How to Softmod you XBOX [Full Tutorial]

[_koos_]

I've followed the procedure step by step (With a virgin xbox) but now my xbox won't boot past de big X screen. ANy ideas how to fix this?

It's fixed. I've followed the steps again and it works!

[WaggonerW]

I would like to contribute to this thread, because it helped me a lot when I modded my xbox last weekend.

For anyone new to xbox modding, let me share my findings and experiences with you. I have tried to build up each of the facts in logical order, which may allow you to skip anything you already know ;-)

1. You want to mod your xbox.
Why? -> Because it allows you to run backups and homebrew.
2. You don't need to install a modchip to mod your xbox (this is called softmodding).
Why? -> An xbox is built up like a PC, which means it has a harddisk where you can run applications from. Your MS dashboard (the app that allows you to change settings like date etc. that appears when there is no disk in the drive) is such an app. The mod consists of replacing this dashboard with another one that uses an exploit to run any app from this, including backups. A standard xbox harddisk has two partitions, with drive letters C and E, like a regular PC (D is the DVD-ROM).
3. You don't need to flash your xbox BIOS to run backups.
Why? -> While flashing your BIOS can give you some advantages (i.e. bypass security checks more easily), the replacement dashboard is enough to run backups or homebrew. It can even be harmful if you want to use xbox Live, because MS will ban you.
4. To replace the MS dashboard, you need to connect your xbox harddisk to a PC IDE controller.
Why? -> The only other way in is through the DVD player. You can't boot an app from CD or DVD to write to the harddisk, because an unmodded xbox will only run software signed by MS. The only alternative to this is using an xbox with modchip.
5. The harddisk needs to be disconnected while the xbox is running (this is called hotswapping), and reconnected to the PC.
Why? -> The harddisk is an xbox looks like an ordinary IDE harddisk, but it has a special protection: it needs to be unlocked, which can only be done through a special key in the xbox EEPROM, this key is unique for each and every xbox. When xbox needs to access the harddisk, it unlocks it briefly. It is the "art of hotswapping" to find the right moment to disconnect the harddisk in unlocked state and immediately connect it to the PC's IDE controller. There are many tutorials and strategies to do this, Google for it. The harddisk will return to locked state automatically after a while, and on each startup. In locked state, the harddisk cannot be accessed.
6. Once connected to the PC, you need to boot from a Linux CD-ROM to access the harddisk.
Why? -> The xbox uses a special file system. At this moment, the only reliable tools to access the xbox's file system or lock/unlock a harddisk are running under Linux only. Your CD needs to contain your preferred replacement dashboard and exploit (see UXE story in tutorial).
7. You can replace the xbox harddisk with any *lockable* IDE harddisk of 8GB or more.
Why? -> With a replacement dash, you can backup games to harddisk. The default xbox harddisk is very small, so the bigger, the better. The only requirement is that it needs to be "lockable", because a softmodded xbox will not use a harddisk that is not locked. Any additional space can be partitioned as new drives (F, G).
8. You cannot lock a harddisk for an unmodded xbox.
Why? -> To lock or unlock a harddisk, there are tools available on the same Linux CD. These tools need an image of the xbox's EEPROM to lock the harddisk. As explained under 5, a harddisk needs to be "married" to the xbox using this code. This means that you first have to mod your xbox to obtain its EEPROM image before you can prepare a new harddisk.
9. Once softmodded, you won't need to hotswap anymore.
Why? -> A replacement dash usually contains an FTP server, which allows you to access the xbox harddisk remotely accross a LAN. For replacement harddisks, you never need to hotswap anyway because they don't have the "autolock" protection of xbox harddisks.

[ryu420]

ok so once ive completed all those steps... how can i get xbox media center as a dashboard on my xbox?

[peanutinky]

i have a question

doing the hotswap method vs. old game exploit method and using the uxe does it put the new dash on c:\ or on e:\


i modded my xbox the game way 18 months ago

i have the unleash, xbmc, avalaunch, evox, and on my e:\ and of course the ms dash on c:\ drive

i want to telnet to make a trainer but there is no way to do unless the telnet could be set to goto the shadow c:\ instead of the real c:\

to get the xbmc as your dash just ftp it on to your xbox under apps.

use file explorer on the xbox goto E:\dash on one side of the screen the other goto e:\apps now make a new folder under e:\apps old dash

in the newly created folder copy you dash file here now delete the old dash files and copy the contents of the xbmc folder to dash but dont put the xbmc folder under e:\dash

it should just contain the files that where in the xbmc folder

now reboot

xbmc will be your new dash

to use your ald dash just goto programs in xbmc and select your old dash

when you quit using the old dash or reboot you will still be using xbmc as the dash

i change mine from time to time

[ryu420]

haha ive already softmodded it and put unleash x as my dash and then xbmc and evox are in my apps folder thanx for the help tho.. any one know any good places to get full xbox games similar to gctracker.mine.nu ??? PM me if u know

[h@Ck3R]

ty for all your complimants. i forgot i even wrote this tutorial. i was probably drunk. anywayz, i updated it with steps on ftp-ing to xbox. should be easier than with flashfxp. plz tell me if i should make anything more clear.

[Tetsu]

Will this way work on any xbox version and dash version? I see that the tutorial say in one of the steps that all the data will be gone. So all my saves and data will be gone? Sorry for posting in a dead post.

[happykillmore]

I have tried this method over and over again... i even wiped the hard drive and tried but i can't get past the boot screen (the one with the big x on it). If anyone one has any fixes, help would be awesome.

[tpepsiman]

this is a nice tut but it just will not work for me

its easier to use sid/aid

but still this is a nice tut

good work m8

[radeonve7000]

This is a great tute, straight forward.. but there are a couple of things i'm not sure about.

if i use a new hard disk over 30gb, do i need to lock it first? if so, how do i do that?

how do i save game saves that is already in the retail hard disk?

[proctorbc2005]

This is a great tute, straight forward.. but there are a couple of things i'm not sure about.

if i use a new hard disk over 30gb, do i need to lock it first? if so, how do i do that?

how do i save game saves that is already in the retail hard disk?

To save your saved games you will need to FTP your UDATA, and TDATA folders to your computer.

Auto installers have the capibility to Lock/Unlock hard drives. Yes it will have to be locked for the Soft mod to work. research "Hot swap" tutorials. to replace the drive.

[willyf]

I was trying to solve that too, without success.


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[radeonve7000]

@proctorbc2005. thanks for the reply. i couldn't be bothered looking for a way around ftp-ing without any mod (not that i know if that is possible anyway) so i went ahead with the mod and it worked (but of course i lost my gamesave). now i have softmodded xbox with 40gb hdd and xbmc dash

and thanks to h@Ck3R for the simple tute

[NSCXP]

do you know once this is done can you play XBOX Backups?

[radeonve7000]

yeah.. why else would i install a bigger hd