hi,

its been maybe ten years since i've gone on a red hat terminal, so treat me as a noob.

im trying to install ubuntu onto the ps3. i got fedora and yellow dog running; but my ultimate goal is to get ubuntu and darwin on the machine. im running into several roadblocks and hope the more experienced members here can lead the way.

a guide for ubuntu on ps3 was written here:

http://louiscandell.com/ps3/

but it goes through several steps and requirements that i think we can skip. it requires that you install ubuntu on a usb hdd where you can partition it, PLUS, it also requires fedora as a base install, then cross-installing onto debian and then upgrading to ubuntu.

i want a simpler way where i can install ubuntu from kboot prompt with a dvd-rom installer ready.

keep in mind there are a few things that make the ps3 installation different:

1. the ps3 boots into kboot only. cannot boot from hdd and cannot boot from cdrom or usbdrive.

2. only 1 partition available: /dev/sda (i imagine parted can fix this)

3. ppc architecture



okay, some issues i want cleared.

1. can i modify kboot to load the cdrom such that i can install from the cdrom? if this is possible then i can just plug in the installer cd (whether ubuntu, osx, or darwin) and let it run its course.

2. can i do without partitioning the hdd? id imagine just making a /ubuntu folder and installing everything there. the guide above requires partitioning of the hdd which the ps3 does not allow by default (although yellow dog's druid was able to do it).

3. can kboot boot ubuntu instead of yaboot? in that case, can kboot boot darwin/osx too (darwin/osx requires bootx)?

4. i get this error:

w: failure trying to run: chroot /mnt/ubuntu mount -t proc proc /proc

after typing this:

/usr/sbin/debootstrap --arch powerpc edgy /mnt/ubuntu http://archive.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu

specifically after "i: validating libatu1" step. what does that mean and how do i fix it?


this error happens after i chose "minimal fedora install". i dont get it when i choose the full install (2.5hrs wait); but the guide above states to use the minimal install.



all the help is greatly appreciated. hope i can get ubuntu running NATIVELY on the ps3 without an external usb hdd.

I believe the person who wrote the guide has tried other means too, but then again I don't think anything is impossible. It's just that how much effort, time, money and nerves are you ready to put on this matter just to get some old os x on a ps3 where it doesn't belong? I mean, seriously, ps3 is for other matters than looking at the Mac logo. If you aren't short of money (you actually have time and will to install a few dozen non-native operating systems on a game console), why not send a few of those ps3 machines with the native OS here?

Essentially the Linuxes are "the same", they use the same kernel sources etc., with patches and some small differencies (like which apps you use to scratch your head), so you are just fine if you install YDL on it. Just tune it.

I for one eagerly await your results. Ever since I saw that guide I wondered why
I had to install FC first and not proceed directly to ubuntu. Have you seen
the strategy that Gentoo PS3 liveCD follows ? They just copy otheros.* files from
the CELL add-on disk to flash media. They are *reusing* the kboot boot loader (otheros.bld?)

As for using the PS3 for Linux, I have used the live Gentoo to play my TV stream
served from my PC, so I can watch videos on it, a little overkill, but very nice if you
don't have a HTPC installed.

im not installing the ps3 just to look at the mac logo. tiger has a lot of great features as an OS, and if it can be installed on the ps3 then its something A LOT of people will want to do.

furthermore, having a 600$ machine that is marketed to run linux only to not maximize its capabilities is dumb. the ps3 runs ydl and fedora; if we can get osx on it then its a huge accomplishment and will serve many people who want a mac system without having to spend thousands of dollars because they've already bought a 600$ powerpc device.



now it would better everyone if people actually helped and answered questions instead of wasting time questioning motives.

1. im now trying to apt-get install the 2.6.16 kernel but it says no such file or directory. where can i find the fedora kernel so i can just copy it? which folder/directory is it in? i tried copying (as stated in the guide) from /lib/2.6.16 but it doesnt exist there.

2. can i just wget the kernel online and then copy it to whatever directory its supposed to be on?

I don't think I really wasted anybodys time (if you're in that big a hurry, use search command, don't read the crap), too bad if you feel so. Anyway, don't get me wrong; I do think it's cool that you can install another operating systems on it, but it's a waste of time trying to get Ubuntu specifically on it, if you can install Fedora on it without problems. OS X is another thing, but..come on, it's not that cool. Not with ps3, anyway; let's just say that most people I know who really need mac, instead of just boasting with it, wouldn't probably use it on a ps3.

To your questions: on your existing system the kernel ought to be in /boot. That's the default place, check it out; I'm not sure if there are any kernels on the web, pre-compiled, because machines differ from each other and for security reasons I wouldn't copy a kernel off the web but if you want to try copying it off an existing Fedora (or any other Linux), go ahead, cd to /boot and start looking around.

EDIT: probably you can't just copy the kernel into it's place, since additionally you'll need other stuff that is configured for that specific kernel (modules etc. that depend on it). The best thing would be if you could just compile the kernel on the device itself.

finally some help.

i did look in boot, but what's the filename? what am i looking for? i did copy vmlinux-2.6.16 and initrd.img which is i suppose those required files? but im lacking the actual kernel to copy--any idea what filename format its supposed to look like? i tried downloading some deb files and some tar.gz ones but i get stuck make and make installig them. so i just want to copy the existing fedora kernel.

oh, and, i think osx does look cool (have you used it?). but maybe you can change my mind by providing another distro that probably looks better or is better than tiger. i thought ubuntu looked the best so im trying to install it.

also, i did use the search command, with 7 different boards and sites--none of which was very helpful. you've provided more help than all those 7 sites combined.