Installing new Hard Drive in original xbox

Hello I'm looking into getting and modding an original xbox to play halo and a few emu's and I would like to know; do I have to use xboxhdm and have an old pc to install the eeprom to the new hdd or can i just stick the new hdd into the console and make it think its factory default?

If I can't then can someone tell me how to do this on a window hp pavilion g6 series laptop without taking things apart [I'm not very good at putting it back together without mishaps.] I already know to get the eeprom easiest to softmodd and ftp it from filezilla I just don't have an old pc to take apart that my parents will let me barrow for this [their the only people I know how have a pc that used ide hdd.]

I used the linux method that takes the info from the original drive and passes that to the new drive so yes you need to hook the drives to an old PC to do that

You can't do that with a laptop at all (USB IDE does not work for that as they are not detected as IDE but only as USB)

Sounds like the hot swap method is what you want

hot swap method info http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=654467 read that a few times to make sure you get everything done correctly

for the hot swap the most you will need is an external IDE power source the best option is a USB external kit that comes with a power cable for IDE drives something like http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bipra-SATA-A.../dp/B001A5SK56 that comes with everything needed, you can't use that for the first method though it will only be used as power for the hot swap method

Yes well i have read the links in your post front to back and from the sounds of things i need a degree in not messing up and like i said no retro pc all sata at stores now only ide is mom pc and if i break something on the already jacked up pc SHE WILL skin me alive and hang me out to dry.
So can you give me any info if there is any to someone who is good at modding xbox's and willing to sell a pre modded hdd if none then can you guys tell me how good at reading burnt dvd's is a softmodded xbox d i need to patch it as with the ps2 or do i just straight burn it.

You can't use a HDD from one xbox to another.

The process from what I read was simple enough and you can use a USB IDE kit just for the power while you switch drives.

Meh you are always trying to do things that are beyond you but this one is simple.

It is more complicated to do it the IDE machine method, using the linux boot CD, though in text it might not seem that complicated but hot swapping is a lot more simple

Just find the correct files, also if you do make a mistake you can start fresh you are not altering the original HDD

an IDE power splitter may work aswell, but I'm not going to recommend that :P

EDIT messing on with this just for a test, it's actually formatting now, big yawn as it's taking ages

The complicated part is finding the software that has taken me the best part of today & building the boot disc in the first place after that it is rather simple, though I don't know if it has worked or not yet, it is formatting though so the custom software has seen the new drive (well old drive realy I am only testing with an old IDE HDD, it's not worth using as a replacement it is only 12GB, I think the original is only 10GB apx to start with so it's not like I am giving myself any extra space)

Xboxhdm available here: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=244043

This is an old guide, it's the one I've used on numerous occasions. I think the last time this topic was raised, someone mentioned using Chimp. I haven't tried it, but it's something to consider...

http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?na...Installer_v2.7 the SlaYers file as the one in the guide is missing

I would use that method myself :) and have done a couple of times... could do with a new HDD myself, keep getting the 07 error, then it magically works.

thanks for all your help when I get the xbox next month i'll go about softmodding then get a 250gb western gate hdd I just remembered there's an old windows 98 in storage i could use is the software compatible with 98 pc's and if I can't get the drive to work how well is the xbox at reading burnt copies? Does it read them right out of the burner or like the ps2 do I have to use a certain patch program first?

Yep 98 should be fine, you will not be using win 98 anyway the only time you use windows is for making the boot CD, the rest is done from a linux boot CD at that point to be safe take the win98 HDD out before booting the Linux CD you make

The xbox is fine most the time at reading burned discs but the drives do die, mine can only read burned media now, only a modded xbox console can read burned media though

Might be an idea to get the software now so you do have it, some of the older stuff is getting very hard to find now

Edit: you can build the CD on whatever machine you are using now, it's just linux boot CD then you don't need to build it on the old desktop and you can take the Win98 HDD out of the desk top ready for the 2 HDD's 1 being the original xbox HDD the other being the replacement HDD, you do not need to boot to Win98 at all the CD will skip booting the Win98 HDD

That was the part confusing me; so I take out the original pc hdd and place the xbox one in as the master drive? Then connect the new drive in as what secondary third what?
I know about the linux cd-r bios boot from cd part just need more info on the hdd install to pc part none of the guides or youtube explain much on that part.
and like i said I already have the software just need the console oh and can i install the splinter cell memory mod from datel's action replay memory to pc adapter the transfer the file from pc to memory im asking this because the only place to get the f/usb to m/xbox cable is ebay and i've been ripped off twice on there 50 bucks down the drain.
and i don't feel like butchering a usb cable like I said once in older posts have no solder skills and only getting 1 controller with the console.[so I just burn and pop burnt games in the xbox right?]

for mod installs yes an action replay works fine problem is the drive for the action replay will not work in a newer OS version so you win98 HDD will come in handy still :P

once modded you can play from CD-R or DVD-/+R

eBay has individual sellers so one or two bad experiences of ebay only makes certain sellers bad not the whole of ebay best way is to make sure the seller has a good rating and read the feed back ebay itself will stop any sellers ripping customers off unless you got an item described correctly and you got the item fine thinking it could do something it can't.

If I remember correct I just had one drive hooked up at once both are set to master, take the needed info from one drive, remove the drive and replace with new drive then do whatever you want do at that point, either that or have both drives as master both on the master part of the primary and secondary cable

thanks ill give the news next month when the console and hdd are here

Good luck :)

Trying to remember how I did this with my own...but IIRC, I built my own power splitter and found a dual-connection-master/slave IDE cable to interface both drives in the box at once...is that what I did? :wacko: