How to JTAG your Xbox 360 and run homebrew

Step 9 Installing a 3.5 in desktop HDD

This requires you to cut the end off a sata cable and solder it under the HDD connector. 

Wiring goes as follows
Pin 1: SATA Signal GND
Pin 2: SATA Signal A+
Pin 3: SATA Signal A-
Pin 4: SATA Signal GND
Pin 5: SATA Signal B+
Pin 6: SATA Signal B-
Pin 7: SATA Signal GND

The side of the sate cable with the writing goes up, and you start left from right.  You only have to solder the white shielded cables inside as these are the data cables.  Just wire the rest of the ground wires some where else.

Where to get my 12v?
There are many spots on the Xbox motherboard where you can get 12v of power from, I picked the power connector on the bottom of the board as I'm not soldering onto any other connectors or anything.

How to wire up the sata power connector
Yellow: 12v
Red: 5v
Black: GND

Hard drives have been tested up to 2tb and worked successfully.

Comments

[supaaben]

ok dude so i currently have a samsung dvd drive in my jtaged xbox but it doesnt work properly when i put a game is it says "play dvd" when i press A it goes to the xbox boot screen and jus freezes there. if i were to do this wilth a 300 gb drive what would it show up as in xexmenu?

[Wally_Z]

It wouldn't work because Xbox's only accept up to a 250GB HDD. Anything over that will not work. You can also make the HDD piggyback on the top of the Xbox. It may not look the best, but why not do it if you have the time and money.

[CowGuy]

If your running freeboot it will accept any sized drive I have a 500GB drive in my Xbox currently.

[Wally_Z]

If you are running FreeBoot then yeah, you can go much higher. I am talking about the people who don't know how to boot to another OS or program. A stock Xbox of any variety, (Arcade, Pro, Elite), can only use up to 250GB HDD. You can use flash drives up to I think 32GB. If you get USB hubs and like 24 32GB flash drives, then you are quite set.

[angryknome94]

yo try replacing the sata cable that goes to your disc drive i know it sounds crazy but it has worked on both of my xboxes when it showes anything that you put in the disc drive as "play dvd"

[lewisjay1]

Yes it would

[sumdude4]

What if your dvd drive is fried "including the circuit board" and needed a new one? There a way to upgrade the DVD drive (like toshiba to a benQ) ?

[Jayceetoo]

 Is it necessary to install a HDD ?

[CowGuy]

Nope, you can use one that comes with it, or open up the enclosure and install a bigger 2.5in hdd.  It's just that 3.5 in desktop hdds are cheaper, and can hold more.

[shea3498]

my cd drive broke so if i do this will i need a cd drive

[CowGuy]

No you don't need one.  After you read your kv you get your dvd key with it too, so you can just flash it back to a new drive.  But you never need a dvd drive to do this.