Free60 Project Aims for Linux on Xbox 360

BlueMoon writes "The Free60 Project wiki and developers mailinglist has been launched. The project aims to port open source operating systems like GNU/Linux and Darwin to the Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming console. The site already contains some interesting details about the Xbox 360 security: per-box key stored on CPU, boot ROM will be on CPU too and a hypervisor verifies the running state of the kernel."

Comments

Hypervisor

[jurt1235]

Assuming that the hypervisor technology in the xbox360 is really the IBM hypervisor, than the linux community could have access to the patents involved in this technology, making it a lot easier (as in really tough job to in just a bit less realy tough job) to get linux running on the xbox. Maybe it is possible to run it in a VM under xbox windows (I guess internally in microsoft this might be called xwindows).

Re:Hypervisor

[Kadin2048]

I just read through the site and I don't think there's any evidence to show that the hypervisor that it's being speculated is used by the x360 is the same one that's been developed by IBM. The IBM one I believe is designed for large scale use on big iron, providing abstraction and security services to virtual machines; the xBox one is just to monitor the kernel for modifications and checksum the RAM against stored values in the processor. They seem so different in scope that I'm not sure it's a good assumption to think that they're the same thing, or that the MS one isn't just something they cooked up in-house. There doesn't seem to be any strong evidence that they're the same, and the Slashdot article link just seems to be something the author pulled out of Google.

Also, if you read on the Free60 documentation site, it's apparent that the factoids being discussed, including the only mention of the hypervisor, are being attributed to "someone on the IRC" -- not exactly a reputable source.

holy mangled facts, batman

[Oopsz]

He's a motivational psychologist studying performance and reward, his name is Csikszentmihalyi, and he's Hungarian, not Indian.

Re:Nice try

[AngryUndead]

Softmodding involves a buffer overflow exploit using modified savegames for certain games, and involves no hardware modification.

Re:My Thoughts Exactly

[Microlith]

To a point. The PS2 has been earning profits on the hardware for a couple years now.

The PSP... who knows. The PS3 will be sold at a loss for some time, but will likely start turning a profit after a while.

The XBOX is the only console to lose money over its entire lifespan. It remains to be seen if MSFT can contract the cost of manufacturing enough to bring unit production cost under sale cost and turn a profit on the XBOX360. Since they own the rights to everything in the system, it's entirely possible.

Re:Lies! All of it Lies!

[TubeSteak]

bbs --> newsgroups --> IRC --> the internet
somewhere in there are mailing lists

I'm not sure why you (an AC) is badmouthing IRC, but lots of serious conversation happens in various 'official' channels. Not everyone has left IRC.

A lot of exploits for the original Xbox were worked on in IRC channels... just because you don't know about it doesn't mean it ain't happening.

Re:Nice try

[rpresser]

To the best of my knowledge there is still no crack for the Xbox that doesn't involve hardware modification.

Please improve your pitiful knowledge.
http://www.xbox-linux.org/>

Softmodding (modding with no hardware modification) is possible based on a few different methods. There are at least three games for which a savegame buffer overflow exploit is known. You can download a malicious savegame, load it from within the game, and linux boots. From there you can ftp anything you like to your hard drive. (This is the method I chose.) No hardware modification is required. Getting the savegame available to the XBOX can bit tricky. You can either buy an xbox memory card with one installed, or use a standard USB memory drive connected to the controller port -- the controller ports are standard USB with a different connector, but commercial USB adapters are available from real companies (i.e., companies with interests other than assisting you in softmodding).

Among the popular "permanent" softmods you can install onto the harddrive are font mods (buffer overflow in the font file that loads with the splash screen) and sound mods (buffer overflow in the sound processing code, for playing ripped tracks - the original MS software includes a CD ripper for inserting your own soundtracks into games that support it). (I chose the font mod).

Now that you have a mod on your hard drive, you can run unsigned code, including linux itself, alternate dashboards, or (my favorites) Xbox Media Center (not to be confused with the Media Center package Microsoft sells for Xbox) or Xbox-MAME.

A totally different way to go involves opening the XBOX, connecting its hard drive to a PC, loading linux on it, and putting it back in the XBOX. That could be considered "hardware modification" but it requires nothing more than guts and a few screwdrivers.

must.. have.. slashdot.. story..

[merc]

going through slashdot withdrawl symptoms...!!!

faaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!