XBOX Best way to backup the original Xbox hard drive?

[Virtua Hunter]

Probably a very basic question, but what's the best way to backup an original Xbox hard drive?

Xbox is not modded, hard disk is the original one.
I need to make an iso of the entire drive for future preservation. But since I don't want some bad surprises, i think it's best to ask some experts

Also any way to read-clone the EEPROM on an unmodded Xbox?

Thank you very much

 

[JustAnyone]

dump the eeprom (piprom or arduinoprom) then unlock with xboxhdm and dump with any prefered tool

 

[stuntpenguin]

Probably a very basic question, but what's the best way to backup an original Xbox hard drive?

Xbox is not modded, hard disk is the original one.
I need to make an iso of the entire drive for future preservation. But since I don't want some bad surprises, i think it's best to ask some experts

Also any way to read-clone the EEPROM on an unmodded Xbox?

Thank you very much

Bump to an old thread, but why do you want to dump your drive? Is it a retail kit? There are easier options if you want to keep old gamesaves.

On the other end of the spectrum, yes, there are ways to dump your eeprom. I would recommend a solderless approach. You can find a chip clip or use some "test clips". You'll have to clip them on to each leg of the eeprom, but you won't have to solder. You can hook the other end of the test clip leads up to something like a beaglebone or raspberrry pi. The whole process will cost around $30. There are cheaper options if that is an issue. You'll need a computer with a serial port though. I think that can be done close to $10. IMO just get an embedded linux device like the beaglebone. You'll probably use it again and it's reasonably priced, especially if you get it used. You'll have to learn how to use Linux, and how to use command line tools. I dumped my last couple eeproms without soldering. It's easy if you underrstand how to use command line tools.

 

[Virtua Hunter]

hi, sorry for the late reply

The idea was to save the entire drive, not just save games, because I have some DLC that would be impossible to retrieve without modding the console.
So I was thinking a clone of the entire drive (better if it clone automatically all the partition too) would be the best solution.

thanks, I see they had some eeprom reader/writer on ebay, but unfortunately the auction was removed recently before I was able to get one, it was rperry cheap too.
I have a pc with serial port, but not a raspberry or other linux devices.

 

[Blob]

Use some softmod or TSOP flashing package with a FTP enabled dashboard package ready to run and backup the eeprom w/ the built in evoX eeprom backup tool and then of course download all of the partions and save em in a folder. Tho yes it depends on if you have the orginal game you can use to launch these tools without modding it or opening it up to read the eeprom. Easy to screw it up reading the eeprom with tools or maybe that's just me... I stick with these software tools. You can always format and setup a virgin hard drive and then restore these files and lock the hard drive with the eeprom then throw it back into the xbox and it'll run as if nothing changed. The XboxXDM tool works great!

 

[Playa-V]

Once you mod your xbox, it may be a good idea to leave your hardrive unlocked, in case your xbox dies, that way you can just drop it into another modded xbox.