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Xbox 360 Backup Discs Bootable
An anonymous reader writes "The firmware of the Xbox 360 DVD drive has been hacked, allowing users to boot backups of games on the new Microsoft console. A group of hackers on the xboxhacker.net forum managed to trick the DVD firmware into reporting a recordable disc as an original Xbox 360 disc. This means that it will not allow booting of unsigned homebrew code (like Linux), as the signature check is not bypassed. This hack will just trick the Xbox 360 into thinking you inserted an original Xbox 360 disc, so it'll only boot unedited executables. A video has been released, the hack has not been released to the public (because it will be mainly used for piracy), but all the research of the last few months is publicly viewable."
If you don't want to wait 30 seconds to download the video, stream it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyZQ4k7Bi-8
Spell cheek you've failed me four the last thyme!
The nature of the hack is that it masks a DVD-R as a factory pressed DVD. So all it lets you do, is boot 100% copies of existing titles. To boot homebrew, or imports, you'd need to crack the digital signature, or hack the main firmware, which hasn't happened. So there'll probably be pretty good piracy / 'backup' mod-chips available soon, but no homebrew yet.
If you want to stop scratches on your original games, use d_skin protectors... Every game should have one... http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=801 784
Had my 360 since December 05; not a scratch to be seen. I call BS.
Amen, brother.
I found the d_skin protectors on sale for a pack of 30, and they have been nothing but a blessing. Anyone who is paranoid (like me) about scratching up their disks even slightly should definitely look into buying a pack.
It's a HELL of a lot cheaper to replace a scratched up d_skin protector than it is a $50 game.
slashdot!=valid HTML
Gamecube games can be backed up and burned with very little trouble. Stick in a modchip and buy a custom case to allow the Cube to hold full-sized DVDRs and you're all set.
Instead of the custom case you can also use mini-dvd-r.
Embedding the firmware makes it impossible to inject your own firmware and makes it MUCH MUCH harder to tell how the chip works. So, yes, Microsoft could stop people from reflashing their DVD drives.
Unlike the CPU, the chip that drives the DVD rom can be completely re-implemented with a relatively cheap FPGA. You can reverse engineer chips with electron microscopes, although it is really expensive. Mod chips could still be produced even if Microsoft decided to start making their DVD-ROMs with an embedded firmware.
I doubt embedding the firmware into the DVD controller is really an option for Microsoft since that would drive the cost of the DVD-ROM way up. Microsoft currently just reflashes standard Samsung and Hitachi Serial ATA parts with their proprietary firmware.
Unless Microsoft radically changes the way they make the 360, this attack should work.