Hacking Tools

XenonRecomp : A Tool For Recompiling Xbox 360 Executables

XenonRecomp is a powerful tool designed to convert Xbox 360 executables into C++ code, allowing these executables to be recompiled for various platforms.

Currently, it supports x86 platforms due to its reliance on x86 intrinsics. This project draws inspiration from similar tools like N64: Recompiled, which serves the same purpose for Nintendo 64 executables.

Key Features Of XenonRecomp

  1. Instruction Conversion: XenonRecomp directly converts PPC instructions into C++ without optimizing them for human readability. It passes the CPU state and base address pointer as arguments to each PPC function, ensuring that all PPC registers and their current values are accounted for.
  2. Endianness Handling: Since the Xbox 360 is a big-endian machine, XenonRecomp handles memory loads and stores by swapping endianness. For vector registers, it reverses the entire 16-byte vector to manage endianness correctly.
  3. FPU and VMX Instructions: The tool manages floating-point and VMX instructions by storing the floating-point state and enabling or disabling denormal flushing as needed. Most VMX instructions are implemented using x86 intrinsics.
  4. MMIO and Indirect Functions: While Memory-Mapped Input/Output (MMIO) is currently unimplemented, XenonRecomp resolves virtual function calls by creating a “perfect hash table” at runtime.
  5. Jump Tables and Function Boundaries: XenonAnalyse, a companion tool, detects jump tables and function boundaries. Jump tables are converted into real switch cases, and users can manually define function boundaries if needed.
  6. Optimizations: XenonRecomp offers several optimizations, such as converting certain registers into local variables, which can significantly reduce executable size and improve performance.
  7. Patch Mechanisms: Users can override PPC functions with custom implementations using Clang compiler techniques. Mid-asm hooks allow for inserting custom code at specific instruction addresses.

XenonRecomp requires a TOML configuration file that specifies paths to the input XEX file, output directory, and other settings.

Users can define function boundaries, invalid instructions to skip, and mid-asm hooks within this file. XenonAnalyse is used to generate TOML files containing detected jump tables, which are then referenced by XenonRecomp.

In summary, XenonRecomp is a versatile tool for recompiling Xbox 360 executables, offering a range of features and optimizations that make it a valuable resource for developers looking to port games to other platforms.

However, it still faces challenges such as implementing MMIO and supporting exceptions.

Varshini

Varshini is a Cyber Security expert in Threat Analysis, Vulnerability Assessment, and Research. Passionate about staying ahead of emerging Threats and Technologies.

Recent Posts

cp Command: Copy Files and Directories in Linux

The cp command, short for "copy," is the main Linux utility for duplicating files and directories. Whether…

7 days ago

Image OSINT

Introduction In digital investigations, images often hold more information than meets the eye. With the…

7 days ago

cat Command: Read and Combine File Contents in Linux

The cat command short for concatenate, It is a fast and versatile tool for viewing and merging…

7 days ago

Port In Networking

What is a Port? A port in networking acts like a gateway that directs data…

7 days ago

ls Command: List Directory Contents in Linux

The ls command is fundamental for anyone working with Linux. It’s used to display the files and…

7 days ago

pwd Command: Find Your Location in Linux

The pwd (Print Working Directory) command is essential for navigating the Linux filesystem. It instantly shows your…

1 week ago