Connect Xbox 360 to PC without transfer cable

by **Sir Jake** Wed Feb 10, 2010 1:15 am

Here's what you need:
Xbox HDD
Motherboard with SATA connectors(use a desktop computer unless you can somehow access you're laptop's motherboard)
Software like Xplorer360 or Xport(I much prefer Xport)
Torx screw drivers or torx allen keys(sizes: T-6 and T-10)

You can do software mods to your xbox360 without buying a transfer cable or memory card. In this tutorial you will connect your Xbox 360 HDD to your computer with the SATA connectors that are already on the Xbox 360 HDD.

This tutorial is being paraphrased from:

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=492418&st=0
Step 1 - Xbox 360 HDD disassembly(this will void your warranty):
- You will need to take your hard drive off of your Xbox. Next put it on a good surface to handle it. I used a static mat, and it is a good idea to have yourself grounded properly so you don't shock/destroy some of the data on the hard disk.

-Once you have the HDD off the xbox you will need to open it to get it out so you can use it's SATA connector.

- Use the torx screw drivers to remove the 4 screws on the bottom of the HDD. You can only see 3 screws, the 4th screw is under the silver sticker that says Microsoft on it. I peeled up this sticker using a standard steak knife to reveal the screw underneath. Take off the plastic cover that was being held down by these screws(just wiggle it and it easily comes off).

-There's four more screws after you take the back plastic cover off, take those screws out and remove the metal grill from the HDD.

-Once you remove all the screws you need to take the HDD out of its casing. First, push off the connectors that are connected to the HDD so you don't accidentally mess up some wires.

-To get the drive out is easier than it looks, just bend the plastic covering so you can slide the HDD out of the metal casing.

Step 2 - Connecting the HDD to your computer:
-TURN OFF your computer.

-Open the side of your computer and find the SATA connectors that come from the mother board. There are two connectors you will need to connect, there is a smaller SATA connector to power the drive, and a larger connector to read the drive. These connectors are keyed, so they can only go in one way.

-Connect the connectors from the mother board to the Xbox HDD, and put the HDD somewhere where it is safe and insulated from vibrations or static.(I put it in my computer case on top of my other hard drive, separated by some cardboard)

-Put your computer case back on and your can turn your computer on.

Step 3 - Using Xplorer360 or Xport (Back up your Xbox HDD)
-I started off using Xplorer360 - beta6. This is a pretty simple program, once you have it just run(as administrator for Vista), and click DRIVE > OPEN > HARDDRIVE or MEMCARD. Then click BACKUP IMAGE and it will start the back up image.

-Then I tried Xport and found it was a much more sophisticated program, and had some better options so I started using it.

- When you open Xport it will find the drive for you and you can just select the correct HDD when it asks you. Then click HDD/MC > BACKUP TO IMAGE.

-It will give you two options.

--With Xport you can make a small 16k image of the essential Security Sector of the HDD, and I think this option is nice so if you have a harddrive that gets corrupted you can fix it or let the Xbox format it and use it again.
--Or you can make the full back-up of the HDD.

-I would do the 16k back up first just to make sure everything is working correctly, and then do the full back up.

And there you go, you have connected your Xbox 360 HDD to your PC with SATA connectors from your mother board and the SATA connectors already on the 360 HDD.

Ninja'd From http://n3verlegit.com