Hey guys, i know xbox 1 is old news, but I want to install linux to my xbox...

I have 2 original xbox's, both have been soft modded by using the splinter cell method. I dont know where my action replay device is, but I can FTP to my xbox, so I figure I dont need it...




Firstly, I want to use the xbox basically as a computer... I want to be able to browse the internet, use a keyboard and mouse etc... As far as I know this can be done with linux (right?)

If I want to play any original games (that are not reverse compatible), I have another original xbox...

So how do I do it? I want the full linux... I was browsing around xbins and came across cromwell-2.40 and have downloaded it. Do I ftp this to the xbox, and launch it? Do I have to use a gamesave installer? (I have the original splinter cell)




(Edit)
I read that to install linux, you just click the linux button on the dashboard, but I dont see it? Also, I used the live update, and it downloads a 1.4 MB file and then says unable to connect to update server. (There is no address in the server bar)

full linux means that your going to flash the tsop or a modhcip and format the entire drive.

if you want to tsop, then you need a non 1.6 xbox. if you have a 1.6, you either have to keep it softmodded or chip it. in this case you need to do a native "F" install.

once you have it flashed with cromwell, then you need a live cd to install your distro. there are many choices to choose (xebian, gentoox, xdsl are the top three.) if you want a useable desktop computer, i would go with xdsl,but if you want an easy to set up server, go with gentoox (its weird, the gentoox website seems down right now, and finally, if you want linux on the xbox for another reason xebian might be your choice because its is debian based. a note, with all distros it is posible to do a "full" native install, but only xebian has it built in its installer. others will require you to edit some install scripts, then rebuilding the installer disc. here are guides
XDSL
http://x-dsl.org/wiki/Partitioning#Fully_native_install
Gentoox
http://forums.shallax.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3092

also, you can install more than one distro just like on a regular computer, but you will need to have an understanding of partitioning and the install scripts.

once you get a distro of choice, choose a native install. remember, you can only do the full native install if you flashed the chip/tsop. so you cannot do it with a 1.6.

then you will have linux. if you have the 1.6 you will need xromwell xbe. this is the same thing as cromwell bios, just in xbe format. so once you get your softmod working and launching linux as an app, you can replace the dashboards "default.xbe" with xromwel xbe. then you xbox will bott straight to linux.

Thanks alot for the quick response!

I want a desktop PC, so this means I will be installing XDSL?


How do I flash it with cromwell? I have it on my comp atm, so I FTP it?
What location do I FTP it to (I imagine it doesnt really matter)
and how to I launch the cromwell installer?
(I know I need the cromwell 1024.bin, as I have a 1.0 xbox)

Is there a step by step guide anywhere? Would it be possible for you to write a short guide for me?

Read this first: http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_Hardware_Overview, there are some notable differences with a PC - especially the amount of RAM. Having mentioned that, X-DSL is still very usable on the xbox - ie able to browse the internet, use a keyboard and mouse etc

Well I burned a 50 mb XDSL disk, and booted with it, I was using it, and it seems fine...

Is there any way I can install it to my HDD? I FTP'd it and put the default.xbe in my applications folder, then when I boot, it scans all my stuff, and lists my optical drive. Then like 15 seconds later the only option I get is to boot from the CD, so I click it, and 15 seconds later it opens my drive and says insert cd.

bump?

ok, first to flash your tsop, follow this guide:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=165208
but, since your xbox is already modded, you dont need the game and exploit. instead, install evolutionx dashboard as an app, then inside the evolutionx folder, make another folder called "bios". then put your cromwell bios in there. then make sure your evox.ini has this in it:


then start evox, and select "Flash BIOS", then cromwell should show up, and flash it.

once you have cromwell, then boot your xdsl cd. if it works, then your good.

then, because you want just linux, follow this guide:

http://x-dsl.org/wiki/Partitioning#Fully_native_install

if you dont understand some of it, ask first. and once cromwell is working, it doesnt matter how bad you mess up partitions, the live cd can always be booted.

HaGGardSmurf

Did you get it done? I flashed cromwell to my tsop, after doing the solder points of corse. I have a 1.0 xbox so I used cromwell's 1024 variant. Once flashed you can only boot linux on the xbox as cromwell wont boot up anything questionable (xbmc, EvoX, UleashX etc)

What I had to do was to ftp the frugal install to the hdd and boot from there as my dvd drive (which was reading the media fine before) was not recognizing anything anymore. I burned a bunch of different media too.

I used xdsl though as none of the other distros had a good easy frugal install option.

If you're still interested (and didn't accomplish this yet) then drop a line here and we'll bounce ideas off each other. If you did it let us know what you did and how. Plus how is this benefiting you. I find linux on my tv screen a bit wanting.