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Xemu is an Original Xbox Emulator.

Website: https://xemu.app/

Github: https://github.com/mborgerson/xemu

Compatibility List: https://xemu.app/#compatibility

Xemu Wiki: https://xemu.app/docs/download/

Quickstart Guide (Skip the HDD requirement, it is pre-included with EmuDeck): https://xemu.app/docs/required-files/

Updating this Emulator:

  • Use Discover (Shopping bag icon) to update Xemu

Xemu Table of Contents

  1. Getting Started with Xemu

  2. Common Issues

  3. Xemu Tips and Tricks

Getting Started with Xemu

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Xemu is a fairly straight-forward emulator to set up. Place your xiso formatted ROMs in Emulation/roms/xbox. Read the File Formats section to learn more about xiso formatted ROMs. Place your BIOS directly in Emulation/bios. Read the Configuration section to learn more about Xemu, the expected BIOS and naming conventions, and Xemu's folder locations.

To launch your ROMs in game mode, use Steam ROM Manager and use one of the following parsers to play your Xbox (OG) ROMs:

  • EmulationStation-DE
  • Microsoft XBox - Xemu
  • Emulators

Configuration

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  • Type of Emulator: Flatpak
  • Config Location: /home/deck/.var/app/app.xemu.xemu
  • ROM location: Emulation/roms/xbox
  • BIOS location: Emulation/bios (Do not create any additional folders in this folder for Xbox BIOS)
  • Required BIOS:
    • MCPX Boot ROM Image: mcpx_1.0.bin
    • Flash ROM Image: Complex_4627v1.03.bin
    • These are EmuDeck's pre-configured file names, you must name the files exactly as written above. If you choose to provide a different Flash ROM Image, you can either rename the file or open Xemu and change the settings to point to the file directly.

Note: ~/.var is an invisible folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click "view hidden files" to see these folders.

Works With

  • Steam ROM Manager
  • EmulationStation-DE

How to Update Xemu

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How to Update Xemu

  • Update through Discover (Shopping bag icon)
  • Through the Update your Emulators & Tools section on the Manage Emulators page in the EmuDeck application

How to Launch Xemu in Desktop Mode

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How to Launch Xemu in Desktop Mode

  • Launch xemu from the Applications Launcher (Steam Deck icon in the bottom left of the taskbar)
  • Launch the script from Emulation/tools/launchers, xemu.sh
  • Launch the emulator from Steam after adding it via the Emulators parser in Steam ROM Manager

File Formats

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Common Issues

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"The guest has not initialized the display"

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This is likely due to a mismatch of MCPX and BIOS images, or a corrupt MCPX boot ROM.

"Please insert an Xbox disc"

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Try restarting Xemu. If you continue to get the message, your ISO may not be dumped in a compatible way. Try using extract-xiso to pack your ISO.

How to Convert ROMs to XISO Format

Xemu Tips and Tricks

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How to Convert ROMs to XISO Format

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List of Methods

Method 1: Use XDVDMulleter (Windows)

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Link: https://archive.org/details/xdvdmulleterv10.2beta

1 2 3

Method 2: extract-iso (Windows)

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Link: https://github.com/XboxDev/extract-xiso

Instructions

  1. Go to the releases tab: https://github.com/XboxDev/extract-xiso/releases/tag/build-202204252159
  2. Download the release .ZIP
  3. Extract it somewhere on your computer
  4. Put the untrimmed Xbox .ISO in the same directory
  5. Rename the .ISO to something without spaces like game-redump.iso (doesn't have to be this exact name)
  6. Open command prompt on your computer
  7. Navigate to the directory containing the .EXE and your .ISO
  8. Run extract-xiso -r game-redump.iso

Xemu's Tutorial: https://xemu.app/docs/disc-images/

Method 3: extract-iso (Linux)

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Note: Cannot be built on the Steam Deck, but can be built elsewhere and copied. Then, it is usable on Steam Deck.

  1. Enter these commands in your terminal
# Install dependencies
# Example for Arch:
sudo pacman -Syu build-essential cmake

# Clone Repo
git clone https://github.com/XboxDev/extract-xiso.git

# cd into directory
cd extract-xiso

# Create working directory
mkdir build
cd build

# Build project
cmake ..
make
  1. Put the untrimmed Xbox .ISO in the same directory
  2. Rename the .ISO to something without spaces like game-redump.iso (doesn't have to be this exact name)
  3. Navigate to the directory containing your .ISO
  4. Run extract-xiso -r game-redump.iso

Method 4: extract-iso (Mac)

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  1. ⁠Open terminal
  2. In terminal type the following: Xcode-select --install
  3. Click allow on the Pop-up
  4. Navigate to extract-xiso, cd the/path/to/extract-xiso
  5. Type make
  6. Then type the following: sudo chmod +x extract-iso
  7. Finally run the executable: ./extract-xiso name\of\game.iso

Method 5: dd (Linux)

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Note: May not work on Steam Deck, needs testing.

Refer to Xemu's wiki for instructions, https://xemu.app/docs/disc-images/#about-redump-isos.

How to Apply Zink

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Preface

On the Steam Deck, some Xbox game graphics will not render properly. Applying Zink can fix these graphical issues.

However, Zink can also cause performance hits in certain games. Apply it on a per-game basis and keep in mind that if performance is degraded, it may be due to Zink.

You can read more about the issue here: https://github.com/xemu-project/xemu/issues/1279#issuecomment-1381015271.

Read one of the below sections to learn how to apply Zink to your Xbox games:

How to Apply Zink to Steam ROM Manager Shortcuts

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  1. In Desktop Mode, open Steam
  2. Select an Xbox Game shortcut in Steam
  3. Click the Gear icon
  4. Click Properties
  5. In the Launch Options box, enter: __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=mesa MESA_LOADER_DRIVER_OVERRIDE=zink GALLIUM_DRIVER=zink %command%
  6. Zink will now be applied to this specific game's Steam shortcut, repeat for each game you would like to apply Zink

How to Apply Zink to EmulationStation-DE Games

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  1. In Desktop Mode, open the Emulation/roms/xbox folder
  2. Right click anywhere in the folder, click Create New --> Text File
  3. Match the name of the text file to the game you are applying Zink to and change the file extension to .esprefix
    • For example:
      • ROM Name: Conker - Live & Reloaded.iso
      • New text file name: Conker - Live & Reloaded.esprefix
  4. Open the newly created text file in Kate or a text editor of your choice
  5. Enter: __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=mesa MESA_LOADER_DRIVER_OVERRIDE=zink GALLIUM_DRIVER=zink on a single line
  6. Zink will now be applied to this specific game in EmulationStation-DE, repeat for each game you would like to apply Zink
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