Question about modding a "dirty-disc" XBOX

[nubbard]

First of all, I'm relatively new to the Xbox homebrew scene (I dabble in DS homebrew). I have an Xbox which has a non-working dvd drive in it. If I buy and install a mod chip, would I need to use the DVD drive at all? Also, do all mod chips do the same thing? Thanks in advance!

[SnoopKatt]

I suppose you don't need a working DVD drive if you can FTP whatever you need to the XBox. But at one point or another you may want to get it fixed or replaced.

It depends on what you buy. Some are more reliable, and some are easier to install. Some of them also have on/off switches so you can play on XBox Live, so if play online, look for a modchip with an on/off switch. Some of the switches can be placed externally on the XBox, so that way you don't need to open it to turn it off.

[nubbard]

So I will not need to use the DVD drive to set up the mod chip and bios and whatnot?

[SnoopKatt]

I highly doubt it, but if you ever screw up anything, you might need to put in a recovery disc, so I would repair it.

[MasterChafed]

If you ever want to play games again (unless you have backups which is highly unlikely if you dont have a modded xbox yet) then the answer is no, a modchip will not solve everything. If you decide to get a modchip i suggest the xenium gold because it has a built in os that will allow ftp, without it, you would need to get an evox disc or something of that sort, but considering that your dvd drive doesn't work, this would not work either. So anyway, I suggest buying a new dvd drive for it if you just want a fix that will allow the reading of dvd's, even if you get a modchip, i feel that you will be needing a dvd drive eventually anyway.

[SnoopKatt]

Technically if he's careful, he could get by with the broken drive if he FTP's.

[nubbard]

Yeah, I just wanted to play backups in the first place (along w/ other emulators). And I already bought a new Thomson DVD drive off of Ebay......and it still doesn't work, which really sucks. I just might do the Xenium Gold (solderless) and wing it, and get another DVD drive if I have to, but I need moolah first. Thanks for all your help!

[SnoopKatt]

You should check the cables for the DVD drive, chances are it's that if it still gives you the DDE.