Xbox PC

ammosmoke · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:23 pm

Did you know that you can convert an xbox to a pc?

All you need to do is go through a certain procedure, then you can install a linux rootkit, and poof! you then can install linux os! Then...Poof *again* you can use you xbox like a regular computer. Even more awesome, you can still play xbox games.

Anyway, I was wondering, has anyone here ever done this? I've been seriously considering buyin an xbox and doing this, because it would be much cheaper than buyin a regular computer, its very small, and possibilities are virtually unlimited.

If anyone has done this, please post. (Cost? Results? Did you like it?)

SpudStuff · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:26 pm

Did you know there is a website called Theopia for this king of random shit?

nicholai · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:31 pm

i used to play halo 2 on xbox live and talked with a few guys who modified their xbox to cheat (it was pretty bad for a while) google it im sure you can find stuff on it. You can also modify them to store games to its hard drive (which you could theoretically replace to 200 gigs) so ive heard. Of course this is highly illegal i do beleive. I think its actually intended to store your own paid for games.

ammosmoke · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:32 pm

It is the OFF TOPIC section, but jeez!
If you wan to get educated about how cool/easy it is, go http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/FAQhere.

How is it illegal to install a new operating system on an xbox?

Thats like saying its illegal to install linux on a pc with windows!

An xbox is essentially just a compact, regular old computer.
Really. Thats how microsoft just suddenly out of the blue, came up with it.
On pc standards, it has rather low memory. The only thing it has on most pc's is a good graphics card.

SpudStuff · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:37 pm

It is in no way illegal. You OWN the box when you buy iy so you can do whatever you want to it. Usually it will void the warrenty so you cant get service.

My TIVO yas a 750 Gb SATA in it. It is perfect. The only thing you have to do is formatt than duplicate the old drive on it.

ammosmoke · Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:49 pm

Cool, but it would need extra stuff to make it a pc though, like usb ports if there isn't some already. (Im not very familiar with TiVo's so I'm not sure.) And you need might need RAM. Again, Im not too familiar with TiVo's so I cant be sure. But, it would already have wireless capability, depending on the model, and it would have ports for a screen.

How much do those cost!
I want one!

Edit: Dang, spudstuff your signature is pretty sick/gross.

frankrede · Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:18 am

It has been done with less than promising results.
While xbox does have hig performance parts its is extremely difficult to do.
http://llamma.com/xbox/beowulf.htm

MisterSteve124 · Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:40 pm

Yeah I modded my xbox for halo. It was probably the best time I had playing halo ever. All people care about is their levels. Its just fun to hear them wine about how they are going to loose a level. But yeah you could probably do that pretty easily except it would be really slow unless you used more than one xbox. You can easily install a linux software mod so you can ftp your computer to your xbox.

Flying_Salt · Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:15 pm

In an issue of Popular Science a while ago they showed how to install the mod chip and stuff. I'll look around for that article.

MisterSteve124 · Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:54 pm

Yeah you can install a mod chip or use soft mod. Soft mods are great because no need to buy a chip or open up your xbox but then tend to get messed up a lot more. You just have to read up on your information before you go trying to install one. But they basically do the same thing.

ammosmoke · Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:29 pm

Ok, I've ALREADY read up and stuff, I've got a tutorial webpage by the linux project dudes for the xbox. I was just wondering if anyone here had actually done it, and whether they liked the results or not. I pretty much know how, I was just wondering if somebody had done it, and thought it was worth it.

SquishY · Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:35 am

I was working on making an Xbox into a pc, a few months ago. The controller ports are just a USB on the otherside giving a spot or mouse, keyboard, etc. but the application performance could be kinda crappy seeing as it does't have all that much ram and I wasn't going to be botherd with trying to upgrade it. This was going to be more of a novelty computer for just internet and some small programs to just be able to say "Look what I have".

MisterSteve124 · Fri Nov 17, 2006 4:08 pm

Well I have modded my xbox and you gan go on the internet with it and it was really cool. So I would just softmod your xbox and install a computer browser(I forget what its called) and just use a mouse and keyboard. If you actually convert it into a computer then like Squishy said you will be able to do next to nothing on it unless you use more than one or upgrade it because it only has like a 445mhs processor or something and not that much ram.

ammosmoke · Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:05 pm

Yeah, I knew that it didn't have that much RAM, but it is cheaper than buyin a computer, and RAM is cheap. I just wanted it to go on the internet, play some games, and best of all, with an emulator, I could still play xbox games. That was pretty much it.

SquishY · Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:12 am

I don't belive the RAM can be changed in an Xbox seeing as how its not a conventional motherboard, reminds me more of an old lap where only a few parts are really changeable.