Hacking the Xbox

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Hacking the Xbox: An Introduction to Reverse Engineering
Figure 1-1: A selection of security bits. From left to right: Nintendo 4.5mm,
security torx, standard torx, clutch, Robertson or square, tri-wing, torq,
spanner, and security allen or hex.
Figure 1-1 shows a lineup of some common security bits. Surprisingly,
security bit sets are affordable and easy to obtain. MCM Electronics
(www.mcmelectronics.com) sells a 105-piece security bit set (MCM order
number 22-3495) for under twenty dollars, and a 32 piece set (MCM order
number 22-1875) for under ten dollars. They are well worth the investment.
Nintendo security bits are sold separately. You can get the large
Nintendo security bit, used in the Nintendo Gamecube, for a few dollars
(MCM order number 22-1150, “4.5mm Security Bit”). A smaller version
of the bit (MCM order number 22-1145, “3.8mm Security Bit”) is also
used in the older Nintendo systems and their game cartridges.
The Xbox uses standard torx (six-pointed star) bits of the T10, T15 and
T20 size. These bits are fairly common and can be purchased at hardware
stores such as Home Depot. You may also find a magnetic extension bit
holder handy for reaching into a couple of tight spots around the hard drive
and DVD drive in the Xbox.
Do not use excessive force when taking the cover off equipment. If you
think you have removed all of the screws but the cover is still stuck, most
likely you have either missed a screw, or you need to depress some
friction lock tabs. Too, many times screws are hidden beneath the rubber
feet on the bottom of equipment, or under a sticker label. To find screws
hidden by sticker labels, firmly rub the surface of the label. You will feel a
soft spot wherever there is a screw underneath. (Breaking such a label to
access the screw instantly voids the equipment’s warranty, but have no
fear: Most equipment is designed to be serviced, so simply removing the
cover rarely causes any damage.)
On occasion, you will encounter a stubborn assembly that refuses to
come apart. If the cover or panel flexes open around the edges or seems
to have some freedom of movement, there may be some kind of friction
lock holding the cover on. Friction locks are typically tab-and-slot
structures, shaped so that it is much easier to insert the tab than to
remove it. In this case, locate the tab by observing where the case seems
to be stuck, and push in on the tab with a small flathead screwdriver while