Turn an Xbox Into a Linux PC

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First, consider that an Xbox is no mere gaming console; it's a powerful PC. The question is, how do you get to it? The answer, of course, is with Linux. In six simple steps, you can load and run Linux to unlock all the Xbox hardware. Here's how:

• Step 1: Build a cable. Xbox controllers, called Xpads, are really just USB devices. Inside the shielded cable that connects the gaming controller to the console are the familiar four wires used in standard USB cables, plus one mysterious yellow wire rumored to be for a future addition of a lightpen. This is good news: USB memory devices, keyboards and mice will attach here with just a modified cable. If you do not want to make your own modified cable, you can also buy one from Lik-Sang.
• Step 2: Find a USB memory device. Memory cards that plug into Xbox controllers are simply USB memory devices, but with a proprietary connector. The trick is to find one that the Xbox will work with and that you can get an image on. Two such devices are Kingston's DataTraveler 32- and 256-MB, and Lexar's JumpDrive Secure 128- and 256-MB.
• Next, plug your modified USB cable into the console, insert the USB memory device at the other end and power up your Xbox. The USB device will be discovered and reformatted. (It may take a minute.) At that point, it will appear under Memory Devices in the Xbox Dashboard.
• Step 3: Get a bootable image. The image you will want to download and copy to your newly formatted memory device is a "Savegame" that can be loaded by a couple of games. It will help you to boot a rudimentary Linux OS. The one I used is the Xbox licensed game MechAssault from SourceForge.net. Download the image that matches the size of your memory device.
• Step 4: Copy the image to the Xbox. Use the Xbox Dashboard to view the contents of the USB memory stick. It should now contain three entries: Emergency Linux, Remove Linux and Install Linux. Use the usual Xbox methods to copy all three savegames on the USB memory stick to the hard drive. You will now see, and more important, be able to invoke these Savegames in the next step.
• Step 5: Run the image to start Linux. To do so, you will need the MechAssault game DVD to get Linux started. (I rented a copy from my local video store.) Insert the game and select Campaigns and Emergency Linux. You will see the Xbox restart, then a black screen with white letters scrolling through the Xbox Linux boot-up.
• If you've gotten this far, a small version of Linux is running, and you can now telnet into the Xbox at its default address: 192.168.0.3. Log in as "root" with the password xbox. Then type: xbox_tool-a. Write down this hard-disk key, which is encrypted in the EEPROM memory of the Xbox and can be used again.
• Insert the MechAssault game again. Select Campaigns and then Install Linux. Once this is done, the Xbox disk is set up and the item Linux will appear in the Dashboard. Now, simply select Linux from the Dashboard to boot the minimal version of Linux.
• Step 6: Install a complete Linux distribution. The best and probably only choice for reliable operation on the Xbox is Ed's Debian. Insert the Installation disk into the Xbox drive and boot from it. A virtual keyboard will appear. When it does, type su to log in as a superuser. The system will prompt for a password; type in xbox. Now type XBOXLinuxInstall (case sensitive). Then follow the on-screen instructions to finish installation.
• That's all there is to it. For more tips, check out www.xbox-linux.org.
• Andy McDonough is a freelance writer based in New Jersey.