Print

[Textbook]

How to Softmod Your Xbox Using XboxHDM

NOTE: THIS TUTORIAL INSTALLS UXE-COMPLETE, WHICH IS NOW AN OLDER SOFTMOD.  THE CURRENT BEST SOFTMOD IS THE NDURE SOFTMOD.  YOU CAN FIND THE NEW TUTORIAL HERE

This tutorial was written by Textbook and uses tools that Textbook did not make.  He takes no credit for any of these, and gives full credit to the authors.  All Textbook did was re-write the method involved in softmodding the Xbox using certain tools.  This method would not be possible if we didn’t have many dedicated people in the Xbox-Scene.  Although there are many people who helped this method become possible, the big names stand out and I feel they need to be credited.  A huge thanks is given to ldots, kingroach, and DaddyJ.  Without them, this would not be possible.

First of all, it is HIGHLY recommended that you read the following threads:

The Art of Hotswapping

XboxHDM For Dummies

Disclaimer:

**NOTE – The creator of this tutorial, Textbook, nor www.xbox-scene.com or any of its members are responsible for any damage that may be caused while attempting anything in this tutorial.  If you attempt in doing this, you do so at your own risk.  If something gets broken, it’s only your own fault and you should not blame anybody.  Please notice that according to ANSI standards, hotswapping is not considered safe and is therefore only recommended if you can’t find another way to modify your xbox.  For more information on the technical details and safety of hotswapping, please read that first link titled "The Art of Hotswapping"  **

Alright, let's get started...

Stuff That You Will Need

Computer (duh)
Xbox (duh)
CD Recorder in your computer
Blank CD-R
Nero
WinRAR
XboxHDM (Save to Disk)
UXE Installer for XboxHDM (Send an email to [email protected] and check your mail a minute later)
Torx 20 Screwdriver for opening the xbox
Whatever is needed to open up your computer case
Some intelligence and patience

Download the necessary files from above.  Install Nero and WinRAR.  After WinRAR is installed, use it to extract xboxhdm and the uxe installer.

Copy the initrd.gz file from UXEDM-1.2 (the UXE installer) and paste it to xboxhdm/linux/isolinux.  There should already be an initrd.gz file here, so Windows will ask you if you want to overwrite, say "Yes".

Copy the sminstaller folder from UXEDM-1.2 (the UXE installer) and paste it to xboxhdm/linux.

Next, we will increase the amount of time that XboxHDM will stay at it's menu.  By default, it is only set to stay at the menu for 5 minutes before defaultly entering into VGA Mode.  We will increase this time to 10 minutes.  To do this, locate the following file:

-   xboxhdm/linux/isolinux/isolinux.cfg

Right-click on this and choose to Open with... and choose notepad.  Change the timeout value from 300 to 600 like the picture below.



Save the file.

Go back to the xboxhdm folder and locate the following file:

make-iso-win.bat

Run this file and wait for about ten seconds.  You should now have a file that was created titled "linux.iso"

We will now use Nero to burn the linux.iso image.  Place a blank CD-R into your CD recorder and open up Nero Smartstart.  First, make sure the 'CD' tab is selected.



Highlight the fifth icon, the one titled Copy and Backup



Select Burn Image to Disc



Smartstart will minimize to the task bar and Nero Express will open, with a window to browse for your image.  Make sure to select the drop-down box for "files of type" and select All Images.



Locate the linux.iso file image and select it.  Then, just burn the image to the CD.



Once the CD is finished, leave it in the CD drive and turn off your computer.  Open up your computer case.  Disconnect the 4-pin molex power connector and ide cable connected to the hard drive and let the cables hang freely out of the case.

Open The Xbox so that the top cover is off.  Use the Torx 20 screwdriver to do this.  Disconnect the 4-pin molex power connector and ide cable going to the Xbox's hard drive.  Slightly re-connect the ide cable so that the cable is just barely connected, but loose enough to easily be pulled out without shaking the drive.  Connect the 4-pin molex power connector from the computer to the Xbox hard drive.

At this time, boot up your computer and after a couple of seconds, boot up your Xbox.  Your computer should boot to the XboxHDM main menu screen.



And your Xbox should boot to it's main menu.



At this point, unhook the Xbox hard drive's IDE cable and quickly swap it with the computer's hanging IDE cable.  So now, the Xbox hard drive should only be hooked up to the computer and it is safe to turn off your xbox.

At the XboxHDM main menu, press 1 to enter the VGA Console and you should see some scrolling text followed by this:



Type softmod and you should be given 5 options:

Now, it is recommended to choose NK Patcher.  So, type 2 and hit enter.  It should bring up a page saying Please Wait, Part 1 of 5.  You really have to wait, it usually takes around 10-15 minutes for it to finish all five parts so go do something and check back on it in a little bit.

The softmod is installed when it says Done, No Exit.  Turn off your computer, unhook the hard drive, and put it in your Xbox.  If all went well, it will boot to EvoX and you have a softmodded Xbox.

[Maynoj]

GOOOOD TUT

[Horscht]

Nice one. Very clear (at least for me ). But why do you use UXE in the tutorial? Why not use the Ndure complete thingy? Or is this an issue with xbhdm?

[DaddyJ]

not bad, but it does assume that you use nero as your burnin util, and nero isnt required.
Also winrar is not needed in winxp as there is built in unzipping program.

[Textbook]

QUOTE(Horscht @ Sep 20 2005, 05:43 PM)

Nice one. Very clear (at least for me ). But why do you use UXE in the tutorial? Why not use the Ndure complete thingy? Or is this an issue with xbhdm?

Meh, I don't know.  I don't even use XboxHDM.  The first time I used it was yesterday.  I use gamesave exploits.  I just figured that UXE would be the easiest for others to do.  I basically made the tutorial because most noobs want to softmod their xbox.  Also, most noobs are cheap.  And want to do it for free.  This will let them do that.  I could modify it a little bit for people who wanted Ndure, just another post later in this thread.

[Textbook]

QUOTE(DaddyJ @ Sep 20 2005, 05:48 PM)

not bad, but it does assume that you use nero as your burnin util, and nero isnt required.
Also winrar is not needed in winxp as there is built in unzipping program.

The UXE installer is a RAR archive.

[DaddyJ]

QUOTE(Textbook @ Sep 20 2005, 05:50 PM)

The UXE installer is a RAR archive.

noted

[chorizo1]

Great job, a textbook example of what a good tut should look like uh...Textbook.  

   

Now to get the lazy bastards to read it. LOL

[DjChad]

QUOTE(chorizo1 @ Sep 20 2005, 05:02 PM)

Now to get the lazy bastards to read it. LOL

Yeah This Is a Awesome Tut Great For The Nub's That Are Not To Familiar On How To Do A TSOP ,Or a Modchip install, or if you dont have the exploitable games  If I didnt Already have all the exploitable games and different gamesaves i would definately try this out for my customer's xboxs(the ones who want softmods)
But I did Read it and It Looks Like  A very good Tut  

[Aicd]

i thought the Readme inside the UXE package was more than enough of a tut, but that's just my opinion.  Thanks for the tut.

xboxhdm has become my favorite xbox related tool mainly because it has saved many of my xboxen the dreaded 50 dollars from llama route.



Aicd

This post has been edited by Aicd: Sep 21 2005, 12:10 AM

[Textbook]

A free alternative to Nero would be to use ISO Recorder V 2.

QUOTE

ISO Recorder Power Toy (Freeware)

ISO Recorder is a Windows XP freeware utility that uses native Windows XP functions to write images to a CD. You can download this utility from the author’s Web page. When the program is installed, it is automatically associated with the ISO file extension in Windows Explorer.

For more information about this utility, visit the author’s Web page at http://isorecorder.a...isorecorder.htm

Steps to create a CD if you have installed ISO Recorder Power Toy:

   1.

      Download the ISO CD image to a folder on your computer.
   2.

      Insert a blank CD in your CD-RW drive.
   3.

      Start Windows Explorer.
   4.

      Locate the ISO file, right-click the file name, and then click Copy image to CD to open the ISO Recorder Wizard.

   5.

      Follow the steps in the wizard to write the image to the CD.

Another alternate method:

   1.

      You can also right-click your CD-R drive and choose Copy Image to CD.

   2.

      In the new window browse to the ISO file and click Next.

[DaddyJ]

QUOTE(Textbook)

A free alternative to Nero would be Iso Recorder.

or dvd decrypter.

also editing the isolinux.cfg in wordpad would produce a more readable editing experince.

[Textbook]

According to my friend, dvd decrypter only works with dvd drives.  He said he has a CD recorder and dvd decrypter said no drives found.  I have a dvd recorder, and it is only reading my dvd drive.  So that ISO Recorder will burn ISOs with CD Recorders.

[RMM]

If you already have saved game levels, info etc.... does this erase that and if it does is there a way to save this info without a memory cardso it can be put back once the softmod is done

This post has been edited by RMM: Sep 21 2005, 06:28 PM

[RMM]

One more question I am also assuming this softmod will work for all XBOX versions?