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How to Install 2 HD in your Xbox with a Switch, Made by Dark


fattwam

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First let me say this:

 

It is not possible to run 2 hard drives at the same time. I see no point in it, some people differed with my opinion and decided to try it themselves, wrong choice. Only 1 hard drive can run at a time, now you can have 2 hard drives in your xbox, but only one running, and that is what I'm to to teach you how to do today.

 

Also I'm not responsible if you jack up your Xbox, or hurt your self doing this...

Stuff you Need:

>>A Y-Splitter

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:47uw1w1hWDAFPM:http://www.sun-usb.com/ImgPath/Power%2520Supply%2520Y%2520Splitter.jpg

>>A 2 or 3 position DPTP switch // This one below is a 2 position Switch

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:TcjwJh461Cp0_M:http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nuukspot/decdun/gc/dpdt.l.jpg

>>A 4 Connector IDE Cable // This one shows it with the dimensions

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-144.jpg

>>Wire (18 AWG is what i hear works) // You can also just buy 2 Y Splitters and use the wire from one of them.

>>Soldering Iron (I guess you don't have to have one, but I would recommend it)

>>Wire Cutters // or your teeth

>>Electric Tape

>>Sissors

>> Stock HD (recommended)

>>Other HD (or 2 HD if your not using the stock HD)

 

Okay the first thing we are going to do is create the dual Hard Drive Connector

For this step you will need: Your soldering iron, common sense, extra wire, Y Splitter, and your DPDT switch

 

Procedure: Okay take your Y Splitter and your sissors... now cut the Red Wire (5v) and the Yellow Wire (12v) about 2" up. Below is a pic to show you what I mean

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-145.jpg

 

Okay now that you have cut your Y Spliiter, you may want to solder some extra wire to the end that you cut at 2" up, this will allow for easier installation. Okay anyway, go to the main board where there are 8 wires, 2 cut red wires, 4 still connected black wires, and 2 cut yellow wires. Go to the red wires, and choose one wire, and cut it as low to the base as you can, then put some electric tape around it... Now do the same for the Yellow wire, choose one wire and cut it as low to the base as you can, then put some electric tape on it...

 

Now if you dont, feel thats a safe idea, you can do this. Take the two red wires, and solder them together, making one wire, and then do the same for the yellow wire. You can do it either way and no way has any advantage over the other way.

 

Now what you are going to do is... (PLease use caution when doing this part) YOu are going to take the red wire comming from one of the ends thats going to plug into your first hard, and your going to take the one red wire and solder it to point A on this switch diagram below.

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-146.jpg

 

Now take the yellow wire, from that same side (the connector that leads to HD 1) and solder the Yellow wire (or 12v wire) to point B on the diagram above.

 

Now go to the main cord (the one that will connect to the PSU cable)(or the cable that had 8 wires originally) And take the Red wire and solder it to point C on this diagram below.

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-146.jpg

 

Now take the Yellow wire from the main cable (one that is going to plug into the PSU) and solder it to point D on the Diagram above.

 

Now This is the last step of the switch... Take the red wire (from the connector that is going to plug into hard drive 2) and solder it to point E on the diagram above.

 

Now finally, take the yellow wire, from the connector that is going to plug into your second hard drive and solder it onto point F on the diagram above.

 

Okay now it should look something like this.

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-148.jpg

 

Then overall it should look something like this...

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-149.jpg

 

Now I'm sure some of you are thinking... I'm confused!!! Well thats where I though these would come in handy, I made two diagram to help you tell what I mean.

 

Okay this one below shows what it should be wired like if you decided to solder the 2 of the same color wires together...

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-150.jpg

 

Now here is what it should look like if you trimmed one wire as close to the base as possible then put electric tape on it.

http://www.ibotmodz.net/forum/uploads/remoteimages1/740-151.jpg

 

 

 

AS you can see, it would look something like this if you decided to extend the wire.

http://www.xbox-scene.com/imageserver3/multidrive/switch.jpg.

 

 

Well with that we pretty much finished it... But there is more to be done...

 

Okay we will move on to the IDE cable. If you prebought one with 4 connectors in it... Its kinda your chose how you would like to arrange them. This is all you have to remember:

1st Connector Connects to: Xbox Motherboard

2nd Connector Connects to: Xbox DVD Drive

3rd Connector Connects to: Hard Drive 1 (Preferably Stock HD)

4th Connector Connects to: Hard Drive 2 (New Bigger Capacity HD)

 

If you formatted the HD to your Xbox already and you plug the IDE cable in and the Hard Cables then you flip the switch to the desired HD, and boot your Xbox, it should work.

 

Now this is where I dont make a gaurntee... I have heard that not all hard drives like each other... Some 2 hard drives won't work together. For example, My 200GB HD doesnt like my 400GB hard drive, so they don't work together, but my stock drive loves my 80GB hard drive... You never know what your going to get, so if it doesnt work when you first put it in, consider these factors:

 

1. Did I solder the wires to the hard drive correctly?

2. Do I have the IDE cable connectors plugged into there right sockets?

3. Is the HD I'm using formatted for my Xbox yet?

4. If I'm using a 3 position switch, be sure the switch is not in the off position...

5. Do these 2 hard drives not like each other?

6. Did I solder the wires into the switch correctly?

7. Am I sure no two wires are touching near the switch prongs?

 

If you consider all of these and you believe (or you tested) and all of these are right, go back to step 5. First test steps 1-4 and 6 & 7. I said TEST them... now you are almost sure its #5. You may have tested the HD by itself in the Xbox and it worked, but that doesn't mean its going to work in the Xbox with 2 HDs. To test this, unfourtauntly you are going to have to buy another HD, and format it to your Xbox. Then test and see if it works. If it doesn't work, try it one more time, buy another HD (dang, there goes all my money) format it and try it. If neither the 2 extra drives you bought work, go back to all the steps again...

 

Then finally once you get it to work its mounting time...

If you are not a case modder like me, you can just stick it on top of the other HD, and leave you top off. But if you are a case modder (like me) this is how I would mount it.

 

Alright if you plan on figuring out on how to get both hard drives into the Xbox first just let me say this. If one of the two hard drives you have are a 7200RPM HD, forget it, they will generate way to much heat next to each other, and will casue your Xbox to turn it self off about 2 minutes after its turned on.

 

Okay first off, your going to need that dremel now. There really is no wrong way to do this, but we are now going to install the switch. You can put it ANYWHERE you like, just remember, if it is accidentally switched while your Xbox is on, the effect could be HORRIBLE. Here is a list of just a few things that could happen

 

1. The switching might overload your Xbox' power supply and fry the motherboard

1a. The PSU could explode, totaling the WHOLE inside of you Xbox.

2. You might jack up your motherboard, because you Xbox is not ready for a sudden siwtch of hard drives.

2a. Your motherboard might never ever work again.

3. You could potentially fry both the HDs in your Xbox due to the sudden switch of electric current.

 

Okay anyway now that you have decided a place to put your switch, be caregul and using you dremel drill a hole, then stick the switch though. Then put a little hotglue behind it to keep it in place. Here is a picture of a xbox I found with the switch mounted in between the the video output and the LAN port, pay no attention to the USB ports also on the back of the Xbox.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/stevewal2/PICT1756.jpg

 

Okay anyway now we will mount the hard drives. NOw using your dremel knowlege you are going to need to flaaten the side of the HD carrier, below is a picture to show you what I mean by flattening it.

http://wiki-scene.com/wiki/images/5/52/Caddy.jpg

 

Now, your going to have to take the 4 screws out of you DVD drive, and yes, void the warranty. Now what your going to have to do is either bend the metal on the right side of the upper peice so that its flat. Then using your dremel flatten the DVD drives right side as flat as you can, here is a picture to show you what I mean here:

http://wiki-scene.com/wiki/images/0/09/Dvd.jpg

Then as you can see, you can slide the 2 connectors to the HD right up there.

You might then have to cit the IDE cable about every 4 or 5 wires in order to get it to fit. Here is a picture to show you how to get the IDE cable to fit.

http://wiki-scene.com/wiki/images/b/b2/Overhead.jpg

 

 

Then with that, you pop the top to your Xbox on. Choose which hard drive you would like to boot to, then turn 'er on. It should then work...

 

Tutorial Made by: Dark Master

I'm not completely done yet, so I will be adding on to this in little bits...

 

If you need any help, feel free to PM me...

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