Dashboard Installation

There are a variety of dashboards available for original Xboxes. If your console is not already modded, head to our Getting Started guide first. Once it is modded, you may find yourself wanting to change its default system menu.

Quick Steps (Softmods)

• If you're not sure whether your softmod was set up by one of Rocky5's installers, download his Quick Upgrade.zip package and follow the steps in the included readme.
• With a Rocky5 installation your console uses Dashloader to locate your dashboard. Copy the files for your new dash into a folder where Dashloader will find it: you might put XBMC4Gamers into E:\XBMC4Gamers for eg.
• If Dashloader continues to launch your old dash, then install Dashloader Customiser into your apps folder and use that to specify the exact XBE file you want it to use.

If you mess up and your console can no longer directly boot to a regular dash at all, remember that you can hold Start + Y on boot to enter Rocky5's recovery dash. This can attempt to fix the issue for you on its own, but if it fails, you can alternatively hold Y while it's running to reveal an IP you can use for File Transfer Protocol (FTP) access.

Quick Steps (Hardmods)

• Copy the files for your new dash into a folder where Dashloader will find it: eg, you might put XBMC4Gamers into E:\XBMC4Gamers. If you instead want to use an alternate location that Dashloader would not normally check, then create a text file with the full XBE path written into it (eg E:\Applications\XBMC4Gamers\default.xbe), and save that text file as C:\Dashloader\Custom_Dash.cfg.
• Place the hardmod edition of Dashloader on your drive as C:\evoxdash.xbe. Note that you should not attempt to do this while actively running your old dashboard, if there's any chance your old dash install is already making use of that file. For eg, instead use FATXplorer, or File Transfer Protocol (FTP) in through PrometheOS, or manually launch your new dash and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) in through that.
• After putting Dashloader's main executable into place, if you subsequently want to change your boot dash again later you can install Dashloader Customiser into your apps folder and run that to specify the exact XBE file you want loaded.

If you mess up and your console can no longer directly boot to a dash at all, then if you're using a modchip with PrometheOS or a similar interface you should still be able to enter it by starting your console using its eject button, thus regaining File Transfer Protocol (FTP) access. Otherwise you'll need to boot a homebrewed dash from a burned DVD for FTP, or you'll need to swap your HDD into a PC so you can re-organise your files with FATXplorer instead.

Managing Files

There are a number of ways to manipulate the files on an Xbox hard disk drive.

As a general rule, it's a bad idea to delete or copy over a program while actively running that program, as files in use may fail to be modified.

• FATXplorer allows for a HDD connected to a PC running Windows 7 SP1 or later to be read or written to through Windows Explorer. It can also format new drives from scratch, and once you've backed up a copy of your system's EEPROM, it can furthermore manage your drive's locking status. Since FATXplorer can still be launched through your PC even if you accidentally render your Xbox HDD unbootable, it's the safest way to proceed.
• XboxHDM is an older tool that allows a PC to write batches of files to an Xbox drive. Unlike FATXplorer, it doesn't offer reading functionality, however it can be used by older PCs which may not be able to run the modernised tool. It can either be booted directly (v1.x, supporting PATA interfaces only), or launched within Windows through a VM (v2.x, additionally supporting disks connected through USB adapters).
• A modded console can run an File Transfer Protocol (FTP) service to allow management of its disk through its Ethernet socket. Most homebrew dashboards automatically start offering FTP access as soon as they launch. Some high-end Modchips can launch special firmware-based menus that also offer FTP - for example, XeniumOS for Xenium chips. When managing boot files, FTP is safer for hardmods rather than softmods, since hardmodded consoles can always boot a dashboard from DVD to recover if mistakes are made on the HDD. On the other hand, messing up the file system structure of a softmodded machine may softbrick it, after which the HDD will most likely need to be connected to a PC for repair through FATXplorer.
• Most dashboards offer their own on-screen file managers. UnleashX and XBMC are each able to access other FTP servers, which is useful if you want to copy files directly from other consoles on the same local area network.
• Xplorer360 was popular as a graphical tool for reading from or writing to Xbox drives through Windows, but it suffers from bugs which may lead to file system corruption. It's no longer recommended.
• Chimp allows an Xbox to clone its own drive structure to a new HDD. It requires a hotswap operation, which comes with a risk of hardbricking your equipment, but can be handy for softmodded users who wish to install a new drive without making use of a PC.

Installation Locations

Xbox executables use XBE file extensions and are functionally quite similar to EXE files. Dashboards, games, emulators, etc - they all launch through XBEs. Setting up a new dash to load on start up is largely just a matter of copying its executable and accompanying files to your disk, and then reconfiguring your mod to launch that new executable.

In times past, dashboard files were usually placed directly onto the root of the C volume, mixing their files in with whichever others happened to be there. As dashboards have become larger and more complex over time, it's now usually best to create specific folders for them with appropriate titles, placed onto either the root of C or one of the console's other partitions.

For example, you might extract XBMC4Gamers into E:\XBMC4Gamers, resulting in an executable path of E:\XBMC4Gamers\default.xbe.

Smaller dashboards (eg UnleashX) may fit into C, but those which cache their own thumbnails (eg XBMC) may run out of space there. The Microsoft Dashboard does require its content files and subfolders to be placed on to the root of C, and will attempt to load them from there regardless as to where its executable file is launched from.

E offers a lot more room, but if this partition is overloaded then many programs will cease to function. It's also the dedicated volume for game saves, updates, and DLCs. Aim to leave at least 100MB free there at all times.

Some stock Xbox hard drives have approximately 2GB of space left over which can be allocated to create a small extended F volume. Aftermarket HDDs will usually have a lot more space assigned to F, and possibly some to G as well. You may fill these volumes with whatever content you like.

XBMC-Emustation installations may become very large, potentially including dozens of gigs worth of emulators, preview media, and of course ROMs. This dashboard in particular is best suited to a well-sized F or G.

Changing Your Startup File (Softmods)

On start up, an Xbox running stock firmware will either launch D:\default.xbe from the optical drive (starting a game, if a valid retail Xbox disc is inserted), or otherwise C:\xboxdash.xbe (starting the Microsoft Dashboard menu application from the internal HDD). Without mods, third-party executables put in place of the stock dashboard's XBE will be rejected by the system's DRM mechanisms, resulting in a crash to a service screen (displaying either error 13, 14, or 16).

A softmodded console has patches its font files, exploiting the original dashboard into patching the kernel each time C:\xboxdash.xbe is launched (or possibly into loading a brand new kernel, depending on the softmod in use). Control is passed to some other XBE. Many older softmods simply switch off to C:\evoxdash.xbe.

With a system configured by Rocky5's Xbox Softmodding Tool, by default Dashloader will load the first dashboard it can find on your system. Prior to adding any other dashboards to your console, this file will be C:\Dashboard\default.xbe - a copy of UnleashX included with the softmodding tool. Other dashboards can simply be dropped into folders on your drive, and if placed where Dashloader expects them to be, it'll automatically load them instead of the default dash. Alternatively, Dashloader Customiser can also be copied to your drive and used to select a specific executable for Dashloader to boot, as well as to assign other executables to your controller buttons.

If you're not already using a softmod with Dashloader (or if you're simply not sure), start out by copying the files from Rocky5's Quick Upgrade.zip over to your console and running it in order to switch. Note that this will re-write your C partition, so back up the contents first if you feel it holds anything of value.

If you're currently unable to run software from your Xbox hard drive at all (eg say you broke your file system, or you're wanting to set up a new disk from scratch), use FATXplorer to totally clear any data from C and then to place the files from Rocky5's XBHDM Build.zip there instead. If you're working with a new drive, remember to use FATXplorer's Security Tools panel to enable Drive Locking - for which you'll need the HDD key from your EEPROM backup.

Changing Your Startup File (Hardmods)

Hardmodded consoles (which have either had their TSOP flashed or a modchip installed) boot directly into a modded state using custom firmware, and are then able to immediately launch third-party executables without first loading any exploit files. Replacement BIOSes usually first check the optical drive for D:\default.xbe (attempting to start a game disc in the same manner as stock firmware does), but if no bootable disc is present then they'll follow on through a list of other possible dashboard locations on the HDD. Whichever file happens to be found first gets launched.

The lists of sought executables vary from BIOS to BIOS - however, in most all cases C:\evoxdash.xbe is at or near the top, and C:\xboxdash.xbe is at or near the bottom. If you have a hardmodded console and C:\evoxdash.xbe exists on your drive, then it's most probable that this is the file your BIOS will be launching for you. Note that it isn't necessarily the EvolutionX dashboard's executable - other dashboards often have their executables renamed to use the same title, as a simple way to ensure that most every BIOS will be able to find them.

If you wish to change your default boot path, one option is to reconfigure your BIOS. Another is to set up a shortcut application to start your dashboard from a different location instead.

BIOS Configuration

Depending on which BIOS you're using, reconfiguration may require you to reflash your TSOP or Modchip - for eg, an EvoX BIOS needs to be tweaked through the PC-based EVtool application and then re-written into your firmware chip. If you *are* presently using such a BIOS, then since you'll be reflashing anyway you might consider switching to CerBIOS, which reads boot path settings from an INI kept on your console's HDD.

The following table lists the default dash pathes searched by later versions of few common BIOS types. Paths may vary for earlier versions. Most BIOSes can be expected to fall back to C:\xboxdash.xbe if none of the "configured" paths lead to an actual file.

* The final BIOS supported by XBtool is the X2 4981 release. The X2 4983 cannot be reconfigured.

Using Dashloader with a Hardmod

Instead of reconfiguring your BIOS to check through a different list of pathes, you may instead place the hardmod version of Dashloader at one of the pre-configured locations (eg C:\evoxdash.xbe). Actual dashboards can then be dropped into folders on your drive, and if found where Dashloader expects them to be they'll be launched automatically. Dashloader Customiser can also be copied to your drive and used to select a specific executable for Dashloader to boot, as well as to assign other executables to your controller buttons.

Installing Other Software

Once you've selected and installed your dashboard of choice, you'll also want to install some other applications for your dashboard to launch for you. Copying them to folders on your hard drive is easy enough, but exactly how you reconfigure your dashboard to list them depends on the particular dash you're working with.

Fortunately, many dashboards are pre-configured to look for other programs in certain locations, and if you're aware of where these are then you shouldn't need to spend much time looking at config files.

Retail Xbox game discs each include a default.xbe file on their root. When placed into your console's DVD (D) drive, the system looks for D:\default.xbe and launches it. Due to this convention, homebrew dashboards likewise expect any other programs copied to your Xbox HDD to use a file titled default.xbe as their main executable. Some programs, homebrew in particular, may be downloaded with different XBE titles: it's fine to rename these so that your dashboard can find them.

If you wish to install Xbox game disc images from your PC, Repackinator can largely automate this process for you, setting them up through either File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or FATXplorer. For game discs that you own yourself, DVD2Xbox allows an Xbox to dump them directly to its own hard drive.

For manual installation, software should then be placed into subfolders on E, F, or G like so:

• Retail games should be placed into Games.
• Homebrew games should be placed into Homebrew or Ports.
• Emulators should be placed into Emulators.
• Demo disc dumps (eg Official Xbox Magazine disc images) should be placed into Demos.
• Other utitilies (including dashboards, if you want them to be listed in the menus of other dashboards) should be placed into Apps or Applications.

Using these folder structures will not only ensure that most dashboards will be able to find your software "out of the box", but it will also enable the Xbox Artwork Installer to find them automatically as well.

For example, a simple layout might look something like:

   💽F
   └📁Games
    ├📁Fable TLC
    │├📄default.xbe
    │└📄other game files...
    └📁Halo 2
     ├📄default.xbe
     └📄other game files...
   💽G
   └📁Games
    └📁Time Splitters 3
     ├📄default.xbe
     └📄other game files...

A standard dashboard such as UnleashX would then be expected to present a single "Games" menu listing Fable, Halo 2, and Time Splitters 3 together. Note that most dashboards will also read game titles from within default.xbe files - the names of the folders your individual games are stored in usually won't have any impact on how your final menu will appear. Some dashboards, such as UnleashX or XBMC, also offer functions allowing you to edit the titles embedded into XBEs.

The Microsoft Dashboard is a tripping point, since it needs to load its content files from the root of the C volume. If you want it to be listed within another dashboard's menu system, then that dashboard will need to be specifically configured to find its C:\xboxdash.xbe executable file.

Fortunately again, most dashboards are already configured to do this by default and will offer a dedicated "MS Dash" link somewhere within their front menu structure. A "catch all" workaround for those dashboards which are not configured this way is to copy C:\xboxdash.xbe to E:\Applications\MS Dash\default.xbe. Note that the other files which make up the MS dash still need to exist on C - but so long as they're sitting in their usual location, launching the copied MS dash executable from another volume will work just fine.

CerBIOS BFM

Some users may wish to make use of the CerBIOS custom firmware package (which allows for larger hard drives than most other kernels, as well as support for compressed image mounting), but they may not have the means to flash it into a firmware chip. For example, 1.6 systems lack a flashable TSOP, and without the purchase and installation of a modchip are limited to softmods. Some cheaper modchips also can't be rewritten without the use of external hardware, meaning some unlucky hardmodders will still find it difficult to flash new firmware.

Fortunately, whether softmodded or hardmodded, if reflashing is a problem then it's easy to load a BFM (Boot From Media) version of CerBIOS from the HDD instead, and to have CerBIOS load your dashboard afterwards. The following instructions describe how to set up a BFM BIOS loader to run automatically on boot.

CerBIOS BFM (Softmods)

1. If you haven't already, use one of Rocky5's installers to softmod your system in one of the usual ways:
   1. If you're starting with a stock console, use the regular Xbox Softmodding Tool.zip download.
   2. If you're starting with an older softmod already installed, use the Quick Upgrade.zip variant.
   3. If you're preparing a new disk from scratch, use the XBHDM Build.zip installer variant. If >2TB, you should specifically use FATXplorer to format it for use with CerBIOS, but otherwise stick with the option for LBA-extending BIOSes with partition table support. Either way, do not attempt to resize the C or E volumes away from their default capacities.
2. If you haven't already, backup your EEPROM data to your PC!
3. If you haven't already, use Rocky5's Extras Disc to install the Microsoft Dashboard. Note that you may optionally launch an image of this disc from your HDD without burning it by following the instructions in the Documents and Extras folders.
4. Rocky5 makes use of NKpatcher to enable a feature called ShadowC on your system, which mounts the virtual partition containing your complete Microsoft Dashboard installation in place of the real C partition which contains your softmod files. This virtual disk won't be available whenever CerBIOS is loaded over the top of your NKpatcher-modified BIOS, and since the associated image file consumes nearly all of the space available on your real C volume, you'll want to extract your desired homebrew dash to a folder on E or F instead. For example, you might place XBMC4Gamers into E:\XBMC4Gamers.
5. Obtain a copy of CerBIOS and extract it to a folder on your PC. Both a flashable and a BFM copy of the firmware package will be included in the archive. Copy the Pheonix Bios Loader (sic) folder to your Xbox disk somewhere (feel free to rename this folder if you wish). Placing it alongside the MS dash files inside your virtual C partition is fine, or you might like to put it into your applications directory on another volume.
   1. If you're using CerBIOS 2 or earlier, place the cerbios.ini file included in your download on the root of C. Note that it'll need to go into your real C partition, not ShadowC. To access the correct volume, either launch the NKpatcher Settings application and connect over File Transfer Protocol (FTP) while it's running, or connect your disk to a PC and use FATXplorer to manage it.
   2. If you're using CerBIOS 3 or later, place the CerBIOS folder included in your download (which contains cerbios.ini) on the root of E.
6. Modify the dash path value within your cerbios.ini to point to your homebrewed dashboard XBE (Xbox executable file).
7. Launch the default.xbe file within your Pheonix Bios Loader directory and verify that the dashboard you specified within cerbios.ini starts correctly. You should also notice that your virtual C partition isn't mounted.
8. To have your console automatically load CerBIOS on boot, reboot to temporarily unload it again, then download and install Dashloader Customiser to your console. Launch it and set PBL's default.xbe file as your "custom dash" or "override" option (to be automatically started on boot). Additionally set the Microsoft dashboard executable, C:\xboxdash.xbe, to a controller button. You should furthermore assign Dashloader Customiser's own executable to a controller button as well.
9. Press Start to save and exit Dashloader Customiser. On the next boot, your softmod will start Dashloader, Dashloader will start PBL, PBL will load CerBIOS, and CerBIOS will start your preferred dashboard. Should you need to start the MS dash, holding the controller button you assigned it to will prevent CerBIOS from being loaded, allowing the stock menu system to be launched from ShadowC.

DO NOT simply extract the MS dash to your true C partition! This action will break your softmod, reverting your system to stock!

CerBIOS BFM (Hardmods)

You should either use FATXplorer for all file operations here, or you should FTP in while running a dashboard that is located outside of your C partition.

1. If you're setting up a new hard drive, first use FATXplorer to format it. If >2TB then you should specifically format it for use with CerBIOS, but otherwise stick with the option for LBA-extending BIOSes with partition table support. Either way, do not attempt to resize the C or E volumes away from their default capacities.
2. Extract your desired dashboard to a folder on either C, E, or F. If you wish to have the Microsoft Dashboard as well, extract its files directly to the root of C.
3. Obtain a copy of CerBIOS and extract it to a folder on your PC. Both a flashable and a BFM copy of the firmware package will be included in the archive. Copy the contents of the Pheonix Bios Loader (sic) folder to the root of your C partition. Rename C:\default.xbe to C:\evoxdash.xbe.
   1. If you're using CerBIOS 2 or earlier, place the cerbios.ini file included in your download on the root of C.
   2. If you're using CerBIOS 3 or later, place the CerBIOS folder included in your download (which contains cerbios.ini) on the root of E.
4. Modify the dash path value within your cerbios.ini to point to your homebrewed dashboard XBE (Xbox executable file).
5. On the next boot, your modchip's BIOS will start PBL, PBL will load CerBIOS, and CerBIOS will start your preferred dashboard for you.