Using the Xbox Memory Slots w/ USB

[kattanFAN]

You know how the Xbox Controller's Memory Slots are USB-compatible? Well, is there any way to modify a memory unit to have USB compatibility. That way, you could down/upload Xbox saves and move it to the Xbox Hard Drive.

[kendrick]

Easier to do it the other way around. I'm presently using a couple of Lexar 32 meg and 256 meg thumb drives as Xbox memory units. The process of wiring a standard USB jack to the five-wire Xbox controller port is very easy (and relatively well-documented.) Of course, you're free to do it the other way around if you like.

The problem is that the flash memory will be formatted with the XFAT directory system, which is unreadable under Windows. Some people have produced appropriate drivers to read XFAT drives and flash memory under UNIX and Macintosh operating systems, but they're not always reliable.

If you're interested in exploring this further, there's a commercial product called the Mega X-Key that lets you write Xbox saves to a flash drive, and then use a custom client application to read and write save files. Keep in mind that Xbox saves are generally encrypted, or are at least signed with the unique serial number of each console, meaning that a save file from one Xbox might not work on another. Hope that helps you out.

-KKC, who's ready to toss the whole Bluetooth thing out the window.

[Vertigo]

Keep in mind that Xbox saves are generally encrypted, or are at least signed with the unique serial number of each console, meaning that a save file from one Xbox might not work on another.

What a bunch of Nazis.

What are you doing with your Bluetooth, Kendrick?

[kendrick]

Keep in mind that Xbox saves are generally encrypted, or are at least signed with the unique serial number of each console, meaning that a save file from one Xbox might not work on another.

What a bunch of Nazis.

What are you doing with your Bluetooth, Kendrick?

Lest we assign undue blame to Microsoft, it's important to note that the signed save file is an option implemented by each game developer, and in no way is it required by Microsoft. Dead or Alive 3 is one example of a game that has a wholly locked-down save file, with all kinds of CRC and validity checks in the application to see if you've done so much as looked at the file in the Xbox dashboard browser. Elders Scrolls: Morrowind is an example of a game with completely open and portable save files, although that's probably a result of the game being a very faithful PC port.

About Bluetooth? I'm connecting my N-gage to the Internet without cell phone service via some well-known hacks. I may start another topic since that's not relevant to the subject above.

-KKC, suffering from a lack of imagination and a deficit of potatoes.

[benzaldehyde]

Might I recommend Action Replay for the XBox? Included are something akin to drivers for the memory unit, as well as a small adapter dongle for reading the memory card for moving saves to and from the XBox. Mind you, there's no circuitry involved; the dongle just connects the USB straight through from the card. I hacked up my memory card to give it a USB plug, and the software (which can be had for nothing) reads it without issue.

[Vertigo]

Lest we assign undue blame to Microsoft, it's important to note that the signed save file is an option implemented by each game developer, and in no way is it required by Microsoft.

Of course, but the hardware spec itself makes it possible, no?
Territory lock-out on XBox is entirely optional, but it was the third-party publishers that decided to use it in order to exercise control over which market got a product and when.

[kattanFAN]

I hacked up my memory card to give it a USB plug, and the software (which can be had for nothing) reads it without issue.

Yeah, that's perfect. One, how would one do that? And another, what other software could I use with it? Do I have to use that Action Replay software? Do I have to buy it or can I download it from the website, you know, so those who lost the CD or never had it can get it? And one more thing. You know how the Xbox can hold songs? Well, what format are they in? MP3? WMA (that'd make the most sense, it being a format developed by Microsoft)? Or some weird format no one's heard of? Thanks.