Create an ABadAvatar USB Key

Create an ABadAvatar USB key

This page is shared by methods A and B: it explains how to prepare the media that launches the mod (the Aurora dashboard) when the console starts, with no soldering and no need to open the console.

Requirements

• A USB key (or an external hard drive for Method A), freshly formatted as FAT32 (and therefore empty).

Steps

1. Plug the USB key/drive into your computer.
2. Open TinyXbox360BackupManager and go to the Toolbox.
3. On the ABadAvatar USB key card, if your dashboard is not version 2.0.17559.0, tick "Download and add the official system update": it will be installed automatically on first boot, along with ABadAvatar.

4. Click Create the ABadAvatar USB key.
5. In the Select the USB key for ABadAvatar window, pick your key/drive from the list — double-check the size and name so you don't pick the wrong device.

6. Confirm: the app downloads the required components (ABadAvatar, XeUnshackle, Aurora) and installs them on the device.
7. When it's done, safely eject the drive.

Booting the console with the key

1. Plug the key/drive into the Xbox 360 while the console is off.
2. Before turning the console on: disconnect it from the Internet, disable automatic profile sign-in, and unplug any other ABadAvatar USB key (the console looks for a plugged-in key first) — this is required to avoid getting your account/console banned.
3. Turn the console on and let it reach the profile/avatar selection screen: the mod triggers automatically on this screen, with no further action.
4. The Aurora dashboard launches instead of the usual dashboard.

📸 Screenshot to take: the profile selection screen as the mod starts, then the Aurora home screen.

Troubleshooting

• The avatars stay grey: your console's dashboard is not up to date. Perform an offline system update (for example by re-creating the key with "Download and add the official system update" ticked) and try again.
• The app rejects the drive at step 5: it is not formatted as FAT32 — the app does not format anything itself, so format it yourself (with your operating system's formatting tool, "FAT32" file system) and try again.
• Nothing launches on the console: make sure the drive is plugged in before powering on.
• Not persistent: this method has to be repeated at every console startup/restart. To stop needing a key plugged in, see Method C.