YuYu's MXM Automated Installer vALPHA

This disk was founded on the example set by Slayer's, but due to the limitations in EvoX itself, his is not as automated a process as this new disk is.

With firm support from the community this could easily become the greatest install disk there is. It is only in an ALPHA limited release as of now so that the custom skin for it may be built, all the functionality has already been tested and works 100% So, as soon as the custom skin designers are through, it will make its 1.0 release.

I think you will find once you use this disk, it is the easiest to both navigate and use. This is not an insult to Slayer but, rather a firm sign of respect for his work as most of the workings are strongly based on his installer. With that said though, they are very different.

Every option that Slayer's has(save a few that are not needed) is in this installer, the difference being, MXM is installed as default dash and the files are setup for you automatically, unlike EvoX where you have to setup your own evox.ini on your PC then transfer back to xbox.

Sorry to say the one thing it does lack that Slayer's has is BIOS Flashing, since it is not yet supported in MXM. As soon as it is implemented, the installer will be updated. So, break open those wallets and maybe throw 5 bucks or so in BJ's TipJar, or post a pledge in here to donate to the tipjar if the BIOS Flashing gets implemented. Just like the othere teams he does this all for free for you guys, give back some love, I am by creating this Ultimate Install Disk(with a little help from my friends)

Right now though, I need your support, if you can host a file (Example: a 100MB .exe file)on IRC with a 15kbps upload or higher, I need you to Email me with details. Or if you know how I can obtain an account to maybe host a bot/100 MB to share on IRC please email me. This is in no way a request for files. Use the boards email system to email me. Or visit one of my sites in my Signature and my email is on the homepage.

A full feature list and readme will be released, when the 1.0 release is done. Until then, I just wanted feedback on how excited you were to use and see this disk. So go ahead and take the poll up top please, I would appreciate immensely.

I havent got my hands on the installer yet, so i dont know what all you have configured. but,here are my opinions.

1. Dont require MXM to be the default dash. As much as you and I love it, not everyone does, and that in itself will make it fail on the "scene" level. MXM is powerful enough to script the OPTION of default dash..so i think it should be done that way. and include all dashboards as an option.

2. As with any new setup disc, flashing HAS to be supported. MXM might not be able to do it now, so instead provide a menu option(s) to load X2 Flash, or EVOX with various working bios'/ (evox, x2 version, LBA 48 options all clearly defined)... evox could be loaded with only the option to flash the bios.

Dont forget about usenet.

Personally I wouldn't use it I find doing things by hand a much better way to learn.

I think its a good and bad Idea, Its a good idea because it gets people using MXM and its a bad idea because you get 100's of total newbies coming in here saying "why dosn't this work" when they have a version of the installer that may be over ten versions of mxm and other apps in it behind the current feature list. And because of the great all in one installer disk have no clue how to set it up and update themselves.

But on a whole the concept is good

I think is a very good idea. i started off with slayers evox installer, i agree that playing with it and learning on your own is better and thats what i did, within a week i had discovered MXM and started learning how ot change over, but when your starting from scratch and you dont know anyone who has modded a box to help you, it can be overwhelming at first, and until you end up with working software installed, its hard to get motivated to learn. slayer got me started, then i started playing with it and learning.

someone who really wants to know more, will eventually find the info they need.


DrunkPenguin

I agree with KF - make MXM a choice among ALL dashboards (Of course, make it the TOP choice and feel free to put Evo-X on the bottom )

As for flashing, KF's suggestions are good. MXM will get flashing, but it's going to require me to invest some time and effort to make it happen, as it's messy to test.

I didn't want to vote on this cause my choice didn't fit into any of the answers... I think having a MXM installer disc is great.. and KF made some great suggestions too. And that's what helps make a good product, great. I don't have any use for an installer now or in the forseeable future... So I couldn't really answer that way... My vote would probably have been "Sounds Good Will See What It Developes Into"... As it stands... my first and last installer that I created... I used evox... I could well have used MXM but I found evox simple and suitable for my needs. Although a choice of Dashes is a 'good' idea.. I think if you are making a MXM installer.. it should just install MXM as the default and perhaps have scripts inside the installed MXM that would allow switching of dashboards... in my opinion... that wouldn't really be necessary... since MXM ** with a proper setup ** is a beautiful dash... however stability and completely functional features goes hands down to EVOX... This isn't saying anything negative about MXM.. it just has a few features that are pretty bug ridden right now.. and as would be expected since it is the most feature rich dash available...

i agree with KF also
an installer disk is needed not just by the mxm people though one that will install any dash the user wants is what the Xbox-scene should be all about, well i think so anyway!

this way the new user can easly and freely make a choce of what they want to have as there dash.

Well looks as though I have ALOT of work ahead of me. I put in I think somewhere around 30 hours in 3 Days to get this thing where it is at, and seeing as though time is at a premium due to College Finals, it may be awhile before the actual ALPHA release of this thing comes about.

All feature suggestions/requests noted and back to scripting and creating for me....

This disk will be more than just an Installer, it will do more than that....

As for EvoX being simpler as an Installer, maybe writing an Installer for EvoX is easier(which it is, I have written my own before too) Its the power of ActionScript and The automation and menu design as an installer, that makes MXM blow EvoX outta the water....In my humble opinion

But as I said, I will put alot more work in then release an Alpha ReadMe to the public listing features and let them decide if they wanna use it or not...

I still need help with IRC stuff and what not, read my first post for details....

Thanks for the Input Everyone...

I think this is a good idea. I always wanted to take on a project like this myself before but was always drawn back by

#1. The final size of the disk and
#2. The additional apps longevity as new versions are released so often.

My suggestion for an MXM based installer is not an all in one installer with apps but an all in one installer for dashes only with plenty of skin selections. The installer should give the option to reorganize the file structure on a set xbox or virgin drive to one that is easily navigated and logical. So in other words, an MXM/multi-dash UPGRADE disk to show the rest of the slayers/evox users out there the light...

So to summarize once more:

• The installer should be a multi-dash update only without apps/emulators
  
• As KF said, let the user choose what dash to set as default
  
• Possibly re-organize the file structure to an agreed upon standard by the rest of xbox-scene (this would be the hardest part of the project unless you want to emulate the slayers file structure)
  
• And to make it even easier make an Upgrade EvoX selection.
  

Make sure people with a crusty old bios can use it... e.g. make an option to install as xboxdash.xbe

I have given long thought to it, and the installer is being started back from scratch... Which I know, means a longer delay until an actual 1.0 release, but it also means the best disk ever. I am going to retain the name "MXM Automated Installer" but, it will be much more than that, it will be a quick way of doing things for alot of people but, will also be a true installer disk in every since of the word... Your comments and remarks have sparked a creative notion in me on how to set this up, and the only way to carry out the plan of action is with MXM scripting, there is no way another dash could do what this will be able to do...Though installing other dashes as default will be an option, as will running others as an app... I have finished alot of the new scripts and will be doing a Major overhaul on the File System....

Support for BIOS' booting from evoxdash.xbe, mxm.xbe, avalaunch.xbe, and xboxdash.xbe....More details when new alpha arrives with ReadMe....

Well off to work I go, could not tell you when I will be done, but I know this will be "The" Xbox Utility/Installer disk..

Thanks again for comments and support...
Will start a new thread when new Alpha 1.0 is ready for testing, which should be followed promptly with a public release....

hehh one more wrench...

dont forget x-select too i love that app.

Chillin_dude brought up a very good point to remember, and DBZ might be right.. only include the necessary apps to conduct business.. and all dashboards. most of the best util dont really change over time.. usually the dashes change more.

while i love the name personnaly,, lets not be too biased as to make those who desire another dashboard to move away from using this. Honestly if I wanted avalaunch to be installed, I wouldnt think an MXM installer would be able to do it, or would have ava in it. I think if you want this project to truely succeed (read that as "be accepted by all", you need a more general and thoroghly desctriptive name for it.


To those that say its better, or I prefer to, do it manually. Yea, we all do...but we know what we are doing *(most of the time). Lets not forget that this is geared to people just starting out, or those that 'do a lot of boxes'. Just including the necessary apps will save on the final size of the project, and also require any newbs to learn a little instead of being spoon-fed.

Ok well if people could put down there own ideas of neccesary apps to include.

My list is as follows:

MXM
EVOX - Including a verion of the .ini to Flash with
UnleashX
Avalaunch
Xbox Media Player
boXplorer
dvd2Xbox
ConfigMagic FINAL - For locking/Unlocking (prefer over Evox)
Flash X -For Flashin

(optional XBMC not sure)

Please post suggestions or your own list of Required apps, thank you all, I want this disc to be created by ME, for you the Scene....

Tons of ideas going through my head and being scripted right now... Thank you M$ for OneNote 2003...........Its a timesaver

Well and this is just my two cents here

I say go for a default mxm install with a skin that is damn easy to figure out with not to much frills in it (And by that I mean not huge videos for in and out ie: Punisher which is a great skin by the way) . Maybe put in a copy of evox for flashing bios's and have the option to install as the defualt dash. Then include the latest DVD2Xbox and Boxplorer maybe a copy of XBMP but thats probaby just x4 the size of the installer with that one app

Seriously if people want a evox installer then let the download slayers

Then maybe you can release add on CD's with stuff like emulators/dashes including MSdash/skins etc etc etc

the one big thing I hate about slayers is its too large with the orignal dash packed in and on a 56k like me it takes ages to download

Hope that makes sense

Jezz

QUOTE (Yuyu @ Dec 9 2003, 03:57 PM)

Ok well if people could put down there own ideas of neccesary apps to include. My list is as follows: MXM EVOX - Including a verion of the .ini to Flash with UnleashX Avalaunch Xbox Media Player boXplorer dvd2Xbox ConfigMagic FINAL - For locking/Unlocking (prefer over Evox) Flash X -For Flashin (optional XBMC not sure) Please post suggestions or your own list of Required apps, thank you all, I want this disc to be created by ME, for you the Scene.... Tons of ideas going through my head and being scripted right now... Thank you M$ for OneNote 2003...........Its a timesaver

don't forget the THC dash... as well as all the scripst for mxm

I like the idea of an additional apps/emulators disk. I like the list of you have so far if you still do an all in one installer.

I like the fact that you are including all dash's. I am an MXM fan myself, but it will draw more people . . .. don;t forget dvdx2 for those without a dongle!

My list of 'MUST INLCUDE APPS'

BO-XLINK vRC2
ConfigMagic FINAL
dvd2xbox v0.5.1
DVD-X v2.0
FlashX v1.2
XBOX Media Player 2003-10-29
XCommander vR2
XLink Messenger vRC2 Omega
Media X Menu



NOTE: XCommander vR2 will be unnecessary once dvd2xbox's file manager is more robust.

What about if the disc were to install ALL major dashes and automatically assigning buttons to x-select. From within the main config menu (before setup) you would manually enter your settings, like IP#. Then the installer would assign this information to each dash as it installs it. This way people could get a chance to try each dash and change their default on a whim. To keep disc size down, just include a few skins for each dash.

Hell, I don't even know if this is possible. Prolly just talking out my ares.

You know, put the option to install all dashes, but put such an amazing skin on MXM that no one wants to install any other dash

QUOTE (geniusalz @ Dec 10 2003, 02:08 PM)

You know, put the option to install all dashes, but put such an amazing skin on MXM that no one wants to install any other dash

Well that is the plan hopefully...
I think JLM and KoldFuzion are on the job, so God knows what they can whip up putting their skills together...

Anyways I wanted to inform everyone, the new permanent name for the Discs, Yes I said disks with an s, will be
"YuYu's Xbox Installer Disk System"

This means, there will be different disks for different needs, the first and most important will be released first, the Dash Installer Disk, including the following: MXM, Avalaunch,EvoX, and UnleashX...

X-Select will be included also so you may do some creative stuff on your own, these disk are meant to simplify certain things, and to automate a process, so that new comers can use to do some hard stuff then learn on their own from there, and for those of us who do many installs of HD's and the like, will make a quicker and actually more fun of a process...

Hope this generates some more excitement for these disks, as I will be working on other disks such as the Flasher Disk that will be available when the Dash Installer Disk goes public.
And an Emulators, Apps, etc... disks...

I will update this thread again when the Dash Installer is finished and ready for ALPHA release to private testing....

Again looking for emails about IRC, from first post and looking for your list of Apps you think are neccesary to an Xbox... Thanks for the great recommendations and support...

QUOTE (Yuyu @ Dec 9 2003, 09:57 PM)

Thank you M$ for OneNote 2003...........Its a timesaver

Whats that prog you speak of???
I myself will use this to install on friends xbox's who don't have access to pcs!!!
Can't wait for it so that is why i asked for xboxdash.xbe installation...
I say cram as much in as you can... but makesure they all have preview vids or it won't look very good!!!
Also contact slayer as in the past he offered to host my auto-installer and he has VERY fast mIRC bots!!!

The Bad News.
As Bj is implementing alot of new stuff into the next release, such as maybe? a Virtual Keyboard ? among other things that will help the scripting process. The Xbox Installer Disk System, disks 1 & 2, the dash installer disk and the flasher disk, will be delayed for release, as some scripts that are used will be re-written...

The Good News.
With all the new stuff being crammed into the next release that we have all been hoping for, it will make these first release disks, even better than what was originally planned.

So as I said before, when an ALPHA is released for private testing, then I will have a whole new update for you with features and readme and such...

Whether others choose to use it or not, I have taken on this project as a personal hobby, but I believe my work will be beneficial to others as well, that is why I am publicly announcing my work on the project... Hope I have some support from you guys... Oh yeah, an as always if anyone has any IRC info that I requested in my first post I would more than appreciate it...

Chilin_dude : M$ OneNote 2003 is a progy that comes with M$ Office Sytem Professional 2003...

QUOTE (Yuyu @ Dec 15 2003, 09:25 PM)

Oh yeah, an as always if anyone has any IRC info that I requested in my first post I would more than appreciate it... Chilin_dude : M$ OneNote 2003 is a progy that comes with M$ Office Sytem Professional 2003...

Seriously PM Slayer.... he is a great guy.
And i meant what does MS oneNote do? xml maker?