Linux Running on Xbox Without Modchip!

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Linux Running on Xbox Without Modchip!

Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday March 30, 2003 @01:46AM from the kinda-anyway dept.

NiteStar writes "It looks like people on xbox-scene.com and xboxhacker.net managed to run Xbox-Linux on a non-modded Xbox console. It requires no soldering at all - you don't even have to open up the Xbox. They are using an exploit in the saved game handling of the EA xbox game '007 Agent Under Fire'. It requires the original version of the 007 game and a memorycard you can connect to PC like the mega-X-key or datel's action replay. Apparently you can even build this memorycard yourself using a standard USB memstick." Frankly it seems like just soldering in the modchip would be easy, but big points for being clever!

19 of 258 comments (clear)

price money? by matt4077 · 2003-03-30 01:48 · Score: 3, Funny

So, does this qualify for the rest of the price money from that lindows founder?

Anyway, i think they should award a price to the person that finds a good reason to run linux on a x-box.

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Fleur de Sel
1. Re:price money? by Loosewire · 2003-03-30 01:50 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  hehe that says it all "That lindows founder" he wanted a higher profile out of this but no, he is still an unnamed guy
  
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  Slashdot - The one stop shop for procrastination
Theres no fricking way by Anonymous Coward · 2003-03-30 01:54 · Score: 5, Funny

Im buying an EA game, even if it does cure cancer.
Knowing Microsoft's history by niom · 2003-03-30 01:57 · Score: 5, Funny

you'd think they had already created every type of bug. Well, in colaboration with EA they've just developed a new type of bug: THE USEFUL BUG. Now where are all those bashers that say that Microsoft never invented anything new?

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-- Repeat with me: "There is no right to profits".
1. Re:Knowing Microsoft's history by Anonymous Coward · 2003-03-30 01:59 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  It's not a bug, it's a feature!
2. Re:Knowing Microsoft's history by Phroggy · 2003-03-30 04:34 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  you'd think they had already created every type of bug. Well, in colaboration with EA they've just developed a new type of bug: THE USEFUL BUG. Now where are all those bashers that say that Microsoft never invented anything new?
  
  Sorry, EA is responsible for this one; you can't claim Microsoft invented it. Microsoft still hasn't invented anything new.
  
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  $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
  $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
Free... by elcairo · 2003-03-30 01:57 · Score: 5, Funny

Free as in '007 Agent Under Fire'!
Sweet! by xintegerx · 2003-03-30 02:02 · Score: 3, Funny

Great news! This puts us that much closer to being able to run Linux on anything such as a PC! Oh, wait...

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Cover your eyes and click this link!
This is a The rare case by turbo-paul · 2003-03-30 02:04 · Score: 0, Funny

where a bug in a program

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Ceci n'est pas une sig
Re:Perhaps a link to the source would be in order by arvindn · 2003-03-30 02:44 · Score: 3, Funny

I had a look through the comments attached to the announcement in your link. I'll happily point out that forum to anyone who thinks slashdot is the place with the least signal-to-noise ratio on the 'net ;-)
easier than micro-soldering? by j3110 · 2003-03-30 03:15 · Score: 3, Funny

Me thinks Cmdr-Taco has never tried to solder wires onto surface mount components with carpel tunnel or a triple latte without a good iron, magnifing glass, camera and robotic arms.

It isn't easy... just hope those components are caps or resistors that aren't important. I would much rather use software than hardware... Now if only we could crack a key?

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Karma Clown
Re:help by Anonymous Coward · 2003-03-30 03:29 · Score: 3, Funny

1. Eat breakfast at Kiev
2. Walk down Second Avenue towards St. Mark's Place
3. Look for those people selling used books and other junk on the street
4. Look for the broken toaster oven on the blanket
5. ???
6. Penis!
holy crap! by tx_mgm · 2003-03-30 05:26 · Score: 2, Funny

so there IS a use for that game! seriously, agent under fire is quite possibly the very worst FPS-style game EVER made, so i actually feel kind of bad that people (albeit a small group) actually has a reason to support such a piece of crap.
but on the bright side, i think march's issue of computer gaming monthly has a nice guide for what you can do with your worthless game disc once you realize it is NOT to be placed in your console (or PC) ever, EVER again!

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-Dr. Weird
Re:Perhaps a link to the source would be in order by Anonymous Coward · 2003-03-30 06:06 · Score: 1, Funny

I'd hate to see what they'd actually do with the Linux they load on there.

cat - | eleet
JFC! It sounds just like me dude!
Re:modchip easier? by orkysoft · 2003-03-30 07:05 · Score: 2, Funny

Actually, their secret masterplan is to get every object imaginable in the USA banned under the DMCA by applying it in some access control breaking scheme, and so turn the USA into a third world country without anything! They've already succeeded with things like modchips, black markers. Post-it notes might be next, but first in line are USB memory cards!

Oh wait, the copyright holders will still be able to use these objects, and thus the entire USA will be dominated by the Copyright Cartels!

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I suffer from attention surplus disorder.
A plot by EA? by iamacat · 2003-03-30 07:23 · Score: 3, Funny

1. Release a game with buffer overrun
2. Leak information to XBox-Linux community
3. Profit!!!!

They could even get the lindows.com award money if they did it right.
Re:modchip easier? by Ed+Random · 2003-03-30 08:05 · Score: 3, Funny

Lemme see... 007 Agent under Fire is used to circumvent the XBOX copy protection mechanism.

Tools that circumvent copy protection are of course terrorist^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h a violation of the DMCA.

Ergo: 007 Agent under Fire is illegal, since it is a tool to circumvent copy protection. Boy, I can't wait until EA is sued into oblivion ;-)

Great. I love US law ;)

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-- Gxis! Ed.
New slogan by stud9920 · 2003-03-30 08:47 · Score: 2, Funny

EA Games. Challenge DMCA !
In other news... by darqchild · 2003-03-30 09:16 · Score: 3, Funny

The popular game "007: Agent under fire" was pulled from store shelves today, under threat of legal action from microsoft.

The software was found to be illegal by the standards of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, in that it allowed users to potentially run bootleg computer games.

Microsoft's decision was backed firmly by the RIAA, MPAA..

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What? Me? Worry?