Versions. There may be more versions of stuff than just those listed here.

• Dashboard Versions
  • 3944 (referenced)
    • I think this version number may not be displayed on the System Info screen under the Settings option of the dashboard's main menu.
  • 4034 (referenced)
  • 4817 (referenced)
  • 1.00.4920.01 revision 10027100 (referenced)
    • Contains a "C:\xboxdashdata.10027100" directory
    • Known to be bundled with an Xbox using 4817 kernel
  • 4920 revision 1012a700 (referenced)
    • Contains a "C:\xboxdashdata.1012a700" directory
    • Bundled with Slayer's EvoX Auto-Installer v2.5 CD which is just over 100MB large.
  • 1.00.4960.01 w/ 17cdc100 directory
    • Contains a "C:\xboxdashdata.1012a700" directory
    • Obtained by using Dash 4920 revision 10027100 and getting an "Xbox Live!" update. The dash was updated to this version and a dialog box said the system needed to restart to obtain the latest dashboard, and then I rebooted and saw this instead of pushing OK in the dialog box and continuing to update. The following files were different:
      • The C:\xboxdashdata.1012a700 was renamed to C:\17cdc100
      • xboxdash.xbe was different (slightly larger)
      • Files under C:\xodash\ were updated, including the two XBE files.
      • None of the XBE files were dated later than August of 2003, even though I downloaded the files later. Sorry, this isn't a salvation for Kernel 5713 users.
  • 1.00.5659.03 revision 17F14D00
    • I believe this came from updating using Ninja Gaiden.
  • 1.00.5659.03 revision 17e4cd00 (referenced)
    • Sealed the security breaches that let old font hacks and audio hacks work. (All newer versions also will not work with the old hacks.)
  • 5960 (referenced)
  • sylver77 has concluded that dashboard 4627 does not exist which is why it is never tested in any of the homebrew software. I have seen references to an XDK dashboard version 4627, so I suppose the official XDK developers have some sort of thing called the "XDK Dashboard".
  • Some/all of these dashboard versions were simply taken from the MS Dashboard DVD Region Free Patch compatibility list.
• Kernel Versions
  • • "usa only"
    • 4034 (Xbox v1.0) (referenced)
    • 4036 (Xbox v1.0) (referenced)
    • 4627 (Xbox v1.0) (referenced)
    • 4817 (Xbox v1.1) (referenced)
    • 4872 (Xbox v1.1) (referenced)
    • 5101 (Xbox v1.2-1.5) (referenced)
    • 5530 (referenced)
      • Older Phoenix BIOS Loader versions do not work on Kernels 5530 and above.
    • 5713 (Xbox v1.2-1.5) (referenced)
      • This kernel will not allow the execution of dashboards earlier than some version. Specifically any pre-live dashboards are ruled out. Actually I suspect that anything earlier than 5659 is ruled out. "anything prior to about Aug 5 2003" will not be recognized by Kernel 5713 as an official Microsoft dashboard that it is allowed to run.
    • 5838 (Xbox v1.6)
      • (Though I haven't outright heard this, one would assume that this and all newer versions won't allow the execution of dashboards earlier than 5530, and perhaps none of the dashboard versions that have an earlier creation date than the kernel version.)
    • (Information from XanTium's forum post on X-S)
• BIOS Versions
  • What is the difference between a kernel and a BIOS? Apparently none. Team Xecuter makes no distinction between a kernel and a BIOS.
  • So, see the Kernel versions above
• Xbox Versions
  • I think that, real generically, this refers to the design of the Xbox motherboard.
  • main page
  • links to versions_0.php
  • See also Xbox Differences
• XDK Versions
  • 4361
    • XBE files made can pass XBEDump's test
  • 4627
  • 5558 - June 2003
    • XBE files made do not pass XBEDump's integrity tests. Of course these are valid XBE files. (XBEDump is known to make false conclusions.)
  • (likely other versions as well)

What is a good Kernel Version?

Early Kernels (best for hackers)

3944, 4034, 4627, 4817, 5101, 5530, 5713, 5838

Retail kernels with BFM support removed (so the good thing PBL doesn't work)

5530 and later

Kernels that prevent execution of known-to-be-old dashboards

5713 and newer

• 5713
• 5838

This spot right here lists all the kernel versions I know of up to version 5838, and I am believing that none are missing: That these are actually all the kernel versions up to 5838.

What is a good Dashboard Version?

• Dash versions of 3944, 4034, 4817 are inferior for a couple of reasons.
  • They do not have support for the "Xbox Live" service, and so they have one less menu item on the main menu.
  • They look for files in the root drive of the C:\, and have no support for looking for stuff in C:\Fonts\ and other sub-folders. The double-dash exploit and its derivatives, including Easter Egg Exploit and UDE2. In other words, less hacks work on this dash than 4920.
  Upgrade 'em. The original release of MechAssault comes with dash 4920.
• Dash 4920 is great, since it supports more hacks than anything else. (In fact, other than older versions of hacks, like test hacks, I believe every hack I've tested has worked on Dash 4920.) Dash 4920 also supports the "Xbox Live!" option on the main menu, and it can use the hacks that look in C:\fonts (like UDE2).
• Dash 5659 (I think is the first version I know of to do this) supports "Wireless Networking" options. If you want/need this, you may be best off using a version newer than Dash 4920 and giving up support for the old audio hacks. If you're doing this, actually, you may as well go to the latest version, unless there is a known limitation with a newer version of the dashboard.
• The "Xbox Live!" service requires the latest version of the official Microsoft dashboard. Currently I know of no real disadvantages to this.