Xbox-Linux

There are numerous Linux distributions, which are installed on the Xbox. Xbox Linux is the name of a special distribution that can be installed on the Xbox. Xbox Linux is frequently used as a generic term for various other runnable on the Xbox Linux distributions. The corresponding distributions have been adapted to the special conditions of the hardware game console Xbox. According customized Linux distributions can be installed on any Xbox after minor modifications.

History

The end of 2001 launched by the German developer group H Zero Seven as a project in mid-2002, the Xbox - Linux could be brought with the help of an Xbox mod chips on the Xbox up and running despite similar TCPA security architecture. This was a full-fledged computer game console. A vulnerability even a so-called softmod is possible since August 2003, ie the use of the operating system without such a chip. The softmod concerns both a modification of the hard drive and the flash memory that can be overwritten.

At a media frenzy occurred in 2002 when Michael Robertson, founder of mp3.com and Lindows.com to that, U.S. $ 200,000 promised the would get the first run Linux on the Xbox for, after which the original founders because of the commercial background and various GPL violations by Robertson's company left the project. The co- founder Michael Steil led the project to the final success further.

Using USB adapters keyboard and mouse are connected.

By using the Wine program Microsoft Office products as well as other Windows programs can be used with the VMware emulation program it is possible to have Windows versions run on the Xbox. The Xbox 128- MB of memory is this an advantage over the 64- MB version. Since the hardware of the Xbox is identical to that of a PC, the Xbox hardware can be upgraded to some degree. Particularly often the existing hard disk is replaced with a larger one.

Distributions

Gentoox is a specially customized for the Xbox version of Gentoo. In contrast to the normal installation of Gentoo that requires little better knowledge of Linux, Gentoox can even be installed "out of the box". This saves a lot of time, since the packets are no longer compiled and configured but really only need to be transmitted.

Gentoo for Xbox was in contrast to Gentoox not specifically adapted but only contains an extended profile which is tailored to meet the hardware requirements for the Xbox. The packages will be compiled by the Xbox and the configuration of the applications is like in a Gentoo on the PC.

Xebian is a special version of Debian for the Xbox. It can be installed on a spare partition or the partition of Scores. Xebian can also be used as Live-CD/DVD.

The modification of Ubuntu for the Xbox called XUbuntu. This name is now also used but for Ubuntu with XFCE.

In addition there are customized versions of Fedora and Slackware and many more.

Xbox and Safety

In the 22C3 CCC a lecture ( ) on the safety of the Xbox and the Xbox 360 was held. Among other things, 17 security flaws were discovered that made it only possible to install Linux on the Xbox.