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Author Topic: What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?  (Read 267 times)

mkjones

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What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?
« on: April 01, 2004, 05:33:00 AM »
What are the Font and Audio Exploits?
Ok, the exploits are a way to run "unsigned" code on your xbox, much like having a mod-chip but without the cost smile.gif They are "software" hacks and exploit security flaws in the xbox operating system (AKA Dashboard).

Most hacks these days run a program called the "Phoenix BIOS Loader" (aka PBL) this is an amazing tool that allows hacked xbox BIOS files to run from the Hard drive! In essence it is a "Virtual Modchip" that allows you to run backups of games, homebrew, emulators and more!

In order to install ANY of these hacks, you must first be able to FTP into your xbox. This can be achieved using "GameSave Hacks" check here for more information on these:
http://forums.xbox-s...hp?showforum=44

Now, onto the information smile.gif

WARNING!
Changing the files on your Xbox hard drive is dangerous and in some cases could lead to you totally messing up your games console, leaving you with a large unattractive paperweight!!

Got that smile.gif

The Fonts
The Font Hack works by exploiting the font 2 files "Xbox Book.xtf" and "Xbox.xtf" on the xbox Hard drive. There are many incarnations of this hack, such as "Bert and Ernie", "BigFonts", "Bert and Ernie Reloaded" and the "MechAssault" fonts. The most stable and newest incarnation are the MechAssault (MA) fonts.

These fonts were developed by the guys at "Xbox-Linux" and modded by some clever dude that has always remained anonymous! Then some guys called "Catfish" and "Pedro" got hold of them to make them work better as "non" Linux fonts.

These new fonts actually replace your dashboards XBOX LIVE tab with the word PHOENIX (as it loads PBL). To enable this hack, simply select the tab and PBL loads!

The problem with the Fonts is they can cause your xbox to go into a "Clock Loop" this is when your xbox cannot start because as soon as it does it gets stuck trying to re-set its clock!

This kills your xbox sad.gif however it ONLY happens when you unplug your xbox from its electricity supply for a long period of time. As the xbox has no "battery" it cannot power its internal clock.

Now, the MA fonts claim to have "fixed" the clock loop issue. Some people NEVER get a loop with the fonts in and some people get it for a few minutes or hours. I have never heard of anyone totally killing there xbox with these new fonts smile.gif

However, you can never be too careful wink.gif This is why I run fonts AND audio.

Also, when the MA-Catfish fonts are on your system you will loose XBOX LIVE functionality sad.gif not a problem for some people but you never know wink.gif

The Audio
The audio hack exploits a small file on the xbox called ST.DB. This file is the database for all your music on the xbox. If you rip a CD all of its information is stored in this file.

It was found that this file could be exploited so that when you "ripped" a new CD you could run the exploit. This was improved on and now you no longer need to copy a CD you simply try to copy a "hacked" soundtrack. This is known as the "Swapless" audio hack.

Enabling the audio hack is a little bit more fiddly that the fonts. You have to go to MUSIC and attempt to COPY the hacked soundtrack (it has no name) once this is done your xbox loads some unsigned code, such as PBL.

The downside to the audio hack is simply that you cannot rip audio once you have installed it. So no more in-game audio, or music on your xbox. There ARE packages out their that get around this in some way (see Mordens GameStub feature) but none are perfect.

Also, it can be a pain to do the button combo that loads this hack, and getting it wrong can corrupt it leading to it you having to re-install the hack.

However, all in all Audio is the safest method of exploiting your xbox. It does not change your dashboard significantly and leaves a small "footprint" on your Hard Drive.

Conclusion
Both audio and font are good hacks, but you CAN run both together to get the best of both hacks. Once you have them running you can use code to "switch" one exploit off and another ON, this is a simple matter of changing file names on your hard drive.

This is what I do, and some others have worked it out as well. Check the tutorials for more information.

beerchug.gif
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ldots

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What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2004, 06:17:00 AM »
QUOTE
These fonts were developed by the guys at "Xbox-Linux" and modded by some clever dude called "Catfish"

The Mech linux fonts were hacked/deobfuscated by a, to date, still anonymous guy. This version was still somewhat half finished. Catfish cleaned up the fonts further together with Pedro I believe. Credit therefore goes to him also.

Edit : mkjones, since this guide might appeal to newbies maybe you should include a warning that messing with system files is not without risk and people should make backups of system files, hd key and eeprom as some as they have a game save evox up and running.
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mkjones

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What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2004, 06:43:00 AM »
QUOTE
The Mech linux fonts were hacked/deobfuscated by a, to date, still anonymous guy.


Is that right? I knew that someone had there hands on them before Catfish. I will add this smile.gif

QUOTE
This version was still somewhat half finished. Catfish cleaned up the fonts further together with Pedro I believe. Credit therefore goes to him also.


Yeh, I remember when this was happening back before XboxHakur bacame Catfish thanks for the info...  cool.gif

QUOTE
Edit : mkjones, since this guide might appeal to newbies maybe you should include a warning that messing with system files is not without risk and people should make backups of system files, hd key and eeprom as some as they have a game save evox up and running.


Yes, good idea. Its not nesseseraly a tutorial however, but it is an extention to my "Best of Both Worlds" tutorial wich does not contain any such warnings!

Cheers  beerchug.gif
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mkjones

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What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2004, 02:20:00 AM »
For anyone wanting packages I have a new download page:

http://frowst.thefreeserver.net/

Its not an amazing host, but it should work smile.gif

Stuff you can get:

QUOTE (Downloads)

Packages:

- softmod lite
- The Best of Both worlds package

tHc Lite Dashboard - Working Softmod Hacks:

- "tHc Lite with font hack" .xbe file
- "tHc Lite with fonts on the E drive" file



Dont know how long it will be up, but long enuf so you can all get it and distribute anything if you like....
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mkjones

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What Are The Font And Audio Exploits?
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2005, 10:55:00 AM »
Wow, forgot about this post.

Ignore that web addres, I killed it after my stuff got on Xbins.

Also, ignore my old packages and use ltools or other UDE/UXE packages tongue.gif
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