Question

[Michael]

I will be (hopefully) getting an original Xbox soon, how relatively easy is it to install a 40GB IDE hard drive, softmod, and install XMBC?
I see a guide online for softmodding, not sure about installing XBMC. I repair computers as a hobby, so I don't imagine it being too hard to install an IDE hard drive.
Thanks for your help.
-Michael

[Rocky5]

Look in my sig, use my softmod, when it's done you have two options.

1) burn the extras disc & install XBMC.
2) copy the content of the XBMC folder into C:\Dashboard\

Simples.

[Wally12]

Look in my sig, use my softmod, when it's done you have two options.

1) burn the extras disc & install XBMC.
2) copy the content of the XBMC folder into C:\Dashboard\

Simples.

What he said. I used SID5 a while ago for one of my Xbox's but his is very simple in minimalist. XBMC 3.5.1 is installed if you choose to install it using these tools, but it is very easy to replace it with XBMC 3.5.3 after installing 3.5.1. Also, once it is softmodedd, Chimp 2.6.1.8 is a great tool to use to upgrade your HDD if you can't use XboxHDM due to not having a PC with an IDE connection.

[GoTeamScotch]

I will be (hopefully) getting an original Xbox soon, how relatively easy is it to install a 40GB IDE hard drive, softmod, and install XMBC?
I see a guide online for softmodding, not sure about installing XBMC. I repair computers as a hobby, so I don't imagine it being too hard to install an IDE hard drive.
Thanks for your help.
-Michael

Softmodding -
Using a gamesave exploit is the simplest way to do it with the downside being the cost. You'll need a memory unit and a copy of Splinter Cell or one of the other games (007 agent under fire/mechassault) and a way of hooking up the memory unit to a PC. Use SID5 like Wally said and copy SID5 to the memory unit. Copy the save from the memory unit to the Xbox, pop in the game and the installer will run. After that, you can hook up the Xbox to your your home network and copy XBMC to it. Download the latest builds of XBMC4Xbox here. Installing XBMC is very simple, you just copy the app's folder (~80MB) the Xbox and replace your default dashboard with it. As far as how hard it is? That's relative. If you've never modded an Xbox before but are comfortable with PCs, it'll probably be pretty straight forward for you but might take an hour or two just preparing everything and reading up on guides of what to do. The actual process going from stock to the latest XBMC can be done in just a couple of mins.

Installing 40GB drive -
Use Chimp or XboxHDM. This will format the drive and assist in locking it using your Xbox's unique password. I personally found XboxHDM to be easier but it requires a PC with an IDE connection and a spare CD-R to make the bootable disc for it. One thing I want to add that would be a good idea if you're swapping hard drives is to zeroize your hard drive key, which makes it so you can't lock yourself out of the Xbox by mistake. Details here.

If you want a free and immediate method, there's always hotswapping. But that can be risky.