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Bad Update Hack

In Feburary 2025, Grimdoomer released the Xbox360BadUpdate hypervisor exploit, which allows for running unsigned code on any Xbox 360 model on the 17559 dashboard version - the latest as of 1st October 2025, released on 12th November 2019 - using entirely software-based entrypoints.

Several save game exploits can be used to launch the Bad Update exploit:

  • Tony Hawk's American Wasteland via Tony Hawk's Pro Strcpy.

  • Rock Band Blitz via DaTArrest.

  • Xbox 360 Dashboard via ABadAvatar - the guide will be using this exploit.

This guide will show you how to launch XeLL Reloaded and other LibXenon homebrew.

What you need

  • An Xbox 360 running dashboard 2.0.17559.0.

  • A FAT32 formatted USB drive.

  • The latest version of ABadAvatar.

  • The latest version of FreeMyXe.

Preparation steps

  1. Ensure your console is on dashboard version 2.0.17559.0.

  2. If enabled, disable automatic profile sign-in for your profile.

  3. Disconnect from Wi-Fi on your console, or unplug the Ethernet cable.

Copying files

  1. Extract the contents of the ABadAvatar ZIP file to the root of your USB drive. There should be a "BadUpdatePayload" folder and a "Content" folder.

  2. Extract the contents of the FreeMyXe ZIP file to the BadUpdatePayload folder on your USB drive.

  3. Delete any existing "default.xex" in the BadUpdatePayload folder, and rename "FreeMyXe.xex" to "default.xex".

Running the exploit

  1. Turn off your console, then plug in your USB and turn it on again.

  2. At the dashboard, you should see a notice from ABadAvatar and the exploit will start running.

  3. Within 2 minutes, your Xbox should show you a prompt from FreeMyXe. If you don't get a prompt or your console freezes, power off the console and try again.

  4. Select "Launch XeLL instead" and XeLL Reloaded will launch.

  5. It is safe to re-connect an Ethernet cable once XeLL has launched.