Microsoft Banning Modded Xboxen 176
An anonymous reader writes "Since the release of Halo 2 (ed: and just before), Microsoft has been banning modified Xboxes from Xbox Live. Some have even been banned with their mod-chips turned off. Previously many users had been able to use Xbox Live provided they disabled their mod-chip. There are a few theories floating around as to how MS is doing this: from scanning the hard-drive for non-MS material to being able to check if the DVD-drive/Hard-disk serial number is from stock or not."
I can't comment on how they're detecting mods... (Score:1, Interesting)
That said, spoof a different mac address. Go into your local Blockbuster, or wherever, rent an xbox for an hour. Take it home, plug it in, get it's mac address.
Then go to your router or other broadband sharing device and spoof the mac address of that machine. On ya go.
Now we just have to determine HOW the hacks are being detected....
Reply to my own post... (Score:4, Interesting)
Could someone here with an XBox with an XBox live account, and a broadband sharing device run ethereal on their LAN, begin a capture on the XBox's IP address, then turn on the XBox and log into live, then post the caputure?
With the slashdot hive-mind as it's so called, we can have an open hacking discussion. I'm not saying it would be obvious, but who knows...perhaps we can see something? I don't own one yet or I'd be doing this myself.
Re:I can't comment on how they're detecting mods.. (Score:4, Interesting)
Apparently, when they want to ban someone from xbox live, they ban the Xbox's EEPROM id, which is the unique identifier for each xbox.
I get the idea from this thread [xbox-scene.com] and this thread [xbox-scene.com] that there's a way to flash your EEPROM so that you can get back on, but I don't know how you'd do that. (I use Xlink Kai [teamxlink.com] for my online gaming
Re:This should come as a surprise to no one. (Score:5, Interesting)
You are entirely entitled to do whatever you want to what is indeed your property.
However, if you sign up for Xbox Live you're signing a service contract that states somewhere in there that modded machines aren't allowed. MS is perfectly within their rights to make that requirement a part of the deal. In fact, I appreciate it. Knowing that a modded cheater isn't going to be gaming with me is a reassurance.
I get a little frustrated when people decide that just because they bought one piece of a puzzle, they own the whole damn puzzle too.
Buying an Xbox doesn't mean you get to decide how they run the Live service. Buying Diablo 2 doesn't give you the right to run your own Battle.net server. Read the fine print before you sign on the dotted line.
Target: foot. Fire! (Score:3, Interesting)
Because I'm not going to give up Xbox Media Center, MAMEoX, UAE-X in favour of online games when I have a computer with games that I don't have to pay by the month to play online.
(and yes - I bought them)
What happens if I buy a used Xbox and it's banned? (Score:5, Interesting)
Also, what good is the Live service if I don't play multi-player games? Do they do any kind of software updates, etc., through the service?
Re:A better solution (Score:3, Interesting)
The Live checks serve two purposes: 1) Reduce piracy, 2) Reduce or eliminate cheating. Your idea covers one of those, but doesn't touch on the second. Microsoft is playing it safe by banning all modded XBoxes, since Live has no way of knowing who modded it to just play mp3 files of a fileserver and who modded it to cheat with his copy of pirated HALO 2 in multiplayer. Better safe than sorry, right?
Software Hardware.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Nevertheless anyone should be able to mod an x-box and use this on the Live network - why not? It's the software that should not be modified/patched/etc... Lock down the directX drivers and Game files - once thease are locked down you'll not see cheets/hacks/ect... who cares if someone modded the x-box to double as a toaster?