Xbox SoftMOD

Softmod is also a term used to refer to modifying a Xbox without the use of a mod chip. Software modding is much less intrusive, and only involves running software exploits to trick the Xbox into running unsigned program code. This allows running an alternate dashboard such as [UIX], Avalaunch, Evolution-X or UnleashX and in turn makes playing original (free) homebrew games or various older games through arcade and console game emulators possible.

This is especially attractive as the Xbox is designed to output to TVs, and high-quality controllers and arcade sticks are available for it.

Softmods for Xbox include a font exploit installed through exploits in savegame code for MechAssault, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and 007: Agent Under Fire which allows an additional option to be added to the Xbox Dashboard, usually for booting Linux.

The Font-hack works by exploiting a buffer overflow in the Xbox font loader which is part of the dashboard. However, since the Xbox requires the clock to be valid and the dashboard itself is where you set the clock there is problem if the RTC backup capacitor discharges. The Xbox will detect that the clock isn't set and therefore force the dashboard to be loaded which then promptly reboots due to the buffer overflow exploit. Upon restarting, the Xbox detects the clock is invalid and the process repeats. Later font exploits, Über Xbe Exploit (UXE) and nDure do not suffer from the clock loop problem.but this time in a index file used in the custom soundtrack system. The exploit is triggered by going into the audio menu which avoids the problem with the font exploit. However, there are rumors that certain audio hacks may cause the custom sound track function in some Xbox games to no longer be usable, and there are rumors to the contrary. Audio Hacks are mostly outdated as Microsoft has made efforts to obsolete such exploits, the version of dashboard that was used for the audio-hack will not even load on newer Xboxes. The Audio hack is also vunerable to dashboard updates from Xbox Live or original Xbox Games.

An alternative to softmodding is to actually reprogram the onboard flash chip in older revisions of the have been shorted, it is possible to overwrite the stock BIOS with a modified one by using one of the gamesave exploits. However, Microsoft is more easily able to detect such softmodding due to the inability to disable the modified BIOS and also will ban the user's Xboxes (not their accounts) from Xbox Live.

Softmod Xbox Tutorial For Mech Assault, and 007 Agent Under Fire

Download the linux file for what game you have
They have to be one of the classics of the following-
(MechAssault)
(SplinterCell)
(007AgentUnderFire)
NOTE: CANNOT BE PLATINUM HIT OR IT WONT WORK!!!
You need Action Replay to transfer the Linux file
Start up what game you have, and find "Xbox Hard Disk" or "Run Linux" (which is usually under campaign or load mission)
Follow instructions that the softmod gives you:
Click "Install Softmod"
Click "Step 1: Virtual EEPROM"
After thats done
Click "Step 2: Virtual C" (that takes a while)
When it's done, it should restart the game
Choose "Xbox Hard Disk" or "Run Linux" again
When it asks you which nkpatcher to choose, choose .67 (bottom)
I personally chose EvolutionX (EvoX) as my mod
You don't have to read everything tells you, just press A
After it has finished installing, take out the disk and restart you xbox with no disk in it.