Xbox Linux
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Xbox Linux is a project that ported the GNU/Linux project to the Microsoft Xbox gaming console. Due to the fact that the Xbox uses a digital signature system to prevent the public from running unsigned code, one must either use a modchip, or find an alternative system for running unsigned code. Originally, modchips were the only option. However, it was later demonstrated that the TSOP chip on which the Xbox's BIOS is held may be reflashed. This way, one may flash on the "cromwell" BIOS developed by the Xbox Linux project (the name comes from a corruption of "clean room", alluding to the fact that it was developed entirely legally). Catalyzed by a large cash prize for the first team to provide the possibility of booting Linux on an Xbox without the need of a hardware hack, numerous software-only hacks were also found. For example, a buffer overflow was found in the game "007: Agent Under Fire", allowing the booting of a Linux loader ("xbeboot") straight from a save game.
The Xbox is really a PC, with an off-the-shelf 733 MHz Intel Mobile Celeron processor, an 8GB-10GB (formatted) hard drive, 64MB of RAM (although on all earlier boxes this is upgradable to 128MB), and 4 USB ports (the controller ports are just variations of standard USB 1.1 ports). These specs are enough for a Linux system that has IceWM or Window Maker to run smoothly.
There are several distributions available for the Xbox, such as "Xebian", an Xbox compatible version of Debian, and Gentoox, a similarly customized version of Gentoo. It is equally possible to produce your own distribution, requiring merely a recompilation of your kernel. The dyne:bolic distribution also support Symmetric multiprocessing.
An Xbox with Linux can be a full desktop computer with mouse and keyboard, a web/email box connected to a TV, a server, router or a node in a cluster. One can either dual-boot or use Linux only; in the latter case, one can replace both IDE devices. One can also connect the Xbox to a VGA monitor. A converter may be needed to use keyboards/mice in the controller ports, however this is fairly easy to achieve, due to the Xbox using a USB style connector.
As of now only a few distributions of Linux will run on the 1.6 Xbox (the third newest version, including 1.6b). Xboxes with a modchip with the Cromwell bios installed can run more distributions than with only a softmod. This is mainly due to complications used the new video chip used in V1.6 Xboxes that was developed exclusively by Microsoft which has no source code available at this time, which causes major overscan on all four sides of the screen when a different kernel than the original is loaded.
[edit] Installation Methods
Currently there are multiple methods to install Linux.
[edit] Softmod
Softmodding is a popular way to modify an Xbox without the use of a modchip. It is run completely from software on the xbox's hard drive. It is done by using a save exploit found in MechAssault. First the exploited game save is moved to a xbox action replay. The save is then copied to the hard drive from the memory card. Once the save is loaded the buffer overflow trick takes action.
However this often does not work for the newer Xboxes, versions 1.6 and above, so a similar method is used called the ndure installation, it works the same as the above stated but on all versions of the Xbox so far made.
