind of problems on softmod Xbox. Hotswap can sofmod your xbox without spending a single dollar.

I've seen enough posts that people have messed up their xbox in softmod. Hotswap method is the cheapest way to fix all kind of problems if you have on softmod xbox. Basically, it will let you to reinstall MS dashboard, to fix corrupted files, to backup and more.

[bold]What does hotswap do[/bold]?
Because the xbox hdd is lock, PC can't read it. Therefore, You need xbox to unlock the hdd first then connect it to PC. So the xplorer360 will read the xbox hdd on PC. The xplorer360 is just like window explorer. Therefore, YOu can copy files back and forth between PC and Xbox hdd.

[bold]How does it work[/bold]?
Turn on xbox and wait until the microsoft logo appear under the big X and XBOX. Quickly, remove IDE cable from xbox hdd and connect xbox hdd to IDE cable from PC. Run xplorer360 then Go to drive->open->harddrive or memcard. You should see 5 partitions of xbox hdd here. The whole process is called hotswap.

[bold]Why would I want to hotswap[/bold]?
One is, you tried to do a softmod and messed it up, and now your xbox is giving you error 13, 14, 20, 21. This will allow you to install the default MS dashboard files, and repair your box.

Second is you don't wanna hack up a controller or buy an action replay, but still want to do a softmod. You can use this to copy the hacked gamesaves and linux file to your xbox.

Third is you want to softmod your xbox and dont want to spend money on game and AR.


[bold]NOTE ON ERROR 16[/bold]: Try to disconnect IDE cable from xbox hdd just before it goes to error 16. You can also try to boot up xbox with an original game inside the dvd drive to see if microsoft logo shows up. Also you can do hotswap with IDE cable disconnected from xbox's dvd drive.


If you have a backup of the original eeprom on PC, you can build a new hdd by using xboxhdm.


[bold]Does your xbox qualify to do hotswap[/bold]?
You can always do hotswap.

Turn on xbox without a game in dvd drive, do you see white microsoft logo appears under the big X and XBOX? If YES, then your xbox is qualified.

If NO, then hotswap may not work on your xbox. But you can still do it. Try to disconnect IDE cable from xbox hdd just before xbox hang or goes to service screen. Also try to disconnect ide cable from xbox's dvd drive then do hotswap.

You can also load original game and do hotswap when microsoft logo shown up.


How many ways to do hotswap?
Basically, there are 3 ways to do hotswap:
- hotswap with no game inside DVD drive
- hotswap with an original game inside DVD drive
- hotswap with IDE cable disconnected from DVD drive



[bold]What do you need[/bold]?
- Windows 2000 or XP
- Torxx screwdrivers 10, 15, 20
- Motherboard of PC must have 2 IDE slots.
- get the complete Clean Working MS dashboard file or the complete working softmod files of C and E drive (you can get C and E softmod files from your friend's xbox)
- To get the latest MS dash here
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/400161
- Xbox tools with ms dash inside. Thank to theridges.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2PQ3V6LM
- Complete working softmod files of C and E drive "mhackxbox.rar" 425MB. Thanks to mhack.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AJ4VDYOK
- Softmod files "Shademand's Ready Made Xbox SoftMod" 325MB from bittorrent. Thanks to Shademand.
http://viciousincserver.net2go.com
http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/339898/1788832/
- Xplorer360 OR FatXExplorer (It's in french, but more stable than xplorer360). So download all versions of Xplorer360. You can google it or go here:
http://ddlinvasion.com/xplorer360.rar
http://files.filefront.com/Xplorer360exe/;6148092;/fileinfo.html/1/1


If you want to download other files for xbox, goto my page and look in LINKS

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[bold]RESTORE XBOX'S HDD TO FACTORY CONDITION[/bold]

After you have xplorer360 to access xbox hdd, then you can tell partition 3 is C drive and partition 4 is E drive. Backup partition 3-4 to PC. Then delete everything in partition 0-4.

So you want to make the xbox's hdd back to factory condition, then you need a complete working MS dash. You can donwload it from bittorrent or get it from your friend's working xbox.

Copy the MS dash to partition 3. Partition 4 has 2 empty folders UDATA and TDATA.

This is the FACTORY XBOX'S HDD:

Partition3: Audio, Fonts, xboxdashdata.185ead00, xodash, xboxdash.xbe, Xbox.xtf, Xboxbook.xtf

Partiton4: Cache, Tdata, Udata

Partition 0-2 is empty

[bold]NOTE[/bold]: Cache, UDATA and TDATA folders are EMPTY. Partition 3 has the complete clean working MS dash.

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[bold]INSTALL SOFTMOD ON XBOX'S HDD[/bold]

- You need the complete working softmod files of C and E drive. So you can get them from your friend's working softmod xbox by ftp the whole C and E drive to PC.

- If you can't it get from your friends, you can download mhackxbox.rar 425MB or Shademand's Ready Made Xbox SoftMod 325MB OR any other complete working softmod file. Then extract it all the way untill you get C and E folder inside.

- This is what Shademand softmod file has. Other softmod files may slightly different from Shadmand.

C folder has: audio folder, backup folder, fonts folder, xboxdashdata.185ead00 folder, xodash folder, xbox book.xtf file, xbox.xtf file, xboxdash.xbe file

E folder has: apps folder, cache folder, dashboard folder, screenshots folder, shadowc folder, skins folder, tdata folder, udata folder


-This what are inside of mhackxbox.rar:
Partition3 and Partition4 folder.


- After you have xplorer360 to access xbox hdd, then you can see partition 0-4.

- Backup partition 3 and 4 to PC. Then delete everything in partition 0-4.

- Copy everything inside C folder to partition 3

- Copy everything inside E folder to partition 4

- Partition 0-2 is empty


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IF RESTORE HDD AND INSTALL SOFTMOD ABOVE DIDN'T WORK, THEN TRY BELOW. BUT FIRST YOU NEED YOUR XBOX BE ABLE TO PLAY GAME. SO DO THE RESTORE HDD AND INSTALL SOFTMOD ABOVE. AFTER YOUR XBOX CAN PLAY GAME THEN CONTINUE BELOW. YOU ALSO ALREADY HAVE THE GAME TO RUN SOFTMOD.

-This method is to install lunix file and save game so you can try to run SOFTMOD again.
-download lunix file and save game for your game that you use to softmod the xbox.
-unrar them and put folders in correctly location for UDATA folder. IF YOU NEED HELP HERE, LET ME KNOW.
-DO hotswap again. This time you ONLY UPDATE the UDATA folder. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE.
-when done, connect hdd back to xbox and reboot xbox with a game inside dvd drive.
-Game loads, then try to access to the linux file and install softmod.

Ex: Mechassault game to do Softmod.
The SID 4.0 Mechassault Loader: UDATA -> 4d530017
SID4.NK.Launcher: UDATA -> 21585554

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[bold]WARNING[/bold]: MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS HERE, AND HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING. FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD RESULT IN A USELESS XBOX.

[bold]NOTE[/bold]: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONNECT XBOX'S HDD BACK TO XBOX BEFORE TURN XBOX OFF. OTHERWISE, THE XBOX'S HDD MAY STAY UNLOCK, WHICH RENDERS IT USELESS FOR YOUR XBOX. DON'T MESSAGE ME SAYING YOU messed YOUR BOX UP BY IGNORING THIS.


FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHAT ARE INSIDE THE PC
It is important to know what is the primary and secondary ide cable. If you dont know, you can't do hotswap. Plus xbox's hdd can be cracked if you do thing wrong. Hotswap wont hurt your PC.

Open UP PC, there are 2 ide slots on the motherboard. So 2 ide cables connect to these 2 slots. 1 cable is primary and the other is secondary. PC's hdd connects to primary ide cable (99%). Leave this ide cable ALONE.

So the other ide cable (secondary) is used for hotswap. Remove all drives on this ide cable before doing hotswap.



[bold]GET EVERYTHING READY[/bold]:

1. Remove the four feet from the bottom of your xbox. Use the torxx screwdriver to remove the four screws. There are two more in the center, beneath the stickers. Take these out as well.

2. Take off the top cover. Use your torxx screwdriver to take out the two brass screws that are in the center holding the drive housing down.

3. Remove the section of casing with the harddrive in it.

4. Use the phillips screwrdriver to take out the four screws holding the HD in place. Loose the hdd so you can easy to remove the IDE cable and plus the one from PC in. Put xbox close to PC so IDE cable from PC can reach xbox hdd.

5. ON PC. Connect pc hdd to primary IDE cable. I think that is what you have now. And remove all dvd drives on secondary IDE cable. Just hook up one end of IDE cable to secondary IDE port on motherboard. The other end is free for now. It will hook up to Xbox hdd later. PC HDD AND XBOX HDD ARE ON 2 DIFFERENT IDE CABLES ON PC.

6. Now we've got everything ready.


[bold]HOTSWAP PROCESSING[/bold]:

step1: turn on pc then press then Break/Pause key. So the pc completely stop booting.

step2: turn on xbox and wait until the microsoft logo appear under the big X and XBOX. Then disconnect IDE cable from xbox hdd and connect the one from PC to it.

If you dont see microsoft logo and xbox goes straight to service screen or hang at the big X, then disconnect IDE cable from xbox's hdd just before xbox goes to service screen or hang. Being VERY careful not to jolt or shake the HD too much, disconnect the DATA cable from the harddrive WITHOUT powering off the xbox.




Step3: press any key on keyboard so pc continue boot up. Now PC will detect the xbox hdd. PC boots normally as usual. IF it takes long time to boot to windows or PC hang, then something are worng. Check your connections, did you connect correctly Xbox hdd to PC? PC HDD AND XBOX HDD ARE ON 2 DIFFERENT IDE CABLES ON PC.

Step4: Run xplorer360. Go to drive->open->harddrive or memcard. Xplorer360 SHOULD read the harddrive. It will show 5 patittions. You can also goto manager, you should see the xbox hdd in there. If it doesn't, you may have to go to the device manager and have it scan for changes.

step5: partition 4 is E drive, Partition 3 is C drive. Be sure backup everything to PC first before doing anything. Do the RESTORE XBOX'S HDD TO FACTORY CONDITION or the INSTALL SOFTMOD ON XBOX'S HDD that stated above. Or you can modify the hdd as your way if you want.


Step6: Once you've modified the harddrive as you like, turn off the xplorer. Disconnect the IDE cable of xbox hdd and connect the IDE cable from xbox the xbox hdd again. Then turn off the xbox so the hdd can be relock.

[bold]NOTE[/bold]: BE SURE TO RECONNECT THE XBOX'S DATA CABLE TO THE HD BEFORE POWERING OFF YOUR XBOX. NOT DOING THIS CAN MAKE THE HD STAY UNLOCKED, WHICH RENDERS IT USELESS FOR YOUR XBOX. DON'T MESSAGE ME SAYING YOU messed YOUR BOX UP BY IGNORING THIS STEP.

step7: Reboot xbox to see what happen.


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HERE IS THE SUMMARY OF HOTSWAP WITH XPLORER360:

FOR Xplorer360, you need to know what is primary and secondary IDE cable on PC. So the PC's hdd is usually on the primary ide cable. Leave this IDE cable ALONE.

The other IDE cable is secondary. Remove all devices so this ide cable just connect to motherboard and the other end will connect to xbox's hdd.

Also check jumper on xbox's hdd. Make sure it set to Cable Select OR Master. turn on xbox and time when xbox goes to error screen or service screen. Now you are ready to do hotswap.

-start with xbox and pc off
-turn on PC and hit Pause/break key. PC should stop loading. If your pc can't stop loading then logon windows. You can hotswap in both cases (hit pause/break OR logon the windows first)
-turn on xbox (You can try both: without game OR with a game inside dvd drive). Disconnect ide cable of xbox's hdd JUST few seconds BEFORE xbox goes to service screen/error. Also watch the LED. it should stay green at the time you disconnect ide cable.
-connect xbox's hdd to PC
-hit any key on PC to continue boot up to windows. If you are already in windows then ok. PC boots normally and act normally, if not hotswap will not work.
- goto Manger and scan for a new drive. You should see xbox's hdd.
-open up xplorer360 and read the xbox's hdd
-if you can't read the hdd, turn off pc and connect xbox's hdd back to xbox. Then turn off xbox.

Try again for 3 times.

Let me know if you can't get it works. Also tell me what wrong with your xbox and error code too.


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HERE IS THE TRICK TO USE XBOXHDM IN THE HOTSWAP:

-This trick is for advance modders.

-Download and extract xboxhdm1.9 on desktop. Go here to make a boot disk. Also check if it loads.

When done with the boot disk and it works, keep the boot disk in the CD/DVD drive still. Now you are ready to do hotswap.

-start with xbox and pc off

On pc, disconnect ide cable from the hdd which contains OS. The xbox hdd will connect there.

-Turn on PC. PC should load the boot disk. Xboxhdm loads up to the main menu.

-On xbox. Check jumper on hdd to make sure it set to Master OR Cable Select. Now you are ready to do hotswap.

-turn on xbox (You can try both: without game OR with a game inside dvd drive). Disconnect ide cable of xbox's hdd JUST few seconds BEFORE xbox goes to service screen/error. Also watch the LED. it should stay green at the time you disconnect ide cable.
-connect xbox's hdd to PC where the PC's hdd connected to.

-back to PC, following options and xboxhdm's intructions to copy files to xbox's hdd. DO NOT use Lock/Unlock options.
-when done, turn off pc. Connect xbox's hdd back to xbox. Turn off xbox.


NOTEs: The different of hotswap with xplorer360 and hotswap with xboxhdm is where the xbox's hdd connect to. Plus hotswap with xplorer360 is MUCH LESS works and is EASIER than hotswap with xboxhdm.

Hotswap with xplorer360:
- xbox's hdd will connect to secondary ide cable.

Hotswap with xboxhdm1.9:
- xbox's hdd will connect to primary ide cable.


Enjoy

 

After your xbox is back to normal (original), then follow this tutor to do softmod.
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/311710

Here is the tut how to get eeprom from a broken xbox
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/357863

Here is the good trick for Action Replay
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/361935

Here is how to use xboxhdm1.9 with hotswap
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/548462

Here is the tut how to upgrade hdd on softmod xbox
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/366945
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/533828

Here is also a guide to play ONLINE for FREE
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/329607

Here are tuts how to backup games, how to create ISO and how to make bios CD.
http://xbox-scene.com/xbox-tutorials.php?p=14|39|357|358|367|#14

Here is the tut to get into #xbins
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/368866

Here is the tut how to FTP and how to edit evox.ini
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/333781

Here is the FAQ and Software needed for softmod
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/557450
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/536595

 

Wow thank you so much for this lol im going to go try it now, right after i print this out.

 

Maybe it is still hard to understand. Let I revise the tutor. If you have problem, let I know.

 

Yea im having a problem when i switch the Cable on the Xbox's HD to my computers it makes my computer freeze up or restart and then the computer won't load, and if i try the other way and pause the computer at start up and try it after i connect the Xbox's HD to the computer the computer won't resume.

 

how do you connect?
there are 2 IDE ports on PC motherboard.

primary port for pc hdd
secondary port for xbox hdd

 

Ok i have an IDE cable that comes from the mother board out to the main HD for the PC then on the IDE cable the is another connection for a secondary HD and that is where i am connecting the Xbox's HD.

 

That is wrong. YOu did not read the instruction. Xbox hdd connect to another IDE cable on PC. PC hdd and Xbox hdd are not on the same IDE cable.

 

Ok well the only othe Cable there is is the one that connect to the DVD Drive, is that what i want?

 

make yourself clear. There are 2 IDE cables on PC. One for the PC hdd. The other one is for xbox hdd. Therefore you have to disconnect all devices from that ide cable.

 

Thank creaky

 

Lol thnx, ok I started up my computer and paused it then i turned my xbox on and pulled the IDE cable when the Xbox Logo appeared now i have my computer's HDD on an IDE cable and my Xbox's HDD on another IDE cable both attached to my computer but Xplorer360 isnt detecting it. Did i do it wrong?

 

Is that microsoft logo appears under the big X and XBOX?

Check in manager and Device manager to see if it detect your hdd.

 

Ok yes the HDD from the Xbox was detected now where to? Because Xplorer360 isn't finding it... I want to thank you again for all this help your giving me

**ADDED** I populated the list to see how much space was on the Xbox's HDD in the Device Manager and it said it couldnt read it or see anything but it knows it's there.

 

PC detects xbox hdd. But xplorer 360 wont see it.

Can you answer my question above?

if you disconnect IDE cable from xbox too early, the hdd stays lock. That is why you have to wait untill the "microsoft logo" appear under XBOX. Then remove IDE cable.

 

Yea i waited for the logo under the big X to be shown and then i removed it and connected it to the computer, want me to try again?

 

Yes try again. Connect xbox hdd back to xbox then turn off.

Remember wait untill the microsoft logo (white microsoft word) appears under the big X and XBOX. Then remove IDE cable.

 

Ok i just did it all again and i got in i have Partitions 0-4 and idk where to go from here lol i have the original C and E Folders from a link that you linked on another forum here in aD so what's next?

 

wow congrat.
hold on