Portable Guides:
Due to a few people requesting the guides in a Microsoft Word document I have decided to provide a download of the guides as a document file.
Please note:
You can still follow the links in the guides in the documents.
Just hold control aka,"ctrl" and click the link and it will open.
Also note that the files are .docx.
Here are the downloads,
Beginners Guide To Jtags [Megaupload]
Beginners Guide To XDK's [Megaupload]
I wouldn't post a virus,and it shows the files to be .docx anyways,so download with confidence,I will post a virus scan later for all the people who are skeptical.
As I update the guides I will also update the links for the downloads,so you may want to keep a watch out for them,I will state whether they have been update in the section of the guide,so if it doesn't state they have been,they haven't received the update yet.
Announcements
This section will contain issues of importance regarding JTAGs.
It will be updated as required and it's point is to reduce topic spamming the board.
JTAG XBL Status: Online
Regarding The New JTAG Hack:
The new JTAG Hack allows all Slim,Jasper and Zephyr motherboards,on any dashboard version,even up to the latest version,13599.
Tutorial: What you thin your reading ???
Information: Then what do you call this post ????
Best Xenon Bundle Deal on SinnerSecurity.com :
Seller - Sinner Envy
Ranking - Owner / Admin
Includes:
Xenon JTAG on 13599 Dashboard
20GB HDD
XeX Menu
203w Power Brick
A/V Cables
Wireless Controller
Network Cable
XBL Headset (Standard Microsoft one)
Price:
$250 shipped anywhere in the U.S. = (Gift Payment)
$275 shipped anywhere in the U.S. = (Goods/Service)
Regarding The New Rebooter
A new rebooter has been released,it will allow you to access 13146 on your JTAG.
IT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS XBOX LIVE.
END OF DISCUSSION.
It is now available for ALL console types.
ADIZZYSNIPER coded and released it,and SPEED stickied it.
Here is a link in case you somehow missed it,
[NO XBL] Rebooter 13599 Dash [NO XBL]
If you have any questions regarding how to use a rebooter or how to make an image,please don't try this without knowing.
Also,don't ask me about it,as rebooters and image creating is not something I can explain very well,it would be a waste of time.
So please,feel free to ask ADIZZYSNIPER any question you have by posting on the topic link posted above.
Method of By-Passing Server Checks:
A few people have JTAG running online right now and have a new method which allows you to by-pass the server checks and also get onto the new kernel version.
It is NOT being released to the General Public,so do not ask for it be released.
Any posts,
Asking for it to be released
Discussing if it will
Flaming the hosters
Or anything of the kind
Will either be locked or deleted by moderators and a warning may be issued to the Original Poster (O.P.)
Stop spamming the forums talking about it,it is NONE of the communities business as to what they want to do with it.
Regarding Jtaggable consoles:
A new JTAG Hack has been released that will allow ALL dashboard versions to be exploited to the JTAG Hack,on Jasper,Zephyr and Slim consoles.
At the moment it is barebones,as does not allow you to boot into a dashboard yet,so for the time being,you'd still have to stick with the older requirements below in the spoiler.
Regards as to purchasing KV's:
Since the rebooter has not been released,it is pretty pointless to unban your Jtag.
Only those who can host online need to buy KV's,and that is just to test it out as they cannot be banned.
You still can buy them,but it's just pointless and a waste of money for non-hosters.
Disclaimer:
I am providing this information for educational purposes only.
What you use it for is your own responsibility and I take no liability for your actions.
I take no credit for any of the youtube videos in this post unless I clearly state otherwise,all credit for there creation goes to there respective uploaders.
All GFX in this guide was made by myself.
However,I do not take credit for the Xbox 360 Logo or the "thank the topic" images at the bottom of the topic.
All text was created by myself.
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. What is a Motherboard
3. Types of Motherboards
4. What Motherboard Does My Console Have
5. What is a "JTAG"
6. What the JTAG Modification is
7. Are JTAGGED Consoles illgeal
8. What is A KeyVault
9. What is Homebrew
10. Disabling Xbox Live
11. Hard Drive Disks
12. JTAG Uses
13. JTAG Lifespans
14. What JTAG Should I Purchase
15. FAQs
16. Tutorials
17. Where to buy a JTAG
18. JTAG Repairs/Modifications
19. Achievements
Introduction:
You will probably hear about JTAGs and a lot of different people calling them different things,like Xenon or Jasper.
They are referring to the motherboard of the console,so each type would be a different type of JTAG.
For anyone who is wondering what is the difference between a JTAG and an Xbox Development Kit.(XDK)
Please view my Beginners Guide to XDK's
My Gift to Gold Members:
Here is a little something for Gold Members only.
Only way to get beyond this links is to be a Gold Member here.
Gold Member Mystery Link #1
Gold Members Mystery Link #2
Gold Members Mystery Link #3
For Gold Members: Don't comment on what the links leads to,don't wanna leak Gold Content right?
What is a Motherboard?
A motherboard is a circuit board which is in many computers and electronic items (such as an Xbox 360)
It holds many of the crucial components of the system,it also provides connectors for other peripherals such as the HDD on an Xbox 360.
The motherboard is also known as:
Main Board
System Board
Mobo
The types of motherboards are as follows:
-Xenon (2005)
-Zephyr (2007)
-Falcon (2007)
-Opus (2008)
-Jasper (2008)
-Valhalla (2010)
They all can run the same programs and yes,they all will be able to host online when it is again available and can all host system link lobbies for Call of Duty games with the exclusion of Black Ops.
That said the different types do have many differences and some are better suited to offline use and some are better for online use.
I will go into detail on these differences now.
Xenon
Zephyr
Falcon
Opus
Jasper
Valhalla
What Motherboard Does My Console Have?
The easiest way to figure out what motherboard your Xbox 360 (Normal/JTAG) is running on is to check the power supply.
Take out your power supply cable from your Xbox 360 and look at the hole in which it fits into on the console.
There are specific differences in them and they are separated like this.
Xenon/Zephyr
Opus/Falcon
Jasper
Here is a picture showing you the differences:
If your thinking I forgot about the Valhalla,I did not.
All Xbox 360 Slims come with only the Valhalla motherboard.
What is a "JTAG"?
A JTAG is the name given to an Xbox 360 console,which has had it's hardware modified so that it can run un-signed code.
This is also known as homebrew,which is explained a little further into the guide.
A JTAGGED console should cost more than a normal Xbox 360,but this can change depending on the situation and condition/motherboard.
What the JTAG Modification is:
This being for beginners,This will not tell you how to JTAG your console.
It is a hardware mod.
That means that you have to open up your Xbox 360 console which voids the warranty.
You cannot use software alone or a USB to Jtag your Xbox 360 Console.
The reason for JTAGGING an Xbox 360 is so you can run homebrew on your console.
Wondering what homebrew is? I will get to that a little later in the guide.
Only some consoles can be JTAGGED.
For them to be JTAGABLE or "taggable" as some people say,they need to be Kernel 2.0.7371.0 or below.
However,the Circuit Board version (CB Version) also has to be exploitable for the console to be exploitable.
If you have updated your console after June 2009,you will not be able to have it JTAG it.
Please note: You cannot downgrade your dashboard,or your Kernel unless you have the original NAND.
JTAGs can do a lot more than normal Xbox 360's,at the moment,connecting to XBL is not one of them.
Are JTAGGED Consoles Illegal?
Due to many people asking this question I have decided to add it to the guide to clear this up once and for all since some people say they are,while others say they are.
That being said I am not a lawyer and may make a mistake,so anyone with any legal knowledge,feel free to correct any mistakes I may have made.
To answer the question,a JTAGGED Xbox 360 consoles ARE NOT illegal,however,you can use them to conduct illegal activities,such as Piracy. (if you don't know what it is look it up on Wikipedia)
It is not against the law to modify an Xbox 360 console you own,but take these things in mind before you do:
Opening your Xbox 360 Consoles will void any existing warranty on the console. (There is a sticker,once torn,your warranty is gone)
If a JTAG breaks down,it won't have a warranty,and since it is modified,do not send it to Microsoft to be repaired,you will receive a letter saying that they found the console was modified etc,and you will not get it back.
Just because the console is not against the law to own or modify,does not mean everything you use it for/do with it is legal and lawful.
If you decide to download pirated content from the internet,such as Xbox Live Arcade Games or full Xbox 360 Titles,and play them on your Jtag you are playing pirated content and it is illegal. This is a prosecutable offence and is treated very seriously all across the globe due to copyright laws. However,some countries do have more lenient laws regarding copyrights and copyright infringement and it may not be illegal.
In the United States and most parts of Europe,it is illegal and you are prosecutable.
Backing up content in-which you already own is completely legal.
What I mean by this is installing a game,in-which you have already purchased,onto your HDD or JTAG is legal as you have paid for it and are legally allowed to create a backup copy,but it is illegal to distribute the content,and you may suffer worse charges for distributing copyrighted content.
Backing up a game that belongs to someone else and you have not paid for,is illegal as it is piracy. Obviously if the person is a family member this does not apply as it would be stupid.
Now this is where I may need clarification,Homebrew.
Homebrew is technically illegal as it is not signed nor allowed to be run on a console.
I think (clarification needed) it is illegal to have homebrew running on your console as it is not signed content and not intended to be used but as I said,I need this to be confirmed.
Now that's the legal side to it,now heres the real side to it,you will more than likely not get caught.
There are two reasons for this,
1 - The law enforcers rarely target the people who download the material,they usually target those who supply the copyrighted material for free.
E.g. Sony sued GeoHot,not the people who downloaded his files,even though they found their locations and could easily have found them,but that is in a small quantity of people.
2 - Far too many people across many types of digital information.
E.g. Xbox Games,Playstation Games,PC games,Music,E-Books,Software,Movies,the list is endless.
With so many things to police,they cannot go after the millions of people who download the content,but rather the one person who uploads it for free.
With that being said...
I do not in anyway condone piracy or copyright infringement.
I am providing this information for educational purposes only and what you use it for is your own responsibility and I take no liability for your actions.
That applies for everything in this thread.
What Is A KeyVault?
(KV)
Due to a lot of people asking me what they are lately,I have decided to add this new section to explain it.
A KeyVault (KV) is basically a file that holds information about your Xbox and is what Microsoft uses to identify your Xbox when you attempt to connect to Xbox Live.
When Microsoft ban your Xbox they basically use the details of the KV and make it so a console with that KV in it is not allowed to connect to Xbox Live.
The method used in the past to ban your console was extracting a KV from an unbanned console and replacing the current KV in your banned console with the new one.
This made Microsoft think that it is a completely new Xbox and thus,it is not banned.
You can ONLY replace a KV in a JTAG and it cannot be done on a retail Xbox 360.
The KV of a console is stored on the console's NAND chip.
Please Note: You can ONLY extract a KV from a console which can run unsigned code. This would be a JTAG.
The purchase and sale of KV's used to be a big business for modders but now is practically dead due to Microsoft's new server checks for unsigned code.
A JTAG runs unsigned code and Microsoft's new checks instantly ban anyone trying to connect to Xbox Live with a console which is using unsigned code.
So it is no longer practical to unban your console as you cannot to connect to Xbox Live for even half a minute.
What is Homebrew?
Homebrew is another name for unsigned code.
Unsigned code allows you to run programs on an Xbox 360 that Microsoft did not intended you to be able to.
Some examples would be running game emulators,being able to save games to your HDD and not need the disk to run them,unlocking trial XBLA games to their full versions, modifying games,running custom dash boards that allow you to change the systems temperature and other features and much much more.
Homebrew means it's software that was made at home,by one person or a team,but not a developer or company.
Disabling Xbox Live:
I have seen a few people who have been unlucky enough to get a system update on their JTAG and then accidentally installed it.
This will blow the efuses in your JTAG,which in layman terms means,
It will not work and cannot be repaired end of discussion.
So here is how to make sure you will NEVER accidentally install an update or accidentally try to connect to Live and ban your console.
This is for dash version 12611
1. Turn on console and go to the "My Xbox" tab.
2. Go to the "Family Settings" part located second last.
3. Turn on "Console Safety"
4. Scroll to "Xbox Live Access" and choose "Blocked"
5. You may want to set a "Pass Code" to prevent it being altered.
This is if the above method does not work
If your console is different to this layout try looking in "System Settings" for "Family Settings"
Now you should have your JTAG safe from being bricked by an update or becoming banned.
Hard Drive Disks
(HDD's)
When buying your JTAG you obviously will need a buy a suitable Hard Drive Disk (HDD) to store all your:
Games
XBLA Games
Emulators & Roms
Etc
A JTAG can use external HDD's that are not made by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox 360 and thats great as they are cheaper and have larger storage space.
However,a lot of people do not know,that you cannot save DLC,Profiles,Game saves and Title Updates (and more) on an External HDD and that you need either a Memory Card or a Microsoft HDD for your JTAG.
So it may be useful to purchase a 20GB or 60GB HDD for your JTAG if you choose to buy an External HDD for your JTAG.
JTAG Uses:
A lot of people seem to think that JTAGs main use was to host online lobbies for Call of Duty,JTAGs were not made to be used online primarily,they have many many other uses and for those of you who do not know them,they are clearly listed below.
Run Homebrew.
System Linking.
Run emulators - PS1,NES,SNES,GBA and more!
Run custom dashboards e.g. Freestyle Dash.
Get free Xbox Live Arcade Games!
Save games/movies to HDD and never need it's disk again.
Host online lobbies - At the moment it is not possible.
Unless i know you then i'll System Link you
Mod your games as much as you want to.
Download Xbox/Xbox 360 game Iso's/DLC from the internet and be able to use them.
JTAG Lifespans
From reading the above sections you should already have a pretty good idea what JTAGs are made for being used for long durations of time and what ones should be used for a few hours and then left to cool-down for at least a further hour,this section will go into more detail on the probably of overheating causing the RROD.
Xenon/Zephyr:
These motherboards are plagued by overheating which leads to the RROD.
These JTAGs are usually best used for short periods of time.
If you want to be safe,I would recommend using your JTAG for 2-3 hours tops before taking a break (turning it off) and letting it cool down.
Even following this,you will probably come into difficulty and get the RROD.
Luckily,there are modifications that can be done to the consoles to reduce the overheating problems.
Some of the modifications are as follows:
All of these methods,done correctly,will reduce the temperature of your console and increase cooling and/or decrease heat creation,thus allowing you to play your console longer without turning it off to cool.
Please note,even with these modifications,you may still suffer from the RROD due to overheating.
Falcon
The Falcon is less prone to getting the RROD due to overheating than the Xenon/Zephyr but still has a chance to get it and is likely to get it at some stage or another.
They can be used for long periods of times without overheating,I would recommend no longer than 6 hours gameplay before switching it off and letting it cool down.
If you wish,you may have some of the modifications installed,this will reduce the chances of your consoles getting the RROD.
Please note,even with these modifications,you may still suffer from the RROD due to overheating.
Jasper
Jaspers very very rarely suffer from the RROD so play as long as you like,I highly doubt your console will overheat.
No modifications should be necessary for your Jasper JTAG.
What Jtag Should I Purchase?
FAQ
Please read the FAQ.
Lobby Hosting JTAGs:
Xenon (Best) Note: Should not be used for longer durations.
Zephyr/Falcon (Second best)
Xenons can use type 1 & 2 KV's so unbanning is easier for them.
Zephyrs/Falcons can both only use type 2 so are harder to unban.
At the moment,it's not very important,as JTAGs cannot connect to XBL.
Offline Jtags:
Jasper (Best)
Falcon (Second best)
The Jasper is better for offline use as it very rarely get the RROD and does not have heating up problems.
The Falcon is good for on/offline,but it suffers from the RROD,more than the Jasper,less than the Xenon.
However,it is a lot cheaper than a Jasper.
FAQs
If you are still confused about anything or have any JTAG question add a reply stating the problem.
Or send it to me as a and I will answer them below.
General FAQs
Homebrew FAQs
Tutorials
How to use JTAG Tool to update to 12625 Dash
Moved all Tutorials to a Tutorial Thread as they were beginning to get too long to stay in this post,thus people were not seeing them and asking question that had been answered.
Where to buy a JTAG
If you want to buy a JTAG,please check out the Marketplace.
Please be very careful on this forum,some people scam people pretending to sell JTAGs but just take your money.
Before you browse the marketplace,please read the Marketplace Regulations,Safety and Rules,they will help you stay safe while using this forum.
Q: Can I buy a JTAG from you?
A: No I do not sell JTAGs/Kv's
Q: Will you JTAG my console?
A: No I will not.
Q: Will you system link for me?
A: No I will not.
You are safest to buy from these types of sellers:
A Stickied Shop.
A member with a Trusted Seller Badge.
A member of HL Staff.
JTAG Repairs/Modifications/Services
This section will include all the stickied shops which repair consoles and/or do case mods,LED mods,basically general console Modifications also including JTAGGING.
There is not many of these services currently available but here are the ones that are.
USA Repairs/Mod Shops
SPEED's DVD Drive Shop - Repairs/Flashing/More
[Admin/Sticky]
Icy-Tank's JTAG Repair Shop
[Sticky][Trusted Seller][Global Moderator]
ConnorModzz Repairs/Flashing/JTAGGING Shop
UK Repairs/Mod Shops
JTAG-GALORE's Jtag Repairs/Modifications Shop
[Trusted Seller] [Sticky]
-TANK-'s Repair/Modifications Shop
Achievements
I will be keeping this guide as up to date as possible.
Notifications will be added for each update.
If you have any suggestion,please post a reply
Feedback is extremely appreciated,please post some if you found this useful.
If you feel this has helped you,please feel free to Thank The Topic.
It will keep the guide alive and also encourage me to keep it more updated.
If you've got a question,click this Pm button below
Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:35 am by EP1CzSNIPER
