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Modifying Microsoft logo bitmap in BIOS (no XBEs)

SylverReZ

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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3 hours ago, SylverReZ said:

I looked in the leak, and it seems like the logo is using some strange encoding algorithm.

Odd, I could have sworn that a while back, I saw a tutorial to both design a bitmap image with defaults described such as resolution, and how to inject it into what I believe was the X3 bios, but it should be the same location in every bios.

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Dempsey_86 Community Regular

Dempsey_86

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1 minute ago, Bowlsnapper said:

Odd, I could have sworn that a while back, I saw a tutorial to both design a bitmap image with defaults described such as resolution, and how to inject it into what I believe was the X3 bios, but it should be the same location in every bios.

This can be the case, if it was for the x3 chip you can replace the X3 logo where the microsoft normaly shows with some other logo. But the logo is stored and loaded from the hdd when the console boots. This isnt injected in the bios.

 

But what sylver want to change is the microsoft logo inside the bios itself without placing files on the hdd.

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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10 minutes ago, Dempsey_86 said:

This can be the case, if it was for the x3 chip you can replace the X3 logo where the microsoft normaly shows with some other logo. But the logo is stored and loaded from the hdd when the console boots. This isnt injected in the bios.

 

But what sylver want to change is the microsoft logo inside the bios itself without placing files on the hdd.

If it's only the X3, I don't remember an option to load a custom logo from the HDD. Maybe by default then if a file is present with the correct filename? Where have you seen this, so I can know what the deal is with that? I would like to know how it was done and why the MS and Xecuter logo is loaded from the bios, but a custom one is not. I've had drives be totally unformatted and the Xecuter logo still shows up. That isn't present on the HDD :) I know there was a way to inject it into the bios, but I'm unable to find it...

Edit. I am incorrect. Only research I can uncover is that the X2 bios did this with an .ini file at one point but it stopped being supported. And yes, it was on the HDD and linked to it in the .ini file.

 

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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1 minute ago, Dempsey_86 said:

I found some info here, I only dont know if this is also the case for X3, I thought it was but now Im not sure anymore. I never use the x3 bios, only cerbios.

@Bowlsnapper

 

Shit. I just posted that and a reddit post. :) Yes, you were correct. It was on the HDD and linked in the .ini file only for a couple bioses.

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SylverReZ Collaborator

SylverReZ

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On 8/23/2023 at 9:46 AM, Bowlsnapper said:

If it's only the X3, I don't remember an option to load a custom logo from the HDD. Maybe by default then if a file is present with the correct filename? Where have you seen this, so I can know what the deal is with that? I would like to know how it was done and why the MS and Xecuter logo is loaded from the bios, but a custom one is not. I've had drives be totally unformatted and the Xecuter logo still shows up. That isn't present on the HDD :) I know there was a way to inject it into the bios, but I'm unable to find it...

Edit. I am incorrect. Only research I can uncover is that the X2 bios did this with an .ini file at one point but it stopped being supported. And yes, it was on the HDD and linked to it in the .ini file.

 

I'm trying to modify the logo inside of the BIOS, not make an INI config file to locate a custom logo bitmap with the X3 BIOS.

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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1 minute ago, SylverReZ said:

I'm trying to modify the logo inside of the BIOS, not make an INI config file to locate a custom logo bitmap with the X3 BIOS.

Yes. I know what you would like to do. Unfortunately, the research I've done doesn't reveal a method to do so. Only HDD links to the X2 and Ind bios. :(

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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Edit:

Its e:\x3logo.bmp

and use the allxbox skins.

The file reqs are 150 x 80 pixels and 8 bit or something like that.

I don't remember the exacts at the moment, but thats shooting from the him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The x3 bios will look for it there. :) Make sure the resolution is how it's specified. Doesn't currently seem to be a method for modifying it as part of the bios, unless you can find a way to inject it.

https://www.xbox-hq.com/html/postt15889.html

 

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KaosEngineer Veteran

KaosEngineer

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On 8/22/2023 at 3:59 AM, SylverReZ said:

I would like to know if there's any way of extracting and then injecting a custom Microsoft logo into the Xbox BIOS, usually its "xboxkrnl.exe" I may be wrong.

Which BIOS/kernel version?

 

There are different tools for the various modified BIOSes available.

For example, logox2.  Here's its nfo file content:

xecutter2 logo changer for X2 bios 4979/4980/4981/4982/4983.
v.41 Beta version.

This is a command line program.

The logo can be a 24 bit bitmaps 100x17 (cf chips.bmp example) or raw type (8 bits pers pixels greyscale).
In the bios, the logo is compressed with a RLE algorithm. So a too complex logo will not hold in the bios.

Do not hesitate to report any problem in the french forum www.xbox-hacks.net (bios section).
or in the bios section of xbox-scene.com forums.

Happy customisation !

Chips/alg5

History:

0.41 : Accept more type of bmp.

0.4  : 1st version with GUI. Logo can be either raw or bmp.

0.3  : Image file needs to be bmp instead of raw.

0.21 : Correction of one bug: the logo was shifted by 1 pixel.

0.2  : Add support for X2 bios 4979, 4982, 4983.

0.1  : 1st release. Support for X2 bios 4980 & 4981.

Thanks to:
Team xecuter for their bios.
NghtShd for the bios pack/unpack code.
Caustik for the logo pack/unpack code.
Yoshihiro for starting me again on the subject and giving his findings.

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KaosEngineer Veteran

KaosEngineer

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On 8/22/2023 at 3:59 AM, SylverReZ said:

I would like to know if there's any way of extracting and then injecting a custom Microsoft logo into the Xbox BIOS, usually its "xboxkrnl.exe" I may be wrong.

Take a look at the following PDF file included with the homebrew xbox-scene bios tool application KernelBasher v1.0:

XBOX TEXT TUTORIAL.pdf

Edit: diomtec.com closed the legacy xbins mirror website. 

https://legacy.downloads.diomtec.com/mnt/downloads_ams3_01/old_downloadshomebrew/xbins/PC Based Applications/bios tools/KernelBasher/_old/KernelBasher_1.0.rar

Release 1.1 includes a Setup.exe file to install the application and its additional content:

https://legacy.downloads.diomtec.com/mnt/downloads_ams3_01/old_downloadshomebrew/xbins/PC Based Applications/bios tools/KernelBasher/KernelBasherV1.1.zip

However, there's a new site with the same content:

https://xbxbx.ams1.ppn.prutzel.com/?dir=xbins_xbox_mirror/PC Based Applications/bios tools/KernelBasher

_old subfolder for the v1.0 and v1.0b versions of KernelBasher and the one listed above has the v1.1 version.

On my WIndows 10 PC, running the application complains about a missing DLL file: MFC71.dll.  It can be downloaded from DLL‑files.com.  Extract the content from the downloaded ZIP file then copy MFC71.DLL to KernelBasher v1.1's installation directory:

  • C:\Program Files (x86)\KernelBasher\

This application only works for a limited set of modified Xbox BIOSes.

 

 

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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27 minutes ago, KaosEngineer said:

Take a look at the following PDF file included with the homebrew xbox-scene bios tool application KernelBasher v1.0:

XBOX TEXT TUTORIAL.pdf 77.72 kB · 0 downloads

https://legacy.downloads.diomtec.com/mnt/downloads_ams3_01/old_downloadshomebrew/xbins/PC Based Applications/bios tools/KernelBasher/_old/KernelBasher_1.0.rar

Release 1.1 includes a Setup.exe file to install the application and its additional content:

https://legacy.downloads.diomtec.com/mnt/downloads_ams3_01/old_downloadshomebrew/xbins/PC Based Applications/bios tools/KernelBasher/KernelBasherV1.1.zip

On my WIndows 10 PC, running the application complains about a missing DLL file: MFC71.dll.  It can be downloaded from mfc71.dll free download | DLL‑files.com (dll-files.com).  Extract the file from the downloaded ZIP file then copy it to KernelBasher v1.1's installation directory:

  • C:\Program Files (x86)\KernelBasher\

Now THAT'S an answer. Leave it to Kaos man. Thank you!

So am I correct that it only works for ind and x2? Wouldn't this be at the same address as any other bios, and could theoretically be injected into it? X3, Cerbios, etc?

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KaosEngineer Veteran

KaosEngineer

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18 hours ago, Bowlsnapper said:

Now THAT'S an answer. Leave it to Kaos man. Thank you!

So am I correct that it only works for ind and x2? Wouldn't this be at the same address as any other bios, and could theoretically be injected into it? X3, Cerbios, etc?

Some Team Xecuter X2 BIOSes (4981 and 4983 - KernelBasher v1.1. The v1.0 release supported a few more older X2 BIOS releases.) and Evox BIOSes (M7 and M8, not sure about M8plus).  Addresses to the image must be built into the program. Each BIOS's size is a bit different so the addresses between different versions most likely change. 

From KernelBasher v1.1's README.TXT file:

Instructions
Launch kernelbasher and open the bios you wish to edit. ,M7 & M8 are supported in this release, Make Changes and then select SaveAs, choose and name and click save. Unless you open a recognised bios you wont be able to use any of the options. As always dont run the same bios through the program twice else you'll get unexpected results.
 

IIRC, ind-bios has its own method in load a different image from the hard drive - no injection needed.

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SylverReZ Collaborator

SylverReZ

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On 8/27/2023 at 3:12 PM, KaosEngineer said:

Some Team Xecuter X2 BIOSes (4981 and 4983 - KernelBasher v1.1. The v1.0 release supported a few more older X2 BIOS releases.) and Evox BIOSes (M7 and M8, not sure about M8plus).  Addresses to the image must be built into the program. Each BIOS's size is a bit different so the addresses between different versions most likely change. 

From KernelBasher v1.1's README.TXT file:

Instructions
Launch kernelbasher and open the bios you wish to edit. ,M7 & M8 are supported in this release, Make Changes and then select SaveAs, choose and name and click save. Unless you open a recognised bios you wont be able to use any of the options. As always dont run the same bios through the program twice else you'll get unexpected results.
 

IIRC, ind-bios has its own method in load a different image from the hard drive - no injection needed.

I'll check that out. Thank you :D

 

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Bowlsnapper Grand Master

Bowlsnapper

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4 hours ago, ShinGoutetsu said:

I used to mess with x2 bios's but only changing the xbox text, been a while since I've done it though. All in bios, x2 4981 so no config files

Screenshot_20240130_181922_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20240130_181750_Gallery.jpg

The "Demon" one looks SICK.

 

4 hours ago, nikeymikey said:

Seeing as there seems to be some confusion about x3 in this thread, I can confirm that the X3 bios lets you change the MS logo, it just needs the file on the HDD C root. I currently have a Nike Swoosh on my X3 system :)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the X2 does the logo by embedding in the bios and the X3 uses a file on C (if present), correct?

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Zerg Explorer

Zerg

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5 hours ago, ShinGoutetsu said:

I used to mess with x2 bios's but only changing the xbox text, been a while since I've done it though. All in bios, x2 4981 so no config files

Screenshot_20240130_181922_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20240130_181750_Gallery.jpg

Can this be accomplished with the X3 bios? I have changed the M$ logo beneath the "XBOX" text, but never the text like that. Is this an X2 exclusive feature?

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ShinGoutetsu Collaborator

ShinGoutetsu

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4 hours ago, Zerg said:

Can this be accomplished with the X3 bios? I have changed the M$ logo beneath the "XBOX" text, but never the text like that. Is this an X2 exclusive feature?

There are tools to edit the bios and inject a .x file in place of the text for the x2 bios, I don't know about the x3 bios though.

The .x files were created in 3dsmax.

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nikeymikey Proficient

nikeymikey

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14 hours ago, nikeymikey said:

Seeing as there seems to be some confusion about x3 in this thread, I can confirm that the X3 bios lets you change the MS logo, it just needs the file on the HDD C root. I currently have a Nike Swoosh on my X3 system :)

Also for further clarification... 

 

https://www.xbox-hq.com/html/xbox-tutorials-251.html

Here's an excellent use for it too. 

 

 

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