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This FAQ is a work in progress.
Many answers will be "not yet"…we hope that those will eventually turn into "yes!"
General:
Q: Isn't the Xbox just a PC?
A: No, it's not. It uses PC parts but there are many difference between the Xbox and a PC that stand in the way of hacking it.
Q: How do I open up my Xbox?
A: There are four torx screws under the rubber feet on the bottom. There are two more torx screws under the stickers. Be aware that removing these stickers and disassembling your Xbox VOIDS YOUR WARRANTY!
Q: Can the Xbox play Playstation 2 or GameCube games?
A: Not now, and very likely not ever. But only fools say "never," so I'll just say extremely unlikely.
Q: Will there be emulators for Xbox?
A: Likely so. There is already a port of MAME in existence, but it hasn't been released to the public. Other emulators are, as far as I know, just rumors at this point. First, we must discover how to run unsigned code.
Q: Where can I get emulators for Xbox?
A: You can't get them right now.
Q: Is there a DivX player for Xbox?
A: Not yet.
Q: Can't we use brute force to crack the Xbox's various encryption methods?
A: No, highly unlikely, read up on encryption. We don't know a lot about the specifics of Microsoft's encryption schemes right now, but you can bet they didn't choose any short keys. They've gone to a lot of trouble to make this thing difficult to crack and it would be quite a surprise if they left this as an easy out. XDK / SDK
Q: What is it?
A: This is a set of tools that let developers use to design and create games for the Xbox. However, developers use special hardware in conjunction with these special software tools to write games for the Xbox.
Q: How do I obtain the SDK?
A: Only Microsoft-licensed developers are given the developer kits.
Q: Can you tell me where I can get the SDK, I heard you can download it?
A: No, I cannot tell you where to download it (and don't ask in the forums either). Some parts seem to have been leaked without the permission of Microsoft and they don't look kindly upon that kind of thing.
Q: What can I do with the SDK?
A: Nothing.
Video:
Q: Where can I buy a VGA adapter for the Xbox?
A: You can't buy a true VGA adapter for Xbox UPDATED: You can now buy a true VGA adapter for Xbox. Kgasper sells one, as does Digital-X. There are also plans in the resources section for building your own. Microsoft has no plans to release one in the future. There are other converters that let you play on your monitor (such as the one from Lik-Sang) but these are not true VGA adapters meaning you don't get the full benefits of the quality of VGA.
BIOS:
Q: Has anyone plugged in a keyboard and tried to enter the BIOS setup?
A: No, it doesn't work this way! This isn't a PC and there is no "BIOS setup" screen! DVD/Media
Q: Can I burn games onto DVD-Rs/DVD-RWs/DVD+RWs? Can I burn games onto CD-Rs/CD-RWs?
A: No. If someone says you can they are lying. Don't believe it. Things could change, but most likely it is not true. Xbox games have some sophisticated anti-piracy measures. Some people want to back up games, but shame on you if you want to pirate them. Buy your games!
Q: Why don't my burned music CD-Rs work in the Xbox?
A: Xbox does not support CD-R media. However, some seem to work anyway. CD-RWs are supported.
Q: Can I play DVDs without the DVD kit?
A: Not now. Possibly later with software hacks. But for now it is required.
Q: Can I put the Xbox DVD drive in my PC?
A: Not yet.
Q: Can I replace the DVD drive in my Xbox?
A: Not yet.
Q: Can Xbox play a Data CD full of mp3/wma files?
A: No. Eventually software hacks may be developed for Xbox to allow this.
Q: Can I play VCDs?
A: This is a tough one. For the most part the answer is "no." There is some DVD authoring software out there that lets you write a movie onto a CD that a DVD player can read. Some people claim success with such software, but I cannot confirm that it works.
Q: Why do my DVD movies have bad visual quality, specifically why do they go light and then dark constantly?
A: This is due to Macrovision copy protection. Don't plug your Xbox through your VCR, plug it directly into your TV or tuner.
Hard Drive:
Q: How big is the Xbox hard drive?
A: The Xbox hard drive is 8GB.
Q: I heard there are two different HDDs, an 8GB and a 10GB, is this true?
A: Yes, however the extra space doesn't help you, it just sits there unused (as far as we know now)
Q: How can I tell which HDD model is in my Xbox?
A: Open it up and void the warranty.
Q: Can I upgrade my hard drive to a larger/faster unit?
A: Not yet.
Q: What do I need to upgrade my Xbox's IDE cable?
A: UPDATED: There is uncertainty as to how this really affects performance. CD rip speeds are not affected, however it is not really possible to make an accurate measurement of in-game performance. (see xbill's test data in the resources section). An "uncut" ATA-66/ATA-100 cable. (no cut wires, some ATA-100 cables have a cut wire in the ribbon)
Q: What benefit does swapping out the ATA-33 cable for an ATA-100 cable offer?
A: At this time, there is a slight improvement in music-ripping speed with a new cable but not really any noticeable game speed increases.
USB:
Q: Are the ports on the Xbox really USB?
A: Yes, but there is an extra pin and the shape is different. It is not quite the same as PC USB.
Q: Can I plug a PC keyboard/mouse into the Xbox?
A: No, the games are not written to take advantage of these devices.
Q: Can I use the Xbox controller on my PC?
A: Not just yet, but drivers are being developed. Check out Mr Xpad's page.
Networking:
Q: How do I change my Xbox's "name"?
A: So far, people have had success in changing their Xbox's "name" by starting new games with different player names in several games or by getting high scores. We are unsure why this happens. UPDATED: See the resources section for more info on the "name."
Q: How do I play online with a 56K modem?
A: Online gaming only works with a broadband connection, a modem can't handle the necessary amount of data to play current games online.
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