Soft Mod oXbox Step by Step Guide 2016: UnleashedX, EvoX

[Jagosaurus]

Soft Mod oXbox Step by Step Guide 2016: UnleashedX, EvoX/EvolutionX, XBMC:

I recently modded my oXbox about a month back, and I've been having a ton of fun with this. I had it set that today I was going to type up a step by step guide based upon the guides and videos I used out there. Naturally, I visit the most helpful video I used to give the creator credit and re-watch the steps. Well, he beat me to the punch and had a step by step listed in the video description! I will use this as the basis to my guide. There is a lot of outdated info and methods out there. Using this method, you can do this today using a Windows 7, 8, 10 machine in about 30 minutes or less.

Anything I add below in the "steps" section will be in blue. I believe it is important get this in written form as a video can be taken down at anytime by Google or the creator. I want to make sure this is preserved and keeps many oXbox consoles alive and in use for years to come. Also, I am hoping this thread will come up in Google searches whereas his video tutorial did not. Here we go!

Why mod your oXbox?
- Run emulators for MAME and classic systems
- Seriously, check out this list (link) of emus, it's nuts. From NES to Atari Lynx, from MAME to SNES, from Genesis to TG16
- Run homebrew games such as Cave Story, DOOM X, and more (see link below)
- Rip retail games you own directly to the internal HDD
- FTP .iso retail game files you have downloaded to the internal HDD (use C xbox Tool to convert .iso to .xbe file format first)
- Allow you upgrade the HDD (see link below, I am running a 160GB HDD)
- Run Xbox Media Center (XBMC) for movies and music
- FTP files over your LAN to the console using a program such as FileZilla

Other relevant RB thread links for you on oXbox mods:
Xbox Hard Drive Upgrade - Slayer and Chimp Method (OP by CRTGAMER, Chimp method reply by me)

oXbox 80mm LED Cooling Fan Mod

Time Server Sync on oXbox Guide 2016

oXbox Homebrew and PC Ports

Step by Step Guide:
First, the video link to the tutorial by EFFEKT Record's. His video really helped me out and is the basis for the step by step below.

Sid Installer will allow you to chose between the two most popular dashboards; UnleasedX and EvolutionX. You can actually pick XBMC as your main dash here as well, but I recommend just running it as an app within one of the other two. There will also be a dual boot mode meaning you can still access the standard Microsoft dash.

What you need:
- USB drive
- oXbox controller to USB adapter (under $10 on ebay or make one)
- SID (Softmod Installer Delux 5.12 - available on iso zone for DL and within youtube vid description)
- Xplorer 360 (PC app that allows you to move files from PC to xbox formated drive - available on iso zone for DL)

The SID5.12 file will also come with multiple apps as well:
- DVD2Xbox: Allowing you to rip retail games from disc tray to HDD
- XBMC: Acting as a media center for .mp4, .mkv, .avi, and .mp3.
- Keep in mind the xbox's CPU does not handle the newer H.264 codec well
- XBMC will run .mkv files perfect if you are using MakeMKV to rip your DVD collection. You can then upscale to HD if you have component cables.
- Dongle Free DVD: Allowing you to play DVDs without the remote combo


_____ Begin my comments in blue. Black text here by EFFEKT. Few grammar typos in there but you'll survive.
STEPS:
Disclaimer: Know what you're doing. Read and watch multiple times. I am not responsible if you brick your console. Go read my comment on step 20 now.
Step 1: Check your dashboard version. (Should be "5960")
Go to MS dashboard>settings>system info>wait until shown (scrolls)
Step 2: Verify that all your memory has been erased. (If not, then erase it)
Step 3: Power off your Xbox, then connect the empty (or you will lose any saved data) USB to Controller to the Xbox.
Step 4: Connect the Thumb drive to the USB end of the cable.
Step 5: Power on your Xbox and go to memory.
Step 6: If you see your Thumb drive as an options then go ahead and power off your Xbox then remove your thumb drive.
This means your USB is now formatted in the xbox proprietary format.
Step 7: Download Xplorer360 and Softmod Installer Deluxe (Links Down Below [see in YT video description])
Step 8: Connect your thumb drive to your PC.
Do not let Windows format it! Xplorer360 allows us to move files over to this xbox formatted drive.
Step 9: Start Xplorer360 and choose Drive/Open/Harddrive On MemCard...
Step 10: Open up Softmod Installer Deluxe.
In a separate standard file explorer window, not inside of Xplorer360.
Step 11: Choose what game (file name will correspond such as AUF007 for Agent Under Fire) your going to be using to softmod your Xbox and drag and drop it over the partition.
Use a program such as 7Zip and extract to desktop. You will get a udata folder. File ending in "00d" was my 007 file. Then drop on to USB within Xplorer360
Step 12: Then choose SID511.Installer.USB and drop it into the partition.
Myself and video creator used USB Installer file option. Use a program such as 7Zip and extract to desktop. You will get a udata folder. File ending in "54" is SID Installer. Then file drop on to USB within Xplorer360. This one will take a bit!
Step 13: Unplug your USB from your PC and reconnect it back at your Xbox.
Step 14: Power up your Xbox and go to memory, then select your Thumb drive from the selection.
Step 15: Scroll to the smaller icon (press right, press A) to Copy the files (Both) to the main Xbox hard drive.
Step 16: You can now disconnect the thumb drive and insert the game your going to be using into the Xbox.
Step 17: Wait for the game to load up all the way tell you can select load mission from menu then select it.
Step 18: Load the saved mission from the Xbox hard drive witch will start the Softmod Installer.
Named "Xbox Hard Disk" for the AUF007 Files under load saved games.
Step 19: Once it boots up, select Backup/Restore Features.
Step 20: Create Eeprom backup, then back to main menu.
As a safety precaution, I recommend backing up your consoles entire Udata folder which holds EEPROM info before starting. FTP this from your xbox to your PC for safe keeping. Your HDD is locked to your system's EEPROM key.
Step 21: Slect Backup/Restore Features once again and select the MS Backup option.
This is where you begin customizing your softmod!
Step 22: Press the "B" button tell your back at main menu. Then Choose Install Dual Boot Softmod.
Step 23: Then select the Hacked Dash/MS Dash Option.
Step 24: Choose Virtual + C Eeprom for HD; then the Dashboard you wish to install.
Here is where you pick UnleadedX, EvoX, or XBMC. Again, just run XBMC as an app, not the main dash. I went the UnleasedX route..
Step 25: Now click yes and ok to the following pop-ups tell it starts to install then wait tell its finished.
Step 26: Once its done installing go ahead and shutdown your Xbox.
Step 27: Hit the open disk tray button when powering on your Xbox to remove the disk then immediately close it.
Step 28: Click the "A" button to let it finish the installation process. Once done, your Xbox will reboot automatically.
Step 29: Your Done!!
__________ End my comments in blue.


I hope this was helpful!!! It was not my intent to plagiarize, but rather ensure this guide remained available in case this video disappeared and also expand on his guide a bit with my comments. Kudos again to EFFEKT and his original video and video description.

Other recent RB softmod thread links for PS2 & Wii that may interest you:
My PS2 Soft Mod Project 2016: USB & HDD Loading, Emulators

Wii Softmod 2016

[Jagosaurus]

Well, meant to place this under guides. All the thread linking got me . If a mod feels the need, move to guides. If not, no trouble. This hacks & mods sub forum actually seems to get more traffic any way.

Hope this helps someone out!

[Thierry Henry]

This will be ideal for me. Thanks!

I haven't done one of these in a very loooong time. I'm still running an ancient version from many moons ago.

[Jagosaurus]

This will be ideal for me. Thanks!

I haven't done one of these in a very loooong time. I'm still running an ancient version from many moons ago.

Happy to help! Goal was to breathe some life into the console & get the most recent 2016 info all in one place.

No burning DVDs or finding a way to get PC files onto a console memory card with this route. Buy or make the USB cable, grab a spare flash drive, $5 BIN game off ebay and you're set!

I'm actually thinking of purchasing a second console to mod. Now that I have the SID & AUF007 files I need on the USB, the soft mod will take only 15 minutes or so.

Additional General Info Regarding Using oXbox XBMC Today:
It looks there are newer homebrew versions of XBMC, or perhaps those are just newer skins. I have a couple movies on the internal HDD for proof of concept, but have a small media encoder that handles the H.264 codec that I use for my main digital movie setup. Most files you get today will use this codec so the oXbox CPU and RAM limit the use of this as a modern movie media box out of the gate.

This XBMC version will handle your basic needs (such as DVD .mkv files ripped using MakeMKV, older .avi files, etc) but most aren't using this mod to have a media center anymore. Today this is more for emulators, homebrew, HDD upgrade, rip retail games, & FTP over DLed .iso/.xbe.

To anyone reading who is primarily looking at XBMC, I recommend looking at JRocky's YouTube channel (linked in RB HDD Upgrade thread link above in Chimp Application section). He is actively developing & posting videos of Chimp, his new soft mod, & XBMC for Kids.

[samsonlonghair]

This could be turned into a front page article, Jag.

[Jagosaurus]

This could be turned into a front page article, Jag.

Thanks man. Appreciate that.

The thread last month about the state of the forum and what can make it better, etc lit a fire under me to get a few guides together and contribute to CRTGAMER's oXbox HDD upgrade guide (all links in OP) . I still need to expand even further on the Chimp 261812 App step by step section for that thread (also linked above in OP). Upgrading the HDD is really user friendly now. I need to ensure that's public and available knowledge.

I had a ton of fun on my oXbox mod (both soft modding and 160GB HDD upgrade) and my PS2 mod (both soft modding and installing a 250GB HDD). I wanted to make sure others can do the same, put as much recent info as I could in one place, & hopefully help members out (and/or drive traffic to forum and encourage lurkers to join).

Most important, I've enjoyed this mod and wanted others to as well . I played my modded oXbox for a couple hours last night! Doom 3 right off the HDD & Commando within a78x Atari 7800 emu.

I know I'll be leaning on the Wii 2016 softmod thread next month when I jump on that project!

[samsonlonghair]

This could be turned into a front page article, Jag.

Thanks man. Appreciate that.

The thread last month about the state of the forum and what can make it better, etc lit a fire under me to get a few guides together and contribute to CRTGAMER's oXbox HDD upgrade guide (all links in OP) . I still need to expand even further on the Chimp 261812 App step by step section for that thread (also linked above in OP). Upgrading the HDD is really user friendly now. I need to ensure that's public and available knowledge.

I had a ton of fun on my oXbox mod (both soft modding and 160GB HDD upgrade) and my PS2 mod (both soft modding and installing a 250GB HDD). I wanted to make sure others can do the same, put as much recent info as I could in one place, & hopefully help members out (and/or drive traffic to forum and encourage lurkers to join).

Most important, I've enjoyed this mod and wanted others to as well . I played my modded oXbox for a couple hours last night! Doom 3 right off the HDD & Commando within a78x Atari 7800 emu.

I know I'll be leaning on the Wii 2016 softmod thread next month when I jump on that project!

I'm with you there. I'm still coming along slowly but surely on my own wii softmod project.

[Jagosaurus]

I'm with you there. I'm still coming along slowly but surely on my own wii softmod project.

I think it is important that as these disc drives begin to fail over time, we have a way to continue to play the retails games. It is essentially a preservation project as well to me. I had way more fun with the emulators than I expected also

Well, that wii 2016 softmod thread pointed me to the guide linked and introduced me to Letter Bomb & USB loader GX thanks you, s8n, Sarge, & SpaceBooger. Hoping this thread does the same for others!

I'll be diving into the Wii project in January, as well as getting retail PS1 .iso files to run off the PS2 HDD via Pop Starter and OPL. Should be fun!