experiments with HDD logicboards

[MODFREAKz]

TMF, do u have 2 samsungs ? Would be interesting to do this experiment on this board ...

no, not at the moment!! 

[uberfry]

did it format successfully?
i meant a pic of the xbox360 recognizing the hdd as 100gb (or how big the drive is)
kudos to u kumpel

[MODFREAKz]

No, no, no!!! 

My hard disk is broken!! (mechanical part)

If I wait long enough the hard disk is recognized then. so the tests are not right!

Please wait, I repeat the tests with a new hard disk!!


Ahrr, what the f***

[uberfry]

i gotta go to bed soon ;X

[Perphide]

[off-topic]
Just curious, what tools do you use to solder/desolder the ram chips?

[uberfry]

perphide: u can use a hot air gun or better use a customized head for the soldering iron (they exist in many forms)
gnite and good luck TMF

[MODFREAKz]

So I repeat the tests with a new drive (from the friend), and  I have been not right. The SDRAM chip has nothing to do with SN information. probably I have made the chip too hot or the the mechanical part has a head crash. Will check it later!!

TheSpecialist you have been right that is an april 1st fool joke, I am very sorry, it was not on purpose!! 

After swapping the SDRAM chips both HDDs boot and recognized correctly in PC and xbox360.



And after swapping the EEPROM (bios), no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC.

HDD_2 (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_2 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_2  = all original

logicboard swap
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_3 + SDRAM_3 + EEPROM_3  = no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC
HDD_2 + (SN_3 + hash_3) + board_3 + SDRAM_3 + EEPROM_3  = also no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC

SDRAM swap
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_2 + SDRAM_3 + EEPROM_2  = works fine in xbox360 and PC
HDD_2 + (SN_3 + hash_3) + board_2 + SDRAM_3 + EEPROM_2  = works fine in PC but no recognition in xbox360

EEPROM swap  http://www.freepler.de/userdaten/38928917/bilder/xbox360/01010008.jpg
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_2 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_3  = no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC
HDD_2 + (SN_3 + hash_3) + board_2 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_3  = also no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC


HDD_         = 'mechanical part'
board_       = 'logicboard'
EEPROM_   = '93C66B bios'
SN_           = 'serial number'
hash_        = 'hash data'



here the U6 EEPROM data
HDD_2  http://www.freepler.de/userdaten/38928917/download/xbox360/93c66b_2.rar
HDD_3  http://www.freepler.de/userdaten/38928917/download/xbox360/93c66b_3.rar

they are really different so that mean that this EEPROMs contain the information.

[Perphide]

Is it possible to change only the hash, but not the serial number and then exchange it from HD2 to HD3?
I think this might be worth trying if it is possible! What do you guys think of this?



Sidenote:
How comes you have high-res images of the boards, eeprom/sdram swaps but low-res images of the tv-screen while formatting?

[Perphide]

Also, maybe its worth trying the following:

Swap boards only:
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_3 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_2  = I guess everything works fine
And if it indeed works maybe attach it to HDD_3 (which is the 100GB right?)
HDD_3 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_3 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_2  = ?

[Geremia]

the firmware should be in the big chip (not the BGA one = the motor driver), as occurs in many hd today.
I think that 96C66 probably contains some xbox360 security stuff plus something like "bad sector remapping info".
Could also be interesting to hook up the hd to pc, run some linux and type something like hdparm -I /dev/sda and compare the output with eeprom2 and then eeprom3 on the same board2+hdd2

are you sure this is not recognized in pc?
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_2 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_3  = no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC

[MODFREAKz]

Is it possible to change only the hash, but not the serial number and then exchange it from HD2 to HD3?
I think this might be worth trying if it is possible! What do you guys think of this?

doesn´t work, no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC

How comes you have high-res images of the boards, eeprom/sdram swaps but low-res images of the tv-screen while formatting?

for hi-res I use my scanner and for low-res images my old digi-cam. 

[Arakon]

I thought the bad sector table was stored on the platters, in the same area the HDD lock key (when active) is stored. I supposed this could be different for different models or manufacturers, of course.
I don't think MS would've used custom PCBs for the HDDs.. they'd likely use something that exists on all HDDs to save cost.
I think if we could find the same model as one of the 360 HDDs in a PC version, it would be easy to check if the firmware is modified for the 360 or not, or if it's really just some sort of key in that eeprom. if that's all there is, making another HDD work might be just a matter of inserting the key data into the eeprom. considering they already fluked on the dvdrom security apparently, there's a chance they went a "quick and easy" way on the HDDs too.

edit: I just checked some ATA HDDs.. a maxtor and a newstyle xbox 1 seagate have an eeprom, an oldstyle seagate doesn't.. so either some HDDs use the flashrom used for the firmware to also store the bad sector data etc (like many newer PC MBs use the bios chip to store the bios settings as well), or it serves some other purpose.

[MODFREAKz]

are you sure this is not recognized in pc?
HDD_2 + (SN_2 + hash_2) + board_2 + SDRAM_2 + EEPROM_3  = no join and recognition in xbox360 and PC

Yes I´m sure. HDD_2 doesn´t work with EEPROM_3 and HDD_3 doesn´t work with EEPROM_2 too.
That could mean that HDD is married to this EEPROM, right??

[Arakon]

I think that's exactly the case. have you tried swapping eeprom AND sdram together? if it doesn't work then either, I think the eeprom is the only "key" involved.

[BlueCop]

here is an scan of the main board out of my Seagate drive for those interested.

I am in the process of identifying chips right now

[Arakon]

hmm.. no eeprom it seems. the data is probably stored in the firmware flash as well then, like I figure is the case with the HDDs I have without eeprom.

edit: oops.. seems the 25P05avg is actually an eeprom or flashrom of sorts.

http://www.st.com/stonline/products/literature/ds/8624.pdf

however, it seems the samsung is indeed lacking any sort of seperate storage eeprom (although it looks like there may be a space for one at the bottom right of the square controller).

[anita999]

Hi, *
   for a reference data:
1. All HDDs store SN and Model# in the plates, areas called UBA which is not accessible via LBA. but there are special HDD low levle tools which can access these area. in most case you can modify these info.
2. The FW revision # are mostly stored in the FW flash, whether it's inside the controller, or in the plates, depends on the HDD model. in most case you can't modify it. If you can, you will need to modify the checksum in the same time.

I don't believe that the SDRAM contents any info like these.
In the mean time, I am preparing a FPGA to emulate the HDD info which I did months ago. I want to emulate the model#, SN, and FW revision#, but keep all the other data un changed with the new and "larger" HDD. This will only work if the 360 checks model#, SN, and FW rev# only. but this shall be true in most cases.
I will be back when I got some results.

[BlueCop]

special HDD low levle tools which can access these area

what specific tools does this? even if it is manufactor specific.

i looked for such a tool without luck. i have been examining various harddrive utilities from harddrive manufactors. the feature tool for hitachi drives is interesting. its available here http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

[MODFREAKz]

I think that's exactly the case. have you tried swapping eeprom AND sdram together? if it doesn't work then either, I think the eeprom is the only "key" involved.

Jopp the EEPROM and SDRAM have nothing to do together.

[MODFREAKz]

I have tried to start it without EEPROM, and the hard disk has no spinning!!

- The xbox360 turns on, but only black screen. and also the same error lights
- In the Pc there is also no spinning and no recognition.