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[krayzie]

Hi here's another variation of the hidden C and eeprom for people that don't like the idea of using slayer's or another bootdisc. It requires to put the dash on a partition different from C though. In this tut I use the following path for my dash:
E:\dashboard\default.xbe. If your's is located elswehere be sure to change the paths used in this tut also to your likings.
People who rather use slayer's (or similar disc) might wanna look here.

Again the warning:
This affects the bootfiles of your xbox and I recomend to only do this with a simple recovery method like a gamesave exploit.
If you feel not secure or not fully understand all the steps in the tut please don't follow it.


Things needed:
Nkpatcher 10
a file of aprox 300 mb's

Okay let's start with setting up nkpatcher. use the following settings:

CODE

%define DASHBOARD_PATH '\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1\dashboard\default.xbe'

this to boot nkpatcher to the right dash location

CODE

%define VIRTUAL_C_DRIVE 2
%define ACTUAL_C_DRIVE 8
%define VIRTUAL_C_PATH '\Device\Harddisk0\Partition8\shadowc.img'

this for the shadow C setup

CODE

%define VIRTUAL_EEPROM
%define VIRTUAL_EEPROM_PATH '\Device\Harddisk0\Partition8\eeprom.bin'

this for the eeprom setup

Ok now compile and sign like usual and put it in the fonts bootpath (I put it on C cuz then it get's hidden later on)

Now reboot xbox and the dash should boot like normal. Now first backup the msdash files to your pc. If you have a live enabled game you only need the audio and the fonts folder (the fonts folder with the retail fonts).

Now if you made a backup of the eeprom put it in C root named as eeprom.bin.
If you don't have it run the evox backup feature to gain it.

Now transfer the 300 mb file to C root named as shadowc.img

Reboot and connect with ftp and try to acces C. If everything went well you should see no files in there.

Okay time to format: Open a raw commands window in the ftp client and type in:

QUOTE

Formatpath \Device\Harddisk0\Partition2

Make sure it really says partition2 in there otherwise bad things will happen.

Now you should get a format key in return that you should use in the next command. next type:

QUOTE

FormatDrive "the key"

without quotes and filling in the key you got.

Okay now transfer the dashfiles you backed up to you freshly formatted C drive.

Reboot and for the people that only transfered the fonts and audio folder put in a live game and try to connect to live/make new acount whatever. notice how it upgrades the dash.

I wrote this in like 15 minutes all by memory so please ignore any typo's. All important stuff should be explained well.

Hope it comes in usefull for some people.

This post has been edited by krayzie: Sep 7 2005, 07:57 PM

[DaddyJ]

Very good, your signature is growing quite quickly

Great stuff.

[Musashi]

Great tutorial, although I used your first one .

[JaXbox]

QUOTE(krayzie @ Jan 9 2005, 08:49 PM)

%define DASHBOARD_PATH '\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1\dashboard\default.xbe'

this to boot nkpatcher to the right dash location

I got error21, untill I figured out that it should be partition 8. After all, partition 8 is what we've got configured as actual C-drive, right?

QUOTE(krayzie @ Jan 9 2005, 08:49 PM)

%define ACTUAL_C_DRIVE 8

At least, that's what worked for me. Are you sure you didn't make a typo krazyie ? (or am I just a big n00b   :rolleyes: )
If I'm waaayyy off here plz tell me  

[krayzie]

QUOTE(JaXbox @ Jan 15 2005, 02:39 AM)

I got error21, untill I figured out that it should be partition 8. After all, partition 8 is what we've got configured as actual C-drive, right?

At least, that's what worked for me. Are you sure you didn't make a typo krazyie ? (or am I just a big n00b   :rolleyes: )
If I'm waaayyy off here plz tell me 

if you paid attention you would notice these lines in the tut.

QUOTE

It requires to put the dash on a partition different from C though. In this tut I use the following path for my dash:
E:\dashboard\default.xbe

this means the this tut uses the dash on E and not on C or the fake partition. If you didn't put the dash on E you would get an error 21 since it cannot locate it's dash. If you did put it on partition 8 you are now loading it from the fake partition which means it's now hidden. It might be a possibility but not what I aimed for in the tut.

[XDelusion]

ok, I'm new to this, so when I want to sign it, I just type:

xbedump nkpatcher.xbe -shabibi

?


Also, I already have an older nkpatcher installed via the SIN package. So I am just doing this to Shadow my C drive on E basically.
 So in that case, will all I need to do is copy the Eprom and the Image file to the correct locations, copy over the old nkpatcher with the new, and be set to go?

This post has been edited by XDelusion: Jan 15 2005, 09:45 AM

[slrhsapple]

CODE

xbedump.exe nkpatcher.xbe -habibi
ren out.xbe default.xbe
del nkpatcher.xbe

sign, rename and delete

[JaXbox]

QUOTE(krayzie @ Jan 15 2005, 07:12 AM)

if you paid attention you would notice these lines in the tut.

I knew there was something I had overlooked.. Guess beer and softmodding don't go together very well..

[krayzie]

QUOTE(XDelusion @ Jan 15 2005, 09:32 AM)

ok, I'm new to this, so when I want to sign it, I just type:

xbedump nkpatcher.xbe -shabibi

?
Also, I already have an older nkpatcher installed via the SIN package. So I am just doing this to Shadow my C drive on E basically.
 So in that case, will all I need to do is copy the Eprom and the Image file to the correct locations, copy over the old nkpatcher with the new, and be set to go?

If you wanna shadow your C to your E you might just as well use the shadowC maker app that comes with the virtual drive utils. Make sure you first change the dashbootpath to the one that Sin Installer uses. then you can safely replace it with the old one.

[stevenho78]

I've tried setting up the shadow c option in nkpatcher using a gui called nkconfig or something like that.  I was trying to have the image file on f:\BootFiles\Shadow\shadowc.img but when it boots up the shadowc.img is not loaded.  However if I set the image file to the real C drive it works?
The eeprom.bin is on f and it works...

Also, when I had the image file working off the real C and I then formatted the fake C and put in the original M$ dash and font files etc, when I try to launch the M$ dash from EvolutionX, I get a contact service error?

Is it possible to access the M$ dash when shadowc is active?  I have a 1.6 box and 5838 kernel.

Steve

This post has been edited by stevenho78: Jan 21 2005, 02:28 PM

[krayzie]

QUOTE(stevenho78 @ Jan 21 2005, 02:19 PM)

I've tried setting up the shadow c option in nkpatcher using a gui called nkconfig or something like that.  I was trying to have the image file on f:\BootFiles\Shadow\shadowc.img but when it boots up the shadowc.img is not loaded.  However if I set the image file to the real C drive it works?
The eeprom.bin is on f and it works...

Also, when I had the image file working off the real C and I then formatted the fake C and put in the original M$ dash and font files etc, when I try to launch the M$ dash from EvolutionX, I get a contact service error?

Is it possible to access the M$ dash when shadowc is active?  I have a 1.6 box and 5838 kernel.

Steve

I'm not sure what you set but it sounds like a wrong setup or configuration. And you can acces the msdash just fine on a virtual C.

[stevenho78]

Found 2 problems:

1. The gui i was using to do set nkpatcher was setting partition of virtual shadow file path to 7 instead of 6.

2. The stock files I had didn't seem to work.. maybe because they were stock ntsc-j files?  Anyway, used the files on slayers disc and seems to work fine now.
btw. where's the option in live-enabled games to update the dash?  All i get is the network trouble shooter because i disconnect the network cable...

Actually, there was another thing.. I can't seem to get the nkpatcher compiled or signed properly if i do it by hand..
I do the following:

nasm -o nkpatcher.xbe xboxapp.asm
xbedump nkpatcher.xbe -habibi

but i always get the contact service error booting with that.. in the end i used the gui and at the point it asked if i wanted to compile, i swapped the config files  

[krayzie]

QUOTE(stevenho78 @ Jan 21 2005, 09:28 PM)

.
btw. where's the option in live-enabled games to update the dash?  All i get is the network trouble shooter because i disconnect the network cable...

if you try to go live and you are taken to the livedash troubleshooter it means the dash on the game is older as the dash allready installed.

[nsspeak]

"Ok now compile and sign like usual and put it in the fonts bootpath (I put it on C cuz then it get's hidden later on)"

Sorry, but what is the fonts boot path?  i am lost on some stuff, and completely here on other stuff.

I got it compiled, signed, and renamed to default.xbe, but I still don't know what it is for.
does it replace an existing default.xbe i have?

BTW, my reason for following these steps is so i can ...
still use the msdash once in a while on a UXE softmod, and ...
be able to cold boot cdx menu games withour error 21, and...
not have a live enabled game autoupdate over my exploit.
  Is this the best/only way to do this, or is this a more powerful and complex method that i am a fool for even trying?

[nsspeak]

Ok, maybe i figured it out.  am i basically replacing in my case the nkpatcher.xbe which is in c:\fonts\nk\nkpatcher.xbe?  the new one is the same size, i think.