This is probably nothing, but while looking through my debug systems I found one that says "TestNet" instead of "PartnerNet". I haven't seen that before in the dozen or so debugs I've had over the years. It also has an XboxClientApp.xbe in the files, not sure if it's related. Trying to run this just shows the Xbox logo boot screen (it doesn't actually reboot, just shows that logo) and freezes. Manufactured 01-21-2003 It may have been used at 3DO, based on other items I purchased with it, but that's just a guess. There doesn't appear to be any game files on it. Was this just a placeholder before PartnerNet got its name?
If I recall correctly a user on this board experimented with changing some value's on a Xbox 360 debug\developers kit and was able to connect to TestNet, PartnerNet and ProductionNet or something like that. I guess this also translates back to the OG Xbox, so basically Microsoft used different network branches for testing it's Xbox network and content.
Just another one of their server setups. There were quite a few. Not as meaningful as you may think though.
I kinda figured it was nothing. But doesn't hurt to ask. Thanks for the info. I think BormanNet would've been good for your website name. Haha
More interesting is the fact that they had setups that allowed them to bypass authentication stuff, which would help greatly
So how did these different setups become installed? On 360 development kits there are about 30 different network "Live Environment" files you could load up on the xdk and could choose to try and connect to. Not just testnet, partnernet and prodnet.
The XOnline file on the Edrive has a lot of it, but the version on debug kits is very stripped down. There are more settings with no indication of what they are, but I cant even begin to understand all of it yet.
I got this while researching (this is from my notes from all 2015) CoreNet BVTNet TestNet 192.168.86.(hidden on purpose ) StressNet2 ArgoNet prodnet StressNet (XeTestNet) PartnerNet 131.107.2(same idea as above) CertNet 131.107.60.(idem) PreProd DevNet 192.168.8(idem) BetaNet 131.107.5(idem) There might be more, but this is a note that I wrote last month. Should have more arround from other sources. As far as I understand, TestNet would be for mainly testing. Maybe more queries are allowed. not sure yet if it would have been open for external use. Most outside MS dev's would connect to PartnerNet for testing all you would imaging. (they have tools to "upload" DLC to that) This list is from atleast 2004, so might be alott of 360 stuff aswell. They changed from C++ to C# server code arround 2003ish aswell, so xbox1 sdk's or code might change aswell in this era.
MS also does unit testing, if that makes sense to some of you. so they have servers and/or code in-place for this purpose. including test data of-course. I am still searching for these harness.xbe and other manufacturing files, but did find more recent tools and documentation on refurbishing, MS actually stores info on consoles and in their genealogy databases (which gets requested when your xbox requests a machine "passport" for the first time at-least. The once banned, you should be banned for life thing. unless, of-course, they remove the ban. and yes, they have by 2003 at-least code in-place for detecting/writing information on suspicion of hacked xboxes. most of this is already known.
