XEMU help

Emulator noob here trying to use XEMU and not getting past the "Please insert disc" message after the xbox boots up. I found [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/comments/l07rsi/xemu_help/) where someone has the same issue and someone gave links to the required xemu files. I'm already using those, but it hasn't made a difference.

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I download the games (I do own them legally on disc) then put them through XDVD Mulleter. My process is:

1. click build/rebuild ISO 2. Load from file 3. click check for crosslinkable files (also tried without doing this many times) 4. Create standard XBOX 1 ISO (no xbe checks) 5. Optimise for disc size: I have read to choose 'small as possible' but it seems to corrupt the file? when I choose it or DVD9 and double click on the finished product, it says it is corrupt. choosing DVD5 doesn't do this however. 6. start xemu, load disc choosing the most recent mullet attempt 7. nothing happens. 8. I restart xemu (as I've seen one video where the person got the "please insert disc" message, but then the game instantly loaded on a restart) 9. Nothing happens. 10. cry

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Am I missing something? I do legally own these games and still have the discs, so would it be worth it for me to buy a disc drive and get the ISOs from the discs themselves? I don't know if I'm messing this up or if it's the ISOs or what's going on, but my xemu files are apparently all good.

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I've so far tried 3 games with no success, but I'm sure I'm missing something that would be obvious to others.