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[ldots]

Setting the XBE region with ltools

WARNING !!!
Writing an edited eeprom to the motherboard is not something I would recommend doing in generel and if attempted you should be careful and be sure you know what you are doing.
The eeprom contains vital information that the xbox needs on bootup, so if you fail in writing a working eeprom image back to the motherboard a modchip could be your only way out!!!
I take no responsibility.

I have personally tested the following with success on a v1.0 and v1.1 xbox (<- at least that's the eeprom version). I havent been able to test it on a v1.6, but have no reason to believe it shouldn't work for this version. The eeprom decryption and encryption has been tested and is working.

With the warnings out of the way I would say that :
If you follow this guide exactly I find it very unlikely that you should end up with a non working xbox.

Why do this ?
The UDE2 exploit is a working software hack for all current xbox versions (v1.0-1.6). It works by exploiting an executable found on the NFL Fever 2003 game, that will run on boot unlike most executables fond on game DVD's. Unfortunately the exploitable executable will only run on xbox's with the XBE region set to 1 in the eeprom. This is normally all NTSC/Canada xbox's, meaning the PAL and NTSC-J users are not able to run the exploit out of the box. It's is however possible to set the XBE region 1 without turning the video standard of the xbox into NTSC. This allows all xbox owners to run UDE without having to get NTSC TVs.
Note however that when setting the XBE region to 1, some of you retail games will not be able to run without loading a hacked bios using PBL or nkpathcer. This means that if you softmod gets screwed and you dont own a multiregion exploitable game (like PAL MechAssault). You will have to recover by doing a hotswap.

Required software
ltools 1.7.5 or above.
One of the exploitable games or another way to run the included habibi signed default.xbe

Steps needed

PART 1 - setting the xbe region (no risk)
When bootet to the ltools menu run "mini-linux". Make a network connection to your PC and telnet to the xbox :
IP : 192.168.0.3
Netmask : 255.255.255.0
User : root
Pass : xbox
Once in, do the following :

• Type xberegion and push enter.
  You will see something like this :

CODE

Current XBE region is  :  04 Select a new region (eeprom is written to a new file) : 1.  01 (USA/Canada) 2.  02 (Japan) 3.  04 (Elsewhere)  :

• Choose a new region and you will see this

CODE

New XBE region is      :  01 New eeprom written to file : new_region.bin Check that the eeprom looks correct by running     : xtool -a -f new_region.bin And compare to the output from your current eeprom : xtool -a

• Do as adviced. Run the two xtool commands to compare the newly generated eeprom with the one on the motherboard. This is to test that they both decrypt and hold the same information except for the XBE region.
• That's the first step. Your new eeprom has been generated as new_region.bin

PART 2 - Writing back the eeprom (pay attension!)

• Type xtool -w new_region.bin and hit enter. You will see this :

CODE

Saving backup of Eeprom to file : eeprom_bkp.bin Serial         : xxxxxxxxxxxxx MAC            : xxxxxxxxxxxxx Video          : PAL ******************* *  IMPORTANT!!!   * ******************* Be sure to check that the eeprom you are trying to write back to the motherboard looks correct (especially the HDD password) by running : xtool -a -f new_region.bin Are you sure you want continue writing back eeprom [y/n] ?

• If you didnt already check the new eeprom image with xtool answer n and do it now.
• Otherwise answer y. You should see this :

CODE

Ready to write eeprom back ... Writeback eeprom ........................................................................................... ........................................................................................... .......................................................................... EEPROM written back ******************* *  IMPORTANT!!!   * ******************* Now check that the eeprom on the motheroard is OK by running : xtool -a BEFORE shutting down the xbox. If it is not OK try writing back the eeprom once more.

• If you dont see this maybe the linux cannot acces the eeprom chip.
• If the eeprom was succesfully written back, be sure to check that the eeprom on the motherboard is working and producing the correct information before shutting down the xbox.
  Run : xtool -a
  to verify this. Take special notice of the HDD password since the xbox cannot unlock the HDD on the next reboot if this is not correct.
• If everything looks correct you can continue to install UDE2 from the commandline by typing : UDE -UDE2
  WARNING!!! Since your xbox will now only run region 1 xbe's you should not shutdown or reboot the xbox unless you have a region 1 exploitable game or until you have installed a region 1 compatible softmod (like UDE2)

This post has been edited by ldots: Sep 17 2004, 11:46 AM

[Angerwound]

Thanks for the tutorial ldots. I'm sure many people will make use of it.

[krayzie]

cool stuff.  

[adil786]

nice,

thanks ldots,

now we can softmod ANY XBOX!

[Musashi]

QUOTE (adil786 @ Aug 9 2004, 03:05 PM)

thanks ldots, now we can softmod ANY XBOX!

YEA, thanks. PAL Softmodders will be happy.

[Angerwound]

Threw it up in the tutorials section for you ldots.

[ldots]

Thanks!

Now lets just hope people use this carefully!

[farbird]

i tried running the ltools 1.7.5 on my 1.6 xbox ntscj..

ran telnet and logged in sucessfully

has anyone actually tried these on a 1.6 ntscj box yet?

Or am I the only one?

tried the mentioned method until the part where the screen tells u to

QUOTE

" xtool -a -f new_region.xbe "

it should read

QUOTE

"xtool -a -f new_region.bin "

instead..


anyways...
it is now working like a charm!

u the best ldots!

Hope I was the first. ntscj set to get 1.7.5 working..

so when is it gonna be called the N.UDE ?

This post has been edited by farbird: Aug 10 2004, 06:34 PM

[ldots]

Glad it worked on a v1.6. Mission accomplished  then

Thanks for the tip on the typo (xbe instead of bin). The typo is in the source code though. Dont want to update all packages just for that. Will do in the next release.

QUOTE

so when is it gonna be called the N.UDE ?

No nudity on these forum pages. Against forum policy

[ember]

geezz... !! i like softmod! the progress is running so fast!  

i got working crystal 1.6 chipped with evox m8.
i should buy another brand new crystal xbox 1.6 NTSC-J, cant wait to test this out.

thank u ldots! thank u rmenhal!  

[farbird]

just to remind all 1.6 users to choose properly when installing ude2. [ ie choose M8 and PBL metoo ]

For region changers, ensure that u use " root " as user login, this is because telnet minilinux allows user as " xbox " and logs in into another part of the hdd.


one question ldots , how to enable IGR in games?
Is this a m8 bios problem?

EVtool gave me 2 simple options [ more compatible and fast ]
something like that...

[farbird]

anyone with a 1.6 that cannot do IGR?

[ldots]

The m8 bios in the ltools package should be preconfigured to use IGR. It worked for me on a v1.0 xbox when testing it. (combo used : <back> + <start> + <left tricker> + <right tricker>).

As usual it could be conflicting with Evox IGR if you have that enabled.

[farbird]

using mxm.. no evox for me..

[E-one]

please help
i'm using the ltoos 007 v1.7.5 with modchip xbox
just want to change the region from ntsc -j to ntsc- usa
but i can't telnet in

on PC
IP : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

is it the problem with the chiped xbox? so i can't telnet in?
do i need a virgin one to telnet in? or did i do wrong on the ip at my pc?

and when i use the "UDE Install" after through all the selection
it went to black screen. i belive it should go to the temp\default.xbe when i check on the mxm.xml

kernel:5838
xbox v 1.6