Download

From Xbox-Linux

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The Xbox Linux Project maintains two distributions ("Xebian" and "Gentoox") and a replacement BIOS ("Cromwell").

Please also have a look at the Xbox Linux Boot CD/DVD Burning HOWTO.

Table of contents
1 Full Linux Systems

1.1 Xebian (aka Ed's Debian)
1.2 Gentoox
1.3 Gentoo
1.4 dyne:bolic
1.5 X-DSL
1.6 sXb
1.7 XFedora
1.8 xUbuntu

2 Limited Linux Systems

2.1 Xbox Linux Live Plugin System

3 Saved Game Files

3.1 Action Replay Saved Game ZIP Files

4 FreeBSD support
5 Other

5.1 Xbox Linux BIOS (Cromwell)
5.2 Raincoat Flasher
5.3 Developer Downloads

Full Linux Systems

Xebian (aka Ed's Debian)

Xebian 1.1.4 - With superb flexibility and ease of use, it can run live off CD/DVD or it can be installed onto the Xbox hard drive in either the free space or the saved game area. The OS includes support for all versions of the Xbox, including those with Xcalibur video chips.

Based on Debian stable (Sarge) with backports for newer software.

  • Download (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=54192&package_id=57509)

Gentoox

Gentoox is an Xbox specific distribution built on top of Gentoo. The primary difference between Gentoo and Gentoox is that Gentoox features a package management system known as "magic" which runs alongside portage, allowing Xbox specific patches and configuration files to be applied where necessary from the master repository at shallax.com. Gentoox works out of the box without the need for massive configuration and software compilation. Gentoox is largely designed for running along-side the standard Xbox operating system meaning it will NOT interfere with your gaming. It can be installed into the freespace on your E: drive, the free space on your F: drive or it can even take over your F: partition and convert it into a native Linux partition. Gentoox includes support for ALL Xbox versions. Keyboard and mouse are optional - everything can be done via Xpad. Gentoox centers on ease of use and newbie friendliness along with backwards compatibility through Magic so you dont need to keep reinstalling when a new version is released.

  • Gentoox website (http://gentoox.shallax.com/) - Release notes, status information, downloads.
  • Gentoox Support Forums (http://forums.shallax.com/) - Seek assistance from the creator and the community.
  • Gentoox IRC channel (irc://irc.shallax.com/gentoox) - #gentoox on irc.shallax.com
  • NOTE: Gentoox doesn't work with the Xbox-Linux software modification method. (Mechinstaller)

Gentoo

Gentoo (http://www.gentoo.org) is a popular Linux distribution. It uses a package management system known as portage (http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/portage-manual.xml), which makes it easy for users to build optimised packages from source code, or alternatively install binary reference packages. Gentoo now officially includes support for the xbox via an x86 system profile, which enables automatic support and configuration without the need for an external repository. There are currently ebuilds for the latest xbox versions of the kernel (both 2.4 and 2.6), cromwell bios, raincoat flasher, alsa-driver, xfree, and various file system tools.

  • Gentoo for Xbox page (http://gentoo-wiki.com/Gentoo_for_Xbox) on the Gentoo Wiki (http://gentoo-wiki.com)
  • Subscribe (mailto:gentoo-xbox-subscribe@gentoo.org) to the gentoo-xbox mailing list
  • Irc: #gentoo-xbox on the freenode (http://www.freenode.org) irc network
  • Download the latest Gentoo CD from the /experimental/x86/xbox/ directory of your local Gentoo mirror (http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/mirrors.xml).

dyne:bolic

dyne:bolic GNU/Linux is a live bootable distribution working directly from the CD without the need to install or change anything on harddisk. It can recognize most of your hardware devices and offers a vast range of softwares for sound and video production, streaming, 3d modeling, peer to peer and filesharing, deejaying and veejaying, games, a world navigator with detailed maps and factbooks and much more ;). Now booting on Xbox too.

X-DSL

X-DSL is a Xbox Linux distribution based on Damn Small Linux (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org). It weighs in at less than 50MBs with a nearly complete desktop, and many command line tools. All the bundled applications are chosen with functionality, size and speed in mind. It can be run as a Live CD or installed to your Xbox's hard drive.

sXb

sXb is a Slackware distribution that runs on the Xbox. It is based on the SLAX LiveCD and can be run from CD or installed to the Xbox hard drive as either FATX or as a ReiserFS loopback.

XFedora

Fedora Core on the Xbox.

xUbuntu

"xUbuntu" is a specific distribution built on top of Ubuntu GNU/Linux distribution. "xUbuntu" is a lightweight system with the desktop interface "Xfce4". There is no relationship between "xUbuntu" linux and "Xubuntu" or "XUbuntu" linux system ( wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu ) developed from MOTU Xfce team. "xUbuntu" is based on Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badgar) distribution without graphical environment. "xUbuntu" linux system can be run from CD or installed to a PC or Xbox hard drive. The install process, the kernel, the kernel modules and the desktop are customized for PC and Xbox (i386).

  • XUbuntu
  • Download (http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xbox-linux/xUbuntu-0.9.0-602.iso?download)

Limited Linux Systems

Xbox Linux Live Plugin System

Xbox Linux Live Plugin System is a "live" Linux system (in Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.org/) style) that does not need to be installed on the hard disk and supports plugins. It is currently not actively developed, and is up for free grabs for anyone interested in making it better.

  • The original Xbox Linux Live Plugin system release announcement (http://www.xbox-linux.org/articles.php?aid=20030043171301) which outlines what the system is all about
  • Some frequently asked questions and answers about XLLPS (http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ports.xbox.devel/5736)
  • Download live-linux.0.3.iso.bz2 (http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xbox-linux/live-linux.0.3.iso.bz2?download) (14 MB bzip2ed ISO)

Saved Game Files

Action Replay Saved Game ZIP Files

The versions on the CodeJunkies website are damaged, so here are good versions. THESE ONLY WORK WITH ACTION REPLAY!

FreeBSD support

FreeBSD (http://www.freebsd.org) is a fully-featured, mature and stable BSD-licensed free operating system. With the proper patches, FreeBSD 5.4-RELEASE and 6.0-BETA1 both run fine on an XBox. A LiveCD, featuring pre-built kernels and installation files, is also available. More information can be found on the following websites:

This support is very new, and will most likely need to mature. However, the port is functional and would benefit from massive testing.

Other

Xbox Linux BIOS (Cromwell)

Xbox Linux BIOS is a ROM image that completely replaces the original Microsoft ROM. It can boot Linux from CD/DVD or hard disk and works on all known Xbox versions. Xbox versions 1.0 and 1.1 have a 1024Kb ROM and require the image_1024.bin file. Xbox versions 1.2 through 1.4 have a 256Kb ROM and require the image.bin file. Xbox version 1.6 has no flashable chip, so use the appropriate image file for your modchip.

Using Cromwell is not a requirement for running Xbox Linux. Any firmware which allows running unsigned XBE executables will do for booting Linux. The Xbox Linux distributions come with XBE bootloaders that replace the Xbox LIVE! Dashboard item with a Linux menu item. However, with Cromwell you can get full control over your Xbox boot process and can turn your Xbox into a Linux-only machine. Cromwell allows repartitioning and formatting the hard disk completely for Linux and eradicating any trace of the original Xbox operating environment. Once again, this is not a requirement. Cromwell also fully supports booting Linux systems installed on the default FATX partitions, in the unpartitioned space, or from a CD.

Note: Cromwell does not know how to boot or run Xbox games. If you wish to use Cromwell for booting Linux but still want to retain the ability to play Xbox games, you will need to flash it on a mod chip that has an on/off switch.

  • Download the latest Cromwell build 2.40:

Download (http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xbox-linux/cromwell-2.40.tar.gz?download) (550kB)

Raincoat Flasher

Raincoat is a small linux commandline app which is able to read and write to the Xbox flash. Most flash types are supported (now including W49F020 found on v1.2 motherboards). See the README for how to use.

  • Download Raincoat 0.10 (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=54192&package_id=56947&release_id=344669) (.tar.gz file)

Developer Downloads

Developer downloads and obsolete files can be found at the Sourceforge "Files" page (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=54192). You might also find some fresh precompiled binaries in the CVS (http://cvs.xbox-linux.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/xbox-linux/) - especially for Cromwell, xbv and raincoat.

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