As this has been asked in a few threads recently, here's the current best practices for playing backups on an Xbox 360 with custom firmware. It's split into 2 sections depending on which type of drive is in your console. If you have a 360 S with a LiteOn 1175 or Hitachi 0500/0502, it is currently unflashable, but all other drives can be flashed.
All flashable 360s except those with Samsung drives or Hitachi drives that are revision 59 or earlier: -
1. Update to the latest dashboard version (2.0.14699.0 at the time of writing this). If your console is on dashboard version 2.0.12625.0 or earlier, flash back to stock firmware before updating. When you download the firmware pack, stock firmware is included if you don't have a backup of your original firmware.
2. Install LT+ 3.0. This is currently available for LiteOn and BenQ drives, but versions for all other drives (apart from the Samsung/Hitachi drives mentioned above) are in the works.
3. Make sure that any games protected by AP2.5 are patched for use with LT+ 3.0. You can use abgx360 1.0.6 to do this. Run all games through abgx360 before burning anyway as it checks the integrity of the ISO and can autofix it if necessary.
4. Burn any XGD3 games with a Burner Max burner. Use Verbatim media for best results with all Xbox 360 backup games.
NOTE - abgx360 1.0.6 patches AP2.5-protected games for use with LT+ 3.0 ONLY. AP2.5-protected games patched for LT+ 3.0 are not compatible with earlier versions of LT+ if your drive supports AP2.5.
360s with Samsung drives or Hitachi drives that are revision 59 or earlier: -
It's a little different with these drives because they do not support AP2.5, so LT+ 3.0 is not needed.
1. Update to the latest dashboard version (2.0.14699.0 at the time of writing this). If your console is on dashboard version 2.0.12625.0 or earlier, flash back to stock firmware before updating. When you download the firmware pack, stock firmware is included if you don't have a backup of your original firmware.
2. Install the most recent version of LT+ for your drive. If it's a Samsung, that's LT+ 2.01. If it's a Hitachi revision 59 or earlier, that's LT+ 2.0.
3. It's still a good idea to run games through abgx360 as you still need to make sure that all of the non-AP2.5 stealth files are present and correct. Even though your drive doesn't support AP2.5, if your backups are patched with AP2.5 topology data anyway, if your 360 ever dies and you replace it with one that has a drive that does support AP2.5, some/all of your backups will already be patched for use with that. I wouldn't bother ripping/patching/re-burning all of your older AP2.5-protected backups though, as there's no need to do it unless you're replacing the console with one that supports AP2.5.
4. Burn any XGD3 games with a Burner Max burner. Use Verbatim discs for best results with all Xbox 360 backup games.
There's a few people asking questions because they are not following the best practices listed above. If you are not doing the above, you're just going to run into more issues further down the line and you'll end up having to re-patch and re-burn discs again, or you may end up getting your console banned.
There's no point beating your head against the wall trying to get old firmware and methods to work - If you want to stick with custom firmware, just update your console, patch your games with abgx360, then burn them with a Burner Max burner and your problems will be solved!
this is my first attempt to research anything regarding modifying any of my hardware and I'm honestly a little overwhelmed with so much info! It's obviously great that someone has taken the time to compile all of this content but I just don't even know where to begin with what is being provided!
I agree with ProudDisciple. I am honestly thinking of just plopping down the $ for a legit game and calling it a day! Ideally, I had wanted to make backups of my games, as the kids handle them a lot and bound to get damaged, so who knows...when I have more time to focus on this, I may end up doing this arduous process anyway.
I have also been shopping around GameStop and GameFly's websites for used copies and have actually found some at reasonable prices ($5-20 avg.). I guess it all boils down to just making sure I educate my kids to take good care of the discs, which they are. Just need to keep an eye on their friends!
