How to Install Linux on Your PS3
/* Posted August 6th, 2008 at 8:05am *//* Filed under How-To, Linux, PS3, Sony */
/* */
One of the nifty built-in features on the PS3 is its unabashed support for installing an operating system on it, namely Linux. We recommend that you to at least upgrade the hard drive just so you have enough room for the OS and your game and media data. The PS3 is pretty much nearly a computer and having Linux installed on top of it really reaffirms this. Because it’s so powerful yet so cheap with Linux installed, it’s actually become somewhat of a favored research tool in academia. Hopefully you’re excited now as you’re going to need that enthusiasm to carry yourself through these very involved steps. Above all else, have patience.
Requirements
- PS3
- USB Keyboard
- USB Mouse
- Ethernet Cable
- Computer with Internet (semi fast because you need to download a 700mb ISO file)
- CD or DVD Burner
- Blank CD or DVD
Preparing Your PS3: Part 1
- Plug your PS3 into your TV, plug in the power cable, plug in your keyboard, mouse, and plug in your ethernet cable
- Turn on your PS3 Scroll Left, Go to Settings> System Settings> Format Utility> Format HDD. (NOTE: This deletes all savedata on your PS3 backup your data before hand with the backup utility if you don’t want to lose your saves).
- Now select Either Option it doesn’t bother I recommend only giving 10GB to Linux and keeping the rest for the PS3’s side.
Obtain your Linux Distro
- Download your favorite version of Ubuntu (I recommend Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty) or try Yellow Dog Linux.
- Burn the ISO to a disk either a CD or DVD, using a program such as ImgBurn, Nero, Clone CD, etc
Preparing Your PS3: Part 2
- Put in your Newly burned Linux CD/DVD in the PS3
- Scroll Left go to Settings> System Settings> Install Other OS, it will search and install otheros.bld off the disk
- Scroll Left go to Settings > System Settings > Default System, Select Other OS, select otheros, and press x to reboot
- Your console now won’t boot to that XMB you’re aware of, it will load kboot instead, if you want to load the XMB again just hold down the power button when you turn it on and it will change the default system to the XMB.
Installing Xubuntu
- Assuming you’re installing Xubuntu, press enter at kboot. Otherwise the steps will be similar with a different Linux distro.
- Wait for it to load the live distribution of Xubuntu (About 5 min)
- Click the install shortcut on the Desktop
- Follow all the prompts, when the window exceeds your TV screen, hold alt and left click to slide the window around.
- Remember your username and password, it’s real simple just follow all the prompts, it should take about 30-40 mins
- Here are the install prompts:
- Select English, Forward
- Select the city with the time zone you want, forward
- Select your Language (English), and Keyboard (US English)
- I recommend to Select Guided Use Entire Disk, forward
- It’ll complain hit continue (don’t worry it’ll work)
- Hit forward, you shouldn’t have any accounts to import
- Enter your Name, Login Name, Password, and what Network Name you want your PS3 to be. DO NOT FORGET YOUR LOGIN OR PASSWORD, or you will have to reinstall Linux, click Forward
- Click forward to accept all your settings you provided, it will now start self installing
- Go find something to do for at least 30 min I think mine took 45 min to do this step.
- When finished it will pop up a window, just click restart now
- When it reboots take out the cd, press enter at kboot, wait, then login at the login screen with your username and password. (If it didn’t reboot right and it just displays a flashing underscore, just take the CD out, and flip the power switch in the back off then on, and it should load kboot).
Freeing Up Some RAM
- Click Application> System> Services, type your password in
- Uncheck everything but Cpu Frequency Manager, Graphical Login Manager, Hotkeys Management, and System Communications Bus
- Consider Installing Fluxbox (Only if you feel ok with the risk of having to reinstall linux.)
Changing Screen Size
This step is not needed if you have just a regular non-HDTV as there won’t be other screen options available.
- Open Terminal (Applications> System> Accessories> Terminal)
- Type “sudo apt-get install ps3pf-utils”, this will install the ps3videomode command
- Now type “ps3videomode -v”, this will provide all options for the command
- Now you want to discover which video modes work, just start guessing. Personally I use “ps3videomode -v 3″, if you try an option and it garbles your text press the up arrow delete the number and type 1 and press enter. This should bring it back to the way it was if not press enter, and type ps3videomode -v 1.
- Keep trying your options, if an option garbles your text it probably works but you just need to change it in the kboot.conf file before Linux boots. If it displays just a black screen it’s probably a bad mode, try another.
- Now to assign your video mode at startup type “sudo su”, you should now be root be careful in this mode as you can screw some stuff up and have to reinstall.
- Type “nano /etc/kboot.conf”. This opens the kboot in a text editor. Add “ps3fb:mode:xx” at the end of each quote, it should look like the following.
Linux=’/boot/vmlinux blah blah blah quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:xx’
Old=’/boot/vmlinux blah blah blah quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:xx’
Remember to change the xx to whatever video mode you decided upon. - Now Press Control-X, y, save as kboot.conf by pressing enter
- Now type “sudo reboot”
Image/Flickr/evilnick
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(mike9wood) RT @BlondeBelinda: How To Install Linux on your Ps3 http://dld.bz/sBNSMon, 30 Aug 2010 17:13:13 +0000 | Reply | View Tweet
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How do i reset this thing. when I tryed I ruined my PS3 and it wont go back to the PS3. Please help me
Email at tthhoommaass2@hotmail.com plz
k, read the whole blog fixed it, ty so much for the linux thing
!
[...] you haven’t already, you need to install Linux on your PS3 before you can continue since Windows Vista is run on 100% [...]
hi the step 4 dont work i cant load the kboot or go to xmb screen.
plz help
Try this:
http://playstation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/playstation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1039&p_created=1210101461&p_sid=J1RDsYcj&p_accessibility=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NjYmcF9wcm9kcz0wJnBfY2F0cz0wJnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9cmVzZXQ*&p_li=&p_topview=1
if i do this to my ps3, will it always run linux when i turn it on or do i run it manually so when i want to play a ps3 game or chat with my friends, i dont have to worry about running linux
If anyone needs help just head over to my blog and ask for it I will get strait on it and help you out http://www.ps3linuxworld.com
How do I then put my saved data that I backed up back onto my ps3?
To put your saved data back to your ps3 just go to settings and the same as if you would like to make a back up. Then select restore and there you go!
HI,
i get this error:
SQUAHFS error: unable to read page, block xxxx size xxx
What do i do?
thanks
does it have to be version 70.4
No, you can use whatever Linux distro or version you like. It’s just that these run better on the PS3
you can use 8.02
please help
well along with when i type in “linux64 xdriver=fbdev video=720p” it says it says some thing about not found
then i type in “game” it says something about error: cant start other boot flag
what do i do??
is there a way i can completely return my ps3 to factory settings from the kboot: prompt because thats as far as it lets me go
please help
p4pap, just hold the power switch key down while starting the system. It will boot to the original playstation operating system. Once you do that, you should be able to go to your utilities in PS3, and select “Restore PS3 System”.
Above All…don’t panic, Sony will not let you install any additional OS, and not have an easy recovery. (It may mean downloading updates when you’re all done restoring, but if you were worried about time…you wouldn’t have been fooling around with Linux…right?)
One last thought, don’t give up too quickly. Linus is worth the install. If you don’t get it working on your PS3, at least get a live CD version of Kubuntu or Ubuntu to play with. You’ll be seeing the future of computing.
After inserting the CD I created that has the Linux ISO program on to the PS3 I came across a problem. I followed the step 2 of preparing PS3: Scroll Left go to Settings> System Settings> Install Other OS, it will search and install otheros.bld off the disk; and a message came up saying “No applicable installer was found”. Could anyone plz help me.
Im having a very very very frustrating problem, when I tried to burn the 7.04 (feisty) version to a blank cd, with the imgburn software, i got a error and it gavce me an option to try again and i did and it worked but now when i put the cd into the ps3 and i go to install other os, it doesn’t find anything someone please email me its justintimer@sbcglobal.net
lonewolf9x; i have the same problem someone PLEASE help me with it, my email is justintimer@sbcglobal.net, my aim screen name is nitsuj1231, someone help please
prior to loading the iso image you must prepare your ps3 with a any storage device. The storage device should contain a folder named”PS3″. Inside that folder it should contain another folder called “otheros”. Then google otheros.bld and you should download that file and place it inside the folder otheros. Then you may continue with installation.
to all the linux programs do not come with a kboot. That must be installed first otherwise your ps3 will not read linux
so if when you format your hard drive, it deletes all your stored files? So if i didnt back it up i would lose all my saved data for my games as well. and if i do, how do you back it up?
if i make a mistake and does it will brick or something? does ps3 linux can be play on pc game
is there an easy way to go back to the game os rather than typing “ps3-boot-game-os” at the kboot prompt?
i bought linux while on my ps3 .what do i do?
I can’t seem to get the screen to be the right size what do I do? six and seven I can read but are smaller and I can’t see the screen well because of it. so far so good and if this idea of mine works i will soon be able to play PC games on my PS3.
I can’t seem to find the proper input setting. some are black but most are two small to read. 6 and seven I can read on but they make the screen smaller not bigger. I do have the HD cables could that be the problem?
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can i boot directly to the xmb instead of linux
how to put that on easy way hell
I have reached step “Preparing your PS3: Part 2, point 2″ but it says: No applicable program blablabla..”
How to fix this and continue the installation?
I downloaded Xubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope instead of Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty you suggest. The link above redirected me to the Xubuntu 9.04.
Is it because of the Xubuntu version?
Please help.
Thankyou
if you fail at this will it brick your ps3 for good? or just your hdd?
Rick: I wont brick either 1. I failed but I can still play my PS3.
[...] http://psubuntu.com/ How-To: Install Ubuntu and Linux Apps on Your PlayStation 3 | Maximum PC How to Install Linux on Your PS3 | Code Retard __________________ [...]
I am having a problem when I get past install step one hitting enter. I waited a whole night and nothing changed just black screen.
Ok I have tried all steps again as explained still nothing but a black 720p screen???
[...] [...]
this is epic, i play hl2:ep2, garrysmod, steam, windows xp and all the shit on it
hey i saw the post great tips but i saw this website realy awqsome installs linux on ps3 for you, you dont have to worry about nothing, and some other great tips. click HERE to download it
Is it possible to play games which requires some high performance? Like wow, Cod, crysic etc.
can u save the the linux download on a flashdrive, or does it have to be a cd, i don’t have a burner program on my comp
Linux rules on Ps3 i am playing street fight right now on my linux runed on ps3