Booting Linux from PS3 internal HDD

Source: graf_chokolo @ http://ps3wiki.lan.st/index.php/Booting_Linux_from_internal_HDD

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petitboot

• With petitboot running you can boot a Linux kernel from HDD, RBD, USB or network very easily because petitboot has a lot of programs which will allow you e.g. to mount new storage devices
• Compiled latest vanilla Linux kernel without init ramdisk and booted it successfully

/etc/kboot.conf

Here is my /etc/kboot.conf for Linux kernels stored on the internal hdd of PS3:

mykernel=/boot/vmlinux-2.6.38-rc4-00154-ga0dc00b-dirty root=/dev/ps3dd1

debian=/boot/vmlinux-2.6.32-5-powerpc64 initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-powerpc64 root=/dev/ps3da1

custom=/boot/vmlinux-2.6.37-custom initrd=/boot/initrd.img-2.6.37-custom root=/dev/ps3dd1

Source: graf_chokolo @ http://ps3wiki.lan.st/index.php/Installing_Linux_on_internal_HDD

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Booting Debian netinstall with petitboot from USB

• I used a netboot image of Debian for installation: http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powerpc/daily/powerpc64/netboot/
• Download vmlinux and initrd.gz and store it on a USB device
• Mount the USB device with petitboot on /mnt/usb

That's how i booted Debian netinstall from petitboot:

kexec -l /mnt/usb/vmlinux --initrd=/mnt/usb/initrd.gz --append="root=/dev/ps3da1 video=720p"
sync
kexec -e
swapoff -a

Installing Debian on internal HDD

• The problem with the default Debian Installer is that it uses the default SONY ps3disk block device driver to access HDD. This driver tries to use the first accessible HDD region for installation, and in petitboot booted with GameOS rights the first accessible HDD region will be the one owned by GameOS (UFS2), so be carefull or you will install your Linux on GameOS HDD region.
• To fix this i patched HV temporarily and disabled access to all HDD regiosn except the one for Linux during Debian installation.
• In the next days i will try to recompile the Debian Squeeze Installer and replace the default SONY ps3disk device driver with my own which i already tested on my PS3 Linux successfully.
• Now, cryptr have build a proper Debian netinstall iso with graf_chokolo Kernel in order to allow the debian-installer to detect vflash. Here is the link with the iso and some explanations : http://cryptr.net/?dir=ps3
• graf_chokolo talking about GNU/Linux installation, and some issues about it : http://pastie.org/private/memiq2pokbbmeffmalbiaq ; http://pastie.org/private/by4d6ezmjbxycnresgcjg ( source : http://grafchokolo.com/ps3-development-page.html#comments ; website backup provide by cookie42 : http://www.multiupload.com/48HFI5KGET )