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General
Can I already run Linux on the Xbox?
- Yes! You can download installation CDs and install Linux to your Xbox hard disk. If you connect a keyboard and a mouse to your console, you can work with all common Linux software within the KDE or Gnome desktop environments, just as on an ordinary PC. (Without a keyboard and a mouse, you can use the gamepad and the onscreen keyboard.) Please note that, because Microsoft wanted to prevent you from running Linux, you need to do a minimal modification first, as described in section 2 of this F.A.Q.!
Why Linux? Why not Windows?
- Windows does run on the Xbox - with the help of Linux. Windows heavily relies on details of the IBM-PC architecture which the Xbox is not fully compatible to. It would require modification of some Windows core components we do not have the source code of. But we do have the source code of Linux. With common PC virtualization software, it is already possible to run many other operating systems inside Linux.
The Xbox is a standard PC, isn't it?
- Yes, it shares 99% of its architecture with a modern PC. The other 1% is 'protection crap' added by Microsoft to try to ensure that only paid-for code that they approve of is able to run on your Xbox. However the Xbox lacks some PC interface (PS/2 keyboard and mouse, PC-like BIOS), has some others in addition (a controller for buttons, LEDs) and differs in implementation in some aspects (kernel in ROM, boot sequence, hard disk partitioning, timer frequency, shutdown, ...). It also has some nasty bugs (reading from nonexistent PCI config addresses, which is done by a normal OS to probe what devices are present, freezes the machine). That means that you cannot just insert your RedHat/SuSE/Mandrake/Debian CD-ROM into the Xbox and install Linux. But our adapted distributions work.
- Read on here (http://xbox-linux.org/docs/xboxpc.html) for details.
Why not develop on top of the Xbox kernel?
- The Xbox kernel is a stripped-down version of the Windows 2000 kernel and has some shortcomings, such as the lack of memory protection and built-in drivers for audio and video. Additionally, the only tool suited for Xbox development is the Xbox SDK, which cannot be legally used by hobbyists.
I'm a newbie. Where can I get information about Linux and how to use it?
- A good starting point is The Linux Documentation Project (http://www.tldp.org/).
Preparing the Xbox
Can I just download Linux and run it on my Xbox?
- Short answer: No.
- Long answer: Unfortunately, it's not that easy yet. There is some anti-Linux protection in the Xbox, Microsoft does not seem to want you to run Linux on the Xbox, although the Xbox would be an ideal Linux PC.
- There are two ways of modifying your Xbox:
- The software method: Spend 30 minutes to modify the software on the Xbox hard disk, without opening the case. This is fully reversible.
- The hardware method: Spend 30 minutes to modify the flash chip inside the Xbox. This can be fully reversible, too, but not always. However with this method you have to open the case and it requires (very easy) soldering.
- After doing the modification, you can run Linux on your Xbox.
So do I make the hardware or the software modification?
- Short answer: The software method.
- Long answer: That depends.
- Use the software method, if you still want to be able to play games with your Xbox, but also be able to run Linux, use the software method.
- Use the hardware method, If you want to use the Xbox as a Linux computer, you don't care about gaming, and you want to have the flexibility to replace the IDE drives (hard disk and DVD drive).
I can't do either of the modifications. Can anyone do it for me?
- Yes, we provide free modification for you, look at the Users help Users program.
What about modchips? Do I need a modchip?
- Short answer: No.
- Long answer: Not any more. You can use a modchip with the Xbox Linux ROM on it, and it is the same as if you had done the hardware modification. You can have a hacked MS BIOS on it, and Linux will work.
- Please note that although Xbox Linux will continue to work on a hacked MS BIOS, we do not actively support this method any more, because there are better solutions now.
I already have a modchip installed. Can I use Xbox Linux?
- Yes. Burn the Xebian ISO on a CD/RW or DVD and insert it as if it were a game. Install Linux onto the savegame partition. Linux will not interfere with anything. You can add Linux to the EvoX start menu as you would any homebrew application.
I already have some softmod with EvoX installed. Can I use Xbox Linux?
- Yes. See question above.
So, if I do the software method, I will still be able to play all my games?
- Yes.
Will I still be able to play Xbox Live games after doing the software method?
- Short answer: No.
- Long answer: The menu item "XBOX LIVE" in the Dashboard will not exist any more, so you cannot reach the Xbox Live setup any more. And if you set up Xbox Live before doing the modification, the software method will not work.
Can I undo the software method and use Xbox Live afterwards? Can I try Xbox Live now, unsubscribe, and do the software method to use Linux later?
- Yes, you can undo the software method, and use Xbox Live afterwards.
- If you use Xbox Live now and unsubscribe, your Dashboard will be updated and not be compatible with the software method any more. You would have to backup your dashboard before signing up to Xbox Live and restore it once you want to do the software method. The Software Method HOWTO has details.
So, if I do the hardware method, will I still be able to play all my games?
- Short answer: No.
- Long answer: I told you: The hardware method is intended for people who want to use the Xbox as a Linux desktop computer or workstation only, it gives them the freedom to replace all IDE devices. Use the software method, if you still want to play games.
How do I do the software modification?
- Short answer: Read the Software Method HOWTO step-by-step tutorial.
- Long answer: The basic idea is to modify the application of the hard disk, the Dashboard, to accept Linux CDs and to show the item "LINUX" in the main menu. But how can I change the hard disk contents with an installer on a CD, if the Xbox only accepts game CDs? That's why we distribute a set of savegames: Use the game MechAssault to load these savegames, and they will modify the Dashboard. You can find details in the tutorial.
How do I do the hardware modification?
- Short answer: Read the tutorial, it's the method described in 1.3.
- Long answer: You must first solder two points on the Xbox motherboard, allowing you to overwrite the Flash-ROM (TSOP) with an alternate boot program called Cromwell. To do this, you must first perform the MechAssault exploit, which uses a flaw in the original version of the game, allowing special Saved Game campaigns to be loaded. These Saved Games contain code that allow the removal of the Xbox LIVE! Dashboard menu option and replaces it with a Linux menu item. Once this is available, a compatible CD-RW can be used with a current copy of Xebian Linux to update the Flash-ROM using a small command-line program called raincoat. Once you've Cromwelled the Xbox you will no longer see the green Xbox boot screen, only the Cromwell one. After this, you can wipe the whole Xbox hard drive and use it entirely for Linux, or you can install a new, larger IDE hard drive. Note that Cromwell does NOT have options for copying or playing Xbox games, so if that's your goal, you should look elsewhere.
Can I use my XYZ Linux CD to install Linux?
- No, a standard Linux distribution will not work on the Xbox, unless it has been specifically modified so that it also runs on the Xbox. If you know how to compile a kernel, you can try to patch the kernel yourself and use Xbox Linux bootloader.
How do I connect a keyboard or a mouse?
- Short answer: You need a USB adapter as shown here, then you can connect all USB 1.1 peripherals.
- Long answer: There are different possibilities, read on here, here (http://xbox-linux.org/docs/usbadaptercable.html) and here (http://xbox-linux.org/docs/usbadaptersocket.html).
What you can do
Is the picture on a TV clear enough for the Linux desktop?
- If you use the 640x480 resultion (which is the default), the picture is very clear on almost every TV, even small ones. If you increase the resolution, the picture will become more blurry, as all TVs have a built-in resolution of 640x480. HDTV can display higher resoltions with a clear picture.
Can I play SVCD/VCD, MPEG, DVD, DivX/MPEG-4 and MP3 in Linux?
- Yes. MPlayer and Xine support all these formats and come with Xbox Linux. As of version 1.0.2, Xebian also comes with Freevo.
Can I record TV shows in Linux?
- No, the Xbox has no video-in. But you can combine an Xbox with a dbox2 (http://www.dbox2.info) DVB set top box.
Can I use the Xbox to browse the internet, write email etc.?
- Yes. Xbox Linux comes with the Mozilla browser and email application. If you have a router for your internet connection, or a computer with internet connection sharing, setting up internet access on the Xbox is very easy. Else you have to set up the cable modem or ADSL connection manually. Modem and ISDN should be possible with extra hardware.
Can I run Mozilla, OpenOffice.org, Evolution, Java, XMMS, MPlayer, Xine, Gnome, KDE, ...?
- Yes. Many of these come included with Xbox Linux distributions.
Can I run Windows applications such as Microsoft Word?
- Many of them, yes, by using Wine, CrossOver or VMware.
Can I run Wine in Xbox-Linux?
- Yes. You can run many Windows applications in Xbox-Linux by using Wine (http://www.winehq.com/). In Debian, apt-get install wine installs it.
Can I run VMware in Xbox-Linux?
- Yes. You can run MS-DOS and Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 on an Xbox on top of VMware in Linux. If configured correctly, the guest operating system can have up to 48 MB of RAM (on a 64 MB Xbox; up to 112 MB on a 128 MB Xbox). Performance is very good (even playing DivX in Windows works flawlessly). Windows 3D games will not work because the VMware Tools SVGA II driver (4.5.2) emulates only 2D video hardware with 16MB video RAM.
Can I run old MS-DOS or console games in Xbox Linux?
- Many MS-DOS games work using DOSBox (http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/) in Linux; for console games, just use the Linux versions of the emulators.
Can I run Linux games on Xbox-Linux?
- OpenGL works in Xbox-Linux, but only in "software" mode, because there is no Linux 3D acceleration for the Xbox yet, i.e. many games may work, but probably only in lower resolutions and with less speed or detail. "Ultima Online" for example works very well, other games are untested.
Can I run burnt Xbox games or Xbox games installed to the hard disk once Linux is installed?
- No. Linux will definitively be of no help!
Can I cheat in games using Linux, or can I use the internet connection in Linux for Xbox Live games?
- No. Linux has nothing to do with Xbox games. You cannot run Xbox games inside Linux.
Once installed, can I uninstall Linux?
- Yes, just delete the files on your hard disk, which are are stored in the directory "debian" on drive E: (/dev/hda50) by default. Selecting "Restore Dashboard" in MechInstaller only disables Linux and does not delete the files.
I heard there are several versions of the Xbox. Will Linux run on any of them?
- Yes.
- There are now six known hardware revisions (look here (http://xbox-scene.com/versions.php) for details):
- 1.0 (manufactured until July 2002)
- 1.1 (manufactured beginning August 2002)
- 1.2 (manufactured beginning ~ March 2003)
- 1.3 (manufactured beginning ~ June 2003)
- 1.4 (manufactured beginning ~ August 2003)
- 1.5: there is no such thing as a 1.5 Xbox
- 1.6 (manufactured beginning ~ May 2004)
- But note that
- you have to downgrade the dashboard if your want to do the software modification and your Xbox is newer than November 2003 or you have used Xbox Live
- the software method does not work on Xboxes newer than February 2004
- neither the software method nor the hardware method works on version 1.6 Xboxes, but 1.6-compatible modchips with the Cromwell bootloader on them will work
- There are three different DVD drives:
- Thomson
- Philips
- Samsung
- There are two different hard disks:
- 8 GB Western Digital
- 10 GB Seagate (last 2GB not used by the original Xbox software, to be compatible with 8 GB ones)
- Linux supports all known versions of the Xbox. For 1.4, video drivers are not as flexible yet, but this will probably change soon.
Where does Linux install on the hard disk?
- There can be a 8 GB or a 10 GB hard drive in your Xbox. If you have a 10 GB or a replacement hard disk in it, you can install Linux anywhere above 8 GB, because this space is never used by the original Xbox software. If you own a 8 GB hard drive, you can install it as an image into the 4,7 GB E: partition, which is originally intended for savegames and copied audio CDs.
Where can I get some more in-depth information about the Xbox(Questions not directly related to Xbox-Linux)?
- There are lot of informational pages on the web. Try one of these: Xbox-Scene (http://xbox-scene.com/) (lots of good tutorials), XboxHacker (http://www.xboxhacker.com/), MaxConsole (http://www.maxconsole.com/). But be careful, these sites might contain loads of information about modchips and homebrew software of unknown legality; Xbox Linux does not need a modchip, and is completely legal.
Hardware Upgrades
Can I replace the Xbox hard drive with a bigger one?
- The Xbox IDE controller supports hard disks up to 137 GB (larger ones will be detected as 137 GB drives), but the original Xbox ROM does not support replacement drives. To use a bigger drive, you will probably want to use Cromwell (the "hardware" modification).
Can I connect more than two IDE devices?
- The Xbox has only a single IDE channel, so you can only connect two drives. There has been the idea of using a trick originaly done on the Amiga to connect up to four drives: Read the discussion here (http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ports.xbox.devel/6784).
The Xbox has only 64 MB of RAM. Is this enough for Linux? Can I add more RAM?
- Current versions of Linux still work very well with only 64 MB. Additional RAM chips can be soldered into the motherboard to extend RAM to a total of 128 MB. Linux supports this. The RAM chips alone are priced around 40 USD/EUR. See Upgrading_Xbox_RAM_HOWTO for more details.
Can I connect the Xbox to a VGA monitor?
- Yes, this howto explains it.
Can I connect a USB hub or a keyboard with a built-in hub, so that I only need one USB adapter?
- Yes. Linux on the Xbox supports hubs just like a PC. If you only want to connect a keyboard and a mouse, and no additional USB devices, it may be a good idea to get a USB keyboard with a built-in PS/2 connector, so that you can use a (cheaper) PS/2 mouse.
Can I connect XYZ to my Xbox?
- If it's USB and it's supported by PC Linux, yes. If it's IDE/ATAPI, probably yes, but only with Cromwell ("hardware" modification), as the original system software refuses to boot if there are any alternative IDE devices.
Helping
I have access to Microsoft confidential data / the Xbox SDK. Can I help?
- Using this information or the SDK would risk the legality of our project.
How can I help?
- The start page (http://xbox-linux.org/) explains how you can contribute.
I can't program, can I still contribute somehow?
- Yes, you can write, maintain or translate documentation. The website is a wiki, so all you have to do is to click "edit" and enter your text. If your interested in helping with the translations, read the General Language Guidelines article.
I want to join your project. Can you send me Microsoft's Xbox SDK?
- No. We do not have it, we do not know where to get it, and if we had it, we would not use it. There is no legal way for a hobbyist to use the SDK. We don't need it anyway: The only part of the project that depends on the Xbox executable file format and the Xbox kernel is the XBE bootloader, but it is already functionable without depending on the Xbox SDK.
To run unsigned code on the Xbox, wouldn't it be enough to write a boot loader, make someone with the SDK sign it and spread it on the internet?
- No. The SDK signs with a different key, only accepted by developer Xboxes, not by retail systems. As a side effect, this file would be illegal, and so would be using it within the project.
The Law
Is your project illegal? Doesn't the DMCA forbid all this?
- The DMCA forbids circumventing copy protection, but this is not our goal. We develop an alternative operating system for the Xbox gaming console. A side product could be the ability to run unsigned code, but this alone does not make it possible to play pirated copies of games. Nevertheless, if you live inside the USA or another country with a similar legislation, and you work on Xbox hacking rather than on Linux developing, you can of course join the project anonymously.
- If you are either a lawyer or a Microsoft representative, you are of course welcome to talk to us about any changes.
- Read on here (http://xbox-linux.org/docs/legal.html).
Aren't mod chips illegal?
- Not as long as you do not use them for piracy. We now also offer Cromwell, an alternative ROM that contains no Microsoft code and won't permit running pirated games. Cromwell is able to install and boot Linux on your Xbox with no question about illegality.
Will I lose my warranty when running Linux?
- Microsoft is very clear about this: Yes. But it isn't that easy, because there is a difference between the "warranty by law" and the "insurance of the manufacturer" (commonly called "warranty"):
- "Warranty by law" means that if the product already had a flaw when you bought it, you have 24 months (in the EU) to return it. If the product breaks within this time and you did nothing wrong that could have caused it, it must have been because of a flaw in the product, and the manufacturer is bound to replace it. In the EU, within the first 6 months, the manufacturer has to prove that it was the user's fault, if they don't want to replace it; afterwards, the user has to prove that it was the manufacturer's fault, if he wants it to be replaced.
- "Insurance of the manufacturer" ("warranty") is an insurance of the product which the manufacturer provides. They can add any set of rules that will void this insurance. The Xbox manual for example says that you have a 1 year warranty, but that you void it if you open the Xbox or run software other than games on it.
- This means that you void the "warranty"/"insurance" if you open the Xbox or run Linux on it, but it does not necessarily mean that Microsoft is no longer bound to the "warranty by law" if you do this. We know of at least one (unopened) Xbox with Linux that has been repaired for free. If you have your own experiences concerning this topic, especially if you had problems, please add the info here.
- Some countries might of course be different. If you can add anything to this topic, please add the info here.
Other
I installed a modchip into my Xbox, and now it says "Xbox Linux Clean BIOS", with a link to your website. How do I run copied games now?
- Many modchips ship with the "Xbox Linux Clean BIOS", because it is the only working fully legal content of a modchip. This BIOS will not run copies and we have nothing to do with these modchips. Ask your modchip vendor.
I get "I/O" or "permission" errors when trying to install Ed's Debian. What's wrong?
- Your Xbox is probably not able to read the CD-RW well. Try burning the CD again or try another CD. The Xebian HOWTO has some more hints.
I use RemoteX (Evolution Dashboard) to start Linux. Why can't I ssh into my Xbox?
- On some boxes, RemoteX doesn't initialize the network hardware properly, so networking won't work. Instead start Linux from CD and networking will be fine. Please note that we do not support RemoteX.
Can I use an Action Replay system to transfer the MechInstaller savegames?
- Yes, there is a fairly simple solution here (http://www.xbox-linux.org/Simplified_Action_Replay_HOWTO). The savegames in the AR network are broken; do not use them. We tried to contact Codejunkies, but got no reply.
What are people talking about when they refer to a TSOP?
- TSOP is an abbreviation for "Thin Small-Outline Package". That is a commonpackage type used by IC manufacturers. The original flash chip on the Xbox motherboard, which holds the original native BIOS, uses a TSP package and is often referred to by this name.
Can I still use the Xbox controller after connecting it to an external USB hub?
- Running linux: Yes. Running the Xbox system (e.g. running a game): No. The Xbox system does not allow more than one hub cascaded, and the controller itself has an hub inside.
How can I use the Xbox gamepad in my own Linux apps?
- the standardinput subsystem conventions. If you load it and it detects an Xbox-Controller(S-version should be OK, too), you can use it as you would use any joystickdevice under Linux. See linux/Documentation/ for details on that.BTW, the current version (0.0.6, as opposed to 0.0.5 that is included in the 2.5series kernel) reports 10 digital buttons plus the 6 buttons on the right sideas analog ones. The digital buttons are mapped to BUTTON_A, _B, _C (the black one) and _X, _Y, _Z (the white one). The analog ones are mapped to hat switches(as I had to find some reasonable mapping for the 16 axes the 0.0.6 driver supports).Just implement Linux joystick support and you can use any input device that follows that api.
What are the different drive letters for on the native filesystem?
- (Note if you are not interested in Xbox games, you don't need to worry about this stuff)
- C: boot partition
- D: DVD drive
- E: data partition
- F: additional data partition, not available when shipped
- X:,Y:,Z: game cache
What is FATX?
- FATX is the file system used inside the Xbox. It is similar to the FAT filesystem, used by MS-DOS and Windows, but is enhanced.
What happend to Xbox Linux Mandrake 9?
- We don't offer it any more, as it is horribly outdated and won't work with newer (=most) Xboxes. There is no successor (yet). Please use another distribution.
How do you access the irc channel?
- Come in, and talk ;) It's a discussion channel, not a warez-trading forum. Don't ask about EvoX, pirating games, or other such topics.
- Have a look on google to find a suitable IRC client - Xchat for Linux (http://www.xchat.org) or mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org) are good ones to try. If you can't install these, for one reason or another, there is a Web IRC gateway called CGI::Irc available here (http://thegrebs.com/oftc/irc.cgi) - Pick a username for yourself, and enter #xbox-linux as the channel name.
- For those with an irc client, the settings are:
- Server: irc.oftc.net
- Channel: #xbox-linux
- We look forward to meeting you.
New/Unanswered Questions
If you have a new question, please click here (http://www.xbox-linux.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:FAQ&action=edit§ion=new) and enter it, but:
- Read the existing questions again and use the "find" functionality of your browser to find out whether a question has already been asked.
- Do not ask unrelated questions.
