120gb 360 hard drive worth buying?

[Dorkenstein]

The catch is that I am planning on installing some big games to the hard drive. Out of 60gb I have 44gb left with only one game installed and some arcade/demos. If I was to install say, Lost Odyssey, which is about 23 gigabytes, I am going to run out of space fast. Anyone here in a similar predicament? Just wanted to know if I absolutely need the 120gb drive or if I can just install one disc instead of all of them. Thanks.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

I only have a 20GB HD and I make it work. Whatever game I'm primarily focused on I have installed...it doesn't take too long to do. If you think you'll really NEED to have tons of games installed all at once then go for the 120GB, otherwise it's fairly easy to manage space.

 

[gorcorps]

I plan on getting a 120gig. My 20 is almost full on just game saves, RB songs, and 2 demos. I want to download some of my heavily used games on the HDD so I'd like all the space on the 120gig.

 

[mmntech]

The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

+1

BTW, the drive is 55 bucks on the egg right now

 

[leglez]

Yeah good luck finding a hdd.bin or whatever though if you play online.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

LOL, you made it sound like it's as easy as installing a bigger HD in the PS3. Oh wait, it's not.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

+1

BTW, the drive is 55 bucks on the egg right now

No it's not that easy. The 'it should work fine' means you haven't tried it, and it's an absolute bitch.

 

[Dorkenstein]

So you can't play online that way? That's out, then.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Dorkenstein
So you can't play online that way? That's out, then.

Well it's not certain, but they have banned consoles in the past for this kind of mod.

 

[Dorkenstein]

Yeah, I won't take the risk. Guess I will just pony up for an official drive. *shakes fist*

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

+1

BTW, the drive is 55 bucks on the egg right now

No it's not that easy. The 'it should work fine' means you haven't tried it, and it's an absolute bitch.

No, I've done it, for myself and quite a few friends.
Besides game saves for rock band 1 and 2 freezing up it isn't bad at all.
At least not for someone with a little patience and enough experience behind a monitor.
Why don't you tell me the stumbling blocks you've hit that make you feel it is such a chore.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Also, I'd like to add that when this is done properly there really is no way for MS to know.
It will look exactly like a legit 120GB drive.
Given that it is the same exact model drive used that really isn't much of a stretch.
MS has piracy as their primary target, with cheating on live being number.
Having 1 hundredth of the customer base upgrading their hard drives is about number 9 million on the priority list right now.
Think about it, people are upgrading these drive to make room for live arcade games, netflix streaming and other profitable activities.
Why in the world would they want to ban these users and reduce their own income?
They more than recoup the "loss" they would have had on someone buying the drive after a year's worth of live.
It would be Comcast that I would see crying foul here, you know, users actually taking advantage of the service they pay for.

 

[Dorkenstein]

Hmm. Resuming research.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
Also, I'd like to add that when this is done properly there really is no way for MS to know.

Except for the unique serial number attached to the hard drive. All Microsoft has to do is gather up all the hdd.bin files online and ban the numbers they find.

 

[Dorkenstein]

Well, I just read that you can't use a transfer kit for transferring data from a 60 to a 120 anyway. Is that true? If so I will need to add insult to injury and buy a memory card for my saves.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
Also, I'd like to add that when this is done properly there really is no way for MS to know.

Except for the unique serial number attached to the hard drive. All Microsoft has to do is gather up all the hdd.bin files online and ban the numbers they find.

Have you not looked into this at all....sure if you halfway do it and don't bother using a hex editor or anything it will show up but done correctly it will be 100% legit

 

[Dorkenstein]

The only way I know how to do it is by booting off a usb stick in dos. Nismo, PM me if you would please about this.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

Look here
and here

Yes you will make a bootable usb stick, no that doesn't mean this is all that crazy hard.
There some excellent "hold your hand" walkthroughs.
In fact, they even link you to everything you need, HDD included.
If you can't manage that then, well, what are you doing on AT.

 

[tw1164]

I did the 120 upgrade a few weekends ago. The only "real" problem I had was that I lost my Puzzle Quest saved game.

 

[leglez]

Here is what I would suggest doing. Purchase a 120GB Hard drive off ebay for around $70. Call Microsoft tell them you purchased an Elite off Amazon and need a data migration kit. Transfer your 60 to your 120GB, then sell the data migration kit on ebay for around $40. I only had a 20GB and sold it on ebay for around $30, but 60GBs you should be able to get $40-$60 and make a bit of a profit off upgrading to 120GB

 

[mmntech]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

+1

BTW, the drive is 55 bucks on the egg right now

No it's not that easy. The 'it should work fine' means you haven't tried it, and it's an absolute bitch.

Sounds like someone is just afraid of a challenge, which seems odd this being hardware modding forum. Yes, I am aware of the formatting issues, I'm not a complete idiot. However, a quick Google search shows tons of instruction videos on how to do it properly. It may be a bitch to install it but it's a hell of a lot better than spending $160 for Microsoft's one. Doing some more research, you NEED to use Western Digital BEVS drives. $55 at Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822136072

Here's a guide that explains how to do it. You need to create a DOS boot disk as well. Here's one guide that explains it. I guess I should have been more detailed in my original post instead of just assuming people know were to find the information.
http://www.360-hq.com/xbox-tutorials-64.html

If it works, you've saved $105, if it doesn't, $55 is no big loss and the drive is still useable.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: leglez
Here is what I would suggest doing. Purchase a 120GB Hard drive off ebay for around $70. Call Microsoft tell them you purchased an Elite off Amazon and need a data migration kit. Transfer your 60 to your 120GB, then sell the data migration kit on ebay for around $40. I only had a 20GB and sold it on ebay for around $30, but 60GBs you should be able to get $40-$60 and make a bit of a profit off upgrading to 120GB

This ^ I bought a 120 last month for 140, sold the 20gb for 40 and the transfer kit for 45. So the 120gb cost 55 after all was done. Already down to 40 gb left.

 

[Deviant Grasshopper]

Originally posted by: mmntech

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu

Originally posted by: mmntech
The Microsoft made 120gb Xbox 360 drive is grossly overpriced. My suggestion would be to crack the old one open and put your own 120gb drive in there. It should work fine. Just google it for how-to instructions.

+1

BTW, the drive is 55 bucks on the egg right now

No it's not that easy. The 'it should work fine' means you haven't tried it, and it's an absolute bitch.

Sounds like someone is just afraid of a challenge, which seems odd this being hardware modding forum. Yes, I am aware of the formatting issues, I'm not a complete idiot. However, a quick Google search shows tons of instruction videos on how to do it properly. It may be a bitch to install it but it's a hell of a lot better than spending $160 for Microsoft's one. Doing some more research, you NEED to use Western Digital BEVS drives. $55 at Newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822136072

Here's a guide that explains how to do it. You need to create a DOS boot disk as well. Here's one guide that explains it. I guess I should have been more detailed in my original post instead of just assuming people know were to find the information.
http://www.360-hq.com/xbox-tutorials-64.html

If it works, you've saved $105, if it doesn't, $55 is no big loss and the drive is still useable.

I've yet to see a guide that has a way to change the serial number of the drive that the original hdd.bin is copied from. If someone has found a way to do it then I'd like to see a link.

If you were around during the original xbox modding days you'd know that MS typically waits a long long time before mass uber banning consoles (~6 months). They have good reason to since they're losing a good bit of money vs you buying a 120gb drive.

Personally I think it's BS that they charge so much, but it's not worth getting my console banned either. Looking at their history with banning modded boxes I'd have to say it's a matter of when, not if.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: leglez
Here is what I would suggest doing. Purchase a 120GB Hard drive off ebay for around $70. Call Microsoft tell them you purchased an Elite off Amazon and need a data migration kit. Transfer your 60 to your 120GB, then sell the data migration kit on ebay for around $40. I only had a 20GB and sold it on ebay for around $30, but 60GBs you should be able to get $40-$60 and make a bit of a profit off upgrading to 120GB

If it's so easy to get the data migration kit, why aren't people doing what you're doing instead of buying your free kit for $$ on eBay? MS doesn't ask for proof of purchase?