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Xemu – Xbox Emulator

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Xemu is a standalone original Xbox emulator, emulating OG Xbox games on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Xemu requires you to obtain an original Xbox BIOS in order to function correctly.

Xemu Download

Select which version you require below to be taken to either the official website or app store for your device where you can download:

Windows
apple [#173] Created with Sketch. macOS
Linux

Xemu Setup Instructions

This quick reference guide will walk you through the process of setting up the Xemu emulator to play Xbox games.

1. Downloading XMU

  1. Go to the official XMU website: xemu.app.
  2. For Windows users, click Download for Windows. If you’re on macOS, click Download in the top left corner and choose the appropriate file.
  3. On the homepage, you can also find a Compatibility List to check which games are playable with XMU.

2. Additional Files Needed

To run XMU, you will need the following files:

  • Xbox BIOS: You must find the Xbox BIOS file yourself (search online).
  • Xbox Hard Disk Image: Download this from the XMU website.
    1. Go to Download → Required Files → Flashrom Image.
    2. Download the Pre-formatted Xbox Hard Disk Image.

3. Preparing Your Files

Extracting XMU Emulator

  1. If you don’t have 7-Zip, download and install it from 7-zip.org.
  2. Once the emulator is downloaded, right-click on the XMU compressed file, go to:
    • Show more options → 7-Zip → Extract to XMU.
  3. A new folder containing the emulator files will be created. You can now delete the original zip file.

Extracting BIOS and Hard Disk Image

  1. Move the downloaded BIOS and Xbox Hard Disk Image files into the XMU folder.
  2. Right-click the BIOS file, choose 7-Zip → Extract to BIOS.
    • After extraction, delete the zip file.
  3. Right-click the Hard Disk Image file, select Extract Here, and delete the zip file afterward.

4. Installing the Second BIOS (Complex 4627)

  1. You will need an additional BIOS called Complex 4627 version 1.03.
    • Search for this file online or find more information through relevant sources.
  2. Once downloaded, move the Complex 4627 BIOS into the BIOS folder inside XMU.
  3. Extract this file by right-clicking, selecting 7-Zip, and then choosing Extract Here.

5. Configuring XMU

Adding BIOS and Hard Disk Image

  1. Open the XMU emulator (inside the extracted XMU folder).
  2. If not prompted, go to Machine → Settings.
  3. Add the Boot ROM:
    • Click the Boot ROM field and locate the mcpx_1.0.bin file in the BIOS folder.
  4. Add the Flash ROM:
    • Select the Complex 4627 v1.03.bin file from the BIOS folder.
  5. Add the Hard Disk:
    • Choose the extracted XboxHD.qw2 file as the hard disk.

Display Settings

  1. Navigate to Display settings.
  2. Set the Internal Resolution Scale (2x or higher depending on your system’s capability).
    • Higher resolutions improve graphics but require more system resources.
  3. Enable Full Screen on Startup if desired.
  4. Set the Window Size to match your monitor resolution (e.g., 1920×1080).
  5. For Aspect Ratio, change to 16:9 for widescreen gameplay.

6. Configuring Input (Controller)

  1. Go to Input Settings.
  2. XMU supports various controllers, including Xbox Series, Xbox One, and wired Xbox controllers.
  3. Turn on your controller, and it will automatically be detected.
    • You should see an alert confirming your controller is connected.
  4. Once the settings are configured, close the emulator to save changes.

7. Loading and Playing a Game

Preparing Xbox ROMs

  1. Ensure your Xbox ROMs are in the XISO format, which is required for XMU to run games.
  2. Go to Machine → Load Disk.
  3. Locate your game ROM (for example, Project Gotham Racing) and select it.
  4. After selecting the game, exit the emulator and restart it to load the game properly.