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I managed to get exact same dashboard as before (from the AID 4.5 disc) - however, I have just recently switched to the EvolutionX Dash.  Everything else is exactly the same (Kernel is same as before) but it is at least working.  Now to find a suitable BIOS to upgrade to, as you say, that's another matter :-)  Thanks again to all for the excellent support!

 

 

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  • 5 months later...

Hi Rocky. I have installed the Xbox Softmoding Tool for the first time in a stock Xbox. This Xbox has never been opened and has never softmoded. I've downloaded the source code from GitHub and softmoded the console (used TH4 PAL save), no problems, nice and easy.

 

I have not installed anything else besides your softmod (I have not installed the MS dash, I have not installed any games, I have not installed any applications, I have installed nothing). I have some feedback and some requests for future updates:

1 - When in PAL Video Region, I can't find any place to change between PAL and PAL60. I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time... for example, if I turn On the Xbox with a game disc in the tray, UnleashX won't be loaded before the game and the the UnleashX options won't affect the game. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

2 - When in NTSC Video Region, I can't find any place where I can choose between 480i or 480p or 720p or 1080i. In NKPatcher Setting there is an option to Force Progressive, but it doesn't let me choose a resolution, and I don't want to Force Progressive, I just want to use progressive if that is supported by the software. Once again, I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

3 - I can't find any place to change between Widescreen Yes or No. And once again, I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

4 - I really like your UnleashX skins (this includes your three main dashboard Skins, your NKPatcher Settings dashboard Skin, your Backup/Restore Dashboards dashboard skin, and all other skins made by you and used in various places for various reasons). There is only one small thing, the Selected Item has the same colour (yellow) as some of other elements (for example, in NKPatcher Settings, the "Press L + R + Back + Black to leave" is in the same yellow as the Selected Item... sometimes I find myself believing that the "Press L + R + Back + Black to leave" is the Selected Item and I press Up on the Dpad but nothing changes, only after a few moments do I remember that the Selected Item is not the "Press L + R + Back + Black to leave" and that I was pressing the Dpad in the wrong direction). Is it possible for you to change these colours in your Skins (for example, using light yellow for some things and dark yellow for other things)?

5 - Just like I said before, your three main dashboard Skins are really nice, but there are some informations that I find important and that are missing: the CPU and MB Temperatures (these let me know when should I change thermal paste and fan speed) and the E, F and G Memory (these allow me to easily decide which partition should I use to place something). Is it possible for you to add these informations to your main dashboard Skins? If not the E, F and G Memory, please at least consider adding the CPU and MB Temperatures.

6 - If possible, another thing that I would like to see in your three main dashboard Skins is: when the Selected Item is something with an Icon/Preview, I would like to see that Icon/preview, even if it's small (for example, the NKPatcher Settings has an icon, and when I use the Dpad to select the NKPatcher Settings, I would like to see that icon).

7 - One final thing about your main dashboard, it's not important, just something that I think it would be nice to see... on the Loading screen, I would like to see what is the software that is being loaded. For example, if I'm in your main dashboard and I choose to go to NKPatcher Settings, in the Loading screen I would like to see that it's opening NKPatcher Settings XBE or something like that.

 

You might not agree with some of my requests, and that's fine. Your softmod is great either way, thank you for making it.

 

PS: A question about changing between PAL60/PAL, or choosing between NTSC 480i/480p/720p/1080i, or changing Widescreen Yes/No, after installing your softmod, do I have to install the MS dash that is in your Extras Disc to be able to have these options?

Edited by peido
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Another thing I just remembered now:

8 - I can't find any place to change between Sound Mono/Stereo/5.1. I don't think that the Sound option in UnleashX sticks after leaving UnleashX, but I may be wrong. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

 

I have also remembered a few questions:

a) Right now, the only way to change the options I mentioned in points 1, 2, 3 and 8 is by installing and using MS Dash?

b) Is it safe to use MS Dash to change the options with Virtual EEPROM Enabled? Or I can only use MS Dash to change the options with Virtual EEPROM Disabled?

c) If I change the options using MS Dash, do those options stick after leaving MS Dash?

d) I like to have my Fan Speed higher than Default, and most of the time I already have a game disc on the console before turning it On (when I turn the console On, the console loads immediately the game and doesn't start UnleashX), so I Enabled Permanent Softmod. Is there a higher risk of corrupting anything by having Permanent Softmod Enabled? If something gets damaged, is it easier to recover with Permanent Softmod Disabled?

 

Sorry for the long posts. Thank you.

Edited by peido
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi.

 

I have installed the Modded MS Dash 5960 (still don't know what's the difference between this, the Retail 5960 and the Modded 4920). I wanted to change from PAL60 to PAL50, so I used the MS Dash to change this option. The problem is that when I reboot the console, the option returns to be PAL60, it doesn't remain in PAL50. This was all done with Virtual EEPROM Enabled, more details about this on my first post in the thread "Home-Development-Rocky5's Projects-Xbox Softmodding Tool-Bugs".

So, about question c), I guess that for changing between PAL50 and PAL60 the answer is no. What about for changing other options? About question b), I guess the answer is it is safe.

Does anyone have a solution for this?

 

Some other things I remembered:

9 - The Extras Disc could have an option to instal a XDK Dashboard in a Retail Xbox.

10 - If possible, another thing that I would like to see in your three main dashboard Skins is the small arrows that appear when a menu contains more options than the ones shown on the screen.

11 - This is an idea for your main dashboard Evox Skin, I think it would look good if the menu was horizontal instead of vertical and if the menu was displayed between the two horizontal bars that you have on the lower half of the screen. You could edit the Evox Skin to make this changes, or you could leave the Evox Skin as is and create a new Evox Horizontal Skin (if you leave the Evox Skin as is, I think it would look nice to see the selected option of the menu appear between the two horizontal bars that you have on the lower half of the screen).

6 (update) - On the right side and/or on the left side of the "XBOX" logo you could have the GameIcon and/or the preview, there is enough empty space for the GameIcon and the preview to fit. If you like, you could also switch the Menu ShowIcon from "false" to "true" (note: if the Menu ShowIcon is "true", the Items in the mainMenu that don't have an Icon won't display any Icon and the Items in the subMenus that don't have an Icon will display a blue/green orb). Custom Icons in the config.xml could also be used if you like, some examples: a transparent blank image for any subMenu Item that shouldn't display the blue/green orb (if the Menu ShowIcon is "true"); a cogwheel for the Settings; ...

5 (update) - If there is enough space, more informations could be added, together with the ones I've mentioned before.

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12 - How about making a backup of the C drive before installing the softmod? That way, after installing the softmod, I could copy the MS Dash files from the backup into the shadowC drive instead of installing the Modded MS Dash 5960 or the Retail 5960 or the Modded 4920. Using the Extras Disc option to Restore Xbox To Default Factory State, the backup of the C drive could be used.

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On 8/16/2019 at 6:12 AM, peido said:

1 - When in PAL Video Region, I can't find any place to change between PAL and PAL60. I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time... for example, if I turn On the Xbox with a game disc in the tray, UnleashX won't be loaded before the game and the the UnleashX options won't affect the game. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

When you boot the console with a disc in the tray, the softmod is not activated. 

A softmod only activates after the MS dashboard loads which does not happen with a disc loaded into the DVD tray before the MS dashboard starts.  The stock MS BIOS attempts to load default.xbe from the DVD disc if found runs it before it ever tries to run the MS dashboard off the hard drive which is when the softmod gets enabled.

The eject ring remains GREEN.  It does not change to ORANGE that shows that the softmod is active.  Enable persistent softmod in NKPatcher settings if you want to have the softmod enabled before the game disc loads.

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On 8/16/2019 at 6:12 AM, peido said:

2 - When in NTSC Video Region, I can't find any place where I can choose between 480i or 480p or 720p or 1080i. In NKPatcher Setting there is an option to Force Progressive, but it doesn't let me choose a resolution, and I don't want to Force Progressive, I just want to use progressive if that is supported by the software. Once again, I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

When in NTSC mode you have to use the MS dashboard to enable the high definition resolutions.  Force Progressive in NKPatcher Settings only forces games to run in progressive mode after you've enabled the high definition modes with the MS dashboard when in NTSC mode.

The UnleashX options for high definition modes only work for UnleashX dashboard after enabling them in the MS dashboard and using an AV pack or cable that supports high definition resolutions.

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On 8/16/2019 at 6:12 AM, peido said:

3 - I can't find any place to change between Widescreen Yes or No. And once again, I know that there is an option for this in UnleashX, but the UnleashX options won't work every time. I think that NKPatcher Settings should have this option.

Again video settings to stick have to be done in the MS dashboard not UnleashX settings.  The settings in UnleashX only affect the display while running UnleashX.

Once you run a different app, the settings stored in the configuration EEPROM.  Those changed by the MS dashboard are used.

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On 8/16/2019 at 6:12 AM, peido said:

5 - Just like I said before, your three main dashboard Skins are really nice, but there are some informations that I find important and that are missing: the CPU and MB Temperatures (these let me know when should I change thermal paste and fan speed) and the E, F and G Memory (these allow me to easily decide which partition should I use to place something). Is it possible for you to add these informations to your main dashboard Skins? If not the E, F and G Memory, please at least consider adding the CPU and MB Temperatures.

Those values can easily be added by editing the skin's skin.xml file and placing them at a location on the screen that you would like them to be displayed.  The skin's as provided are of a clean minimalistic design.  

A user can modify the default Xbox Softmodding Skins, design their own based on the skins provided or add additional skins that provide this information.

Read the skinning section of the Unleashx Tutorial Guide for more information on how to add these items to an already existing skin.  If you have questions about editing the skins, start a new topic in the UnleashX Skins subforum.

You could also add some skins that have these items present.  Additional skins found here:

Previews of these skins can be seen at https://imgur.com/a/8P1Hz

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On 8/16/2019 at 6:12 AM, peido said:

7 - One final thing about your main dashboard, it's not important, just something that I think it would be nice to see... on the Loading screen, I would like to see what is the software that is being loaded. For example, if I'm in your main dashboard and I choose to go to NKPatcher Settings, in the Loading screen I would like to see that it's opening NKPatcher Settings XBE or something like that.

Edit the skin.xml file of the skin you are using and change the following line:

<LoadingScreen ShowInfo="False">

to

<LoadingScreen ShowInfo="True">

P.S. If you use one the UnleashX's built-in skins, you cannot edit the skin.xml file.  It is stored inside the default.xbe file of UnleashX itself and cannot be edited.  

Built-in skin names are those not surrounded by < and > symbols in the Settings -> Skins list.

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6 hours ago, peido said:

10 - If possible, another thing that I would like to see in your three main dashboard Skins is the small arrows that appear when a menu contains more options than the ones shown on the screen.

Edit the skin.xml file and find the <Menu> line, for example:

<Menu Horizontal="False" Smooth="True" Align="Middle" ShowIcon="False" Rotate="False" ShowArrows="False" Scroll="1">

To show the arrows change 

ShowArrows="False" 

to

ShowArrows="True"

similar for icons to be displayed that you asked before, change

ShowIcon="False" 

to

ShowIcon="True"

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7 hours ago, peido said:

11 - This is an idea for your main dashboard Evox Skin, I think it would look good if the menu was horizontal instead of vertical and if the menu was displayed between the two horizontal bars that you have on the lower half of the screen. You could edit the Evox Skin to make this changes, or you could leave the Evox Skin as is and create a new Evox Horizontal Skin (if you leave the Evox Skin as is, I think it would look nice to see the selected option of the menu appear between the two horizontal bars that you have on the lower half of the screen).

The Xbox Softmodding Tool Evox skin looks more like the Evoxdash with it the way it is.

The skin.xml file can be modified to move the menu text between the horizontal lines and changed from a vertical menu to a horizontal menu by editing the <Menu>...</Menu> section of the file:

<Menu Horizontal="False" Smooth="False" Align="Middle" ShowIcon="False" Rotate="False" ShowArrows="False" Scroll="1">
            <Position Top="257" Left="99" Width="441" Height="195" Fixed="True" FixAt="4" MaxItem="0"/>
            <Font>font3</font>
            <Preview EnableAudio="False" Top="0" Left="0" Width="0" Height="0" />
</Menu>

Change Horizontal="False" to Horizontal="True" and edit the <Position /> line to move the text between the two horizontal lines. 

Top, Left, Width, and Height values TBD. 

P.S. I'm working on moving the text and will update this post with the TBD values when I have them.

Not really liking how it looks.  FixAt doesn't do what I thought.  It sets the position of the item that's selected in the list.  

So far changed the <Menu>...</Menu> section of skin.xml to:

<Menu Horizontal="True" Smooth="False" Align="Left" ShowIcon="False" Rotate="False" ShowArrows="False" Scroll="1">
            <Position Top="339" Left="168" Width="441" Height="25" Fixed="True" FixAt="1" MaxItem="1"/>
            <Font>font3</font>
            <Preview EnableAudio="False" Top="0" Left="0" Width="0" Height="0" />
</Menu>

It's still not quite right.  Can't get it to only display 1 item at a time from the list of menu items. 

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Hi @KaosEngineer.

I've tried editing the skins and the configs, so far I'm succeeding :D

 

On 8/28/2019 at 6:40 PM, KaosEngineer said:

The Xbox Softmodding Tool Evox skin looks more like the Evoxdash with it the way it is.

(...)

P.S. I'm working on moving the text and will update this post with the TBD values when I have them.

Not really liking how it looks.  FixAt doesn't do what I thought.  It sets the position of the item that's selected in the list.  

So far changed the <Menu>...</Menu> section of skin.xml to:

<Menu Horizontal="True" Smooth="False" Align="Left" ShowIcon="False" Rotate="False" ShowArrows="False" Scroll="1">
            <Position Top="339" Left="168" Width="441" Height="25" Fixed="True" FixAt="1" MaxItem="1"/>
            <Font>font3</font>
            <Preview EnableAudio="False" Top="0" Left="0" Width="0" Height="0" />
</Menu>

It's still not quite right.  Can't get it to only display 1 item at a time from the list of menu items. 

I have never tried the Evox dashboard, I did not know that Rocky5 Evox skin is similar to the Evoxdash. Because of that, I'll leave the Evox skin alone and I'll make a new Evox Horizontal skin.

Also, it's good to finally know what the "FixAt" does, I wasn't messing with it because I did not know what did he do.

After a lot of time testing, I've found a way to display two menu items (sometimes three, sometimes one, ..., depending on the menu item length) at a time from the list of horizontal menu items. It's still not great, but it's close.

 

I've made a lot of changes so far, but I'm still not done. I'll post the changes I make on a fork on GitHub (https://github.com/filipe-maia/Xbox-Softmodding-Tool), it might be useful for anybody in the future.

Thank you very much :) You have been a great help!

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