[digitalhigh]

I've seen enough posts around here referring to hotswapping, but I haven't seen a good guide. So, without further ado, I present the art of hotswapping.

Why would I want to hotswap?

Two reasons. One is, you tried to do a softmod and fuxed it up, and now your xbox is giving you error 21. This will allow you to install the default MS dashboard files, and repair your box. Second is you don't wanna hack up a controller or buy an action replay, but still want to do a softmod. You can use this to copy the hacked gamesaves to your xbox.

WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS HERE, AND HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING. FAILURE TO DO THIS COULD RESULT IN A USELESS XBOX.

You will need:

Xbox
Torxx screwdrivers
a small phillips screwdriver
PC with at least one free slot for a hard drive
FatXExplorer (It's in french, but more stable than xplorer360)
http://dwl.xbox-scen...ATXExplorer.zip
OR
Xplorer360
http://dwl.xbox-scen...rer360beta4.rar

1. Remove the four feet from the bottom of your xbox. Use the torxx screwdriver to remove the four screws. There are two more in the center, beneath the stickers. Take these out as well.

2. Take off the top cover. Use your torxx screwdriver to take out the two brass screws that are in the center holding the drive housing down.

3. Remove the section of casing with the harddrive in it.

4. Use the phillips screwrdriver to take out the four screws holding the HD in place. (You don't have to do this, but it makes getting at the data cable much easier)

5. Open up your PC, and make sure that you can plug the a data cable into the HD with the xbox's power cable still attached to the hard drive. Make sure your PC is already booted and logged in.

6. Now we've got everything ready. Making sure the a/v cable is attached to the xbox and that the power/data cables are hooked up to the hard drive, turn your xbox on. Wait a little bit to make sure the boot process has completed.

7. Being VERY careful not to jolt or shake the HD too much, disconnect the DATA cable from the harddrive WITHOUT powering off the xbox. Now plug in your PC's data cable.

8. Run xplorer360. Go to drive->open->harddrive or memcard

9. Xplorer360 SHOULD read the harddrive. If it doesn't, you may have to go to the device manager and have it scan for changes.

10. Once you've modified the harddrive as you like, BE SURE TO RECONNECT THE XBOX'S DATA CABLE TO THE HD BEFORE POWERING OFF YOUR XBOX. NOT DOING THIS CAN MAKE THE HD STAY UNLOCKED, WHICH RENDERS IT USELESS FOR YOUR XBOX. DON'T MESSAGE ME SAYING YOU FUXED YOUR BOX UP BY IGNORING THIS STEP.

11. Provided you didn't delete any important files, you should now be good to go.

Edit: If you've used this and found it helpful, go ahead and click that "thanks" button right down there. :D

[ll V1oLeNT ll]

Also you can use this to transfer xbox1 saves to ur xbox360

[feudalnate]

wow nice tutorial you just helped my fix my broke box :) *KISS* *KISS* *HEART* *HEART*

[digitalhigh]

:D Glad it could help. :D

[feudalnate]

Many thanks

This post has been edited by feudalnate: 12 November 2008 - 10:46 AM

[bkippers]

well i sorta understand but how do i fix error 21 by doing this?

[digitalhigh]

You take the unlocked hard drive from your xbox, (the reason for turning the xbox on first is that Xbox hard drives are locked with a code stored on the xboxe's MB) and hook it up to your PC. Then you use the happy software to copy the original MS files to it (you can get the original's from Slayer's Auto Installer Deluxe, acquired from "The Usual Places"), put the badboy back into your xbox, and PRESTO, no more error 21.

[bkippers]

alright ill try it it sounds easy enough but is there a chance i could seriously screw over my computer?

[digitalhigh]

Yes, there's a chance. But, if you've got error 21 already, there's really not much to lose, is there? Just be sure to ask if you're not sure how to do something.

[TheReturn]

I have error 13&14 on my softmod xbox because I renamed my xboxdash.xbe. If I do hotswap, can I rename it back on PC?

[digitalhigh]

Yes you can.

[feudalnate]

I dont even have an error, mine just says updating xbox live...xbox live could not be found i press ok and it does it again, and again, and again, its does not boot games even if i turn it on with the game in

[TheReturn]

I fixed my. Thanks.

[westpoint507]

i modded my xbox a while back...i got a problem where i couldnt log onto xbox live...wil hotswapping fix that?

[Epi1epsy]

WHATS HOTSWAP?????????????????

[Chopstick]

Nice tut! it helped Allot!

[g0andjacket]

i cant get to my unleashx dashboard it just goes to the clcock.

[digitalhigh]

Did you try going past the clock? Filling out the date and time, and then seeing what happens?

[ub3rhack3r5]

ok i want to reinstall the ms dashboard. which section is drive c, is it partition3 ???? please advise asap, thanks

[luispie]

How do you know which error your xbox has?
My problem is that i cant play any of my games and i deleted my xboxs original dashboard can i fix this problem by hotswap?