Bad Update
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 | This exploit is non-persistent - once your console is powered off, you will need to run Bad Update again before being able to run arbitrary code. |
Bad Update is a non-persistent software only hypervisor exploit by Grimdoomer for all Xbox 360 models, that works on the (currently latest) 17559 software version. Combined with InvoxiPlayGames' FreeMyXe, Bad Update can be used to run arbitrary content/XEXs on your otherwise stock console.
The following games are currently supported:
- Rock Band Blitz (trial or full game):- Download Trial
- Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (NTSC/PAL/RF)
with Rock Band Blitz being preferred due to its ability to be downloaded and copied onto a flash drive.
Required Items
- An Xbox 360 (this does not work on an Xbox One/Series console).
- A flash drive with at least 512MB storage, formatted to FAT32.
- A supported game from the above list.
- The latest release of Xbox 360 Bad Update - download the USB ZIP file.
- The latest release of FreeMyXe.
Running the Exploit
 | Do not connect to Xbox Live, or login to an Xbox Live-enabled account when using Bad Update - you will almost certainly get banned. |
| You should set your console language to English while running the exploit, as non-English will likely interfere with the exploit process; it's confirmed to do so on THAW. |
- Disconnect your console from the Internet (remove your Ethernet cable, delete your saved WiFi settings), and sign into a local profile. Tony Hawk: American Wasteland comes with a local profile ("Player1") that should be used, Rock Band Blitz doesn't need a specific profile so you should make your own.
- Download the latest release of Bad Update, and extract the contents of the folder for your game (i.e. the "Rock Band Blitz" folder's contents, if using Rock Band Blitz) to the root of your flash drive.
- Download the latest release of FreeMyXe, and rename the XEX inside the ZIP to "default.xex", and place it inside the BadUpdatePayload folder on your flash drive.
- Insert the flash drive into your console, launch the game, and perform the game specific steps:-
- Tony Hawk: American Wasteland: Once at the main menu select "High Score/Free Skate", if you're asked to load last game progress select "no". Continue through the menu screens until you get to the level select screen. Once there scroll to the very end of the list and select the "Created Park" option, and then "Load Park". When asked if you want to replace unsaved park, select yes. The game will scan your storage devices for save files and you should see "Hack Xbox" in the list of available custom parks. Select the "Hack Xbox" park file, after the save file is loaded select the "Play Park" option and the exploit process will begin. Set a timer for 20 minutes - if it still hasn't ran successfully in 20 minutes, reboot your console and try again.
- Rock Band Blitz: Press
to start, and pick USB storage if the storage selection dialogue pops up. Wait for the "Running exploit" text to show - if the music and/or the background stops/freezes, reboot your console and try again.
- FreeMyXe will now show your CPU key - you should write this down/take a picture - press to continue on "OK", and then when "Yay!" when the patch has been confirmed.
Congratulations, you can now run unsigned code! You can use XeXMenu to easily launch other XEXs, but you will likely need to use xextool to remove all restrictions (which is included in the "Tools.zip" alongside Bad Update) - this can be done with the command XexTool.exe -m r -r a <xex file>