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FreeBSD Ported to XBox

Posted by timothy on from the mulitplicity dept.

NetFiber writes "FreeBSD has been ported to the XBox. "Over the last 2 weeks, I have been working on a port of FreeBSD for the XBox. The port is fully functional. The framebuffer is fully supported, same goes for sound and USB devices (such as an USB keyboard). Only ethernet is missing, currently." The FreeBSD on XBox website is here, downloads included." Update: 07/27 14:50 GMT by T : Rink Springer writes with a request that you use the primary mirror instead.

19 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. But does by mboverload · · Score: 5, Funny

    But does FreeBSD on Xbox run Linux? Yeah.

    1. Re:But does by WushuJim · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually, you can run Linux binaries with the Linux binary compatibility module.

  2. Ethernet missing? by coflow · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is pretty cool, although from TFA: Only ethernet is missing, currently, as the binary only driver in /usr/ports/net/nvnet fails with an error 5, for some reason. Assistance there would be very welcome.

    I suspect this is a feature that would be fairly important to most users.

    1. Re:Ethernet missing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Stop saying "whilst", you douche.

    2. Re:Ethernet missing? by cbreaker · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can't just plug in "a lot of USB ethernet controllers" because the XBox controller ports, albiet USB, are not a USB connection. You need a converter, and THEN the controller. And when all is said and done, you'd left with a crappy 11Mbit of USB Ethernet speeds whereas the onboard controller (e100) is actually very good.

      I'm not whining - I really don't give a crap either way. But this isn't a solution by any means.

      --
      - It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -
    3. Re:Ethernet missing? by Anubis350 · · Score: 3, Informative

      you can quickly and easily make a MS USB to normal USB adapter with a USB extension cord, a solder gun, solder, and an xbox breakwaway cable in about in 5 mins... Instructions are on the linux xbox website

      --
      "goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series
  3. BSD vs. Linux (tm) by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 5, Funny

    The perfect way to prove BSD is more secure than Linux: no ethernet.

    I'll go RTFA now...

    --
    .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
  4. Two guys, ages 19 and 21 by ReformedExCon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's simply amazing the amount of progress two dedicated youths can make in such a short time.

    One thing I used to have a lot of time to think about was how much time I was wasting, having forced myself into a very uncomfortable place. It's quite heartening to see these kids doing great work, even if it is just for themselves as a hobby (even moreso, in my opinion).

    I'm not sure that the thing is useful, but it's definitely a cool hack.

    Is anyone offering them a job yet?

    --
    Jesus saved me from my past. He can save you as well.
    1. Re:Two guys, ages 19 and 21 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      You modded him down because he has water droplets forming on his windows?

    2. Re:Two guys, ages 19 and 21 by Marc2k · · Score: 4, Funny

      having forced myself into a very uncomfortable place. ..like the back of a Volkswagen?

      --
      --- What
  5. Re:No ethernet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't think the Xbox can be considered small you know...

  6. Re:Er... why? by metternich · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The Hardware on the Xbox is sold at a lost by Microsoft. (They make their profits off the games they sell.) Therefore, if you can mod an Xbox to be a regular computer, you can get better performance/$$ than you would otherwise be able to get.

    --
    Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
  7. Re:Er... why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful
    • Cheap server to play with
    • Play any media the likes of mplayer can play
    • Act as a jukbox
    • Browse, email etc on the TV
    • A backup server for rsync
    • Other uses for other people


    Just because you can't cope with the thought others have imagination and enjoy these things, doesn't mean people should stop because of your opinion!
  8. XBox pwn3d by spaztech · · Score: 5, Funny


    All obvious jokes aside, this is an awesome job by these young up-and-comers. Porting FreeBSD to a Microsoft gaming console, what a task.

    1: Load FreeBSD on XBox
    2: Install nMap, Nessus & Metasploit, hack CitiBank
    3: ??
    4: Profit!!

    When the F.B.I. shows up just play dumb and say, "I don't have a computer."

    --
    /. spaztech ./
    1. Re:XBox pwn3d by rbarreira · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's "???", not "??".

      --

      The AACS key is NOT 0xF606EEFD628B1CA427BEA93A9CA9773F
  9. Re:Back To The Future... by aderusha · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can get info on emulators for the 2600 and about 30 other retro systems on the xbox here.

  10. Re:It may not be a hoax... by DrSkwid · · Score: 3, Insightful

    my xbox gathers dust, fbsd on it would be a nice toy

    > platforms intended for one purpose and one purpose alone (gaming)
    do you know what a turing machine is ?

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  11. In related news... by NotFamous · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have ported NetBSD to run on my toaster. I have full support for quad-processing (requires four slots), hyper-breading and hot swapping. Unfortunately, fork() is not currently implemented...

    --
    Some settling may occur during posting.
  12. Ask yourself this question : by DrSkwid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Ask yourself this question : What is the purpose of the XBox ?

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter