Updateing FFXI For 360, Without Being Logged In

Now I know that when an update comes around PC players can get a head start on the updating process before the "Play" button on FFXI's main screen changes to "Check Version." This is can be accomplished by purposely altering some of FFXI's files on the PC's hard drive and running a file check in PoL's starting screen. The file check would find the altered files, and then the player could download the FFXI update prematurely so to "correct" the messed up files.

Now in my ever lasting search to work .dat mods into the 360 version I recently discovered quite a breakthrough. Using a program called Modio, a program called Xplorer 360 Extreme 2, a Xbox 360 harddrive transfer cable, and part of my time searching the 360's harddrive I finally found where Square sneakily hid the FFXI's files.

The location (for those that have the programs and cable): Partition 3/content/0000000000000000/53510000/00000003

There are a total of 17 files in this folder, of which total about 9.65gb. These files are: R100003, R100002, R100000, R000199, R000111, R000110, R000109, R000108, R000107, R000106, R000105, R000104, R000103,R000102, R000101, and R000100.

Now admittedly I don't know a whole lot about computers and their file systems, however I did what I could to try to find out what these files were. I found out that R000199 is a chatlog type file and holds the saved macros along with some other things. In short I believe these "R..." files are folder-types/directories of some sort(again please don't laugh too hard at my limited computer knowhow). So if someone could find out how to actually enter those files it would help .dat modding for the 360 version tremendously.

Anywho back to prematurely updating the 360 version; I used modio to rename the R000103 to R000104 and R000104 to R000103 all on the 360's harddrive.

After I put the harddrive back into the 360 and when I went to start the 360 an error screen came up. To fix this I took the harddrive back out, restarted the 360 without the harddrive, got to the main dashboard, placed the harddrive back in and then it worked fine. Launched PoL viewer. Ran a file check on PoL's starting screen and sure enough corrupted files were found, 4393 files in fact.

Specifically(File names given in PoL's list of corrupted files):
ROM/0/... .DAT(There are way too many for me to type out)
ROM/1/... .DAT
ROM/10/... .DAT
ROM/100/... .DAT
ROM/101/... .DAT

After running the "File Repair" the 360 updated to the most up-to-date version(from a fresh install of Vana'Diel Collection 2008.)

Be forewarned however if anyone attempts to mimic what I did it is breaking Microsoft's ToS as well as FFXI's, even if it has already been pretty widespread on the PC. Doing so could also have unforseen effects on your console/Gamertag/harddrive of which you are hereby warned. Also my 360 is the non-slim version, so I am unsure if it would work similarily on the slim or not.

The PlayOnline for XBOX360 files are signed with the local console certificate.

So if you "edited" your PlayOnline files with MODIO, it's very likely the files were "re-signed" with an console ID different than your console's unique ID. I believe that MODIO comes with an stolen certificate in it and that's what it uses to "validate" the files it modifies ...

And that's likely the reason why you could not use your files after "modding" the containers.

Also, MODIO is a nasty piece of "crapware" which will stain your XBOX360 harddrive with plenty of hacking vestiges.

You have a good chance of getting yourself banned from XBOX live for tampering with files/data on the storage media. So, to avoid bans, please do not tamper with your XBOX360 hard drive and memory units.

So even if such hackery works, keep in mind that if you get your gamertag banned you will no longer be able to play with your FFXI account on the XBOX360 platform.

Well aren't we high and mighty, warning me about a risk/danger that I already forewarned about in my post... but I guess if you're that worried about naive old me you can put your worries aside. As I did this with on a different console, with a different harddrive, with a different gamertag (which was registered with completely different info and email) than what I use for my main 360 gaming.

Though I guess if they wanted to they could link the IP addresses between my dud and main 360 or something but I don't honestly see them going that far for me when there are bigger targets for them to tackle.

Even if they did I know the dangers, but my minimalized risk curiosity makes it worth it.

The warning I gave comes from the fact that MS has been paranoid with profile hacking.

Go to their forums and look the section where people appeal/contest bans so you can have a idea.

The problem with MODIO is the fact that it uses the same console certificate to sign all files it mod (for everyone using it) so it's simple to rig up something to log people who used it to modify files.

But that's something you probably know already. I'm sorry if I bothered you. That was not the intention.