Why exactly do you need a mod chip to play back ups?

yep i agree by all means try all you want
read introduction to hacking 101

by the time you figure out they would have bought out the new version of xbox!

 

Look, I dont have anything to prove to you guys. You either want to help me or dont so take your pick. I'm fine with either one and I greatly appreciate any help that I can get. However, starting now, I am ignoring anybody who isn't at least trying to help in one way shape or form, so just save yourself save time and keep it to yourself about how I will never be able to do it and how much it isn't worth it.

This was never about the money. I could easily afford and install a mod chip, or even just buy a pre-modded xbox, but I want to do it myself, and I know its possible. I could just buy the stupid games and forget about modding anything alltogether if this was all just about playing them. This is a hobby of mine and even if I dont this done, I will learn a lot on the way. That how I see it. If you dont agree, thats fine.

[bold]"Everyone has already thought of every method of hacking it."[/bold]

Maybe so, but yet I do not see anybody playing copied on an unmodded xbox, so even if somebody did figure out a way, I dont know it. I will find out what it is, even if I can't do it because of time or money or take a lot of time. At least I'll know how to do it...

The more research I do on this, the more I seem to think that not only is it possible but it will also be very worth it. If i'm wrong, tell me now and explain why at least to some extent.

So anyway.. I'll take any help that I can get.

Just to fill you guys in as it seems some of you have this confused. It is entirely possible to install evox and play games straight off of the hard-drive without any mod chips. You will have to take apart your xbox but it isn't anything more or less then what you would have to do to put a mod chip in. The only difference is you wouldnt' be able to use xbox live without a mod chip which you can turn on and off.

We allready know that you dont even have to break the encryption. It is not necessary. Xbox can read xbox discs. All we need to do is make identical copies of the disc by using the xbox drive to create images. When i say identical.

The big question is, Is there no such thing as copying software bit by bit?

Copying encrypted data should not be a problem if bit by bit copying is possible. Even if you can't decipher the data and/or do anything with it, if you're reading the data bit by bit you can still see the zeroes and ones and make a perfect copy without losing a single bit of information.

If you can make a perfect copy of the disc, theoretically, if the xbox judges whether or not the disc is original by checking the data on the disc and not the media itself you should be able to play the game on an unmodified xbox as it will look identical to the original.

Am I wrong about anything that I have said?

Is there a way to copy to xbox dvds bit by bit?
If you can copy xbox games bit by bit wouldn't you copy everything(including the encryption) on the discs?
Do the barcodes on the inside of xbox discs have anything to do with how xbox decides whether the disc is original or not?

So many missing pieces.. I read the links here.. Plus a lot of guides at http://www.xbox-scene.com which is an excellent site by the way, lots of usefull information. Still, I am not finding anything which explains how xbox knows which disc is original.

I understand the discs are encrypted and that the only hardware that can read is has the key. What I do not understand is why you cannot copy the encryption as well as everything else.

 

i think you should just do wat ten80 thought of, still if u wanna be picky

 

Unexist it seems difficult to understand at first why it is not possible to copy a disc bit by bit, but this is the remarkable technology that the people at Macrovision have developed. The code i believe they use is Safedisc Version 3. They say its a "transparent solution for protecting executable content on an optical media such as dvd". Safedisc adds a unique digital signature to the optical media at the time of replication. Safedisc authentication performs security checks and verifies this "digital signature". Once it has been established the game will run normally. In all they claim the digital signature cannot be copied or transferred from the original media. Games are produced at a factory with this signature on them using a "Laser Beam Recorder".

You can read their faq on their website.
http://www.macrovision.com/pdfs/SafeDisc_v315_FAQ_Dec2003.pdf
It answers some questions but also raises a few such as how is this burnproof data actually achieved. This is their secret/patent which is their primary business! geeze i wish i had the patent would be worth a lot!

It seems your only solution to make an exact copy is to copy the data off a game as per normal then obtain illegally (steal) one of these gold masters from Macrovision and then you could encode your own Safedisc digital signature.

I have no idea how youd ever achieve that but good luck with you quest!

 

joles_123:

beat me to the response.

 

i guess this guy aint comin back..lol prolly still searching for the answer to his question

Good Luk i guess

 

i guess he wont be back for a long time then
BUT if he does manage it.... il welcome him!!!

 

Yea, I think I know what you're talking about. It is called CPRM.

Here is some info for you guys...

CPRM is a mechanism that ties a recording to the media on which it is recorded. It is supported by some DVD recorders, but not by many DVD players. Each blank recordable DVD has a unique 64-bit media ID etched in the BCA*. When protected content is recorded onto the disc, it can be encrypted with a 56-bit C2 (Cryptomeria) cipher derived from the media ID. During playback, the ID is read from the BCA and used to generate a key to decrypt the contents of the disc. If the contents of the disc are copied to other media, the ID will be absent or wrong and the data will not be decryptable.

*BCA stands for burst cutting area, a zone near the hub of a DVD reserved for a barcode that can be etched into the disc by a high-powered (YAG) laser. Because barcode cutting is independent of the stamping process, each disc can have unique data recorded in the BCA, such as a serialized ID. DVD readers can use the laser pickup head to read the BCA.

I'm thinking that since this barcode is clearly visible on xbox discs, Xbox most likely uses this form of copy protection. As of right now, I'm not sure if they definitely use it, and I do not know of any way around it without making mods to the Xbox. If there is a way. I will find it.

Also, another problem is the fact that all x-box discs are dual-layered and you cannot make an identical bit by bit copy without having a dual-layer burner which is not even available at the moment (although they should be available before this year ends). The good news is, once they do become availble, those of you who have a dvd burner do not have to replace it. This should be a matter of nothing more then a firmware upgrade.

Third obstacle to over come is the differences in media. I do not know enough about this to even know whether or not it presents a problem, but I am learning more and more everyday and will post more as I figure stuff out.

Any additional information on this topic would be seriously appreciated. Especially if it is related to different media types (DVD-5, DVD-9, etc..etc..) . I will take anything I can get, links, whatever..

Anybody?

 

You are right. It is not possible to make an exact copy of some games since they are larger than 4GB. Usually around 6GB, which means they are a dual-layer disc. All you really need to know about the two types of dvd-r media is that the dual-layer (DVD-9) stores roughly twice as much data than the single layer (DVD-5). It does this by using two layers of dye made of slightly different composition. As you may know a '1' is stored on this media by "burning" or thermally exciting a pixel of this dye with a laser, changing its reflectivity so that it reflects back to a detector on the dvd player it is read as a '1'. Dual layer probably just adjusts the intensity of the laser so it misses this first layer and goes to the second layer, waiting for a reflection from that.

To get around this people have stored copies of games on their harddrive and have usualy swapped the original harddrive with a larger one. In my opinion this is the best solution anyway. Harddrive medium is much faster than dvd.

But as your first obstacle says the disc has a barcode, BCA that contains code that cannot be copy. The only way you can replicate this is to get a YAG laser and im sure your looking at a very expensive cost! Much more than a modchip. Also you need a license because im sure its a class one laser, plus you need to know what code you even have to put on it.

I still think the best solution is to get a modchip, simply for the fact that you can install a custom harddrive and just have every game stored on it. I dont see why you're so against it. This gets around the mess of even trying to copy the media. Once its on the harddrive also you can just backup onto dvds if you want to wipe the harddrive and put them back on at any time.

Im very interested in what you say about the dual discs. I hope that current dvd burners are firmware upgradable. That would save having to buy another. Does anyone for a fact know that current burners will be able to burn dual discs? Also is there any news when a company is going to release these? I am very interested not just for the xbox but for dvd movies. A lot of movies are dual disc so I cant make a direct backup. At the moment I just have to reduce the quality of the movie, but with these discs I wouldnt have to.

Cheers

 

Well, that is only because he doesn't have time to look for his answers. could you guys imagine if he had it? another way you can play back ups in your xbox is buying to disks. keep one in a safe place and that is it.