CLONING AN X-BOX HARD DISK WITH XBL


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

All information on this website is for informational purpose only and is
provided "AS IS". Everything you do with this information is at your own
risk.

Everything done on this project is for the sole purpose of supporting
interoperable software under Sect. 1201 (f) Reverse Engineering exception
of the DMCA.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prerequisites
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skill Level: Intermediate

You should be somewhat familiar with PC internals. That is to say, you have
some hands-on experience opening up a PC case and changing or removing an
IDE (aka ATA) hard disk, and know how to difference between 'primary',
'secondary', 'master' and 'slave'.

You should be familiar with burning raw CD images.

You should know how to create zip files.

Your brain should have normal oxygenated blow flow and be free of
alcoholic and narcotic substances.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rational
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

None. Should be a no-brainer.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tools Needed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

- A desktop PC (laptops *might* work if it has a means of hotswapping 3.5
  inch IDE hard disks) that supports CD booting (practically all modern
  ones do). Minimum requirements for the PC are: Pentium, 64MB RAM, VESA
  compatible video, has IDE hard disk ports, keyboard, mouse and Ethernet).

- XBL (http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl). At least version 0.1.10a.

- A couple of blank writable/re-writable CD/DVDs.

- Torx 20 and Torx 10 screwdrivers.

- Your X-Box EEPROM.

- Hard Disk >= 8GB


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. First, make sure the disk you have (or going to obtain) is compatible
   with the X-Box. Head over to http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/ to find out.
   The disk should also be the same size or larger than the disk you want
   to clone.

2. If you softmodded your X-Box by following my "SOFTMODDING AN X-BOX BY
   HOTSWAPPING" tute, and you created the recovery xbl CD at the end, you
   can reuse this CD and skip this step.

   Extract XBL zip file into a folder and copy your X-Box's eeprom.bin to
   the "out\extras" sub-folder.

   Double-click make_iso.bat generate an ISO file named xbl.iso and burn
   xbl.iso to a CD as a raw image (make sure it's IMAGE!!!).

3. Set the hard disk to clone from (this is likely your X-Box hard disk)
   as primary master and plug it into the primary master end of the IDE
   ribbon.
   Set the hard disk to clone to as primary slave and plug it into
   the primary slave end of the IDE ribbon.
   Set your CD/DVD drive to secondary master (if it's not already
   secondary master) and plug it into the secondary master end of the IDE
   ribbon (remember the original configuration if you disconnected your
   CD/DVD drive).

4. Boot up PC with the xbl CD. Select option 1 at the boot menu (type "2"
   without the quotes at the boot prompt). This should boot up the
   graphical interface.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_intro_1.png)
   See "Troubleshooting" if you have mouse, keyboard or display issues.

5. Right-click on the desktop and select "Disable Disk Lock". When prompted
   for a method, select "Automatic".
   If you've followed step 3 properly, there should be exactly two disks
   to select from (/dev/hda will be primary master, /dev/hdb will be
   primary slave). Disable the lock on the disk to clone from.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_select_disk_lock.png)
   You will get a success notification message if the lock was
   successfully disabled. See "Troubleshooting" if you get locking errors.

6. Right-click on the desktop and select "Clone Hard Disk". You'll get
   a confirmation screen, click "Yes".
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_confirm.png)

   Select /dev/hda as the disk to clone from.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_select_disk_from.png)

   Select /dev/hdb as the disk to clone to.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_select_disk_to.png)

   You'll see a progress meter while the cloning is in progress. It may
   take a while. Note that units displayed are in blocks of 512 bytes.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_gauge.png)

   Once done, you'll get a notification message.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_clonedisk_ok.png)

7. Right-click on the desktop and select "Lock Disk". When prompted for a
   method, select "Automatic".
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_lockdisk_select_method.png)

   Select /dev/hdb. You will get a success notification message if the
   disk was successfully locked.

   Repeat for /dev/hda if you want to continue using it for your X-Box
   (or keep it for recovery purposes).

8. Put the cloned disk into the X-Box and bootup. If your cloned disk is
   larger than 8 GB, you can enable F: or G: from your dashboard (in
   UnleashX, this is under Systems -> Settings -> Storage) and format F:
   and/or G: (from main menu, Systems -> Format Menu, Password is "xbox",
   without the quotes) to enable the extra space.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Troubleshooting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

-  The keyboard/mouse doesn't work in xbl.

   If you have a USB mouse, you need to boot option 2 as
   "2 xbl_ui_mouse=/dev/input/mice".

   If you have a serial mouse, you need to boot option 2 as
   "2 xbl_ui_mouse=/dev/ttyS0" (this is if the mouse is on COM1, replace
   ttyS0 with ttyS1 for COM2, ttyS2 for COM3 and ttyS3 for COM4).

   If you have a USB keyboard/mouse and it doesn't get detected, then the
   hardware autodetection wasn't able to pick it up. Try appending
   "xbl_drv_list=usb-uhci,usb-ohci,ehci-hcd" (without the quotes) to the
   boot option.

   Firewire devices are not supported.

   Note: the boot options are case-sensitive. ie xbl_ui_mouse is not the
   same as XBL_UI_MOUSE or Xbl_UI_Mouse.


-  The video appears garbled.

   Your monitor probably doesn't support the default display resolution
   (800x600x16). Try overriding the default by appending
   "xbl_ui_screen=640x480x16" (replace "640x480x16 by whatever mode that
   your display supports).


-  I can't get the hard disk to lock/unlock. Complains about the disk being
   frozen.

   A hard disk is "frozen" when it disables itself from receiving
   security related commands from the CPU until the next reboot. Some PC
   BIOSes freeze the disk as a security measure to prevent malware
   (viruses, trojans etc) from locking your disk and then holding you
   hostage with the password. To overcome this, do not plug in the IDE
   ribbon of the disk when your PC is booting. Do it only at the boot
   menu of the live CD which you are using.


-  I get invalid EEPROM errors when trying to lock/unlock the disk.

   Your EEPROM file is corrupted. Perform the EEPROM backup again and
   recreate the xbl CD.


-  I've successfully installed the softmod, but I get an error on boot
   (or the system freezes).

   If you're getting error 5, you have not locked the disk successfully.
   If you're getting error 6, you locked the disk with the incorrect EEPROM.


                                   # ~ EOF ~ #

SING XBL & KINGROACH's NDURE PC INSTALLER


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

All information on this website is for informational purpose only and is
provided "AS IS". Everything you do with this information is at your own
risk.

Everything done on this project is for the sole purpose of supporting
interoperable software under Sect. 1201 (f) Reverse Engineering exception
of the DMCA.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prerequisites
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skill Level: Intermediate

You should be somewhat familiar with PC internals. That is to say, you have
some hands-on experience opening up a PC case and changing or removing an
IDE (aka ATA) hard disk, and know how to difference between 'primary',
'secondary', 'master' and 'slave'.

You should be familiar with burning raw CD images.

You should know how to create zip files.

Your brain should have normal oxygenated blow flow and be free of
alcoholic and narcotic substances.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rational
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A retail X-Box hard disk is locked with a ATA security password. This is a
password generated from the combination of a secret 'key' value on the
EEPROM and the hard disk's serial number. These two values are unique
across all X-Boxes, which is the reason why an X-Box hard disk cannot be
unlocked with any EEPROM other than its own.

X-Box disks also have their own special disk partitioning format and
filesystem. So you can't fdisk or format the disk in a typical Windows PC.

Therefore, you can't just get any old disk and fit it into the X-Box and
expect it to work. It needs to be X-Box partitioned, FATX formatted,
preloaded with a softmod, then locked with the EEPROM.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tools Needed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

- A desktop PC (laptops *might* work if it has a means of hotswapping 3.5
  inch IDE hard disks) that supports CD booting (practically all modern
  ones do). Minimum requirements for the PC are: Pentium, 64MB RAM, VESA
  compatible video, has IDE hard disk ports, keyboard, mouse and Ethernet).

- XBL (http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl). At least version 0.1.12a.

- A couple of blank writable/re-writable CD/DVDs.

- Torx 20 and Torx 10 screwdrivers.

- Your X-Box EEPROM.

- Your spanking new hard disk.

- Either Kingroach's NDURE PC installer 3.0 OR xbl_ndure_installer-1.0
  (don't ask where to download).

- Retail MS dashboard 5960 (likewise, don't ask).


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. First, make sure the disk you have (or going to obtain) is compatible
   with the X-Box. Head over to http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/ to find out.

2. If you softmodded your X-Box by following my "SOFTMODDING AN X-BOX BY
   HOTSWAPPING" tute and you created the recovery xbl CD at the end, you
   can reuse this CD and skip to step 8.

3. Extract XBL zip file.

   Create a new folder (I'll call it "softmod" for this tute). Unzip the
   XBL zip file you downloaded into "softmod".

4. Prepare the softmod files on your PC.

    You have two options here: either make use of a pre-generated softmod
    package (xbl_ndure_installer-1.0) or run Kingroach NDURE PC
    Installer and generate the softmod package yourself so you can customize
    various aspects of the softmod. If you're new to softmodding, using the
    pre-generated package is recommended.

   a. Using pre-generated softmod package (xbl_ndure_installer).

       Simply copy the file named "xpkg.zip" found inside the
       xbl_ndure_installer zip file into the "out\extras" sub-folder
       inside"softmod" (the folder you extracted the xbl zip into earlier).

   b. Generating the files using Kingroach NDURE PC Installer.

       Create a new folder (can be named anything, but we will refer to it as
      "kroach" for this tute).

      Run the Kingroach installer, a Windows style install menu should appear
      with a bunch of checkboxes in it. Check the following...

      - Basic Files
      - Retail Files
      - Add Shadowc
      - Kernel specific fonts (select only the number that corresponds to
        your BIOS version, check your dashboard settings if you're unsure
        what your BIOS is, leave the rest unchecked).
      - Add Ndure Toolset

      When the installer prompts for an install folder, use "kroach" that
      was created earlier.

      Now using your favourite zipping program, zip up the C and E that is
      inside "kroach" into a zip file named xbox.zip (must be named this).
      Move the just-created xbox.zip into the "out\extras" sub-folder inside
      "softmod" (the folder you extracted the xbl zip into earlier).

5. Backup your EEPROM (shame on you if you haven't done so), and put
    the eeprom.bin into "extras" sub-folder.
    WARNING: MAKE SURE THE EEPROM IS REALLY FROM THE X-BOX YOU'RE
    TRYING TO UPGRADE OR THE X-BOX WILL NOT UNLOCK YOUR HARD DISK.

6. Check the layout of your retail dash zip. If must be named "ms-c.zip".
    If your copy is not in a zip format, you will have to extract it and rezip
    it as "ms-c.zip". Note that the retail dash zip must have entries that
    begin with "C\". eg...

   C\xboxdash.xbe
   C\xodash\
   C\Audio
   ...and so on.

   If not, you will need to create a folder named "C" and extract the contents
   in there, and then zip up the "C" folder to get the correct file layout.
   Move "ms-c.zip" into the "out\extras" sub-folder inside the "softmod" folder.

7.  At this point, "out\extras" should contain ms-c.zip, eeprom.bin and
    xbox.zip or xpkg.zip (depending on the method you used).
    Double-click make_iso.bat in the "softmods" folder to generate an ISO file
    named xbl.iso and burn xbl.iso to a CD as a raw image (make sure it's
    IMAGE!!!).

8. Disconnect all existing IDE hard disks from the PC.

9. Set the X-Box hard disk to primary master and connect to PC.

10. Boot up PC with the xbl CD. Select option 2 at the boot menu (type "2"
   without the quotes at the boot prompt). This should boot up the
   graphical interface.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_intro_2.png)
   See "Troubleshooting" if you have mouse, keyboard or display issues.

11. Right-click on the desktop and select the "Partition X-Box Disk"
   option. A dialog box will popup with the list of hard disks connected to the
   system.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_disk_select_1.png)

   If you've followed this guide properly, /dev/hda should be the only
   entry there. If multiple disks show, then you have not disconnected
   your existing disk. This isn't a problem, as long as you know which
   disk is your upgrade disk. If no disks show, then you didn't connect the
   hard disk properly, or the disk might be malfunctioning.

12. Right-click on the desktop and reboot (you may have to press the reboot
   button if the system doesn't reboot). When the system comes up again,
   select option 2 again.

13. Right-click on the desktop and select "Format X-Box disk". Select the
   disk and click OK.

14. Right-click on the desktop and select "Remove Softmod Package" (that's
   not a mistake, removing a softmod is really just installing the retail
   dashboard and overwriting whatever is in the disk, precisely what we're
   trying to do here).

   Select the hard disk and select "all_auto" when prompted for a method.
   Click "OK".
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_select_method.png).

   Click "Yes" when prompted with the confirmation screen.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_unmod_confirm.png).

   The installer will verify the retail dash,
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_unmod_verify.png).

   and install the dash (may take some time)
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_unmod_extract.png).

   Once done you will see a success notification message.
   (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_unmod_ok.png).

15. Right-click on the desktop and select "Install Softmod Package".
    Select the hard disk. Next for method, select "xboxhd_auto" if you're
    using softmod files you generated yourself from Kingroach NDURE PC
    Installer. Select "xblpkg_auto" if you used the pre-generated
    xbl_ndure_installer. Click OK.
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_select_method.png).

    The installer will verify the softmod package and backup the existing dashboard to X:,
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_verify.png).

    Choose the BIOS (kernel) version that corresponds to your X-Box:
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_select_bios.png).

    The installer will then extract the files (will take some time, don't close the window).
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_extract.png).
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_shadowc_gauge.png).
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_filler_gauge.png).

    If all went well, you will a success notification screen.
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_instmod_ok.png).

16. Right-click on the desktop and reboot (you may have to press the
    reboot button if the system doesn't reboot). When the system comes up
    again, select option 1 this time.

17. Right-click on the desktop and select "Lock Disk". When prompted for a
    locking method, select "Automatic".
    (Screenshot: http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/screenshots/xbl_lockdisk_select_method.png)
    You will get a success notification message if the locking was successful.
    See "Troubleshooting" if you get locking errors.

18. Right-click on the desktop and shutdown the PC. Put the disk back into
    the X-Box.

19. When the X-Box boots into UnleashX, go to Systems -> Settings ->
    Storage. Enable F: and save the settings. Then, from the main menu,
    go to Systems -> Format Menu. The password is "Xbox" (without the
    quotes, and case sensitive) when prompted for one. Select format F:
    Use the UnleashX file explorer and check if F: appears. It should show
    the balance space of the upgraded disk.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Troubleshooting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

-  The keyboard/mouse doesn't work in xbl.

   If you have a USB mouse, you need to boot option 2 as
   "2 xbl_ui_mouse=/dev/input/mice".

   If you have a serial mouse, you need to boot option 2 as
   "2 xbl_ui_mouse=/dev/ttyS0" (this is if the mouse is on COM1, replace
   ttyS0 with ttyS1 for COM2, ttyS2 for COM3 and ttyS3 for COM4).

   If you have a USB keyboard/mouse and it doesn't get detected, then the
   hardware autodetection wasn't able to pick it up. Try appending
   "xbl_drv_list=usb-uhci,usb-ohci,ehci-hcd" (without the quotes) to the
   boot option.

   Firewire devices are not supported.

   Note: the boot options are case-sensitive. ie xbl_ui_mouse is not the
   same as XBL_UI_MOUSE or Xbl_UI_Mouse.


-  The video appears garbled.

   Your monitor probably doesn't support the default display resolution
   (800x600x16). Try overriding the default by appending
   "xbl_ui_screen=640x480x16" (replace "640x480x16 by whatever mode that
   your display supports).


-  I can't get the hard disk to lock. Complains about the disk being
   frozen.

   A hard disk is "frozen" when it disables itself from receiving
   security related commands from the CPU until the next reboot. Some PC
   BIOSes freeze the disk as a security measure to prevent malware
   (viruses, trojans etc) from locking your disk and then holding you
   hostage with the password. To overcome this, do not plug in the IDE
   ribbon of the disk when your PC is booting. Do it only at the boot
   menu of the live CD which you are using.


-  I get invalid EEPROM errors when trying to lock/unlock the disk.

   Your EEPROM file is corrupted. Perform the EEPROM backup again and
   recreate the xbl CD.


-  I get errors about not being able being able to access extras/xbox.zip
   on the CD/DVD.

   You either forgot to copy xbox.zip to the "extras" folder before
   creating the ISO or named it wrongly. Check the "extras" folder again.


-  I get package verification errors when installing the dashboard
   (uininstalling softmod) or when installing the softmod.

   The zip files have the wrong file layout. Make sure the zip contains
   the "C" folder and not just the sub-folders and files.

   If the layout is correct. then your CD was improperly burnt, causing
   corrupted files.


-  I get disk full errors when installing the softmod.

   Your ms-c.zip (retail dashboard is likely zipped in the wrong format).
   Make sure the zip contains the "C" folder and not just the sub-folders
   and files.


-  I've successfully installed the softmod, but I get an error on boot
   (or the system freezes).

   If you're getting error 5, you have not locked the disk successfully.
   If you're getting error 6, you locked the disk with the incorrect EEPROM.

   If you've chosen to run the Kingroach NDURE PC Installer setup,
   make sure you've selected the correct kernel version or "generic" at
   the setup menu.

   Check the layout of the the xbox.zip. The C and E folders should be
   part of the top-level file structure. eg. You should have something like
   the following in the zip listing...

   C\xodash\
   C\xodash\ernie.xtf
   C\xodash\XBox.xtf
   ... (more files here) ...
   C\xboxdash.xbe
   C\xb0xdash.xbe
   ... (more files here) ...
   E\dash\default.xbe
   E\dash\Config.xml
   ... (more files here) ...
   E\ndts\default.xbe
   E\ndts\UnleashX.xbe
   ... (more files here) ...

   In other words, all the entries should start with either "C\" or "E\".


                                   # ~ EOF ~ #

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.  Troubleshooting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

9.1  What is "FRAG"?

     FRAG stands for "Flashing Red And Green". It refers to the colour of
     the LED light on the X-Box when something goes wrong. See 9.4 for
     possible solutions for FRAG-ing.


9.2  What are the possible LED colours?

     Red, Orange, Green, Flashing Red, Flashing Orange, Flashing Green,
     Green-Orange, Orange-Red, Red-Green.


9.3  What do the bootup error codes mean?

     See http://www.smdepot.net/forum/index.php?topic=56.0


9.4  Help! I get <insert error code here>? What do I do?

     - Error 2 (EEPROM check failed)
       The EEPROM got corrupted somehow. Usually means you have
       overwritten your EEPROM with something fishy. You'll need to
       install a modchip and rewrite the corrupted EEPROM with your
       backup.

     - Error 4 (RAM check failed)
       Your RAM chips are malfunctioning. Pretty much unfixable. Did your
       X-Box experience any electrical outage or some other physical
       damage?

     - Error 5 (HDD not locked)
       This likely happens when you have upgraded a hard disk but have
       forgotten to lock it with the EEPROM, or you stupidly disabled the
       lock from your dashboard (or some X-Box utility). You'll need to
       take the disk out and lock it in a PC, or temporarily modchip the
       X-Box and lock the disk.

     - Error 6 (Cannot unlock HDD)
       You locked the hard disk with the wrong EEPROM. Unlock and relock
       with the correct one. If you have lost the EEPROM that you used to
       lock it with, try using a master password. A commonly used one is
       'XBOXSCENE' (case sensitive). Otherwise, try running utilities
       like HDDUnlock (http://www.hddunlock.com/). Note: This might wipe
       out the data on your hard disk.

     - Error 7 (HDD timeout), Error 8 (No HDD found),
       Error 9 (HDD parameters), Error 10 (DVD timeout),
       Error 11 (No DVD found), Error 12 (DVD parameters)
       Similar errors. Usually means your hard disk or DVD drive is not
       properly connected or the drive is failing. Check the power and IDE
       ribbons, make sure they are properly seated in and are connected
       to the X-Box motherboard. For hard disks, get a replacement drive
       if it is failing.

     - Error 13 (Dashboard launch fail), Error 20 (The dashboard was
       attempted to load and failed).
       Error 20 if quite uncommon, error 13 will usually be the one you'll
       encounter. It means you botched your softmod installation. Or you
       were itchy-fingered and decided to mess with the softmod files on
       the hard disk. Or you formatted your disk. So now c:\xboxdash.xbe
       is refusing to run. If you're softmodding, check your softmod
       package, make sure you're using the correct files. Make sure the
       dashboard you're using is not blacklisted. If you messed with your
       installed softmod, take the disk out, unlock it with your backup
       EEPROM, and rerun the softmod installation. Then lock it when
       you're done.

     - Error 14 (Error loading dashboard)
       Similar to above. The c:\xboxdash.xbe was sucessfully authenticated
       and did execute. But some of the files it requires (audio, font,
       menus etc) were not found or got corrupted. Fix it the same way as
       Error 13.

     - Error 16 (Clock cannot be set)
       The infamous clock loop error. This happens when the X-Box is left
       without power for more than 5 hours and the internal clock needs to
       be reset. So on bootup, it will load the dashboard menu for setting
       the time. This is the error you get when that menu can't be loaded.
       This can be fixed by hotswapping if you don't have your EEPROM.

     - Error 21 (miscellaneous error)
       This is a catchall error for any error that does not fit into the
       above errors. And it's one of the easiest to fix. Try booting a
       live-enabled game and select the X-Box Live to update the
       dashboard. If you are getting this error when dual-booting, it's
       likely the retail dash is not properly installed to dual boot into.
       If you have shadowc, make sure the retail dash is not installed to
       shadowc, but the real C:.


9.5  <insert game/app> is crashing/freezing. How do I fix?

     First, try clearing the cache (everything in X:, Y:, Z: and E:\cache).

     Also, some apps are notoriously bad at migrating config data from one
     version to another, so if you're upgrading apps, try deleting the old
     configuration data (usually stored in E:\TDATA and E:\UDATA).

     Do some Googling about the problem, if others are experiencing the
     same problem, it's likely a bug in the software. Check for any
     updated releases or contact the author and file a bug report.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SMDepot       http://www.smdepot.net/
biline.ca     http://biline.ca/
X-Box Linux  http://www.xbox-linux.org/
X-Guides     http://xguides.xbox-scene.com/tikiwiki/


                                    # ~ EOF ~ #

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. X-Box Live
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.1  How can I get on X-Box Live without getting banned?

     See "What is dual-booting?"


8.2  How do I play with modded maps on Halo/Halo 2 on X-Box Live?

     Sorry, this is out of the scope of this FAQ.


8.3  Will live update break my softmod?

     In theory, yes. An external program is downloaded into your X-Box
     from the X-Box Live site which does some checks before proceeding to
     install anything. But currently, the program does not go about
     actively checking for the presense of a softmod, so you're pretty
     safe.

     In addition, existing exploit methods prevent the vulnerable
     dashboard from being overrwritten by filling the real C: with "dummy"
     data, so that the live update will not install due to a lack of disk
     space.


8.4  Will upgrading my hard disk get me banned from X-Box Live?

     Depends. See the explaination on "marriage theory" here:
     http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=335984

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.  Hard Disk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.1  How do I upgrade my hard disk to a larger one?

     Before you proceed...
     First, get a hard disk that is X-Box compatible (see next question to
     determine compatibility). Next, make sure you have your EEPROM backup
     (shame on you if you don't). Check out
     http://www.smdepot.net/forum/index.php?topic=554.0 for step-by-step
     instructions.


7.2  Is my hard disk compatible with the X-Box?

     Check out this list: http://xboxdrives.x-pec.com/?p=statistics


7.3  How does the X-Box disk partitioning scheme look like?

     (Information courtesy of xbox-linux.org, edited)
     Start: 0 MB, Size: 0.5 MB
     Disk Config Area.Various configuration data is stored on fixed
     offsets.

     Start: 0.5 MB, Size: 750 MB
     Game Cache A. FATX volume containing temporary data of a game for
     faster access. (X:)

     Start: 750.5 MB, Size: 750 MB
     Game Cache B. FATX volume containing temporary data of a game for
     faster access. (Y:)

     Start: 1500.5 MB, Size: 750 MB
     Game Cache C. FATX volume containing temporary data of a game for
     faster access. (Z:)

     Start: 2250.5 MB, Size: 500 MB
     FATX volume containing dashboard. (C:)

     Start: 2750.5 MB, Size: 4895 MB
     FATX volume containing data, game saves etc. (E:)

     Start: 7645.5 MB, Size: 1896 MB
     This is only present on the newer X-Boxes with a 10 GB hard disk.
     Unused by the retail games or the dashboard. On a modded X-Box, this
     can be configured as F:


7.4  How do I lock/unlock my hard disk?

     To lock/unlock the disk, you will need your EEPROM or know the
     password string generated from the EEPROM. You will also need a
     disk locking or unlocking tool. xboxhdm and xbl are two good ones.

     Many X-Box disk locking tools will set a "master password" when
     locking a disk. "XBOXSCENE" is a common master password string.


7.5  What's the difference between unlocking and disabling a lock on a
     hard disk?

     A disk is "locked" when there is a password set and the lock is
     active (ie to say, the disk contents can't be accessed).

     Unlocking will deactivate the lock, but not remove the password. An
     "unlocked" disk will automatically lock itself once rebooted or
     powered off.

     Disabling a lock will remove the password altogether, making it just
     like a typical disk that can be used on a regular PC. A disk must be
     unlocked before the password can be disabled.


7.6  I get a "drive frozen" error when attempting to lock/unlock my hard
     disk. What do I do?

     A hard disk is "frozen" when it disables itself from receiving
     security related commands from the CPU until the next reboot. Some PC
     BIOSes freeze the disk as a security measure to prevent malware
     (viruses, trojans etc) from locking your disk and then holding you
     hostage with the password. To overcome this, do not plug in the IDE
     ribbon of the disk when your PC is booting. Do it only at the boot
     menu of the live CD which you are using.


7.7  How do I recycle my X-Box hard disk and use it in my PC as a typical
     hard disk?

     Disable the lock and run the PC fdisk program on it to create regular
     partitions.


7.8  What is F: drive and G:?

     Extra space on the disk space which is not allocated to the default
     partitions. See also "What do the various NKPatcher numbers like 06,
     67 mean?"


7.9  What is Q:?

     Q: is specific to X-Box Media Center (XBMC). It isn't a real
     partition, but just a way of referencing the folder which XBMC was
     installed to. For example, if XBMC was installed to e:\apps\xbmc, then
     that's where Q: would point to, so paths like Q:\default.xbe actually
     mean e:\apps\xbmc\default.xbe


7.10 Can I set a custom size for the extended partitions (F: G: etc)?

     Look up XBPartitioner. NKPatcher supports this partitioning scheme,
     so if you're using a NKPatcher based softmod package, you're good to
     go.


7.11 What is "shadowc" / "virtual C:"?

     This is a virtual drive that is mapped to a file that replaces the
     real C: as a safety measure. This prevents games or the clueless from
     updating/tamering the exploitable dashboard on the real C:, breaking
     the softmod as a result. Most softmods will have shadowc enabled.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.  BIOS / Kernel
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

6.1  What is a BIOS? Is it the same thing as the kernel?

     Yes. In the context of the X-Box, the BIOS refers to the same thing as
     the kernel. BIOS, stands for Basic Input Output System. It is software
     on the X-Box motherboard that provides a bunch of functions to
     software (ie games) to do various stuff like access files or manage
     memory. On the X-Box, the BIOS is also responsible for copy
     protection.


6.2  How do I determine my retail BIOS version?

     From the retail dashboard, select Settings, then from the sub-menu,
     scroll-down and select System Info. Wait for the text to scroll down
     to a line that says something like...

      K:1.00.XXXX.01
      D:1.00.YYYY.01

     XXXX is the version of your BIOS, YYYY is your dashboard version.


6.3  What is NKPatcher?

     A popular BIOS patcher that supports tray state dual-booting, in-game
     reset, reset on eject fix, virtual EEPROM and shadowc (see What is
     "shadowc" / "virtual C:"?) and of course, the ability to run non-
     retail XBEs.


6.4  What do the various NKPatcher numbers like 06, 67 mean?
     And what about RGB? Progressive?

     The numbers refer to the disk partitioning scheme used on an upgraded
     hard disk. On 06, all disk space above the first 8 GB (ie the space
     unused by the default X-Box partitions) will be allocated to F:. On
     67, the unused space up to 80 GB goes to F: and the remaining will end
     up in G:

     As for RGB and Progressive, they are for supporting various video
     signals.


6.5  What is the Phoenix Bios Loader (PBL)?

     A popular BIOS loader that allows you to boot a run-time configurable
     replacement BIOS.


6.6  Why are there so many different forms of PBL? Metoo, etc?

     They are all clones of the original PBL made by different groups.
     The two most common clones are Metoo and FBL.


6.7  I have a non-retail BIOS and would like to modify certain settings
     (location of the dashboard to launch). How do I do this?

     Get a BIOS editor like XBtool or EVtool.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Dashboards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.1  What is a dashboard?

     It's the graphical user interface that you see when the X-Box is
     powered on without a game in the DVD tray. A retail dashboard is the
     official MS dashboard on an unmodded X-Box. The retail dashboard may
     be (without your knowledge) updated to a newer version when you run a
     game or connect to X-Box Live. The latest version of the retail
     dashboard is 5960.

     A non-retail dashboard is an unofficial one which will only run on
     modded X-Boxes. Non-retail dashboards usually have more functionality
     than the retail ones, in particular, giving liberal access to the
     X-Box hard disk via build-in file managers or FTP (a staple feature
     in all popular non-retail dashboards). Popular non-retail dashboards
     are UnleashX, X-Box Media Center and Evolution-X (Evox).


5.2  How do I determine my retail dashboard's version?

     From the retail dashboard, select Settings, then from the sub-menu,
     scroll-down and select System Info. Wait for the text to scroll down
     to a line that says something like...

      K:1.00.XXXX.01
      D:1.00.YYYY.01

     XXXX is the version of your BIOS, YYYY is your dashboard version.


5.3  What is this "uberdash" I sometimes hear about?

     "uberdash" is retail dashboard 4920, so named because it runs on all
     X-Boxes and is exploitable in multiple ways. Do note that
     there are two versions of dashboard 4920. Both are exploitable but
     one is blacklisted on newer BIOSes. The blacklisted one (internal
     version 0x1012A700) is the actual retail dashboard that would end up
     replacing the older dashboard in a live update.

     The other version (internal version 0x17CDC100) is an intermediate
     dashboard that gets loaded during the live update. This has the same
     flaws as the other dashboard except Microsoft sloppily forgot to
     blacklist it. And this is our "uberdash", which forms the foundation
     of all contemporary softmods today.

     NDURE and UXE both make use of files from this dashboard (NDURE
     exploits the xonlinedash.xbe, while UXE exploits the update.xbe).


5.4  How can I tell if I have the "uberdash"?

     If you're have downloaded the Krayzie or Kingroach softmod installer
     packages, it is already included as part of the package. If you're
     trying to roll your own softmod package, here are some checksums
     to help you identify the "uberdash"...

     File             MD5                                CRC-32
     update.xbe       9f94df3c5d180f8dc16c9fd1d74fded9   B9956D7E
     xonlinedash.xbe  8da4d816604e9b9d5aa69d1fd395a48e   4E78E0AE


5.5  Some exploits require upgrading to the latest dash (5960).
     Why do I need to upgrade since 5960 isn't exploitable?

     This is to allow dual booting. The "uberdash" will be copied to C:\
     as xboxdash.xbe while the 5960's C:\xboxdash.xbe will be renamed to
     something else which the BIOS patcher will execute when it detects
     a retail boot (tray open).


5.6  But I hear the latest kernel (5838) blacklists all dashboards
     prior to 5960? So why does the uberdash work?

     Microsoft forgot to blacklist the "uberdash".


5.7  What is UnleashX / Evolution-X / Avalaunch?

     Replacement dashboards for modded X-Boxes. Evolution-X is also the
     name of a hacked BIOS made by the same people who created Evolution-X
     the dashboard.


5.8  I don't like the dashboard my softmod installer installed for me. How
     do I change my dashboard?

     The softmod installer will install its default dashboard as
     default.xbe in a folder named E:\dash or E:\dashboard. Simply
     override this XBE with the dashboard XBE of your choice and place
     any accompanying files and sub-folders that came with your dashboard
     to E:\dash or E:\dashboard. Be careful, as replacing the wrong file
     might give you an unuseable system (fixable by running a recovery
     boot CD).


5.9   What is this "easter egg" thing I hear about?

      An easter egg in software is a hidden feature placed into the software
      by its developers. The retail dashboard contains an easter egg that
      shows you an animation of the names that were involved in the making
      of the X-Box.

      To activate, insert an audio CD. Stop the CD when it begins playing
      at the CD player screen. Press B, select "Copy", then press A. Use
      the "Select All" option, then press A. Use the "Copy" option and
      create a new soundtrack. Enter <<Eggsßox>> as a name (ß can be
      found under ACCENTS on the virtual keyboard). Select "Done" and press
      A to watch the animation sequence.

      Alternatively, if your X-Box is modded, look for a file named
      settings_adoc.xip in c:\xboxdashdata.<internal dash version>/ and is
      about 4 MiB large. This is actually an XBE with the extension renamed.
      Copy it and rename the copy with a .xbe extension and run it. If your
      settings_adoc.xip is less than 4 MiB, then it probably got replaced by
      your softmod installer with a dashboard for the UDDAE exploit
     (Kingroach's NDURE installer does this). You'll need to get the original
     settings_adoc.xip if that's the case.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.  EEPROM
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.1  What is an "EEPROM"?

     It is a 256-byte rewritable static memory chip on your X-Box that
     contains unique identification values, one of which is used to
     lock or unlock the hard disk.

     Stuff Stored in EEPROM:
     - Ethernet MAC address
     - Region Code (PAL, NTSC-J, NTSC)
     - X-Box Live Online Key (Identification for X-Box Live)
     - Hard Disk Key (for locking/unlocking)
     - Confounder (FIXME more info required)
     - Serial Number (X-Box serial number)
     - Certain retail dashboard settings (timezone etc).


4.2  Why do people keep telling me to backup my EEPROM?

     Because it is IMPORTANT. Having the EEPROM allows you to fix certain
     problems using the PC. The EEPROM should be backed up the very first
     chance you get. Also, when creating the backup, don't be stupid and
     leave the backup in your X-Box hard disk. That defeats the whole point
     of doing it. Transfer it out of the X-Box. Put in on external media
     (CD-R, thumb drive etc). And make multiple backups of that. And no,
     it's not overdoing it.


4.3  Can I replace the EEPROM on my X-Box?

     Yes, but is a VERY, VERY bad idea that can turn your X-Box into a
     paper weight. But if you still want to, then get xbl
      (http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl). It contains a utility called xbox-info
      that can do that.

4.4  I have an EEPROM file. How can I determine its contents?

     Get Liveinfo (http://www.team-assembly.com/downloads/) or
     xinfo (http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xinfo).


4.5  What is a virtual EEPROM?

     This is a file that is disguised as your EEPROM. Any access to the
     EEPROM through the BIOS will be redirected to this file. This is a
     safety measure to prevent the clueless from overwriting the real
     EEPROM, making the X-Box an expensive door stop. Note that this
     only prevents apps that access the EEPROM through the BIOS. Apps that
     do so directly are not affected and continue to use the real EEPROM.

     Also, when you are backing up your EEPROM, be sure you are backing up
     the real EEPROM and not the virtual EEPROM, which may or may not match
     the real thing.


4.6  I have this problem which someone says he could fix, but requires me
     to send him a copy of my EEPROM. Should I?

     NO! The EEPROM is essentially a unique identifier for your X-Box.
     Membership or blacklisting on X-Box Live is also determined based on
     your EEPROM. By giving away your EEPROM, someone could get your X-Box
     blacklisted without you doing anything, so DON'T GIVE AWAY YOUR EEPROM
     to people you do not trust.


4.7  My X-Box got banned from X-Box Live. Do you have any EEPROMS which I
     can use?

     No. Go away.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.  Gamesave Exploit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.1   What is a gamesave exploit?

      If is a means of running non-retail code on the X-Box through an
      exploitable game, by taking advantage of programming errors in the
      game's save file handling routines. In English, that means you can
      stick a hack into the save file and it will run when loaded.


3.2   How do I softmod by using a game exploit?

      You'll need an exploitable game, a softmod installer package (
      Krayzie's NDURE) for your game, and a means of transferring this
      file to your X-Box (either X-Box memory card + Action Replay
      device, X-Box memory card + X-Box controller to USB converter,
      or USB device + USB to X-Box controller converter).

      See http://biline.ca/xbox_ndure.htm for details.


3.3   Which games can I use to softmod with?

      Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (the very first one, NOT Chaos Theory,
      Double Agent, Pandora Tomorrow or anything else)

      007 Agent Under Fire (non Platinum Hits version)

      Mechassault (the first one, must be the non Platinum Hits version)


3.4   What about <insert game here>? Would it work?

      If the game is not mentioned in the above list, it won't work. End of
      story.


3.5   I don't have an Action Replay device and/or memory card, any
      alternatives?

      The memory cards are really just USB storage drives in disguise. So
      some (though not all, see the next few questions for a compatibility
      list) off-the-shelf USB storage devices. However, to use them, you'll
      need to get yourself a USB to X-Box converter (eg.
      http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-2b-49-en-70-1xz.html)

      Another method is to get a X-Box to USB converter.
      (eg. http://www.darkplanets.co.uk/product_info.asp?pid=690)
      This will allow the official X-Box memory unit (which plugs into the
      slot on the X-Box gamepad) to be accessible by the PC.


3.6   What USB devices are compatible with the X-Box?

      See http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_USB_Compatibility_List.
      This is by no means a canonical list as the entries are users'
      individual accounts and are likely unverified.

      A general rule of thumb when selecting your USB drive is to get only
      devices which are pure storage devices. In other words, the USB drive
      is meant for use only as a storage drive, and nothing else (ie no MP3
      players, cameras, cell phones or what have you). Also, the drive
      should be a simple, single-drive device (ie no multi-slot CF/SD card
      readers).


3.7   I have the files, the converter cables/Action Replay, and the memory
      unit/USB device? How do I actually transfer the files?

      You'll need the Action Replay software for that (don't ask us where
      to find it). See http://biline.ca/xbox_uxe_method2.htm for details.

      Alternatively, for USB storage devices, you can use a fatx enabled
      Linux (eg. xbl), format the device as fatx (mkfs.fatx), mount it and
      unzip the files in udata.zip from the Krayzie installer.


3.8   The Krayzie files don't fit into the memory unit or USB device. What
      now?

      You only transfer the udata.zip, not the whole Krayzie package. Note
      that for Splinter Cell, the udata.zip does not indeed fit into a
      single memory unit, this is why there are two parts in Krayzie's
      Splinter Cell NDURE installer. Simply transfer them one at a time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.   Hotswapping
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.1  What is hotswapping?

   Hotswapping, in the X-Box modding context, is to disconnect a hard
   disk drive in a running X-Box and reconnect it to a PC. This is to
   allow the X-Box to unlock the disk so that the disk contents can be
   accessed in the PC.

   (Taken from X-Guides)
   Is Hot-Swapping Safe? No, according to ANSI Standards, IDE was not
   designed to allow for the disconnection of the supply ribbon interface
   while the ribbon is "HOT". Some dangers thats could arise during this
   action...

   a. Electrical grounding backflow, this cannot be avoided, but can be
     decreased by running a ground strap or using the PC's power
     connector. This could physcially make the drive fail, or worse fry
     your motherboard.

   b. Hard Disk Drive Shock, obviously you cannot avoid shaking the drive
     while you are removing the cable.

   In practice, many X-Box hard disks have been hotswapped without
   problems, but you need to understand the risks involved nontheless.


2.2  Do I need my EEPROM for hotswapping?

   No. You wouldn't need to hotswap if you did. The whole idea of
   hotswapping is to let the X-Box unlock your hard disk for you so can
   access its contents.


2.3  How do I softmod by hotswapping?

   See http://www.smdepot.net/forum/index.php?topic=553.0.


2.4  What is xboxhdm and where can I find it?

   xboxhdm stands for X-Box hard disk maker. It is a Linux-based live CD
   that is commonly used for common X-Box softmodding operations like
   locking/unlocking disks, installing/removing softmods etc. Download
   from http://dwl.xbox-scene.com/~xbox/xbox-scene/software/linux/


2.5  What is xbl and where can I find it?

   xbl stands for X-Bugs Live. It is a Linux-based live CD that is
   commonly used for common X-Box softmodding operations like locking/
   unlocking disks, installing/removing softmods etc. Download
   from http://smdx2.com:9000/~xbugs/xbl/


2.6  I get a "drive frozen" error when attempting a hotswap. What do
        I do?

   A hard disk is "frozen" when it disables itself from receiving
   security related commands from the CPU until the next reboot. Some PC
   BIOSes freeze the disk as a security measure to prevent malware
   (viruses, trojans etc) from locking your disk and then holding you
   hostage with the password. To overcome this, do not plug in the IDE
   ribbon of the X-Box disk when your PC is booting. Do it only at the
   boot menu of the live CD which you are using.


2.7  I can't seem to get my drive detected.

   Try setting it to primary master. Also, unplug other hard disks from
      the motherboard.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. General
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.1   I want to softmod my X-Box. Where do I start?

      Read this FAQ. Read the various tutorials on the forum. Come back to
      this FAQ if you need some pointers to more information. Also, check
      out our IRC channel (#softmods on Efnet).

      In a nutshell, you need to find out your X-Box's version, your BIOS
      version and dashboard version (instructions are in this FAQ),
      obtain the necessary software and items (conversion cables etc,
      X-Box memory card etc), and/or perform a hotswap if necessary. Don't
      worry, it's easier than it sounds, as long as you're willing to do a
      little reading and follow instructions properly.

      Here's a video clip of a softmod (using a game exploit) in action to
      show you how easy it can be:
      http://www.smdepot.net/forum/index.php?topic=164.0


1.2   What is a softmod? How does a softmod work?

      A softmod is a way of modding the X-Box purely using software,
      without adding additional chips or altering the X-Box hardware.

      By taking advantage of various programming flaws in various retail
      software (ie games or the dashboard) which allow externally injected
      program code to be run. You'll need some background knowledge of
      cryptographic concepts, how the X-Box security system works, and
      computer security systems in general to understand the next few
      paragraphs. Some good primers on these subjects can be found here:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_overflow
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography
      http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/17_Mistakes_Microsoft_Made_in_the_Xbox_Security_System

      Note: Knowing this stuff is not required to actually PERFORM the
      softmod, but it does help immensely.

      What most contemporary softmod installers do is replace the dashboard
      (c:\xboxdash.xbe) in the hard disk with an exploitable version, along
      with the exploits embedded into data files that the dashboard loads
      (usually fonts).

      So when the vulnerable dash loads, it runs the exploit code. The
      exploit code will replace the in-memory retail RSA
      (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA) public key with one where the
      private key is revealed. The most commonly used of such replacement
      keys is Habibi, named after the guy who pioneered the technique.

      The exploit code then launches a habibi-signed XBE, which the X-Box
      will happily authenticate and execute, since the Habibi key is in
      place. This XBE can be anything, but in practice, it is either a
      BIOS loader or patcher.

      This BIOS loader/patcher will convert the running retail BIOS into a
      hacked version with the security mechanisms disabled, allowing any
      non-retail XBE to run. The BIOS loader/patcher then loads another
      XBE. As above, this XBE can be anything, but in practice, a non-
      retail dashboard program is run. To summarise, the control flow
      is...

      X-Box boots up -> runs vulnerable c:\xboxdash.xbe, loads data
      (fonts), triggers exploit, replaces in-memory key with Habibi ->
      runs Habibi-signed BIOS loader/patcher, removes security
      mechanisms -> runs non-retail dashboard.

      However, you can't simply load the exploits and vulnerable dashboard
      into the hard disk through the retail dashboard. So this is where
      either hotswapping or game save exploits enter the picture.

      A game save exploit works almost exactly the same way as a dashboard
      exploit, except it is triggered by game save data loaded by an
      exploitable game. When executed, it replaces the in-memory with
      Hababi, runs the BIOS loader/patcher, followed by an installer
      program to install the vulnerable dashboard and dashboard exploits
      into the hard disk.

      Because game saves can be transferred from/to the X-Box using a
      memory card or USB storage, we are able to load the exploits into
      the X-Box hard disk through them. So the entire control flow for a
      softmod installation using a gamesave is...

      Transfer softmod installer package to hard disk using mem card ->
      run exploitable game, game loads the exploit disguised as a save
      file, triggers explot, replaces in-memory key with Habibi -> runs
      Habibi-signed BIOS loader/patcher, removes security mechanisms ->
      runs installer program, replaces c:\xboxdash.xbe with vulnerable
      dash, and installs exploit data (fonts).

      So, now when X-Box powers up...
      runs vulnerable c:\xboxdash.xbe, loads data (fonts), triggers
      exploit, replaces in-memory key with Habibi -> runs Habibi-signed
      BIOS loader/patcher, removes security mechanisms -> runs non-retail
      dashboard.

      Hotswapping eliminates the need for game save exploits and the
      exploitable games (which can be difficult to obtain). See section on
      "Hotswapping" for more details.


1.3   Can all X-Boxes (regardless of region code or version) be softmodded?

      Yes. Although not all softmods will work on all X-Boxes. As of this
      writing, NDURE is the only softmod you should concern yourself with,
      as it works will all X-Boxes.


1.4   What is the difference between UXE, NDURE, UDE, Krayzie, WaffleTools,
      Kingroach and all those other names?

      UXE (Uber XBE Exploit), NDURE (Next-Dimension Uber Rmenhal [this is
      the guy who created the exploit] Exploit), UDE (Ultimate Dashboard
      Exploit) are dashboard exploit methods. Krayzie, WaffleTools and
      Kingroach are softmod installer packages which make use of the
      exploits methods, and bundle in a BIOS loader/patcher and a non-
      retail dashboard into a single, easy-to-use installer.

      Quite often, the exploit methods are used to refer to the
      softmod installer packages (eg. referring to Krayzie's NDURE
      installer simply as NDURE). This is technically incorrect, which can
      lead to some confusion over which softmod package is the "real"
      thing (eg. "Is Krayzie the real NDURE or Kingroach?")

      Anyway, as mentioned above, as far as exploit methods go,
      NDURE is the only one you should concern yourself with, as is it the
      most recent, and it fixes some issues with the older ones. Here is
      a forum discussion comparing the NDURE and UXE:
      http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=263586&st=495&p=2740295&#entry2740295
      As for UDE, don't bother, it is rather old and will not work on
      newer X-Boxes.

      For softmod installer packages, Krayzie's NDURE installers are
      largely considered the "gold standard" for installing a softmod
      through a game-save.

      Kingroach's (Kingroach PC NDURE installer), on the other hand is a
      softmod installer for either upgrading an existing softmod, upgrading
      a hard disk, or softmodding via hotswapping. It is a Windows-
      executable for generating the dashboard exploit files on a PC which
      can be then be transferred into the X-Box hard disk.


1.5   How do I determine what version my X-Box is?

      See http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_Versions_HOWTO.


1.6   How do I determine my X-Box serial number?

      If you have a backup of your EEPROM, see the section titled "EEPROM".
      Otherwise, look at your X-Box box packaging or under your X-Box,
      there should be a label with numbers in the format of NNNNNNN NNNNN
      (where N is a digit). That's the serial number.


1.7   What is dual-booting?

      It is when your X-Box is setup to boot to either a "modded" or
      "unmodded" (aka retail) state. Think of it as a software equivalent
      to modchips that have a switch that can turn off the chip. You'll get
      the "unmodded" state when the X-Box is powered on with the DVD tray
      open.


1.8   How can I enable dual-boot?

      An NDURE based softmod package is required. Krayzie's NDURE softmod
      installers enable it by default. Kingroach's installer has an option
      called "Retail Files" on the installer menu which must be checked to
      enable dual-booting.

X-BOX SOFTMODDING FAQ


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

All information on this website is for informational purpose only and is
provided "AS IS". Everything you do with this information is at your own
risk.

Everything done on this project is for the sole purpose of supporting
interoperable software under Sect. 1201 (f) Reverse Engineering exception
of the DMCA.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prerequisite Skills
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skill Level: varies

Some initiative to follow up on given links and resources necessary.

SMDGuests, please change your nick by typing:

/nick <your new nick>

or better yet, get a real IRC client.

To help save time and unecessary nonsense of others having to figure
out your problem, which eventually leads to you being flamed, here's
a guide to formulating your question on softmodding or troubleshooting
your xbox. This is primarily meant for posters on the #softmods IRC
channel on efnet, but could be useful for this forum too.

1. Don't ask to ask. Just ask. ie Don't come into the channel telling
us you need help (eg. "Help!", "Can someone help?"). We know you
do, just ask the damn question.

2. Don't ask if anyone is around. If there are ppl online who are
interested in helping, they will reply. Otherwise, be patient.

3. Don't give a problem description that's overly general or makes
sense only to yourself (eg. "My xbox won't boo't.", "The screen is
frozen"). Remember, we don't know you. We don't have a visual
clue of what your problem looks like. In short, whatever help we
can render all depends on how well you can describe the problem.
If you can't, don't blame anyone but yourself if the solution given
doesn't work or makes things worse.

4. Do give details. Things like error codes or messages are important.
Describe your xbox hardware as best as you can (your xbox version,
any upgraded hdd etc), your network setup (IP addresses,
whether or not your xbox is connected via a router etc),
software (the exploit/softmod you are using, dashboard etc).

5. Give an account of events that led up to the problem. for eg.
"xbox was working fine, until I ftp'ed the new version of evox, and
when I rebooted, I got a blank screen."

6. Search this forum before asking, especially if your question is
very generic in nature, eg "which is the best softmod package?"
"where do I start?" etc.