here... I'll enlighten everyone, including shockwave.

Installing a current modchip is 100% legal. Current chips come flashed with what is known as a FlashBIOS, it is 100% free of microsoft code, and on its own can not be used to do anything except load a linux operating system onto the xbox.

Where it starts to become illegal is when you flash that chip with a modded bios. The most popular bios right now is the xecuter 2 4977 or 4978.03 bios. This bios DOES contain Microsoft code and therefore is illegal due to copyright infringement, but this is very minor because anything can be reverse engineered for the sake of learning from it... ANYTHING.

Next there are the applications. Many applications were written completely free of microsoft code and without using the XDK (xbox development kit). These apps themselves are legal and being able to run them is a good thing. The other apps that were made with the XDK could most likely be considered as illegal (since the XDK it was made with was most likely a pirated version) but there are several people with actual Xbox Dev kits and the PC software that comes with it that are developing software for the xbox.. all these people have paid microsoft for their software/hardware and are handing programs out for free. These programs are legal.

so what are we left with.. just how illegal is it to install a modchip and actually use it? not very, if M$ wanted to come after you they'd have very little ground to stand on since:

A) They steal code on a regular basis
B) You're using freely distributed applications that the authors have made themselves available to the public

Now... when does it get downright illegal? When you steal games. When you pirate them so you don't have to pay for them, then that is beyond a doubt illegal. Any judge/jury in the world can see that.

So why do I even mention you can play backups?

1) cause I don't want 10 emails a day from people asking if it plays backups

2) because there are actual legitimate people out there that use this to back up their games so they don't get scratched and then they don't even have to take the games to their friends house to play them.. just take the xbox. They're called hard-core collectors.

There... now you know my position, I'd appreciate it if you would stop saying this is illegal, I know just how illegal it is, and I'm willing to accept the consequences if a case is brought against me. I'm really not afraid of it cause I don't advocate piracy.


now, if anyone happens to have any friends that want their systems modded, let them know about me. I'm starting a referral program where the referrer gets $5 after the install is paid for and possibly more if the person referred to me has anything else done besides just a chip install.