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BenR
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PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2020 11:14 pm    Post subject: Booting latest minimal ISO on Playstation 3? Reply with quote

Hi,

I pulled my Playstation 3 out of the closet yesterday. It's running the 3.15 firmware and has an older Gentoo PPC64 install on it from back when PS3 was well supported.

I downloaded the latest install-powerpc-minimal ISO, added a kboot.conf and tried to boot it from petitboot:

Code:

default=test
test='/boot/G5 initrd=/boot/G5.igz root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs cdroot'


After selecting this in petitboot and hitting Enter, it just hangs.

Is there something I'm missing, or is it simply not possible to boot the newer PPC installers on PS3?
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mattst88
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PostPosted: Sat May 02, 2020 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I build the PPC ISOs and I have zero idea about running Linux on a PS3.

Perhaps the ISOs used to support PS3. I really don't know what's even required now.
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mallgrab
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trying to get gentoo running on the ps3 as well.
Probably not the only thing needed to get it booting but apparently the linux kernel will need ps3 patches to be able to boot properly and see the ps3 partition.

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/geoff/ps3-linux.git
https://gitlab.com/aethyx/ps3linux/-/tree/master/Kernel%20patches%20and%20configs
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mallgrab
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PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2020 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alright got it working.

Basically all you need to do is compile the ps3 kernel .git with any ppc64 toolchain. Maybe the default gentoo sources / kernel archives could work too since some ps3 changes have been made upstream.
Apply the distro kernel kconfig patch and make ps3_defconfig.
Generate an initramfs with genkernel on a stage3 gentoo with chroot. You could do that on any working ps3 distro like say red ribbon.
Once you got the initramfs and kernel move them over to the gentoo installation and edit the kboot.conf / yaboot. Should boot then.
Also double check that in /lib/modules that you have your new build kernel modules in here.
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BenR
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PostPosted: Fri May 29, 2020 2:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mallgrab wrote:
Alright got it working.

Basically all you need to do is compile the ps3 kernel .git with any ppc64 toolchain. Maybe the default gentoo sources / kernel archives could work too since some ps3 changes have been made upstream.
Apply the distro kernel kconfig patch and make ps3_defconfig.
Generate an initramfs with genkernel on a stage3 gentoo with chroot. You could do that on any working ps3 distro like say red ribbon.
Once you got the initramfs and kernel move them over to the gentoo installation and edit the kboot.conf / yaboot. Should boot then.
Also double check that in /lib/modules that you have your new build kernel modules in here.


That's good news!

What kernel are you using? And are you using petitboot?

I have not been able to get mine to boot. I am using the latest gentoo-sources.
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mallgrab
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PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BenR wrote:

That's good news!

What kernel are you using? And are you using petitboot?

I have not been able to get mine to boot. I am using the latest gentoo-sources.


Git cloned the latest ps3 kernel sources https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/geoff/ps3-linux.git
And applied the gentoo patch to it https://dev.gentoo.org/~mpagano/genpatches/trunk/5.7/4567_distro-Gentoo-Kconfig.patch
And yes using otheros++ petitboot with kboot.

You could also skip the minimal installation iso completely and just create a ext4 partition and extract the stage3 tarball into it.
Then just set it as root in yaboot / kboot.

Should probably try to get the kernel + initramfs booting first tho, before trying out the whole stage3 tarball thing.
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oneghost
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2023 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@mallgrab I know it was few years already from your post, but Im struggling with this currently. Maybe you could help me a little.
I have problems with making kernel 6.1.41 bootable for my PS3 Slim, using OtherOS++ on CFW.
I think it's unable to detect /dev/ps3dd partition table, it only sees /dev/ps3da, so it fails to boot at an early stage, due to lack of root filesystem.
Could you give me some tips maybe? I tried various patches found across the internet, and few kernel repositories, but none worked.
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ModelCitizen
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2023 8:29 pm    Post subject: Installing Latest Gentoo (PPC64) on Playstation 3 in 2023 Reply with quote

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd let y'all know I got the latest Gentoo (ppc64) installed on my PS3 and it is currently emerging xorg as I type this post. Here is the relevent info on how I did the install:

I did NOT use the official Gentoo install ISO because it is not compatible with the older "open firmware" style PPC boot process. Instead, I used Fedora 12 as my install/helper environment. Fedora 12 installs to the PS3 right out of the box (basically). See my Youtube channel for a how-to video...

https://youtu.be/D9LcyRV84LI?si=mdwjpgjP0eWFu6YJ

During Fedora install, create a spare partition of desired size (mine is 80G) for your Gentoo installation. Also, I suggest you make a min. 2G swap partition. After Fedora install you will want to apply some updates before attempting Gentoo. For example I upgraded my kernel to 3.0.101 and also upgraded my openssl and wget utilities (all built from source) in order to make web connectivity easier and to provide additional services to the Gentoo stage 3 programs during the chroot portion of the install. When you get to the part where you install a kernel for Gentoo, skip it. Instead, clone this github:

https://github.com/damiandudycz/ps3.git

In there you will find pre-built PS3 Gentoo kernels (and initramfs) files. The latest (and the one I'm using now) is linux-6.5.7. Copy kernel files to your /boot directory (no need for special partitions or formatting, etc) and write a simple yaboot.conf so petitboot knows where to look for the kernel/ramdisk and save that in /etc. Then just finish up your Gentoo install like normal and reboot the PS3. I documented the entire Gentoo install procedure that I followed in the following video...

https://youtu.be/GuHCt6LBNi8?si=6EI2GTK0NQcogmHc

The videos long but its complete. I should edit it down and do a voice-over at some point. Anyway, I'm rather new to Gentoo but I have been enjoying the hell out of it these past few days. I've already thought of some cool software tools I'd like to contribute to Gentoo's ebuilds: PS3 (Cell CPU) dev tools and stuff, like a toolchain for the PS3's SPU accelerator cores (spu-binutils, spu-gcc, libspe2, etc.). Anyway, if anyone has any questions feel free to msg me here, or find me on IRC (Libera Chat); I hang out in #psugnd and my nick is CellBE_Boy. I also frequent #gentoo and #gentoo-powerpc[/url]
_________________
Obsessed with Linux on Playstation 3 (and the PS3's Cell CPU).

My console (web server):
Playstation 3 (CECHP-01) - Jailbroke & Downgraded
Firmware - Sony 3.15 DEX (debug)
Operating Systems: PowerPC Gentoo & Fedora
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oneghost
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 10, 2023 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi. If anyone wants to easily boot Gentoo on the PS3, you can try my LiveUSB files:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ps3homebrew/comments/17psvph/gentoo_ps3_livedvd/
Just format USB with MBR/Fat32, and unpack it there. It should boot from USB directly using petitboot.
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