360 Dashboard Update 'Bricking' Modded Consoles

In the past week, there have been reports of Microsoft attempting to sniff our users hacking their Xbox 360, with a number of innocent victims who haven't cracked open their machine caught in the crossfire. The march to eliminate piracy stepped up with today's early morning dashboard update, as Microsoft implemented security updates that "brick" consoles -- which basically makes your Xbox 360 useless -- with modified firmware.

Figuring out a workaround, however, didn't take long. The message boards at Xbox Scene, which follows Xbox-related hardware and software modifications by the modding community, had dozens of users working together to figure out what changes Microsoft's made this time around. Very quickly, however, they discovered that removing the modified firmware solved the issue (and for Microsoft, at least temporarily). Hardcore PSP users have run into the same issue with Sony, leading to a firmware "war" with each new update.

[rj81]

Screw the modders over!

[icdedppl]

lol, did you read the whole news story? the modders already figured out a workaround...

[FordGTGuy]

"they discovered that removing the modified firmware solved the issue (and for Microsoft, at least temporarily)"

dude they made it unmodified.

[MoonDust]

that will stop them, all.

[shotty]

How is removing the modding the hackers offence. Thats what microsoft wanted in the first place isn't it. No mods, so if you want to use your xbox 360 please remove the mods.

[Arkham]

Too bad MS couldn't harness the 360's over-heating power in order to fry modded boxes... That'd learn those modders! ;)

[Mikey_Gee]

Are you still stuck with the overheat issues on the release consoles way back in ..... 1995 ??

Sh!t ... move on !!

[Arkham]

What are you babbling about? I was joking about MS figuring out a way to force some vulnerable 360 consoles to manually overheat and torch the modders. Relax! It was a funny image. Don't be so sore.

[MoonDust]

all the modders are crying, saying that they can't connect to XBL. BoooHooo.

[heihoosilver]

so why is mine working with my enchanted arms backup?
I downloaded the update this morning.
Mine is working just fine.
I have the original but i always made backups because i have many Dreamcast and Saturn games that don´t work because they are scratch or humidity hade ruined them, after that i always backup my originals and keep them safe in a closet made for that.

[heihoosilver]

I never play online with backups just with originals.

[borgome]

I've never had a scratched disc, or one ruined from humidity, I'm sure your just making back ups, good one bud.

[heihoosilver]

do you have kids?
If you have you know they scratch discs in no time.

[MissAubrey]

whatever you're just a thief.

[Mikey_Gee]

If they are that rough on a Disc they should not have a 360.

My little one is 2 and she knows to not touch the shiny part of Daddys DVD's.

[borgome]

I perfectly fine with paying for my games. But I suppose kids would scratch the sh1t out of the discs, but if I had kids I wouldn't let them near my 360.

[THWIP]

Being a sh*tty parent, IS NOT an excuse to break the law. PERIOD.

[heihoosilver]

i want to say that i send you one or two scratch and with humidity not backups for you to see.And 10.1 i´m not a thief i just secure my investiment with the games i buy.I only made backups of games i buy.

[heihoosilver]

none of you had made nothing that break the law?You´r all saints?It´s my way of secure the originals so if someone disagree too bad.

[Mikey_Gee]

is saying they are saints.

Point is .... WHEN YOU GET CAUGHT .... don't cry about it like many are doing on XBOX.com

They know the risk ... took it .... and it didn't work out.

To me XBL is a "HUGE" part of my 360 that I love and use DAILY .... I will not risk it.

[sparco]

When he gets caught it aint gonna matter. As long as he has the originals he's allowed to back up his discs as many times as he wants, so long as they are for personnal use. So why cant everyone just shut up about it? If he aint got the originals and he is caught, whats it got to do with us? He'll just get fined or put away for a while.

[Spunkmeyer43]

regardless of feelings on modding, he can't and wont get fined or put away for backing up copies, just blocked or bricked...

Its a shame it comes to modding... Here in Uk games are very over priced and is no wonder people move to modding consoles.. I was at uni when the Playstation came out and got that modded coz couldnt afford 30 quid a game so kind of sympathise.

[Mikey_Gee]

AWSOME !!!

Looks good on them.

Guess they should have spent some money on the games. Now they will have to go back and buy them anyway OR maybe even need to spend money on a new console.

If they are looking for sympathy , try in the dictionary between "SH!T" and "Siflus"

Hahahahahahaha

[rmgst]

I find it interesting, of the people on XBOX.COM that are the original posters complaining about getting this "E66" error and red lights, checking their played games list reveals they have played just about every game that has come out, good or bad.

I make pretty decent money, but I still can't justify owning almost every single game. Maybe they just rented the games, I've done that a few times too but my gamerscore on those particular games reflect that I do not own those.

Just sharing an observation I had while reading the people complaining. Does anyone want to share their cookies?

[trickytreepete]

so, they got bricked, and you think microsoft won??? they just put the original firmware back on, and then put the hacked firmware back on again, and its back to normal.... so no point laughing as the modded consoles are still fine...

[borgome]

Modders are still a bunch of bottom feeders no matter how you look at it.

[TheMART]

Well it seems it's not meant by MS to get this thing going, but just is coïncidence...

People with the error first flash back to original and then upgrade again. And it works...

[drewdrakes]

I love this, and number 5, i actually agree. They could programatically turn off the fans, which would cause the console to overheat, rendering it useless. That would be amazing. But MS went easy on them...this time. There are much worse things that they could do to these modded 360's.

[TheMART]

MS really didn't do anything. This was just a coïncidence conflict...

[Capt CHAOS]

I predicted when the dashboard was announced that their were probably a load of security fixes in there that they were keeping quiet about.. that's still possible..

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Ilovemodding

[borgome]

bottom feeder

[dantesparda]

Most of you people are just down right pathetic! Hating and b!tching and whining about modders. How pathetic! What are you's all the MS police? or are you's all getting some sort of cut from MS' profit and are mad cuz you're not making as much. So then you's shouldnt be accepting free games either, especially say during Christmas and your birthdays. Oh and why stop there? Since you's all seem to think that paying for these games is such a great thing, then why dont you's pay more? $60 is enough? Remember how the last gen was $50, well why only pay them $10 more for their next gen gfx and content? why not pay them $70? or $80? and why only pay MS $400 for their system, when they are losing money on them? why not give them say $600? and the extra money you are paying or for the games will help keep all your developers afloat? You people are pathetic! and should really learn to get of companies nuts! Screw MS, Sony, Nintendo. $100 for 20gig HD? $50 for a controller? $250 for a Wii? $600 for PS3? heck! even $400 for the 360? $60 for a game? All rip offs! yes keep thinking thats a good price and see how much the next system will be. Huh! you think $600 is expensive, just wait. Thats right just keep supporting these companies like good little fanboy sheeples

[Mikey_Gee]

-QUOTE-

So then you's shouldnt be accepting free games either, especially say during Christmas and your birthdays.

-END QUOTE-
-----------

Please tell me you were drinking or stoned during this little rant.

So I can only assume from your post .. you have a modded 360.

How is that working out for you??

[THELANDOFSANDS]

if you mod, you risk MS finding out and killing your console. Period.

so know and own that fact if you are going to copy games. don't act surprised when it all goes a bit pear-shaped.

now so far MS have done little- even this was a minor delay for most modders. it seems pretty clear they may chase the modders but they are unable to really implement a long-term solution. the trouble with hackers is they love a challange!

[Say's you]

To hack the Xbox 360 and there like well since Microsoft made another Xbox 360 I will hack that system just like I keep making viruse's over the Microsoft internet explorer.