Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Can you backup Xbox 360 games?

Can you backup Xbox 360 games? Yes it can be done, but first I’d like to talk about the big questions I see on the net about it. Let’s start with the simplest question.
1. Is it legal- No I’m afraid it’s not? It is has been done for awhile now. Not sure how long but I do know that you could do it on the original Xbox, and add emulators to get all the games to the old systems as well as some of the best arcade games using the mame emulators. I personally had one and saved all my games to the system using a DVD burner I put in instead of the original disk drive. You could also expand the hard with any hard for desk top computers. Back on the subject it is illegal to backup your games just like it to copy DVDs and CDs.
2. Can you get in trouble? - Its illegal so of course you can. I don’t know anyone who’s had their house raided cause they download movies, games, or music but if caught I believe there are some hefty finds and you can do some jail time. The thing is the laws vary from country to country which can make it different depending on location. There’s a great article on ehow.com by Sarah Rigg that talks about the laws against downloading. Not going to touch more on this cause I think its strait forward.
3. Do I need to Modify my Xbox 360- Folks I’ve read through the internet and there is no way that I know that you can play backup Xbox 360 games without modifying you Xbox one way or the other. One way is to chip it. By saying that I mean you put chip in your Xbox that helps your Xbox read backup games. Another is to flash the drive. This you need a computer to do and will involve firmware. I believe it only works on 2 of the Xbox DVD drives the Samsung or the Hitachi. Both involve you opening up your Xbox which in turn your warranty will be lost, but that’s the chances you take to get free games.
4. Can I be banned- Yes you can. I don’t actually know anyone who has but you can be banned from Xbox live. What I did with my original Xbox was never hook it up to the internet to play on Xbox live. There are several websites and forums where you can get the info on how to make a game safe and where to download it. Not going to go into it on the blog post since my next post is going to be all about that subject.
Well I hope this has been informative for you. I don’t take any credit for the material in this blog. I didn’t create the process to backup games or how to do it. I just took the time to do a little research for those who wanted more info including myself. Please post a comment if you having any questions, suggestions, or if I’m just plain wrong on my info. Also if you just want to talk about all things Xbox I look forward to it.

Mr. Williams