[Video Guide] Softmod Xbox Part 1

[whufclee]

Before we start, this guide is for the origiinal xbox and NOT the xbox360.

So if you're new to modding an xbox this will be the first guide you need to watch (and unfortunately the most complicated but don't worry I've tried to make it as simple as I can!).

Why do I need to "softmod" my xbox?
If you've ever switched on a stock xbox that hasn't been modded then you'll know that it's a pretty unimpressive looking machine. You can only play original xbox discs on it, it's a very boring looking green screen and all you can actually do with it is listen to your music (which has to be ripped to xbox format!) and play original games. Once modded you can install xbmc4xbox (formerly Xbox Media Center - which is where xbmc originates from... just a brief history lesson there ). You can also install emulators and other apps as well as play backups of your games so you don't have to damage the original disc. Softmodding is not the only option, you can also install a modchip and if you're comfortable with soldering and opening up the actual xbox then this may be the option for you but here I'll explain the cheaper softmod method which requires no extra hardware or soldering.

What do I need?
An Xbox original (not 360)
An original copy of one of the following games: 007 Agent Under Fire (Platinum version will NOT work), MechAssault or Splinter Cell (the original or Platinum version will work).
A memory card with the gamesave exploit (see "Gamesave Exploit" section below for more info).
A copy of Heimdall's HeXEn disc is recommended, you can use other installers but this guide is for HeXEn which I would highly recommend as the paths it uses are now regarded as "the standard" which make it easier to upgrade in future.

What's all this memory card gamesave exploit thing?
In order to softmod an xbox there are 3 games which are exploitable (listed above) and with a special gamesave explolit file you can get into the xbox and change the dashboard it boots up to. Now this is the tricky bit, if you already have or know someone with a modded xbox then you can just copy the gamesave exploit to that xbox hdd and then copy it to the memory card. If that's not an option then you'll either need the Action Replay kit or you'll need to buy an xbox to USB female adaptor. With the USB adaptor you can use a small USB stick (under 4gb) and get the xbox to format it (it will think it's a memory card), now using Xplorer360 on your PC you can copy over the gamesave exploit. You can download the gamesave exploit here.

Now you have everything listed above you can watch the first video which will show you how to do the initial softmod, for this example I will use 007: Agent Under Fire. Use the same method for whichever game you decide to use but just use the appropriate gamesave exploit.



So hopefully that all went successfully, occasionally the gamesave exploit doesn't work so just reboot the xbox and go back, start a new game and try again. Now it's modded you should be able to run copied discs, however different xboxes have different DVD Roms so different brands of DVDs will work on different xboxes. I recommend using Verbatim DVD-R discs as they are confirmed as working on every xbox model (make sure it's -R and not +R). So now it's time to watch video 2...

[SuperNoob]

Hi,
I just ordered a usb adapter that will allow me to plug my xbox controller into my PC via USB. I should be able to copy the exploit file to a xbox memory card, right? I have to use that xplorer 360 program to do so?

[whufclee]

That is something I've never tried, I guess it may be possible if the PC can recognise a memory pack is connected. The way I've done it before is get a really old cheap USB Flash drive (under 4gb) and an xbox game-port to USB female adaptor (so you can plug the flash drive into the xbox), this will allow you to format the drive to xbox standard. Once you have this you then copy the gamesave from PC to flash drive using Xplorer360. Now reconnect the flash drive to xbox and copy the gamesave over.