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MechInstaller
HOWTO - how to prepare your Xbox for Linux without opening it
by Michael Steil
If you buy an Xbox, and you insert a Linux installation CD, by default, it will
not be accepted - not because the Xbox is no PC (it is!), but because Microsoft
doesn't seem to want you to run Linux.
By using the MechInstaller trick, you can make your Xbox Linux-compatible, without
ever opening it!
A MechInstaller-prepared Xbox will:
still run all your original games
still have the Dashboard and play audio CDs
still play video DVDs if you own the dongle
still not play any copies!
not be able to show the "Xbox Live" setup any more(this will change
in a future release of the MechInstaller) - if Live is already set up, Xbox
Live games will work
and
run Linux from hard diskthrough an extra menu entry in the dashboard
run Linux all installation and live CDsfrom http://xbox-linux.org that have
been released after August 1st 2003; at the moment, this is only Ed's Debian.
Important: This method will not work if your Dashboard has been updated through
Xbox Live. Read Preventing the Forced Dashboard Online Update for details.
Also note that if your Xbox is equipped with a modchip, you don't need to do
this trick, as your Xbox will already accept all Linux installation CDs.
What you Need
You need:
any Xbox (except for the Japanese version)
the Xbox game MechAssault (original version, see below)
a USB memory stick (note that you will have to overwrite it) or another USB
mass storage device, such as a SD card reader or digital camera (look at the
compatibility list )
an Xbox USB adaptor
a Linux, BSD, Mac OS X or Windows computer with USB connectivity
(You can use an Action Replay instead of the USB device and the adaptor, if
you follow this tutorial.)
Note that you need the original version of the game MechAssault, not the "Xbox
Game of the Year" version. The newer disk has been patched and can waste
a lot of time. The CD labels are identical. Look at the laser etching on the
back. The new one says MS02308L while the original is MS02301L.
If you have this equipment, as well as an Xbox memory unit, you can permanently
create a MechInstaller memory unit, so that all you need to do the same on your
friends' Xbox is the MechAssault game and this memory unit!
The General Procedure
The MechInstaller will modify the Xbox's system software on hard disk so that
the Xbox accepts Linux. The problem is that this installer itself would be rejected
by an unmodified Xbox, that's why we have to apply a trick to run it. It can
be wrapped in a savegame, so if you select "Load Game" in the game
MechAssault, the MechInstaller will be launched.
Now the hard part about this is to get this savegame onto your Xbox. If you
have the MechInstaller on an Xbox memory unit already or know someone who has,
you can skip the following section, else you have to use a Linux, BSD or Mac
OS X computer, a USB stick and an Xbox USB adaptor cable to get the savegame
onto your Xbox.
Creating the MechInstaller USB Stick
Backup all data on the USB stickbecause it will be overwritten.
Format the USB stick: When the Xbox is in the Dashboard, connect the memory
stick to the Xbox using the USB adaptor cable, and wait some seconds. Then enter
the memory menu. You will see a notice that the USB stick has been formatted.
If the USB stick is not detected, try again, wait longer before entering the
memory menu, or try another USB stick.
Find out the formatted size of your USB stick: The Xbox will tell you the amount
of free blocks on the USB stick, some number around 500 (8 MB), 1000 (16 MB),
2000 (32 MB), 4000 (64 MB), 8000 (128 MB) or 16000 (256 MB).
Connect the USB stick to your Linux, BSD or Mac OS X computer, Windows users
can skip most of this. ( Mac OS X users: The computer will say "Disk contains
volumes that Mac OS X cannot read" - just click "Ignore")
Find out the device name of the memory stick: Copy and paste the following text
into your text editor ( Mac OS X users: don't forget "Format->Make Plain
Text"in TextEdit), and save it as findfatx.sh in your home directory
for i in /dev/sd? /dev/disk?; do
test FATX = $(dd if=$i bs=4 count=1 2> /dev/null) 2> /dev/null &&
echo $i
done
On the command line ( Mac OS X users: Applications/Utilities/Terminal), type
sh findfatx.sh - the script will tell you the device name of the USB stick,
probably something like /dev/sda or /dev/disk2. If there is no output, you have
no Xbox-formatted USB stick connected.
Download the MechInstaller images here and extract the ZIP file, MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-Images.zip.
It contains three images.
Copy the savegame data to the USB stick: If you are certain that the device
name is correct, write the the MechInstaller image of the correct size to the
USB stick, by entering the following onto the command line:
cp -f MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-<yoursize>.img $(sh findfatx.sh)
If you have a less than 2000 blocks USB stick, use the image "MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-8MB-to-32MB.img".
If you have a memory stick with at least 2000, but less than 4000 blocks, use
"MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-64MB.img".
If you have a memory stick with at least 4000, but less than 8000, use "MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-128MB.img".
If you have a memory stick with at least 8000, but less than 16000, use "MechInstaller-1.0-FATX-256MB.img".
If the correct image didn't work, please try all other images one by one.
Pleaseemail Michael Steil and tell him about the brand and type of the USB stick,
as well as the size and the detected number of blocks, or enter the data yourself
into the compatibility list Wiki.
Windows 95/98/SE/ME/NT/2000/XP
For Windows users there is a great program called OzXMemory Stick Explorer (can
be found at http://www.ozxchip.com/downloads_content.htm which can write the
MechInstaller FATX images files to your memory stick. The Program has a GUI
so it's quite easy to use.
Connect the USB stick to your PC and launch the program.
Press Open 32MB image button and locate the required FATX image file
Press Write to xxx MB Stick button and the program should write the image file
to the USB stick (you should choose the button corresponding your USB stick
size).
Now you have a USB stick that looks like an Xbox memory unit to the Xbox and
contains the savegame that starts the MechInstaller.
Preparing your Xbox
Now you need to copy all savegames from the USB stick to the Xbox hard disk,
so you can load them from MechAssault without the USB stick being connected.
Connect the USB stick or Xbox memory unit containing the MechInstaller savegame
to the Xbox and run the Dashboard
Select "MEMORY"
Select your memory unit
Select the savegame "Install Linux" - if the memory unit does not
contain any savegames, then the image you have written had the wrong size. Try
again using another image (Linux, BSD, Mac OS X) or press another button to
write the image (Windows).
Select "COPY"
Select "XBOX HARD DISK"
Copy the uninstaller and the emergency system: Repeat the same with the savegames
named "Restore Dashboard" and "Emergency Linux".
Backing up your Xbox Hard Disk Key
In case of problems, it is important that you have your Xbox hard disk key.
Insert the MechAssault game
Select "CAMPAIGN"
Select "Emergency Linux"
Get the key: Using a telnet connection to 192.168.0.3 (a USB keyboard will not
work in the Emergency Linux)
telnet 192.168.0.3
log in as root, password xbox, and type
xbox_tool -a
Then write down the hard disk key.
Making the Xbox Linux-compatible
Insert the MechAssault game
Select "CAMPAIGN"
Select "Install Linux"
Your Xbox will now be prepared. This will take some seconds. Afterwards, your
Xbox is fully Linux-compatible, and there is an item "LINUX" in the
Dashboard main menu which boots a minimal Linux system. Use an installation
CD from http://xbox-linux.org to install a full Linux system.
Undoing the changes
You can always fully undo the changes by selecting "Restore Dashboard"
in the "CAMPAIGN" menu of MechAssault.
Removing the Savegames
You can delete the "Install Linux" savegame from hard disk, if you
wish, it is not needed any more. If you don't plan to undo the changes, or if
you can have the MechInstaller memory unit again when you wish to undo them,
you can also delete the "Restore Dashboard" savegame.
Using your Modified Xbox
You can use the Xbox as before, you can play games and video DVDs (if you have
the dongle), and you can run Linux. But you have to be cautious with the following:
Video DVDs will not work if they are already in the DVD drive when you turn
on the Xbox. Instead, insert them when the Dashboard is running.
If you select "LINUX" on the Dashboard, a minimal Linux system with
text mode only will start. After you install a full Linux system to E:, this
will be booted if you select "LINUX".
You can install a full Linux system by inserting an Xbox Linux installation
CD, such as Ed's Debian. As with video DVDs, only insert them when the Dashboard
is running.
Creating a MechInstaller Xbox Memory Unit
With the savegames on your Xbox hard disk, you can easily copy them to a standard
Xbox Memory Unit using the Dashboard, which you can give to your friends, so
that they don't need a USB stick and the USB adaptor cable to prepare their
Xboxes.
Troubleshooting
Flickering Screen
If your screen starts flickering after you select "Emergency Linux"
and you can't see anything on the screen, then you have an Xbox manufactured
since August 2003 (version 1.4+ Xbox). There is nothing wrong with that, a full
Linux system such as Xebian will work without any problems, just the Emergency
Linux shipped with MechInstaller does not support the new video encoders yet.
Error Message
Also, some users noticed that Emergency Linux prints the line "sh: can't
access tty: job control turned off" at the end. Just ignore this message.
USB Keyboard
No, USB keyboards cannot be used with MechInstaller 1.0 Emergency Linux yet.
Just telnet connections work. A full Linux supports keyboards.
Black Screen
If you get a black screen when selecting "Install Linux", your Xbox
is very new. Try this workaround:
Notice: If your Dashboard version is >= 1.00.5659.0, you need to downgrade
the Dashboard first (see below)!
start MechAssault
plug in Ethernet cable
"Multiplayer" -> "Xbox Live" -> A button -> "MechWarrior"
-> A button (upgrade Dashboard)
start MechAssault again
"Campaign" -> "Emergency Linux"
upload fonts-2004-01-15.tar.gz to ftp://192.168.0.3/mnt/E
telnet 192.168.0.3 (user: root, pass: xbox)
type
cd /mnt/C/fonts
tar xzf /mnt/E/fonts*.tar.gz
mv XBox Book.xtf XBox Book.bak
mv Xbox.xtf Xbox.bak
mkdir /mnt/C/Linux
cd /mnt/E/UDATA/4d530017/E8FF68C9193B; cp -p default.xbe linuxboot.cfg vmlinuz
initrd /mnt/C/Linux
umount /mnt/C
reboot and remove the game
This is the equivalent to "Install Linux". Your Dashboard will now
include the menu item "LINUX".
'Install Linux' fails
If your Dashboard version is >= 1.00.5659.0, you need to downgrade the Dashboard
first. Get the 500 MB image of a pre-5659 C: drive (/dev/hda51; this is legal
if you have possessed an old version before, if not, we can't tell and it is
up to you), upload it to ftp://192.168.0.3/mnt/E, telnet 192.168.0.3 (user:
root, pass: xbox) and type:
umount /mnt/C
cat /dev/discs/disc0/part51 > /mnt/E/backup-C.raw
cat /mnt/E/Xbox_Dashboard_pre_Live_C_FATX_image.raw > /dev/discs/disc0/part51
In case anything goes wrong, you can restore the old version:
umount /mnt/C
cat /mnt/E/backup-C.raw > /dev/discs/disc0/part51
Everything done on this project is for the sole purpose of writing interoperable
software under Sect. 1201 (f) Reverse Engineering exception of the DMCA.
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