*TUTORIAL* How to flash any Hitachi with ixtreme 1.2rev2. PDF download now available!

I know when I flashed my hitachi 78, I had a few problems seeing as there were no tutorials on flashing with ixtreme, so I thought I'd make one myself. NOTE: this tutorial was written assuming your have your setting in Windows so that you can see file extentions. If not, simply open up a folder, any folder will do, then click tools>folder options>view then un-check the box that says “hide extensions for known file types.” Moderators, please sticky this if you believe that it's helpful.

Things you'll need:
1.) Either Firmware Toolbox 4.0 or ixtreme_hitachi_1.2rev2.rar (both available on xbins, use search bar to find how to use xbins)
2.)This SATA PCI adapter (SYBA SY-VIA-150 PCI SATA / IDE Combo Controller Card, Non Raid - Retail. In case of bad link.).
3.) The latest version of Slax, burned to disc.
4.) 79 unlock track, burned to disc (hitachi 79 only)

Preparation
1.) Unzip ixtreme 1.2rev2 to a folder on the desktop.
2.) Install Windows Command Here tool (does not apply to 78 or 79). Link
3.) If you own a hitachi 79, burn the track specified above.

Step 1:
Once you have installed your PCI card and disassembled your xbox 360 (tutorial coming soon, hopefully), then plug the SATA cable into your hitachi.

Step 2:
Boot to Slax with your 360 turned on in order to put your drive into mode b (makes it visible in Windows). Make sure you have the Video cable plugged into the 360 at this point. Once Slax has ran through and you're at the Slax login screen, test your drive for mode b (if it's in mode b, you'll have to hit eject twice to open or close it, and once you close it, it'll open a few seconds later.) At this point, hit your computers power button and wait for it to turn off, once you hear it power down, IMMEDIATELY power back up. NOTE: in order to flash the drive, using either method, you should have your drive shut. to keep your drive shut, simply hit eject twice, then while the drive's closing, hit eject again OR hit eject once and push the drive in manually.) Open and close the drive a few times at the Windows loading screen, to ensure windows finds it, then hit eject 3 times and close it.

Step 3 for all hitachi's except the 78 and 79
Once you have logged into Windows, and your drive is in mode b, right click your ixtreme 1.2rev2 folder, and select "open command window here." With that command window open, enter "flashix.bat e 1969" (minus the quotes) where "e" is the drive letter and "1969" is a random four digit number. This will dump your original firmware in a folder called (in this case) "X16S-1969" (the X16S should always be there). "Was.bin" is your original firmware, and "now.bin" is the hacked firmware. I would highly recommend that you make a hard copy of your firmware and store a few digital copies also. Your hitachi is now flashed, congrats! HITACHI 78's and 79's, READ ON!

Step 3 for the hitachi 79
First you're going to want to unrar all of the files that come along with the 79 unlock track. Unrar those into a folder. Now open up Windows Media Player (ideally, though i suppose anything else would also work). Eject your hitachi via My Computer, just to make sure it's the correct drive, then place the disc with the hitachi 79 unlock track burned to it into the hitachi dvd tray and close the drive. Now, this is where it gets important. Play the track entirely through the first time. Then, when you play it the second time, hit play, and pause it immediately. This next part is also very important. Eject the hitachi drive WITH THE EJECT BUTTON ON THE HITACHI!! If you eject it via the computer, it will do something different and it will not work. Now, back to the files you unrared. Ok, right click on the folder which contains the file and select "open command prompt here" (assuming you installed command here power toy). Now run the command 79unlock h , where 'h' is your drive letter. It will give you an error regardless, but just ignore it. Once it's finished running, it'll say "Successfully unlocked!" Or something similar. Proceed to next section.

Step 3 for the hitachi 78 and step 4 for hitachi 79
Open up firmware toolbox 4.0 click tools>direct drive dump (gdr only). Your hitachi should be autoselected. Click the "eject" button on the screen, and insert an original DVD, xbox game, or xbox 360 game, then click the "load" button on the screen. Let the disc spin for 20 seconds, then click "RAW Dump Firmware As..." I would recommend saving the firmware into a folder on your desktop, and name the firmware "original.bin". After a few seconds, the firmware will be dumped (the blue bar will be full) and a window will open asking if you'd like to check the checksum, select "Yes". If the checksum doesn't pass, stop the installation and try again. If it does pass, it'll ask you if you want to open the firmware, select "Yes". On screen you will see you firmware details such as your drive key and your firmware location. I recommend saving your drive key in a text file called "key.txt" in the same file as your firmware. Your original firmware is now backed up. I highly recommend making a hard copy of your firmware and storing a few digital copies also.

Step 4: The Flash!!!
With your firmware details on the screen, click tools>smart hack patcher. A warning window will appear, click "OK". Save the output file in the same place as your original firmware as "final.bin", "hacked.bin" or something similar. Click the "Generate File" button on screen, it should be generated instantly. After that, it will ask if you want to open it, select "Yes". Now the hacked firmware details will be on the screen. Click tools>direct drive flash>differential flash (PATCH). Make sure your hitachi is selected, then click "Read Drive and Detect Differences". The white box should start filling up with info. Once that's done, click "Start Flashing" and after a few seconds (or when the blue bar is full), it'll be done and you can shut down. Congratulations! Your hitachi is now flashed with ixtreme 1.2!

Feel free to repost, just please do not take credit for the work of others. Thanks. If you have any questions or any suggestions, feel free to post reply or PM me

Update: PDF now available for download here. Enjoy! Also, added an important option: once your original firmware is dumped, I would highly recommend making a hard copy and storing a few digital copies as well.

Update 2: Due to reports of being shorted on the flat cable for the 79 pass key, I've supplied a different link

Update 3: Tutorial for ixtreme 1.4/restoring your hitachi now available http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/623207

Update 4: Added support for Hitachi 79

 

Nice tutorial,I would use it but I need a kreon drive

 

Thanks, I'm hopin it'll get stickied .As far as the kreon drive, you mean for the actual backing up of the games? well, it makes life easier lol, but you don't need one

 

What do you use? If you mean downloading games or WxRipper I dont want to mess with that

 

well, i do have a kreon drive, so that's what i use. i got mine pre-flashed on ebay for like 28 US dollars and that was including shipping costs, it's been the best investment i've made.

if you don't wanna mess with Wxripper, then ig there's no other way

 

Well I'll get a Kreon Drive then,I want an external one but dont want to pay $100 plus.I guess i'll settle for an internal drive

 

No need to pay that much. you can get an external enclosure here for cheap.

 

Thanks Budro,I'll get one soon.I hope I dont get banned :|
One more thing,can I use any enclosure?

 

No problem. I've been playin on Live since i flashed mine, no problems

yeah, you can use any enclosure. as long as you only use it for your kreon drive or other ROM drives, because i've found out putting a pioneer (or any burner for that matter) into an ex enclosure= lots of coasters lol

 

Nevermind

 

no problem, ask as many questions as you need

well, it'd be a bit difficult because you'd have to take apart your dvd dl drive and take the top off, plus then you would always have to have your external case top off also, or else you couldn't hot swap. but to answer your question, yeah, you could do that if you chose, though i still highly recommend the Kreon drive

 

I finally decided just to buy a internal DVD DL burner and a external enclosure for my DVD rom drive.I should buy it today,Thanks for the help

 

that's perfect, that should work great for ya!
No problem! anytime

 

this is a great tut budro, nice work. Very straight to the point.

 

thanks, I appreciate it

 

This was helpful i just want to know if I have to buy a pci sata card. I have Sata cords to my hard drives can I just use them. I have tried with no results should the video cable for the 360 be on the tv display? I assume loading the slax cd in the 360 is the correct method, it is unclear where to load it.

 

The SLAX CD should be in your PC not in the 360.The av cable should not be connected with a TV just connected with the 360 AV port and about your sata ports,if they didnt work you will need to buy a pci card

 

yup, there you go. sorry for lateish reply, had some down time going on with school startin up again

 

Thanks again,finally flashed my drive.The only frustrating part was that my 6421 card would not recognize my drive with a different SATA cable,it had to be the small black one that the 360 has.Thanks

 

no problem . that's an interesting hitch though, i wouldn't think it'd make a difference, but apparently it may. worked fine with my sata cable that came with it. interesting