Xbox Modding: Back to the basics.

This is a guide I started to write to help out hxcrev, but it started rambling on so I thought some people might fine this useful.

I'm sure I missed something so for whatever mistakes I did make please let me know.

1) Do you have the modchip to get it softmodded or chipped by someone else?
If yes, go to xbox-scene.com and find a reliable modder. This guide can't help you.
If no, continue on to question 2.

2) Do you have the soldering skill to attach, and ther money to buy a modchip?
If yes, check our llamma.com or one of several other large modchip retailers for a modchip and installation instructions. This guide can't help you.
If no, continue on to question 3.

Ok modchips are out so...
3) Do you have the money to buy or already own a cheap used game, either a controller dongle or USB extention cable, and either an xbox memory card or compatible USB key?
If no, you're out of luck. You need some basic things to do a softmod.
If yes, continue on to question 4.

4) Do you already have Mechassault, 007 Agent Under Fire, or Splinter Cell? (Mechassault and 007 can NOT be the game of the year or platinum hits edition) Also check at this time if you have a 5960 dashboard in System/System Settings.
If you do not have any of these games, add one to your shopping list and move on to question 5.
If you do not have a 5960 dashboard, add a new Xbox Live compatible game to your shopping list and move on to question 5. (Halo2 is recommended)
If yes have one of these games and a 5960 dashboard, move on to quesiton 5.

5) Do you have a spare Xbox controller dongle and USB extention cable, and either a USB key or Xbox memory card, or an Xbox Action Replay kit.
If you have a USB extention cable and USB key with a spare Xbox controller dongle, do the rest of your shopping and move on to step 2 A.
If you have a USB extention cable, an Xbox memory card (must be 8mb or more) and a spare xbox controller dongle move on to step 2 B.
If you have an Xbox Action Replay Kit move on to step 3 C.
If you have none of these, go to step 1 to finish your shopping list.

Questionnare over.

Step 1] Do your shopping.

Buying one of the 3 listed games:
007 Agent Under Fire: Any autentic version will work, Platinum Hits verions with the number 1448517 at the end of the copyright text MAY work, verions with 1448527 will not work.
Mechassault: if the laser etching on the back reads MS02301L it will work. If it reads MS02308L it will not work.
Splinter Cell: All verions of the original Splinter Cell game work. Not Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory or Dublu Agent.

Buying one of the transfer methods:
USB extention cable, memory key and xbox controller dongle: This is a partial list of compatible memory keys. http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_USB_Compatibility_List
For the extention cable, any will do, all you really need is the USB female end, and xbox controller dongle to connect it to.

Xbox memory card, USB extention cable and Xbox controller dongle: You need an official Xbox memory card for this to work, third party ones tend to corrupt the gamesave. Again the USB extention cable can be generic, only you need the male end this time, and you still need the xbox controller adapter. Alternatively you can buy an Xbox 360 Extention cable instead of the extention cable and controller dongle.

Xbox Action Replay kit: This comes with a memory card, a software CD and a USB to memory card adapter. No hacking and soldering or cutting is required with this purchase.

Step 2] Constructing your tranfer method.
This step is easier than it sounds. If you have no soldering skills/tools just twist the wires together and use electrical tape for a temporary connection.

A] USB Key method: You need to cut both the dongle and USB extention cable in half and connect the male end of the dongle to the female end of the USB extention cable to make a cable resembling this:

Xbox Modding: Back to the basics. Xbox Modding: Back to the basics.

Xbox Modding: Back to the basics. Xbox Modding: Back to the basics.

Connect the wires together color for color and ignore yellow on the controller dongle.
This will be used to connect your USB key to your Xbox.
Continue to step 3 A.

B] Memory Card method: You need to cut both the dongle and USB extention cable in half and connect the female end of the dongle to the male end of the USB extention cable to make a cable resembling this:

Xbox Modding: Back to the basics. Xbox Modding: Back to the basics.

Connect the wires together color for color and ignore yellow on the controller dongle.
This will be used to connect your controller to your PC. Continue to step 3 B

With either method you should end up with a connection similar to this:

Xbox Modding: Back to the basics. Xbox Modding: Back to the basics.

Step 3] Transferring your save game to your Xbox.

A] Transferring your savegame with the Xbox memory card method:
Download and install the newest Xbox Controller Driver (XBCD) found here: http://www.redcl0ud.com/xbcd.html Continue to step 3 C.

B] Transferring your savegame with the USB key method:
Follow this tutorial on how to use your USB key as an Xbox memory card but stop before coyping any savegame over. http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?act...44&t=262740
Don't worry if you have a 1.6 Xbox this does work on every 1.6 Xbox I've ever worked on. Continue on to step 3 C.

C] Download and install the action replay software found here: http://us.codejunkies.com/support_article_...=1&ProdId=5

All 3 transfer methods should all work as Xbox memory cards within the Xbox Action Replay software now. Now we need to choose a savegame. I heavily recomment Krayzies Ndure 1.1.1 softmod install package. Which can be found with CASH v 1.1 http://www.blackcats-games.net/details.php?id=156 I can also provide individual saves if people need them. Follow the instructions in the second half of guide on how to make your savegame Action Replay friendly: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?act...44&t=262740
Once you have successfully copied your savegame from your PC to your memory card. Plug your memory card into your Xbox and transfer the savegame to your Xbox.

Step 4] Exploiting your xbox:
Once you have an exploit savegame on your Xbox, put in your game of choice and load the exploit savegame. After this I leave you in the capable hands of Krazyie. More information on what to do when running the exploit can be found in the user manual for Krayzies Ndure 1.1.1 Softmod.

I found this post very useful!