When I load up the system info screen on the ms dashboard, I don't see a kernel or dashboard listed. It still has the copyright laws and text. This xbox was made in 4-2001. Will it be safe to softmod? Should I try to update the dashboard if possible? Thanks for your time, Kevin.

To see your K/D version you will have to wait till the Legal text scrolls away. But with UXE it don't even matter what those versions are.

yeah, krayzie is right you can see you kernel and dash ther, but why want you to see them, if you want to softmod your xbox you can just use UXE. It works on all boxes out there and its safe.
PM me if you wanna know where to download the files and readme to do that.

It does help to know the kernal #, if compiling kernal specific fonts.