Xbox:Memory Card Power Button

This page will guide you through installing a button inside of your memory card that, when pressed, will turn on or off your console. The memory card remains usable, though you also have to make a small modification on the Xbox console itself.

Note that this tutorial sacrifices the ability for the chosen controller port to use a lightgun unless you install a two-output switch. It is worth noting however, that light guns do not work on LCD TVs.

Also worth noting, cheap controller extension cables can cause the Xbox to power on randomly due to weak shielding.

Required Items

• Soldering iron
• A thin wire, approximately 26-30AWG, preferably heavily shielded
• A memory card
• A small momentary pushbutton switch, it needs to be thin enough to fit inside of the memory card. The best size would likely be 6x6x6mm or 6x6x7mm depending on if you want it to stick out or not; the button plastic can always be shaved down if it is too tall.
  • A massive pack of them can be found here to compare sizes or buy cheap in bulk.

Modifying the Console

1. Open your Xbox and take out the motherboard.

2. Locate the bundle of wiring coming from the controller port you desire the mod to work with. Keep in mind that only this port will be able to power off the console with the memory card power button. Cut the yellow wire for that port about midway along the cable.

3. On the bottom of the motherboard, solder the yellow wire to the "Power Button" point on the diagram below. If you plan on installing a switch to be able to change it back to be able to use a lightgun, solder the switch between the wire and a wire connected to the power button point. You may need to use electric tape to keep the wires out of the way of capacitors which may introduce interference.


Modifying the Memory Card

1. Open memory card by unscrewing the screws. Decide which side of the memory card you'd like the button to be on. Drill a small hole into the memory card plastic, the size of the plastic piece of the button you have chosen.

2. Insert the button into the hole, and close the memory card to make sure it fits. If your pushbutton is of this style, gently bend the metal pins to be flat and use nail clippers or a similar tool to cut off one pair of metal pins that stick out of the same side. If it still doesn't fit, use an Xacto knife to cut a cone shape out of the inside half of the hole in the memory card to allow the button more space on the inside. If the button protrudes too much for your liking, gently sand it down to the desired height.

3. Solder a wire to the first pin (which connects ground) on the memory card, when viewing it like this. Solder the other end of this wire to one of the metal pins on the button.

• If you are placing the button on the front of the memory card, you will need to take into account the length of the wire to route it to the front as shown here.

4. Solder a second wire to the second pin (which is the unused yellow wire) on the memory card. Solder the other end of this wire to the other metal pin on the button.

5. Secure your button in position below the hole. Use electrical tape to wrap any exposed wire or metal pins (including the metal pins you may have cut off in step 3. It's recommended to place a piece of electrical tape on the bottom of the button itself to prevent scratching or shorting the components below it. A dab of hot glue can be used to hold it in place.

6. Reassemble the memory card. If it does not go back together all the way, shave a little more out of the inside of the memory card as described in step 3. Plug the memory card into a controller, and plug the controller into the port you had modified. The button should power the system on, and power it off if you press it again.