An Xbox 360 DVD drive needs to be flashed before it can play games (otherwise it will only be able to play DVDs) Flashing a DVD drive is moderately difficult, this post explains how to save money and do it yourself.
***Please remember that flashing a DVD drive will void the manufacturer’s warranty on your Xbox 360. Do so at your own risk.*** Proceed with caution and make sure you fully understand the process before attempting - vpgames holds no responsibility for your actions!
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Step 1: Find out which type of DVD Drive your Xbox 360 contains. There are three types of DVD drives for the Xbox 360:
-Toshiba/Samsung
-Hitachi-LG
-Philips
You will need to open the console to remove the drive later , but it is possible to find out what kind of DVD drive you need without opening the console.
Step 2: Purchase a 360-compatible Torx Screwdriver to open up your Xbox 360
Step 3: Open up the Xbox 360 unit and remove the DVD drive
Step 4: Get the firmware files for the drive you will be flashing
One of the best sites for downloading files is EurAsia. Please make sure to register before downloading any files, and also make sure you have Winrar installed on your computer in order to decompress the files.
Once you have registered with EurAsia, download the appropriate file: Hitachi, Toshiba/Samsung, or Philips (info. not available)
Step 5: Get the DVD-drive to be recognized by your PC
We need to tell the DVD-drive to enter a mode known as ‘Mode B’ or the PC will not be able to see the drive and we need the PC to see it before we can do any firmware updates. Three methods are available to accomplish the task, choose your method and read how it’s done.
a. Slax CD if your SATA chipset is compatible. Instructions available here.
b. Crossed Wires Method requires adding some wires to the DVD-drive. Instructions available here.
c. Xecuter Connectivity Kit needs to be purchased for around $30 online. Instructions available here.
Step 6: Obtain the sector sectors of the Xbox title we wish to create a back-up for
- Only the Toshiba-Samsung DVD-drives are currently able to perform this function. and it requires flashing a different firmware to the drive to enable this particular function to work. users with the other drive types need to obtain .iso images that are ‘Xtreme’ firmware ready meaning the security sectors have been injected correctly into the back-up by someone else. You can also find the current sectors for most games available as a download if you look around. Remember the Xbox 360 requires you use the correct version, so if you have a NTSC Xbox 360 look for a NTSC version, PAL users need a PAL version, etc…
Once your drive is flashed, you are ready to go. Your Xbox 360 will now be able to play both games and DVDs from your region.
- For additional information, try these resources:
xbox-scene.com
xboxhacker.net
eurasia.nu
