questions about avoiding xbox live ban

[manbearpig]

Recently I finally took the plunge and got an elite falcon 360 w/ BenQ drive. This site has been a tremendous resource to me in learning how to disassemble my 360, apply the iXtreme firmware (1.4.1 8x). The well-organized forums here, and cofree's excellent video tutorials were a huge help - so thank you ! Actually once I did the research here, it was not that hard to actually flash the firmware, and I believe I've minimized my chances of being banned from xbox live. And my understanding is that all one can do is take every reasonable precaution against being banned, and beyond that you just hope for the best!! If I got banned it would be no big deal, I don't think xbox live is that important to me now, and if it became important, I'd just get another 360 that would be strictly for playing original discs. Nonetheless, as of now I'm not banned, and I plan to keep it that way if possible. To that end, I have two questions:

1) does playing backups only with an offline profile really help? I've heard some people say that the xbox logs stuff during offline play, and when you later connect to xbox live, it sends a report of your offline activities to MS, which may then result in a ban. I don't know if those people were just speculating, or if they specifically knew this to be the case.

2) when playing a backup, is it safe to apply game patches from xbox live, or should you insert the original disc when applying the patch? If it's a good backup, it shouldn't matter should it?

Thanks very much for any advice !

-MBP

[Jman 31]

I never do anything with a backup that I could do with and original. Except play them when I'm off line. I don't have the answer for you with regards to setting up an off line profile, but I think if the are taking logs it will be of your 360 and not just your profile. jmo, I don't think anyone can tell you exactly what they are checking for though.

[yginesta]

Dude I have heard of people playing un-modded 360's and they were banned. Also I have flashed many xbox's for frineds and some of them have been banned, but then again they are on live all day everyday. I have had my xbox modded for a year and a half using the iXtreme 1.1 firmware. I don't play on live that much, but I have not been banned. I have actually had people wanting for me to flash their xbox. I find it amusing that the first question they ask is can you promise I wont get banned from live. At this point I start laughing because they have not done any research. Its really all about luck. A condom can only prevent a certain percentage against pregnancy, but there is always that chance. This mod is done at your own risk and thats why many people that are live freaks don't do it. Hope this helps.


Jay,

[manbearpig]

Thanks for your responses. People have theories about bans that seem credible, but of course only MS knows the truth, and they aren't about to spell it out for us

If/when my console does get banned, I just don't want it to be because I made some avoidable mistake... If I'm banned despite my best efforts, too bad so sad, at least I tried

I'll just keep an eye on the forums here, and probably err on the side of caution as much as I can.

Thanks again,

-MBP

[Jman 31]

Join the rest of us. That's the best you can hope for. Do everything as close to perfect as you can and pray you haven't done whatever it is they are looking for.

[CoFree]

to answer your questions

1 who ever said play on live with a offline profile and you wont get banned it NUTS.if you mod your drive with a hacked firmware, you can or could be banned.that is not what they are look at at this point.they are looking at the backup game.

2 if i have to i will take the game update with a backup.
its like jman said do everything you can with a orig game.


at this time the best there is, is keeping a running log of everything that goes in and out of his 360.
M$ is looking for BAD Backups
the best way to help keep from getting banned.

1 never play a downloaded game.(even if it passes all the stealth checks)
2 make your own backup off of your orig in hand game with a sh-d162c dvd drive(or a drive like it)
2a. i dont like the hotswap dump and patch with mullter at all.(i dont do it)
3 check with every checker out there.making sure they pass all the stealth checks.(and yes i still check everyone of my dumps with kreonchecker for the bad ss rip)

[yginesta]

Wow... Cofree could have not put this in a better way!! Way to go dude.


Jay,

[manbearpig]

Cool - thanks cofree for those recommendations. I think I should get myself a sh-d162c drive so I can do my own rips instead of trusting others to do them properly. "If you want something done right, ..." I have been careful about checking the stealth data though (including the use of KreonChecker).

NCIX doesn't seem to have the sh-d162 - I'll snag one on eBay.

Best regards,

-MBP

[CoFree]

sounds good man