Xbox360PeerPressure README

The project's README from github.com/grimdoomer/Xbox360PeerPressure. As one markdown file: README.md.

Peer Pressure Softmod For Xbox 360

Peer Pressure is a persistent softmod exploit for Xbox 360. It works by making some modifications to the console NAND image and HDD security sectors to trigger a series of DMA attacks during startup which ultimately allow you to run unsigned code. Here's some of the features that Peer Pressure provides, for a complete list see Softmod Features:

Note: Peer Pressure does not support dashlaunch or dashlaunch plugins, for more information on why this is see Homebrew Comptability.

Disclaimer

This softmod exploit will make modifications to your console's NAND image and HDD security sectors which could cause data loss and/or prevent your console from booting. While I have done my best to ensure issues like this should never happen there's always a chance that something could go wrong and require a hardware NAND flasher to recover from. By using this software you are doing so at your own risk and I, Grimdoomer, am in no way responsible for any damage or data loss that may occur as a result of using it.

Requirements

To use the Peer Pressure softmod you'll need the following:

Console Compatibility

The peer pressure exploit does not work on all console revisions, specifically the corona and winchester models cannot be used. The following table shows which console revisions are supported by the exploit:

Motherboard Revision Supported
Xenon ✔
Zephyr ✔
Falcon ✔
Jasper ✔
Trinity ✔
Corona ❌ Southbridge has a hardware level fix for the exploit.
Winchester ❌ Southbridge has a hardware level fix for the exploit.

HDD/SSD Compatibility

To use this exploit you will need a hard drive, it doesn't need to be an official Xbox 360 hard drive, or even formatted, you just need any mechanical 2.5" HDD that can be connected to the console. The exploit works by attacking a race condition that exists when reading the security sectors off the HDD. Due to this being timing critical most SSDs will likely not work with the exploit as they respond to read requests faster than the race condition can be exploited.

During beta testing it was found that * some * SSDs will also work with the exploit, with the common factor being ones with DRAM cache were more likely to work with the exploit. You can try to use the exploit with a SSD if you choose, however, for optimal boot times and reliability it's recommended to use a mechanical HDD instead.

How To Install

For detailed steps on how to install the Peer Pressure softmod please see the Installation page in the wiki.

Boot Times

When everything is working correctly the expected boot times should be about ~5 seconds longer than the boot times of an unmodified console. Given that this exploit is based on a race condition if the attack isn't successful the SMC will automatically reboot the console to try again, adding additional time to bootup. However, the exploit typically triggers on the first attempt (results will vary if using a SSD) so this should be an edge case and not the norm.

Two factors that'll increase the boot times are: how long the HDD takes to spin up and the size of the HDD. When the console is powered on the HDD doesn't spin up until the console tries to communicate with it, and the exploit can't begin until that happens. The longer it takes for the HDD to spin up, the longer the boot times will be. By making a small modification to the HDD SATA adapter you can force the drive to spin up as soon as power is applied rather than waiting for the console to communicate with it. This will shave off ~2-3 seconds from the boot time and is what I personally use on my console.

However, the mod requires precision soldering so if you aren't able to do something like the RGH install with ease you most likely won't be able to perform this mod either. Despite using this on my own console I wouldn't recommend it unless you really want to speed run the boot times.

When the exploit triggers the HDD needs to be mounted so the file system can be accessed. The time it takes to mount a FATX partition increases linearly with the size of the partition, meaning, the larger the HDD, the longer it takes to mount, the longer the console takes to boot. You can tell how long this takes by how long the console LED's stay on the "stage 2" indicator (top 2 LEDs are illuminated).

Homebrew Compatibility

While Peer Pressure will allow you to use homebrew games and applications there are some homebrew applications that aren't supported, namely dashlaunch and dashlaunch "plugins". The reason for this is that dashlaunch plugins all use fixed memory addresses and perform hooks into the Xbox 360 OS (kernel, xam, etc.). This means they're not only competing for the same fixed address space but are also competing to hook the same functions in the Xbox 360 OS. This is why most dashlaunch plugins are incompatible with each other and cannot be loaded at the same time (also why there's a load order).

When I decided to make Peer Pressure I wanted a clean slate to make my own thing and didn't want to be held back by janky dashlaunch plugins that haven't been updated in 10+ years. Peer Pressure already includes most of the dashlaunch functionality with the exception of loading plugins. There's nothing stopping you from force loading whatever dlls you want, but they'll likely have stability issues and cause built-in softmod features to stop working. For these reasons dashlaunch plugins are strictly not supported, and any bug reports filed while using them will be closed without investigation.

If this bothers you you don't have to use it.

For some of the features people currently use dashlaunch plugins for (xbdm, HID controller support, etc.) I would like to add these as mainline features in the future. However, this all depends on time and motivation. For a list of features that are currently planned for the next release see Feature Requests/Roadmap.

Where's the Source Code?

I have decided not to release the source code for this for a few reasons:

  1. Everything I make and release I do for free in my own time. This is a hobby for me and something I do for fun. Given the state of software development I no longer feel the need to release the source code for everything I make just so people can make a million forks of it and kill any motivation I have to work on it. I make this stuff for myself and not anyone else.
  2. The world doesn't need 15 "slopsoftmods". It took a LOT of work to not only develop this exploit chain but also package it into an easy to use installer and do testing to try and make sure it wouldn't break someone's console. Making these modifications to your console can cause it to stop working, and I don't see why someone who doesn't understand the risks, work it took to make, or how the OS functions, should be able to clone a turn-key repository, make one change, slap their name on it, and tell people "go download my softmod".

It's inevitable that people will just reverse engineer, modify, and repackage my work as their own. While my work may not be "perfect, bug free, etc.", I have taken utmost care to make sure it's unlikely to cause any harm to your console and that you should always be able to boot into retail mode to recover from anything that goes wrong. Other people copying my work may not do the same. If you don't trust the people making the modifications don't install them.

Credits

I wanna give a big thanks to ihatecompvir and InvoxiPlayGames for the Rock Band Blitz entry point, and Máté for the stage 3 improvements that made this all possible.

Another big thanks to the alpha testers: InvoxiPlayGames, Máté, MrMario2011, Harley David-San, ihatecompvir, xbox7887, and lander. Without them I most likely would have thrown in the towel due to lack of motivation.

And a final thank you to everyone who actually helped beta test and work out the final bugs before release. Thanks to your efforts several bugs were fixed before the public release.

Xbox360PeerPressure (grimdoomer/Xbox360PeerPressure)

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784 ·GitHub
Xbox360PeerPressure
What is this?Peer Pressure is a persistent softmod exploit for the Xbox 360. It modifies the console's NAND image and HDD security sectors to trigger a chain of DMA attacks at startup, letting you run unsigned code and homebrew.
Is this a one-time hack or a persistent softmod I install once?It's a persistent softmod: once installed it stays active and includes a settings application with auto-update, plus 3 boot modes to switch between hacked and retail states.
How do I install this on my console?Installation is documented step-by-step on the project's wiki Installation page; the README itself doesn't walk through the process inline.
What hardware do I need before trying this?You need an Xbox 360 console, a mechanical 2.5-inch HDD (SSDs are possible but not recommended), and a USB stick.
Will this work on any Xbox 360 I own?No — Corona and Winchester motherboard revisions are not supported because their southbridge has a hardware-level fix for the exploit; Xenon, Zephyr, Falcon, Jasper, and Trinity work.
Is this safe to just try without understanding the risks?No — the author explicitly warns it can cause data loss or brick your console, and recommends against using it if you don't understand how it works or don't trust the people doing the modding.
Does it work with dashlaunch plugins?No, dashlaunch and its plugins are explicitly not supported because they use fixed memory addresses and compete for the same OS hooks; most of dashlaunch's core functionality is already built into Peer Pressure instead.
Why isn't the source code released?The author treats this as a hobby project and doesn't want low-effort clones or 'slopsoftmods' repackaging the work; they also worry about people without technical understanding distributing a risky console mod under their own name.
How much slower is boot time after modding?Expect about 5 seconds longer than a stock console, with boot time increasing based on how fast the HDD spins up and how large the HDD partition is (bigger drives take longer to mount).
Can I switch back to a stock, unmodified Xbox?Yes, the softmod includes a retail boot mode so you can toggle between hacked and unmodified states as needed.
What are similar projects?ps5-webkit-autoloader, Relapse-Exploit, Atmosphere, ProsperoEden, unleashed-firmware, skitter-creek-bath-salts, PwnPad, AirCard
Which topics is it in?boot, usb, console, game-modding, jailbreak, exploit, retrogaming, hacking-tool, storage, firmware, installer, hacking
Creator
grimdoomer
Size
<0.1 MB
Stars
784
Updated
CommitOct 07Releasev1.0.477Oct 07
Age
4mo
Commits · 90 Days