Playing Xbox 360 backups

squirrel

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Hi guys,

I've found a second hand Xbox 360 that I might be interested in. Anyways, I believe in a try before you buy system, and I would rather download the games first before going out to buy them. I haven't been following the Xbox 360 scene in terms of the firmware/modding/etc. I want to know, is it possible to load firmware so I can play copied games? I do not want to make any hardware changes..
 
You do realise that would be piracy and illegal...

Rather don't be such a cheap ass and buy the games...

The answer to your question is no...
 
Well, Gav, that's not totally true. There was a way to hack a 360, but you did have to crack open the box.

MS found it, patched it and will brick any console that touches live with hacked firmware. There is also evidence that there is now heuristics software than runs continuous on the 360 to detect new hacks to the firmware, even if you're not on live.

So as as Gav said. No. . . . .

But that should really worry you, most games on the 360 have demo's available for download from Live! marketplace so you can try before you buy. Alternatively 360 games trade really well, so if you're unsure you can just wait for it to come up for trade.
 
Yip, all of my games barring 1 I have bought second hand. That's the way to go.
 
Thank you doobiwan and getafix33 for your contributions. I recall reading about modified firmware that allows you to play backups. Does this simply not work?
 
Roadkill! Long time no see man ;) Howzit going bro ? ;) :D :p
 
Hmmm, I think ya'all are talking rubbish. Playing copied games on live will ban your console. If you play on live then you must use an original. I've never heard of it bricking the 360.

Am I wrong?
 
well there is custom firmware out there that let cheap ppl do this type of backup...There are some clever okies in america that messes with these things.I dont own a 360 but waht i read is that you cant go online anymore if you have changed/modded your firmware or hardware.....Sorry but its just a matter of time before some one comes up with a better hack.
Its sadbut true.( i give it 8 months..piracy will continue on the 360)
 
I've been following quite closely and the guys are getting close, but MS have had 20 years of fighting PC pirates and got everything they wanted in the 360. Not to say guys won't find other ways around, but it's a lot more difficult than any previous console.

The history, in short, is something like this - The original DVD Rom firmware was hacked to allow backups, MS pretended to let it go unnoticed and rolled out a few dashboard updates apparently ignoring the matter, but fixing one or two other minor holes.

In reality the updates included scanners that detected all the modded 360's and were only flipped on after most 360's had been updated catching most modders unaware, banning them from live and in some cases bricking the console. And even those that weren't, a 360 with no live might as well be bricked ;) (From Live! I know of at least 2 locals that were banned, and 1 bricked) I suspect the bricking may not have been intentional :p

There was also no way of reverting the firmware, which is what the modders are desperately trying to do now, but MS uses destructible read once silicon keys, that as the name suggest, once the keys used, it's destroyed and can't be hacked.

Conspiracy theory alert: One thing I've always suspected is that the RRoD debacle arose shortly after the new updates were turned on. While there are issues with the hardware, I wonder if there weren't a whole bunch of modders that forced their 360 to fail in order to get back on live ;)
 
Well, Gav, that's not totally true. There was a way to hack a 360, but you did have to crack open the box.

Well Doobi I know, but I'm not going to start pointing the cheap ass pirate in the right direction now am I :D...

Slightly off topic, I still think Microsoft's sneaky banning mechanism was one of the best anti-pirate attacks I have ever seen... Not only did they monitor the boxes they also monitored game saving sites and disabled all those accounts in one shot as well.

M$ are taking piracy on the Xbox very very seriously, that is not to say you won't be able to do it but the amount of functionality you lose by being kicked off live is not worth it.
 
lol, I just have to laugh at some of these statements. :)

I've played on Live numerous times on Xbox's with the latest Ixtreme firmware (1.2C), without it getting banned. Maybe it's still coming, but the newer firmware will just follow.

It's easy to install if you have the right make of SATA card in your pc, just know that there's a risk playing on Live.
 
Dang, we converted the rabid PS3 fanboy into a Xbox 360 follower and then he chips the box... sad...

Enjoy the next dashboard update Retro :p
 
GavinMannion, why do you have to come in here and question my ethics? My reasons for testing games before I buy (or copying them, hell it doesn't make a difference) does not matter, so go away! I was looking for help, you can either help, or not help. You attacking me is not going to make me start buying legal computer games, legal software, legal xbox 360 games, original nike clothing, legal music cds, legal dvds, and so on.
 
Aw shame does the pirate not like being called a pirate?

I put a lot of effort into improving console gaming in SA and then people like you unilaterally decide that the industry doesn't work the way you want it to, and somehow you think that justifies you becoming a criminal and then publically asking other people to help you with your crimes.

It makes me sick that people will bitch and complain about every crime under the sun and then openly and publically gloat about their own criminal exploits... You think people don't get hurt by your piracy and that makes you happy...

Don't feel special either I attack every pirate who posts about pirating console games...

Your excuse (try before you buy) holds no water as all the games have demo's available through the Xbox live marketplace. You are just to cheap to pay the retail price of the games...

How about buying second hand games or classics instead...

[Edit] Just so you know there is a report bad post button if you want to call the mods over ;)
 
Aw shame does the pirate not like being called a pirate?

I put a lot of effort into improving console gaming in SA and then people like you unilaterally decide that the industry doesn't work the way you want it to, and somehow you think that justifies you becoming a criminal and then publically asking other people to help you with your crimes.

It makes me sick that people will bitch and complain about every crime under the sun and then openly and publically gloat about their own criminal exploits... You think people don't get hurt by your piracy and that makes you happy...

Don't feel special either I attack every pirate who posts about pirating console games...

Your excuse (try before you buy) holds no water as all the games have demo's available through the Xbox live marketplace. You are just to cheap to pay the retail price of the games...

How about buying second hand games or classics instead...

[Edit] Just so you know there is a report bad post button if you want to call the mods over ;)

Thank you Gavin for opening my eyes. Instead of being a criminal and buying half my games, I've decided I simply don't deserve a console and won't be buying neither a console or Xbox games :)
 
Awesome one less person pirating console games...

What a loss to the industry... oh wait, the hardware is sold at a loss so if you pirate games you not only don't give anything to the industry but you actually make them lose money...

Yeah I can hear them crying all the way from over here :rolleyes:

Your point is weak and you know it... refreshing to see that at least
 
I for one would welcome a way to play backed up games.

And before anyone pulls the sanctimony card wait and see what a 2 year old can do to a disk or a drive.
 
I also have a two year old and those sorts of backups would be much appreciated...

It is just a pity that normal people's lives are disrupted once again by criminals. Such is life though...

Microsoft do have full intentions of moving to digital distribution completely one day and that would then fix the backup problem once and for all... We just need lines big enough to download 20Gb games though....
 
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