After reading all the tutorials available on the web about this drive, It seems most guides are just littered with needless information so I have decided to write this guide to help out those with exactly how to flash a ms28 xbox 360 drive with a VIA 6421a PCI card. After many hours of frustration this process now takes around 20 mins....

PLEASE NOTE:
This guide specifically relates to the Samsung MS28 DVD-ROM DRIVE & the VIA VT6421a PCI SATA Card

360-hq and its members are no way held responsible for any damages or loss from using this guide.

IMPORTANT NOTE
After installing your VIA VT6421a SATA PCI CARD please ensure you plug the sata cable into the internal port on the pci card and not the external port.There are three slots. It is essential to use the port/plug at the front closest to the front of your CPU. Failure to do this will result in the "No Drive Detected" error while using MTKFLASH & iPREP 101 v006!!!

What you need
Xbox 360 with a Samsung MS28 drive
VIA VT 6421 PCI CARD.
iPrep 101 v006
Samsung iXtreme v1.4 Firmware
USB key drive/flash drive.
Desktop computer
Basic knowledge of winzip/winrar and hardware/software installation skills.

Ok, now for the step by step. If you experience any problems please revert to the previous step. DO NOT continue on!!!!

1. Installing the VIA VT6421a PCI CARD

1a. Turn off your pc and install your new VIA VT6421a PCI CARD into a spare PCI slot on your computer.

1b. Turn on your pc and load windows. Once windows has loaded it will automatically detect the new card which has been installed.

1c. Once windows has found the new PCI Card it will ask for the driver location. Insert the DVD/CD which came with the VIA VT6421a card and let windows install the drivers automatically.

1d. Once the drivers have been successfully installed you will be asked to reboot your pc. Reboot and move onto the next step.


2. Download & Install Homebrew Software

2a. Download and unzip/unrar "iPrep 101 v006" on your PC.

2b. Download the "iXtreme v1.4 Samsung firmware" and unzip/unrar it on your PC.

2c. Install "iPrep 101 v006" using the Setup.exe

2d. Start "iPrep 101 v006" using the icon in the Start Menu of your PC.

2e. Insert your USB Flash Drive

2f. Hit the "..." button on the far right hand top of the program and load the "iXtreme v1.4 Samsung Firmware". Once the Firmware is loaded be sure to check that the Firmware has been identified correctly.

2g. Tick the "patch mtkflash" checkbox.

2h. Be sure to tick the checkbox and make the USB Flash device bootable.

With the Flashdrive now ready to go it's best to test to see if your PC is setup to autoboot from a USB drive when it boots.. If your pc boots off the USB drive when you reboot your computer then you can skip the next step.

3. Check PC BIOS for Boot Sequence:
If you PC is not setup to load a USB Device upon startup then you can easily edit this option via your PC's BIOS area.. Most computers use the DEL key to access the BIOS when the computer is first turned on. Try it!

3a. Reboot your computer

3b. When the very first screen is shown it should tell you which key to press to enter BIOS MODE.. Hit the DEL key and you should be shown a BLUE BIOS SCREEN.

3c. While in the BIOS Main Menu choose "Advanced BIOS Features" or similar option until you can find the "boot sequence" options. eg. First Boot Device: CDROM, Second Boot Device: C:

3d. All we need to do is make the USB DRIVE the first Boot Device in your bios.. This will enable your pc to boot automatically from any USB DEVICE.

3e. Double check that your First Boot Device is USB or OTHER DEVICE and that the rest of the options are still in the same order.

3f. Now SAVE & EXIT the bios menu.


4. Open your xbox 360 console
From here on we will need to have your Xbox 360 Console opened up so please see our detailed tutorial on how to open your console without damaging it.. It's not easy the first time but once you have opened it you will learn quickly.

For more information on how to open your Xbox 360 console please check the link below..

Opening the Xbox 360 Console: - [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

5. Backup MS28 Firmware

5a. Disconnect all other drives in your PC. You should disconnect all hard drives and DVD drives so they do not get accidentally flashed with the hacked firmware. Disabling these devices in your BIOS may not work, so unplugging them is the best way to stay safe.

5b. Connect the SATA cable to the PCI card VIA VT6421a ENSURING ITS PLUGGED IN THE INTERNAL PORT CLOSEST TO THE FRONT OF THE PC!

5c. Now plug the other end of the sata cable into the dvd drive in your opened xbox 360.If you are unsure the drive has 2 plugs.A small L shaped plug and the power cable which has numourous coloured wires on it.Unplug the small L shaped cable and plug in the sata cable connecting you to the VIA VT 6421a PCI card.

5d. Ok, now power up your p.c and xbox 360.

5e. You should now have the firmware tool screen asking to proceed. Hit Y for yes.

5f. Now it will go to a screen with 4 options. We will be using the "dSam" option which will dump your original samsung ms 28 firmware to the key/flash drive first. Now type "dSam 1234567 12345" or similar making a 7 number/5 number combination. Remember this number!

5g. On the very next screen if it finds your VIA VT6421 Card and MS28 Drive it will display some text and a Option to choose. eg. 1."Xtreme Pri Master". This is good but don't hit it yet.

5h. Turn off your Xbox 360 & re-check all connections.

5i. Select "1" (press 1) and count to 10. When you reach 10 seconds power up (turn on) your Xbox 360 again.

5j. The PC should now start reading/dumping your firmware. When the backup is complete the script will run firmtool to now check if a valid key exists in both your original and flashed firmware, and that they match.

5k. When complete your PC should now display a screen with SUCCESSin green. If you have received any errors at all turn off both PC and Xbox 360 and revert to previous step.

5l. Now you have the original firmware "Sam-OFW.bin" for your xbox 360 on the USB Device.You will need to be put somewhere safe. Email it to yourself,back up on flash drive or disks....JUST DONT LOSE IT!!!!


6. Flash iXtreme MS28 Firmware:

6a. With your firmware backed up corrected and stored safely reboot the PC and xbox 360 so as to bring up the iPrep screen again.

6b. Accept terms/conditions again.

6c. Now type"fSam <1234567> <12345>". ie: fSam and the number you used previously .

6d. Once again you want to see "EXTREME Pri Slave" listed.Thats good!!!But dont hit it yet. If you receive any errors please revert back to previous step.

6e. Turn off the Xbox 360 and then hit 1.

6f. Like before wait 10 sec's and then power the xbox 360 back up.

6g. iPrep will now use MTKFLASH to read and re-flash your Samsung MS28 with your new hacked key.

6h. Once again make copies of your original "Sam-OFW.bin" and hacked "Sam-CFW.bin" firmware and keep safe.These are located on the flash drive/boot disk in the backups folder. With out these files your xbox 360 is essentially a door stop.....

6i. You are now done. Unplug sata cable and re connect the xbox 360 sata cable back....

That's IT test your xbox 360 now with an original game and learn how to make your own backups!!