How to softmod your Xbox and install XBMC for free

Black_Knight

Theres a guide here which basically follows on from this one. Somewhere in that thread witnessmenow has a link to a handy CD if memory serves me right.

You need a lockable hard drive with a softmod. Check out the list of lockable hard drives.

Oh, and have a look out for xbpartitioner, you'll need this if your larger replacement hard drive is bigger then 250GB I think. Its pretty easy to figure out, it runs off XBMC/unleash etc. Its a .xbe file so when you have your xbox up and running again, just FTP xbpartitioner into your XBMC apps folder and load it up from there.

Hangover

Earl.E.Byrd wrote: »

I had contemplated modding my Xbox for a year or two. I had read about XBMC and wanted to give it a try but was too chicken. After reading the post and other people's comments I figured I really had nothing to lose. I'm just a noobie who follows instructions meticulously.

I followed your instructions and in no time I was up and running. I'd say thirty minutes tops! I lost track of the time since I started dropping files and watching videos before I reinstalled the cover!

It's probably in the thread somewhere - I'd like to pop a bigger drive for file storage.

One question - is a lockable drive a requirement for installing/using XBMC or is it just to maintain use of Xbox Live?

If your hdd isnt locked you will up to an error message and wont be able to proceed, you can use either Chimp or XBOXHDM to clone your existing hdd onto the new hdd and then you will need to lock it before it will boot . Retrieve your EEPROM.BIN file and save it on your pc for any future hd upgrade or rebuilds you may require.

Earl.E.Byrd

Thank you both for the tips!

I was successful in cloning the drive onto a test 20GB drive I had laying around. I did check the drive compatability list - it was on there with a successful cloning plus locking. Alas, poor Yorick! That's where the fun slowed.

Green screen of death - error #5. "Hello modder, but you forgot to lock the drive!" In any case the Seagate drive apparently doesn't support locking. Tried it in chimps and xboxhdm... bummer. Onward to the 500GB drive at Best Buy.

At least I accomplished a couple of things this weekend -
1. Softmod Xbox to use XBMC
2. Learned that it's not really difficult, just time-consuming in the learning/reading department
3. There's a great community out there willing to help
4. I really should get mint installed on a laptop so I can start learning more about Linux - got a Live CD, just been "too busy"
5. I really enjoy doing this stuff, why am I still working as a control engineer at an oil refinery?

sullyvan

Ive tried this an no luck. Cant see the hard drive even tho its connected. If i connect it,my pc wont see my DVDrom any ideas why?

Earl.E.Byrd

sullyvan wrote: »

Ive tried this an no luck. Cant see the hard drive even tho its connected. If i connect it,my pc wont see my DVDrom any ideas why?

Make sure that the IDE cable you use for the hard drive is from the IDE01 or primary connection. Also ensure that the DVDROM/CDROM is on the secondary, IDE02, connection. The motherboard should have this printed on one side of the IDE ports.

What you should get is this:
IDE01 cable (primary IDE) - XBOX hd
IDE02 cable (secondary IDE) - DVDROM/CDROM

I made sure that I didn't have any other devices connected to the cables.

Good Luck!

sullyvan

should i change the jumpers on the cdrom?

Nick_oliveri

If they are set to slave, yes. Set them to master.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=55417765&postcount=46

sullyvan

I just gave up on it, found mechassualt for 2$. Just have to get a Action Replay. Found one on ebay for 30 bucks.

Hangover

sullyvan wrote: »

I just gave up on it, found mechassualt for 2$. Just have to get a Action Replay. Found one on ebay for 30 bucks.

The hotswap is by far the easiest method, the game exploit method looks like a pain in the arse.

Hangover

I have softmodded 5 x xbox's now so i have it down pat, now i have a chipped xbox with a duox2 chip that has no video output but i can hear the flubber audio so i know it boots . So i was thinking of softmodding the hdd so that i can reflash the chip but without video i cant find out what the kernel is ?, can i just go by the manufacture date to choose a kernel ?

Nick_oliveri

Sounds like a dodgey cable tbh. There should be no reason why the video won't show. I dont think softmodding duox will give good results. They clash.

Hangover

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Sounds like a dodgey cable tbh. There should be no reason why the video won't show. I dont think softmodding duox will give good results. They clash.

Chip doesnt seem to working so i figured at least softmodding will allow me to use my AID disc to reflash the chip .

Nick_oliveri

The chip looks for several specific names when booting in the C:/ drive. Liek "evoxdash.xbe" or whatever. These will usually be in a text file on the root of C:/. Have a look in there before you mess with the drive. And I wouldn't advise a full HD rebuild.

Or you could just turn off the chip completly by the switch on its hardware or by desoldering. The softmod will render it obsolete anyways.

docentore

Hangover wrote: »

The hotswap is by far the easiest method, the game exploit method looks like a pain in the arse.

Have you tried game exploit method? No taking apart xbox, pc, no hot-swapping, clean job which can be done in 5-7 mins

Hangover

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

The chip looks for several specific names when booting in the C:/ drive. Liek "evoxdash.xbe" or whatever. These will usually be in a text file on the root of C:/. Have a look in there before you mess with the drive. And I wouldn't advise a full HD rebuild.

Or you could just turn off the chip completly by the switch on its hardware or by desoldering. The softmod will render it obsolete anyways.

I tried ftp,ing into the drive but all i'm getting is error 16 or 6 depending on which boot button i choose, i could just replace the chip which is looking to be the easiest solution.

sullyvan

Now I have another question, do i upgrade hdrive after i softmod.. or before i softmod?

Hangover

sullyvan wrote: »

Now I have another question, do i upgrade hdrive after i softmod.. or before i softmod?

You can only do it after as you need to retrieve the eeprom.bin file off the old hdd first then you need to burn a disc to use to lock/unlock the hdd.

Hangover

docentore wrote: »

Have you tried game exploit method? No taking apart xbox, pc, no hot-swapping, clean job which can be done in 5-7 mins

I havent but will at some stage as i have a brand new crystal xbox that i wont be opening the case off, all the tut's i've read require different things which i dont have.If you have a simple tut i will give it a go.

Nick_oliveri

Hmm its a toughie without knowing your kernel version Hangover. I would try either the full rebuild without the chip or flashing the chip. I think you might be able to flash it with a boot disc on the Xbox itself. I wouldn't know though.

Earl.E.Byrd

sullyvan wrote: »

Now I have another question, do i upgrade hdrive after i softmod.. or before i softmod?

I just upped my hdd to a 500GB drive. I think you could have built a new, bigger hdd during the softmod process.

In any case I used Chimps to clone the original drive and xbpartitioner to add the new available space. The usual places will have what you need to get the xbe's.

Next step - getting a quiter fan, improving cooling on CPU with arctic silver

sullyvan

I changed my DVDrom to slave, and my pc still doesnt see the xbox partions... this is really frustrating lol, but i'm gonna keep trying.

Hellrazer

Slightly OT--But does anyone know of anywhere selling original Xboxes at a decent price.

Im looking for one to install XBMC on.

Nick_oliveri

sullyvan wrote: »

I changed my DVDrom to slave, and my pc still doesnt see the xbox partions... this is really frustrating lol, but i'm gonna keep trying.

Do you have two separate IDE slots and two seperate cables? I know this post can be a bit confusing. You need to take your actual PC drives out of the equation.

Does the CD boot at all?

docentore

Hellrazer wrote: »

Slightly OT--But does anyone know of anywhere selling original Xboxes at a decent price.

Im looking for one to install XBMC on.

I think the only place now would be adverts.ie or ebay.ie

Hangover

Hellrazer wrote: »

Slightly OT--But does anyone know of anywhere selling original Xboxes at a decent price.

Im looking for one to install XBMC on.

Ebay is your best bet or a games store that sells used consoles. I get them off ebay for AUD $10- $15 or so mostly with dead or disfunctioning dvd drives, i pull them apart give them a clean then get them going again

sullyvan

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Do you have two separate IDE slots and two seperate cables? I know this post can be a bit confusing. You need to take your actual PC drives out of the equation.

Does the CD boot at all?

Oh the Cd boots just fine, but when it comes to seeing the Xbox partitions it cant see them.

rick81

Hi am i just reading over this guide before i tackle anything. at point 6) Copy a music track to the Xbox hard drive and remove the cd and switch off the Xbox.

how do i copy a song to the xbox? and what cd should be in there. thats meant to be ejected, the linux one im going to create?

Hangover

rick81 wrote: »

Hi am i just reading over this guide before i tackle anything. at point 6) Copy a music track to the Xbox hard drive and remove the cd and switch off the Xbox.

how do i copy a song to the xbox? and what cd should be in there. thats meant to be ejected, the linux one im going to create?

The linux cd is for your pc not the xbox, you dont need to copy a song if you dont want to, you just wait till after the big xbox X (flubber ) comes up then you can disconnect the ide cable .

rick81

Hangover wrote: »

The linux cd is for your pc not the xbox, you dont need to copy a song if you dont want to, you just wait till after the big xbox X (flubber ) comes up then you can disconnect the ide cable .

gee man thanks for the quick response. ok thats cool ill try it. just out of curiosity though how do i actually copy a song to it and removing which cd or is the guide just saying remove any cd's ,etc.

sorry for the stupid questions, im new to xbox and have bought one of ebay, i want it for xbmc so just getting my head around the softmod first.
cheers

Hangover

rick81 wrote: »

gee man thanks for the quick response. ok thats cool ill try it. just out of curiosity though how do i actually copy a song to it and removing which cd or is the guide just saying remove any cd's ,etc.

sorry for the stupid questions, im new to xbox and have bought one of ebay, i want it for xbmc so just getting my head around the softmod first.
cheers

In the menu where you play music you can copy a track or entire cd to the hdd, the idea is to copy 1 song and remove the cd, then you play the saved song for a few seconds then pause it and disconnect the ide cable as the the hdd is unlocked at that point.