Here is a way to run Xbox Linux on an unmodded, unopened Xbox !

This is what you need: You need an unmodded XBOX (not sure it works with modded bios). You need the game 007 Agent Under Fire (not Nightfire, those are two different games!).

You need a way to transfer a save to a memory card (that is, xbox-save.com’s hardware, or usb-xbox cable + usb stick + xbox-save software, or you can use a standard memory card too if you can put files on it (with EvoX for instance).

You need to get the “Xbox Linux Live” small distro.

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Got all this? Let’s go then…..

- - Unzip 007linux.zip
- - Extract the Xbox Linux Live ISO with a STANDARD ISO extractor (ie WinISO)
- - Copy the Xbox Linux Live files into the UDATA41000d00000000000 directory (including “boot” subdirectory) (don’t copy the file “plugin.img” or it won’t fit on a standard memory card).
- - Now, replace the first 0×380 bytes of the default.xbe with the 0×380 bytes contained in the “default.patch” from the included zip file
- - Copy the whole 4541000d directory to your memory card (starting from 4541000d, not UDATA. UDATA directory is here so it works with xbox-save.com’s software)
- - Use the Xbox Dashboard to copy the 007 save from the memorycard to the HD
- - Run 007 on the Xbox
- - In main menu choose “Load Mission”, then “Xbox Hard Disk”
- - Et Voila If things went well you should get a Black Screen, and Xbox LED
turning to orange (this is done when linux kernel is loaded), and after a couple of seconds you should heard the Xbox Live Linux “loading sounds”

Just take this as a “proof of concept”, there won’t be anything on screen because video has to be initialised in Linux like it is in Xromwell, but as there is no “official version” of Xromwell I found, I prefer to use Xbox Linux Live as example as everybody can find it.

Basically there is a bug in the save handling, which has been found in several games, I just took 007 because only one save is needed for both US and PAL game version - for other games you usually need two (or even more). More explanations on how it works, how to make other linux distro work and GPL sourcecode will follow!

Some questions:

Q: Will it run my backup games without a modchip ?
A: No, it won’t. This trick works for running Xbox Linux ONLY.

Q: Is it real?
A: YES.

Q: What if MS removes 007 Agent Under Fire from the shelves now ?
A: 007 Agent Under Fire is just one of the several games with this bug, so don’t worry

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