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GUIDE: How to backup your GOW3 save game data!


I JiMb0 I
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I've heard in multiple threads that people seem to be getting their stats reset so I thought I would write a guide on how to backup your save game file so if this does happen you can restore the files and not loose EVERYTHING! This should be helpful to people going for seriously 3.0! :Bounce:

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Firstly for this method you will need to either store your save game files on a USB drive or have access to a hard drive transfer cable and external XBOX hard drive (Not a Slim XBOX!)

 

Secondly you will need a program that can read the data off these devices from your PC, there are a handful about:

 

1. Xplorer360

2. USB Explorer

3. wxHdd

4. USB Image Tool (DOWNLOAD HERE)

4. Party Buffalo (DOWNLOAD HERE)

 

Personally I've always used Party Buffalo so from here on its described as if you chose that! All apps are fairly easy to use so the decision is up to you! One thing I would advise is that you test this first with a USB drive or hard drive that's not important so if any problems do arise your main data is safe!

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So if your all ready this is how to backup your data:

 

1. Open the application, if your using windows vista or newer you will probably have to open the program with admin rights (right click the .exe and click "run as administrator")

 

2. Plug in your USB or hard drive and wait a few minutes for the device to be recognised and drivers installed!

 

3. In the program click "file", "open", then "Drive Selector" and select your drive and click "ok".

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/vfjg9t.jpg

 

4. Once your drive has been opened (may take a minute depending on size) you need to decide if you want to just backup the GOW3 save game files or the whole drive. To back up the whole drive click "Drive" then "Backup to Image" and select where you want to save it! (this method may take a long time to backup depending on the size of the drive).

 

5. If you want to backup just the GOW3 save files navigate through the file structure on the left starting with "Data", then "Content", then find your profile (easiest by matching your gamerpic) followed by finding Gears of War 3.

 

6. To backup the files highlight both GearsCheckpoint and PlayerStorage.dat, right click on one of then and click "Extract" and select the folder where you want them to be stored (Note: using extract only copies the files off the device, its DOES NOT remove them)

 

7. ALL DONE! :) safely remove your hard drive or device and be happy in the knowledge that you save game data is safe!

 

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To restore the data:

 

1. If you backed up the whole device as an image, just load the device again and click "Drive" then "Restore Image". Find where you saved it and click ok! (Note: this will restore ALL data on the device to the date/time you backed it up, not just GOW3)

 

2. If you just backup up the files, just navigate back to the GOW3 save location on your hard drive or USB, right click and select "Inject New File". Find where you saved the 2 files and click ok!

 

The data should now be restored! :)

 

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Note 1: I've tested this by creating an account, ranking up and unlocked some medals. I backup up my data then erased it! loaded up the game, rank, ribbons, medals all gone! Restored the save and loaded up the game and they were all there again!

 

Note 2: This will work with any game except ones that store information online, e.g multiplayer rank data. With GOW3 it appears this is stored locally.

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Disclaimer: I've put every effort into making this accurate and well explained BUT I'm just informing you of the method I use to backup my save game files (for all games). Its YOUR decision if you want to use this so, please, if you don't feel confident or don't understand something just walk away or message me! I don't want to be moaned at for mistakes or problems you have made! :)

Edited by I JiMb0 I
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I used to own a Xplorer 360 caddy, it backed up data flawlessly, but when it was time to restore, it always let me down. I have the 360S now, what product are you using OP to connect your 360 HDD to your PC?. Also have you restored successfully.

 

I would like to backup any other locked saves I have like SF4 and PDZ.

 

I tried to restore PDZ with Xplorer360, 3 times, and it always failed. I never tried SF4 as It wasn't released back when I owned the caddy.

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Maybe I misread it, but I can't do this with an xbox slim?

 

what product are you using OP to connect your 360 HDD to your PC?.

 

He said it:

 

Firstly for this method you will need to either store you save game files on a USB drive or have access to a hard drive transfer cable and external XBOX hard drive (Not a Slim XBOX!)

 

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Maybe I misread it, but I can't do this with an xbox slim?

 

Not unless you plug in a USB stick and move your save files onto that! the problem with slims is that the HDD is internal, unlike fat xbox's!

 

I used to own a Xplorer 360 caddy, it backed up data flawlessly, but when it was time to restore, it always let me down. I have the 360S now, what product are you using OP to connect your 360 HDD to your PC?. Also have you restored successfully.

 

I would like to backup any other locked saves I have like SF4 and PDZ.

 

I tried to restore PDZ with Xplorer360, 3 times, and it always failed. I never tried SF4 as It wasn't released back when I owned the caddy.

 

I used a Microsoft Hard Drive Transfer Cable to connect the HDD to the PC. This can also be done with a simple USB stick though. Yes I have successfully restored data using the method above!

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Mind if I add this to the "Complete Thread"? Could come in handy for a lot of users.

 

Also, need to add a "r" to the end of you in:

 

Firstly for this method you will need to either store >[you]< save game files on a USB drive or have access to a hard drive transfer cable and external XBOX hard drive (Not a Slim XBOX!)

 

:p It's 'cause it's too damn early on a Saturday morning! ;)

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What do you mean by USB Drive, by that I presume you mean Flash Pen Drive? In which case, that's useless as the GOW3 data is locked. I have a feeling I am simply misunderstanding you though lol. Also the Data Transfer cable, doesn't that just connect XBOX - XBOX. I know the old cable had a special fitting that was only for the 360 HDD, but are you saying the new Slim cable is just USB - USB? if so, that's pretty handy to know.

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Mind if I add this to the "Complete Thread"? Could come in handy for a lot of users.

 

Also, need to add a "r" to the end of you in:

 

Firstly for this method you will need to either store >[you]< save game files on a USB drive or have access to a hard drive transfer cable and external XBOX hard drive (Not a Slim XBOX!)

 

:p It's 'cause it's too damn early on a Saturday morning! ;)

 

Yeah sure, added the "r" to! :)

 

What do you mean by USB Drive, by that I presume you mean Flash Pen Drive? In which case, that's useless as the GOW3 data is locked. I have a feeling I am simply misunderstanding you though lol. Also the Data Transfer cable, doesn't that just connect XBOX - XBOX. I know the old cable had a special fitting that was only for the 360 HDD, but are you saying the new Slim cable is just USB - USB? if so, that's pretty handy to know.

 

You are able to MOVE your save game files for GOW 3 on your xbox just not COPY them so yes I do mean a USB drive. The old transfer cables are xbox hard drive to USB converters. Just plug it into your PC! you can't do this from a SLIM hard drive as far as I know!

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What do you mean by USB Drive, by that I presume you mean Flash Pen Drive? In which case, that's useless as the GOW3 data is locked. I have a feeling I am simply misunderstanding you though lol. Also the Data Transfer cable, doesn't that just connect XBOX - XBOX. I know the old cable had a special fitting that was only for the 360 HDD, but are you saying the new Slim cable is just USB - USB? if so, that's pretty handy to know.

 

GoW3 Saves being locked doesn't mean you cant move it dude ;)

 

You can't 'Copy' the data to USB, but you can 'Move' data to it just like any other game.

 

If you have a Slim there is no cable to do this, it has to be a USB stick.

Edited by KNUCKS x360a
post answered as i was typing a reply
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Ohh, duh, sorry guys, I just presumed you could not move them as well. It's good to know you can.

 

So as a Slim owner, does this mean I can't backup locked saves in any shape or form? I always backup my save games to a pen drive, but a few just wont allow it. If there was a legit way to do it with some cable or gadget? Then I will deffo invest. I mean I can't see this being a bad thing to do, essentially, I am only backing up my own save games for my own profile.

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I believe you can do it with a slim.

 

Firstly you can take the drive out of a slim and its very easy to do so. Simply google or youtube it.

 

Second step would be to insert the drive into a 2.5" hard drive caddy which will then connect to the PC. I think it would work that way :)

 

Thanks for the thread though. Gonna try moving my save to the usb stick then back it up.

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Can anyone verify if this method is safe?

Yeah dude. Its safe. The program is generally for those losers who hack, but I use it to backup my game saves. Especially ones that you can't backup on a separate HDD.

 

My old Xbox used to delete my saves, so it was a good tool to use. Its also kinda funny how the games you CAN'T backup (Gears, Gears beta, Fable 3) are the ones that always get messed up, corrupted, or "in-game deleted", lol.

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Yeah dude. Its safe. The program is generally for those losers who hack, but I use it to backup my game saves. Especially ones that you can't backup on a separate HDD.

 

My old Xbox used to delete my saves, so it was a good tool to use. Its also kinda funny how the games you CAN'T backup (Gears, Gears beta, Fable 3) are the ones that always get messed up, corrupted, or "in-game deleted", lol.

 

Modio is a program aimed directly at people looking to cheat by either modding save game files (example being all the glitched weapons in Borderlands) or by importing other people's save game files. The method I described above will only ever backup a 1:1 copy of your files... so if you use Modio just be careful your files are not being tampered with.. :)

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Modio is a program aimed directly at people looking to cheat by either modding save game files (example being all the glitched weapons in Borderlands) or by importing other people's save game files. The method I described above will only ever backup a 1:1 copy of your files... so if you use Modio just be careful your files are not being tampered with.. :)

Yes. It generally is. But its also the easiest of all programs and ways to backup your un-backupable saves. And like I said, I just use it to back my stuff up. Xbox saves are such a broke thing. I wish I knew about it before I lost my Gears 2 saves :'(

 

Also, try not to screw with your saves people. You CAN/WILL get banned if you mod your saves!

 

Can't you just copy the saves directly to another storage device? Why all the need for doing it this way?

 

I'm lost. :confused:

You can only MOVE your Gears 3 save. Which means you can't copy it. So if you (hypothetically) move it on a flash drive, and lose/damage it, you're effed.

Edited by AOS Puck
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Just tried this method and it worked a treat :)

 

I have a slim so I MOVED my save to my USB stick then backed it up onto the PC. Once it was backed up I simply MOVED the save back onto the slim's hard drive as that's where I normally keep my saves.

 

Feels good that the hours I have already put into Gears won't be lost!

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