PS3 Debian Install HOWTO
2013.08.07

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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This note describes how to install the Debian Linux distribution on your PS3.

You can always find the latest version of this document, and some other useful
technical documents here:

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/geoff/cell/

Please send comments to <geoff@infradead.org>.

PS3 DEBIAN INSTALL HOWTO

1) Bootloader Preparation

It is recommended to update the bootloader to a recent version of petitboot.
See the 'PS3 Bootloader Install HOWTO' for more info on bootloader install.

2) HDD Format

If not already done, from the Game OS, format the PS3 hard disk for the
Other OS (i.e. assign a piece to OtherOS).

3) Debian Installer Preparation

The daily build CD ISO image can be downloaded from here:

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily/arch-latest/powerpc/iso-cd/

Other methods can also be used to boot the debian installer.

3.1) D-I USB storage boot

Copy the files vmlinux, initrd.gz, and yaboot.conf from the d-i.debian.org
server to the top level directory (/) of a USB mass storage device.

3.3) D-I HTTP boot using petitboot

To use this method a recent version of the petitboot bootloader must be
installed on the PS3. See the 'PS3 Bootloader Install HOWTO' for more info on
bootloader install. Once petitboot is installed, the Debian installer can be
booted either by typing the needed option info into the petitboot option editor:

image: http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powerpc/daily/powerpc64/netboot/vmlinux
initrd: http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powerpc/daily/powerpc64/netboot/initrd.gz
args: ro video=720p ps3fb=4M

or by adding an entry into the kboot.conf or yaboot.conf file:

debian_http=http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powerpc/daily/powerpc64/netboot/vmlinux initrd=http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powerpc/daily/powerpc64/netboot/initrd.gz video=720p ps3fb=4M

4) Start the Debian Installer

With the system powered off insert either the prepared USB device or CD-ROM and
boot into petitboot, or just boot petitboot if using the HTTP method. Select
an option to start the 64 bit Debian installer.

3) Install Debian

Install Debian onto the PS3 as you would do on any other machine. The installer
will warn that that no bootloader was installed. Just select 'yes' or
'continue' to ignore and continue the installation until finished and the
'Installation Complete' message is shown.

The bootloader has already been installed, but a bootloader config file will
need to be created manually.

4) Create Initial kboot.conf and Install ps3-utils

While the Debian Installer's 'Installation Complete' message is still shown,
open TTY2 using ctrl-alt-F2. Create an initial kboot.conf with commands similar
to these:

# chroot /target
# echo linux=/boot/vmlinux initrd=/boot/initrd.img root=/dev/ps3da1 > /etc/kboot.conf

Note that this sample assumes Debian was installed to the first partition
(ps3da1) of the internal hard drive.

While still in the chroot install the ps3-utils package with commands
similar to these:

# apt-get install ps3-utils

Exit the chroot back to the Debian Installer and continue to finish the install
and reboot.