Initialising 360 firmware? (Ixtreme 1.61)

[fuse]

I was looking at a 360 on eBay but the description featured "don't know if working on Xbox Live" - so sent the seller a message asking if there was any reason why it wouldn't and if he was able to test it.

The response came back that it's flashed with firmware Ixtreme 1.61. I have previously (deliberately) not investigated into this sort of thing, but I am guessing that it's to allow the use of pirate discs. Would connecting it to Live result in an insta-ban? Is this likely to mean it is destined to be a dodgy machine forever? Is it possible to unflash? Would it be easy? And so forth.

Reason I am so interested is that cheap US 360s are few and far between. I'd like to have a normal, non-modded machine that I will be able to play on Live but I'm not sure this is the one.

[Lyris]

I'd love to know this too, I've had to buy my last two 360s from the US and it works out as more expensive than buying a UK unit after shipping, etc. It'd be much better to buy a UK version then mod it.

[fuse]

Just to clear up as well, it's a US machine and I want to keep it that way - I just want rid of the dodgy pirate firmware. If you've got spare American 360s kicking about that you want rid of..

[NekoFever]

I believe they can be restored to normal firmware, but if it's been online with the dodgy firmware and Microsoft's picked it up you could find it locked out in the next round of bans, whenever that may be.

Back when there was a mass ban before Modern Warfare 2 came out, loads of pirates were offloading their machines on eBay and just trading them in so that the next person to buy would be saddled with them, so that's something to watch out for.

[smouty]

I put "don't know if working on Xbox Live" through the Ebayspeek to English translator and it comes out as "This is banned on Xbox live but I'll plead ignorant to flog it to some unsuspecting muppet".
JTAG is the new kid in town now anyway and allows you just to change the region.
I'd personally avoid any opened 360s though.

[fuse]

Cheers boys, thought as much. Will pass on this one!

[wakka]

If you want a multiregion machine then it will need to have a JTAG modification, iXtreme only allows pirated discs to play.

But if you want Xbox Live, you have to stick to stock to be on the safe side.