Microsoft Sniffing Out Replacement Hard Drives
Latest fight against 'modders' unfolds.
Microsoft has launched a fresh attack on the Xbox modification community, with the Xbox Live online gaming service now scanning all machines and requesting information on the machine’s hard disc, which it is believed will be used as part of a service cull against hackers.
The coded request was picked up on Sunday and various community sites have been monitoring the situation since then. As of this point, no one has reported that they have had their Live access denied as a result of fitting an aftermarket drive.
However, far from being a security check, the sniffing out of the Xbox’s mass storage component may well be a check on the extent to which console operators make use of the hard drive. As you will know, the future storage media for the Xbox project is up in the air, with an apparent confirmation coming late last week from a third party that solid state flash memory would take the place of the piracy-riddled, often problematic hard disc.
We’ll keep you updated on any developments.
The coded request was picked up on Sunday and various community sites have been monitoring the situation since then. As of this point, no one has reported that they have had their Live access denied as a result of fitting an aftermarket drive.
However, far from being a security check, the sniffing out of the Xbox’s mass storage component may well be a check on the extent to which console operators make use of the hard drive. As you will know, the future storage media for the Xbox project is up in the air, with an apparent confirmation coming late last week from a third party that solid state flash memory would take the place of the piracy-riddled, often problematic hard disc.
We’ll keep you updated on any developments.
Companies:
Microsoft
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Comments
Arse McAdams 9 Mar 2004 14:53
1/10
Why don't they just ask? The answer is simple: the hard drives are used for the purpose of playing emulators and watching DivX movies.
almondVanHelsing 9 Mar 2004 19:21
2/10
And for installing Linix, which MS don't want to happen on their precious X-Boxen.
Next live will see if you have third party controllers, or memory cards, or faster CPUs.
MS must stop this, or no-one will be able to make add-ons for the X-Box. We'll all have to use the huge controllers MS make.
Next live will see if you have third party controllers, or memory cards, or faster CPUs.
MS must stop this, or no-one will be able to make add-ons for the X-Box. We'll all have to use the huge controllers MS make.
more comments below our sponsor's message
jamespo 9 Mar 2004 21:05
3/10
Didn't MS ditch the giant controllers ages ago?
And they don't exactly do that on their PCs with mice, etc?
Probably about 2% of people with replacement HDs run linux.
And about 70% run "backup" games directly from the HD.
If you don't like it, don't subscribe to XBL. Phone & cable are the same, you can't just plug anything into their system.
And they don't exactly do that on their PCs with mice, etc?
Probably about 2% of people with replacement HDs run linux.
And about 70% run "backup" games directly from the HD.
If you don't like it, don't subscribe to XBL. Phone & cable are the same, you can't just plug anything into their system.
DoctorDee 10 Mar 2004 08:04
4/10
Reginald Tools wrote:
>Didn't MS ditch the giant controllers ages ago?
They did. For ones marginally less giant.
>And they don't exactly do that on their PCs with
>mice, etc?
Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do not stand to make or lose money based on yourt choice of mouse.
They do make Xbox, and controllers.
>Probably about 2% of people with replacement HDs
>run linux.
I think you are optimistic. I think it's about 0.2%. But that it still 100% more than if Microsoft gets it way.
>And about 70% run "backup" games directly from
>the HD.
THis is very probably wrong, for moral reasons.
>If you don't like it, don't subscribe to XBL.
At last - some sense. Better still, if you don't like it, don't by an Xbox.
>Phone & cable are the same, you can't just plug
>anything into their system.
But they aren't the same are they? Phone and cable provide a black box, end-to-end system that does all it's supposed to, and supply all the hardware required to do that. Where you want to plug extra devices in, Like a TiVo, or Sky+ box, or Modem, they let you.
Microsoft sells a PC in a big ugly black case, and expect people not to want to do PC-type things with it.
>Didn't MS ditch the giant controllers ages ago?
They did. For ones marginally less giant.
>And they don't exactly do that on their PCs with
>mice, etc?
Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do not stand to make or lose money based on yourt choice of mouse.
They do make Xbox, and controllers.
>Probably about 2% of people with replacement HDs
>run linux.
I think you are optimistic. I think it's about 0.2%. But that it still 100% more than if Microsoft gets it way.
>And about 70% run "backup" games directly from
>the HD.
THis is very probably wrong, for moral reasons.
>If you don't like it, don't subscribe to XBL.
At last - some sense. Better still, if you don't like it, don't by an Xbox.
>Phone & cable are the same, you can't just plug
>anything into their system.
But they aren't the same are they? Phone and cable provide a black box, end-to-end system that does all it's supposed to, and supply all the hardware required to do that. Where you want to plug extra devices in, Like a TiVo, or Sky+ box, or Modem, they let you.
Microsoft sells a PC in a big ugly black case, and expect people not to want to do PC-type things with it.
Alchemeron 10 Mar 2004 10:08
5/10
If you know so much about the rates of custom harddrive usage and the Microsoft XBox console, how can you NOT know about the the simple fact that Microsoft has been making mice for many years?
TigerUppercut 19 Mar 2004 14:48
6/10
Which is jolly nice of them.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/03/12/news_6091238.html
They also say SPOnG is "The well-written, skeptical, and sometimes wholly creative." Thanks guys, we love you too.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/03/12/news_6091238.html
They also say SPOnG is "The well-written, skeptical, and sometimes wholly creative." Thanks guys, we love you too.
auzdafluff 21 Mar 2004 13:57
7/10
>Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do
>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>choice of mouse.
>
>They do make Xbox, and controllers.
And mice and keyboards, they even used to make the Sidewinder brand before it was discontinued... check your facts next time
>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>choice of mouse.
>
>They do make Xbox, and controllers.
And mice and keyboards, they even used to make the Sidewinder brand before it was discontinued... check your facts next time
SPInGSPOnG 21 Mar 2004 14:18
8/10
Ben Furfie wrote:
>>Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do
>>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>>choice of mouse.
That was quite clearly the dumbest thing I have ever said (and I say a lot of dumb stufff) I have about a dozen Micromice..
I just wasn't thinking, which isn't a great way to post to a forum, I apologise.
>>Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do
>>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>>choice of mouse.
That was quite clearly the dumbest thing I have ever said (and I say a lot of dumb stufff) I have about a dozen Micromice..
I just wasn't thinking, which isn't a great way to post to a forum, I apologise.
SPInGSPOnG 21 Mar 2004 14:24
9/10
Alchemeron wrote:
>If you know so much about the rates of custom
>harddrive usage and the Microsoft XBox console,
>how can you NOT know about the the simple fact
>that Microsoft has been making mice for many
>years?
Dude, I said something stupid, I in a rush, and I was writing faster than I was thinking.
But don't have a cow. I wasn't claiming to "know so much" about the rate of Xbox disk usage.
It's just that most Linux fans don't like Microsoft, so they aren't that likely to buy an Xbox. Particularly when you can do sooo much more with Linux and a PC. I do not think that so many as 2% of Xbox hard disk users run Linux... but I'd be happy to hear from anyone who knows accurate figures... but lets face it, no one does.
If you "know so much" about rates of Xbox hard disk usage, share your knowledge with us. But if you just want to take cheap shots (back up not by your greater knowledge of the topic in question, but by pointing out a silly mistake in my posting), eat my shorts!
>If you know so much about the rates of custom
>harddrive usage and the Microsoft XBox console,
>how can you NOT know about the the simple fact
>that Microsoft has been making mice for many
>years?
Dude, I said something stupid, I in a rush, and I was writing faster than I was thinking.
But don't have a cow. I wasn't claiming to "know so much" about the rate of Xbox disk usage.
It's just that most Linux fans don't like Microsoft, so they aren't that likely to buy an Xbox. Particularly when you can do sooo much more with Linux and a PC. I do not think that so many as 2% of Xbox hard disk users run Linux... but I'd be happy to hear from anyone who knows accurate figures... but lets face it, no one does.
If you "know so much" about rates of Xbox hard disk usage, share your knowledge with us. But if you just want to take cheap shots (back up not by your greater knowledge of the topic in question, but by pointing out a silly mistake in my posting), eat my shorts!
auzdafluff 22 Mar 2004 11:54
10/10
Rod Todd wrote:
>Ben Furfie wrote:
>
>>>Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do
>>>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>>>choice of mouse.
>
>That was quite clearly the dumbest thing I have
>ever said (and I say a lot of dumb stufff) I have
>about a dozen Micromice..
>
>I just wasn't thinking, which isn't a great way
>to post to a forum, I apologise.
No problem mate... aleast you've never forgotten how to spell 'the' before...
>Ben Furfie wrote:
>
>>>Microsoft doesn't make PCs, or mice. So they do
>>>not stand to make or lose money based on yourt
>>>choice of mouse.
>
>That was quite clearly the dumbest thing I have
>ever said (and I say a lot of dumb stufff) I have
>about a dozen Micromice..
>
>I just wasn't thinking, which isn't a great way
>to post to a forum, I apologise.
No problem mate... aleast you've never forgotten how to spell 'the' before...
