USBs on your 360

[Skylark95]

http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/04/06/xbox-360-system-update-usb-memory-support.aspx

I am so going to try this out now.

[Elite Effect (Jon)]

I've already went out and grabbed me a USB Stick. I gotta say, the extra space is nice. My HDD was filling up pretty fast, so I'm glad I don't have to go out and buy a whole new HDD now. Lol.

[Bogey]

Open invitation to modders, it's only a matter of time.

[PaNfOoT]

Open invitation to modders, it's only a matter of time.

Everyone who wants to already has been doing it, MW2 is a good example of that.

[Bogey]

Everyone who wants to already has been doing it, MW2 is a good example of that.

It was way harder to mod before this update. I'm not saying modding is going to go rampant now, but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes more common.

[PeeKnuckle]

It's because toolsets have been designed and made available to the public. Anyone can get their hands on it and that's why you see it all over. They don't need an external HDD to do it.

[Bogey]

When I think of external devices being able to store game saves, Action Replay come to mind. That was one of the most common ways to soft mod on the original Xbox.

[Timmy]

Does adding external memory support not open up a world of opportunity for game-saving? ..Or do Microsoft assume they're just going catch everyone?

[MadMikeMan]

So, I could move stuff off my xbox's crowded hdd to my computers, um, 2 gigs at a time.

This definitely makes content sharing alot easier, I think...

[PeeKnuckle]

It was easy to begin with. That's why you see green skinned avatars all over. The tools to do it, are all over the place.

[Kevnvek]

Well it's not like it isn't encrypted and hidden. I had to set the folder options to show protected operating system files and hidden folders just to see the "Xbox 360" folder, and inside it all of the files are just data files named Data0000 to Data0017. The layman couldn't copy files onto his computer to save space, a special hack program would have to be made to find a way to add/remove files from it in the proper format.

I'm glad that they've added USB hard drive support, but the 16GB cap is kind of weak. For now it's just saving me about 9GB, I moved the two Xbox original games that I have but don't play anymore to it, Fable and Ninja Gaiden Black.

[Skylark95]

I will find this very useful when moving stuff from my console to a friends console...

I really don't see how this is going to incease modding... I think Microsoft has taken some precautions for that... I mean, they use half a GB for who knows what...

[vectordream]

I have some questions about this. Will running a game from a USB stick slow it down at all? It sounds like it would be better than the disk at least.

I was considering buying a new 250gb Drive for mine to install some games on. Probably the best way to go in the end.

[Kevnvek]

You can only get up to 16GBs per drive, so I'd recommend getting as small a drive as possible unless you plan on using the leftover space for your computer. Also, if you have an external hard drive formatted in FAT32, you can play videos from your computer on your 360, which is awesome, so you could use it for that. But if it's solely for 360 storage, I'd say get the lowest, cheapest one, then maybe you could get multiple. The lowest I could find at NewEgg was 80GB for $35 (after shipping), so 250 for $50 is still a better deal if you intend to use the space, but you may find better deals elsewhere.

http://www.newegg.co...82E16822324033R

@vectordream, again, 16GB limit, so you'd be able to install 2, MAYBE 3 games. The hard drive I'm using for 360 is a standard USB 2.0, nothing fancy, and I got a warning message that recommended I didn't use it for save games, installed games, XBLA, etc (I just use it for extra storage). So you'd still have to get an official 360 hard drive to be able to really install much.

[vectordream]

You can only get up to 16GBs per drive, so I'd recommend getting as small a drive as possible unless you plan on using the leftover space for your computer. Also, if you have an external hard drive formatted in FAT32, you can play videos from your computer on your 360, which is awesome, so you could use it for that. But if it's solely for 360 storage, I'd say get the lowest, cheapest one, then maybe you could get multiple. The lowest I could find at NewEgg was 80GB for $35 (after shipping), so 250 for $50 is still a better deal if you intend to use the space, but you may find better deals elsewhere.

http://www.newegg.co...82E16822324033R

@vectordream, again, 16GB limit, so you'd be able to install 2, MAYBE 3 games. The hard drive I'm using for 360 is a standard USB 2.0, nothing fancy, and I got a warning message that recommended I didn't use it for save games, installed games, XBLA, etc (I just use it for extra storage). So you'd still have to get an official 360 hard drive to be able to really install much.

I just found out that the 16GB xbox usb sticks are $70 bucks! I can get a 250GB drive for my xbox for $129 so I think I will go with that. I hear installing games cuts out loading times? Just wondering if it is worth it. I know I will still need to keep my discs but cutting out loading times would be cool.

[Kevnvek]

I just found out that the 16GB xbox usb sticks are $70 bucks! I can get a 250GB drive for my xbox for $129 so I think I will go with that. I hear installing games cuts out loading times? Just wondering if it is worth it. I know I will still need to keep my discs but cutting out loading times would be cool.

The loading time decrease is barely noticeable. The real benefit is that your discs can't be scratched if the console is moved, and the console makes a LOT less noise while running games. Basically it sounds the same as it would at the dashboard when you run installed games. So it's not essential, but it is a very nice feature, I always install the games I play because I can't stand how loud the Xbox is when the disc is spinning.

[PeeKnuckle]

Games that are installed to your HDD, vary with their load times. In Borderlands, you can see the difference very easily. In some games, you can't see much. Google search. There is a site that has been keeping up with installed games and their load times.

Installed games extend the life of your DVD drive, too.

*edit* Also, you don't have to use a licensed 360 thumb drive.

[vectordream]

Thanks guys I would like a quieter system and will defiantly get the hard drive soon. What intrigued me about the USB stick was having my profile on it so I could go to a friends house and sign in and play and get credit for achievements and such while on their xbox.

[Kevnvek]

Thanks guys I would like a quieter system and will defiantly get the hard drive soon. What intrigued me about the USB stick was having my profile on it so I could go to a friends house and sign in and play and get credit for achievements and such while on their xbox.

Yep, that's the main thing I use my memory card for. The portability is very nice. And what, do you not want to get the hard drive but are getting it anyways? *grammar nazi pointing out the overly common usage of 'defiantly' in place of 'definitely'*

[vectordream]

Yep, that's the main thing I use my memory card for. The portability is very nice. And what, do you not want to get the hard drive but are getting it anyways? *grammar nazi pointing out the overly common usage of 'defiantly' in place of 'definitely'*

I want to get the xbox hard drive 250GB but was just saying I like the idea of the USB stick if it was not so darn expensive.

[Kevnvek]

I want to get the xbox hard drive 250GB but was just saying I like the idea of the USB stick if it was not so darn expensive.

Here's what I'm talking about.

http://www.buy.com/prod/204225927.html

Sure it can't store much at only 512MB, but for $30 you save yourself the long process of recovering your console EVERY time you play somewhere else, and you can take saves with you. So I want to coop Guitar Hero with my brother, I can just take the card with my profile and save game out and use it on his console.

Those 360 specific drives are overpriced, but I suppose you could take games and DLC with you. I think I might just partition 2 of the 8 gigs on the flash drive I already have for that. Then again, this would only really be useful if you can save DRM to the flash drives, otherwise you won't be able to play any of the content unless you're signed into LIVE. It also sucks that they take a USB slot and not a memory card slot, as all my holes are filled. (internet, 300GB external hard drive, and play and charge cable; why do I feel like there's a sig somewhere in my last comment? XD)