Sovereign's Focus + Gentoox Tutorial

[sovereign]

Sovereign’s Gentoox + Focus chip tutorial:
Written By: Sovereign
Date Written: 1/29/04

A special thanks to the people at #xbox-linux (dmp) and the people at #gentoox (Shallax, this program rocks). They do not support/condone using exploits like evox and mxm, but here is a method involving those programs. I do not distribute nor condone using these programs.

NOTE: This method is the way I accomplished this task. You may accomplish it in many other ways. The purpose of this tutorial is to teach you how to use Gentoox (http://gentoox.shallax.com) with the Focus chip on a v1.5 xbox. The xbox this guide was performed on has NO MOD-CHIP and boots gentoox from the hard drive. Although you will be able to use Gentoox, there will still be over scanning (the screen will go off the TV), but this is just a minor annoyance that can be countered by resizing all of the windows.

WARNING: This may screw up your xbox, you have been warned…but the chances are very very slim. Advance at your own volition.

Before starting there are some things you need on your xbox or to be done to your xbox or put on your PC.
1. Some way to FTP into your xbox. One way is Morden’s Audio Exploit found at: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php? ... 0d9b49bcbb.
This is THE BEST exploit out right now.
2. Putty – this is a program that is used to SSH into your xbox (basically control your xbox from another computer connected through the network). This is found at: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgta ... nload.html
3. An upgraded HDD, 8 gigs is not enough for Linux. Well it might be, but your xbox will be severely limited in its capabilities. This tutorial can be found at: http://forums.maxconsole.com/showthread ... readid=767
4. boXplorer (look on #xbins)
5. Optional: a cross over cable, gentoox is 3.5~ish gigs.

The juicy part (step-by-step instructions on how to install gentoox):
1. Download gentoox v3.0 home edition http://gentoox.shallax.com/modules.php? ... load&cid=3
2. FTP into your xbox and place all your necessary files into /e/. As shown in this guide: http://gentoox.shallax.com/modules.php? ... e&artid=59
3. Use boXplorer to open up gentooxx.xbe and you should be greeted by a frighteningly painful scrambled screen of mental destabilization. Wait for the xbox to load up everything and eventually it’ll stop moving around, but the screen will remain scrambled.
4. Set your local network settings to be compatible with the xbox. (Open “My Network Places” and right click on the screen. Click on “properties” then right click on “Local Area Connection”. Proceed by clicking again on “properties” then highlight “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)”. Click on “properties” *last time, I swear, and you will be greeted by several boxes to fill in the IP and stuff. Click on “Use the following IP address”). From here (assuming your gentoox is still on default) type in the following:
IP: 192.168.1.1
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.13
5. You should now be on the same network as your xbox. Putty into your xbox by entering the IP into the “Host Name (or IP address)” box. Click on the “SSH” button and then the “open” button.
6. You will now be greeted by a screen asking for the user name. Use user: root pass: xbox
7. Congratulations, you are now HALF WAY there.
8. Use this guide to set up your network: http://gentoox.shallax.com/modules.php? ... e&artid=15 As a side note: you can find out your personal IP and Gateway stuff by typing in DOS “ipconfig /all”. Reboot your xbox, and repeat steps 3 and 5 to get back into your xbox.
9. Type in “firstboot” and follow the instructions, I typed in yes on all of them because I’m cool like that, but customize it however you want.
10. The xbox will reboot, and repeat step 3 to access gentoox. You should now get a scrambled screen that has a keyboard after about 10 minutes of loading (or what seems like an eternity). Repeat step 5 to get back into the terminal.
11. Now type in “magic” and do all the things it wants you to. Type yes and yes, and if it tells you that your emerge failed or what-not, redo magic and type no and then no. You will get another emerge error, but it doesn’t really matter. (Magic takes like 3-4 hours to update your linux).
12. Run the program “xbvset” and follow the instructions for a 640x480 NTSC output.
13. Now FTP back into your xbox and send the xromwell.xbe into your /e/ directory. Found in this package: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xbox ... 2?download
14. Use boXplorer to open xromwell.xbe and it SHOULD boot into a gentoox without a scrambled TV screen and it should boot from the HDD.
15. SMILE.

Feel free to use, abuse, mistreat, and downright butcher this tutorial all you want.

[nobspangle]

this seems like a good tutorial,
I would add a line between 2 & 3 to say unplug your network cable, otherwise gentoox may grab an IP address using DHCP which can be tricky to find out. Then another to tell you to reconnect it once Gentoox has loaded.

[PeNsTeR]

I need a bit of help at step 5. How do I know what's my xbox's ip?

[nobspangle]

If you have a router you can check the dhcp log, if you are just using the windows dhcp you need to either scan your subnet, or just start the xbox without a network cable plugged in and the IP address will be set to 192.168.1.13

[Moddy]

if you are running a DHCP server on the same computer you are using (as is my situation) then i recommend using an IP Scanner such as Angry IP Scanner (http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/) to quickly locate your xboxes IP. Keep in mind this is only a good idea if you are running a small home network.

[Gubben]

Magic takes like 3-4 hours to update your linux

This is wierd, I started magic 6 hours ago, almost 7 hours, not done yet But it havent made any errors yet. So Ill just hold and see whats next.

[PeNsTeR]

So has it finished yet?

[whoracle]

now i have read and followed this guide (except the magic thing, cause i have a modem and that would be kinda timespending and expensive) but my gentoox home still looks weird.. I´ve read that Gentoox won´t work if IGR is activated, but even if i deactivate it, i can reset games through IGR.. Could that be my problem?

I have:
1.5 Xbox
EvoX +3921
Gentoox Home 3.0 (or which is the latest at the off. site) (i have the pro too, but its kinda useless without internet huh?)
unknown BIOS, original in the X2.3Lite..(works perfect with games and evox and stuff)

[nobspangle]

the "magic thing" is the most important bit, that's the bit that updates your system so it works with your 1.5 box

[whoracle]

damn

[Gubben]

It took seven and a half hour to run magic for me.

[nai_psycho]

hey ppl
im at the stage that I can run magic...
but it says /root/patches: /root/patches: No such file or directory
and then it quits...
i did a few times over but he keeps giving that error and got a quistion in the tutorial is written that you must say yes or no 2 times but it nevers asks anything.

[_YOYAS_]

I have an 1.4 XBOX with Alladin Advance chip... I complete all the stepps to 13, but I don't know if I need to put xromwell.xbe and iniciate it to see the clear screen... I'm spanish, so I use PAL60, I should to put xromwell in my Xbox?


Thank you...

Excuse me poor english...

[nobspangle]

You should use the new xromwell.xbe so you get the boot screen at the start.
I'm not sure if there is PAL60 support in the focus driver, you may have to use standard PAL

[_YOYAS_]

So, I put the xcromwell in my Xbox, and always when I want to boot linux, I need to open this file, or only the first time?


Thank you