I just bought an oXbox for the first time (sorta)

[Ziggy]

LOL, congrats! You have a hard modded Xbox, which is more desirable than a soft mod. Evolution X made both a BIOS and a dashboard, so you can have either or both. Looks like you have both. You have "M8" but the latest is M8+. You'd have to look at a change log to see what the difference is.

Now, you could update the BIOS. But for you I would say if you don't have any specific reason to then it's best to just leave it be. If everything is working, and there aren't any modding things you want to do, then leave well enough alone. Me personally, I would flash a BIOS just so I know exactly what I have.

FYI, on a stock Xbox if there's an issue with the DVD drive the console will not boot. With a hacked BIOS, you can remove that check so the console will still boot. Even with no drive installed. IIRC with the EvoX BIOS, that option is set using a tool before flashing. So who knows what the previous owner did. I suppose you could unplug the DVD drive and see if the console still boots LOL. But yeah, if you flash the BIOS you can be sure there's no DVD check. That'll just give you insurance should the DVD drive ever die.

You should also be aware that having a hard modded Xbox (flashed TSOP or mod chip) means you're a little safer than having just a soft mod. You can still brick your Xbox, but having a hacked BIOS means everything is much easier to fix. For example, if you ever want to upgrade to a larger HDD, it is dead simple to do with a hard mod. Or if the stock HDD ever dies, replacing it is just as easy.

Now as for updating or replacing the dashboard, you can actually still use the Rocky5 "extras" disc. I used it on my hard modded Xbox and it worked great. It will detect that you have a hard mod when you load the disc. It wont update the soft mod, obviously, but you can still use it to install UnleashX and clean up the HDD.

Alternatively, you could use the OGXbox Installer disc, which is aimed at hard mods. I have also used this disc and it works great. Although the UnleashX dash is customized. It has some useful things, but I like the original one that Rocky5 uses better. Still, this disc makes it dead simple if you ever want to set a up a new HDD. Or if the stock HDD fails and you have to replace it. You just install the new HDD, then load this disc up. It will format the new HDD and install dashboards. The process is near automated.

I'm not sure if you can tell from splash screens alone what type of hard mod you have. You could always open the console up and see if there's a mod chip in there. If you load up the OGXbox Installer disc, there's an info pane on the right side of the screen. It will tell you what type of TSOP chip you have, or if it's protected. If it specifies the type of chip, then I believe that means you can flash it using whatever app. But if it says "protected," then that either means whoever flashed it put it back into write protect mode. Or there's a mod chip installed. If there's a mod chip installed, then to update the BIOS you'd have to follow whatever instructions specific to that chip.

Normally you use the power button to turn the console on. But some mods boot into something else if you use the eject button to power on the console. Have you ever powered on your Xbox by using the eject button? Did that bring you to a different screen?

[Reprise]

LOL, congrats! You have a hard modded Xbox, which is more desirable than a soft mod. Evolution X made both a BIOS and a dashboard, so you can have either or both. Looks like you have both. You have "M8" but the latest is M8+. You'd have to look at a change log to see what the difference is.

Haha awesome. I assume I can basically play games from any region and obviously can play burnt games and load them onto the hard drive etc?

Now as for updating or replacing the dashboard, you can actually still use the Rocky5 "extras" disc. I used it on my hard modded Xbox and it worked great. It will detect that you have a hard mod when you load the disc. It wont update the soft mod, obviously, but you can still use it to install UnleashX and clean up the HDD.

Ah awesome, thanks! How do I go about that? I just want the Dashboard to be less ugly and have more options, otherwise I am really happy with this console. What blows me away still (even though it shouldn't, because I am well aware of its power) is just how stunning the graphics are compared to the PS2 and even the Gamecube. I'm going to have to compile a list of games to keep an eye out for.

Normally you use the power button to turn the console on. But some mods boot into something else if you use the eject button to power on the console. Have you ever powered on your Xbox by using the eject button? Did that bring you to a different screen?

Yeah, I did come across that yesterday when I was trying to figure out what's on my console and how to change the dashboard. I tried it, but it didn't do anything differently. I also tried holding down the power button for several seconds, but that also didn't bring up a different screen or anything.

[Ziggy]

Haha awesome. I assume I can basically play games from any region and obviously can play burnt games and load them onto the hard drive etc?

There are some things that are dependent on the BIOS or the dash. For example, having a hacked BIOS doesn't allow you to FTP, but it allows you to install a custom dashboard that allows you to FTP. But yeah, one important thing is being able to boot a burned disc. The BIOS will have other features though, depending on which one you have.

How do I go about that?

You can use the same YouTube video I linked before. You wont be upgrading the softmod, but you can install the UnleashX dashboard the same way.

[Reprise]

The rest of my games arrived. Here's what I have so far:

[marurun]

Definitely see some stuff there I'd like to make a run at, for sure.

[Reprise]

My external disc drive arrived and I have burned the Rocky5 extra disc. Hopefully it worked ok, I'll test it on my Xbox some time tomorrow as I am pretty tired tonight.

[Ziggy]

Awesome, dude!

Here's my collection so far...



COD Finest Hour is the damn greatest hits version because the seller sent me the wrong copy. They refunded my money and instructed me to keep the game, so that's good I guess. The second copy of MOH Frontline is actually MOH Rising Sun. Another example of the seller shipping me the wrong copy. After I contacted them, they shipped me the correct copy and told me to keep the other one. And Halo 1 I settled for the Game of the Year variant. I'd like to get better "black label" copies of COD Finest Hour and Halo 1 at some point, but it's not a priority right now. MOH Rising Sun, I don't know, I might print out the cover art for a generic case and then I guess trade/sell the Frontline cover and blooklet.

I think I want to pick up a copy of Tony Hawk 3, I did end up enjoying it enough (I played a burned copy) and it will annoy me that I have 2 and 4 but not 3 lol. After that, there's still a few games I'd like to get but I may hold off for a little. I have plenty of games to play for now.

Speaking of which, Reprise, now that you have a DVD burner and you can play them on your Xbox, this is a great way to try new games IMO. You can try games out for free and then buy the ones you end up liking. Or not regret purchasing ones you end up not liking.

[Reprise]

Nice collection, man. You have some great titles there. Conker's and both KOTORs are on my list of games I want to pick up. I nearly got them this week, but I will probably pick them up later this year. I didn't want to go too mad and they aren't a priority since I have the KOTORs on PC and Switch, and Conker's I have the original on N64. I have always wanted to play Tony Hawk 2X, but we didn't get it in Europe. Maybe I can pick up a copy or burn one to DVD if my Xbox is region free (I'll probably need to look into that). I have a soft spot for the 3rd game, as it was one of the first games I bought for my Gamecube back in the day. I always really enjoyed that one.

I am not a fan of those Greatest Hits releases either. The only reason I have Project Gotham Racing in that version is because I got it from a shop in town when I wanted some games to test on my Xbox. It was only £1, so who can complain? I'll probably swap it for a 'black label' at some point.

I'll definitely try burning some games some time. Funnily enough, I was thinking "hey, I can burn discs for my Dreamcast again now" and it hadn't dawned on me that I can burn games for my Xbox too until you mentioned it

[Reprise]

Hmmm so I tried the disc and my Xbox doesn't recognise the disc. It attempts to read it and says unknown disc. Maybe it just doesn't like the particular brand (Maxwell standard DVD R) or I did a bad burn somehow. Or my Xbox just can't read DVD Rs. Or perhaps the disc drive/laser is on the way out (although it has no issue with real games). Who knows? I'll try burning the iso to another disc later today and try again.

I am starting to think this "mod" is pretty screwed up. Like I tried audio CDs again and they still don't work. It recognises they are audio discs, but then launching the disc does nothing.

Edit: Ok, I have only just realised that I bought DVD+R and not DVD-R like I thought. Having Googled it, it seems like some Xbox drives can't read DVD+Rs, so I guess I could try a DVD-R too. Edit again: I have a Samsung disc drive which does not read DVD+R according to Google, so I have now ordered DVD-Rs.

[Ziggy]

Ah, lame. I remember reading some where that some Xboxes might have issues with DVD+R.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I actually had trouble loading the Rocky5 extras disc initially. It would load, but it kept freezing. I resorted to FTPing the needed files to the HDD and upgraded the softmod/dash that way. After that, I haven't had any issues loading that disc, or any other disc for that matter.

I have both -R and +R blank DVDs, and I have experimented with using both on both of my Xboxes. Both seem to work equally well. But I have a Thomson and a Philips drive. And oddly enough, apparently Sony, Philips and Thomson jointly created the DVD+R alliance.

https://youtu.be/e1mJv9pxm7M?si=QXMMEG7JvqHGmbUJ&t=295

Anyways, hope you're good to go once you get the DVD-Rs in.