nabster's blog: PS3 CFW 3.55 BootOS (AsbestOS) and linux Debian log, with blu-ray workaround

Introduction

Sony's own OtherOS feature was the best way of installing Linux on the Playstation 3 (PS3) hard drive. I used that for several years and was happy with it. Ethernet worked.

I thought that with the root key exposure and custom firmwares, reinstalling linux would on a new firmware would be straightforward. It is not. My various unsuccessful attempts at installing Debian are journalled below.

The most useful reference page is http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page

I was eventually successful using the OtherOS++ network install method described below and a precompiled kernel download from ps3devwiki. Skip ahead to OtherOS++ network install for the details.

Essential common steps

Custom firmware download version 3.55

Since Sony's removal of otheros, there are three different software methods to use linux. All involve installing a custom firmware (CFW). These 3.55 custom firmwares on ps3devwiki allocate a proportion of the hard disk to OtherOS.

More recent custom firmwares (e.g. Rebug) do not allocate hard disk to OtherOS. However, Rebug claims to 'detect your existing OtherOS HDD partition' previously created with 3.55 and also allows downgrading to 3.55 if needed. I have not checked this.

The site with OtherOS++ CFW instructions and downloads is here: http://www.ps3devwiki.com/index.php?title=OtherOS%2B%2B.

This page confirms that my CECHG model of PS3 uses a NAND chip, corroborated here. The custom firmwares can be downloaded from the megaupload links.

There are issues with the create_hdd_region.sh script. It returns an error ps3stor_region: invalid option -- 1. This is because it needs a newly reset (erased) console achieved by (1) Turn off ps3 (2) Hold power button down, the system will turn on then turn off again (3) Repress and hold until you hear beep, beep, quick beep-beep (4) plug in your controller with a usb and press the ps button (5) Select the "restore ps3 system" from the list.

Setting up your other linux box as a DHCP server, router and DNS server

http://debianaddict.com/2012/06/19/linux-as-a-router-with-iptables-bind9-and-dhcpd/
http://www.opendns.com/ the DNS server is 208.67.222.222

iptables -F
iptables -t nat -F

iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT
iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT
iptables -P FORWARD ACCEPT

iptables -A FORWARD -i eth0 -s 10.0.0.0/255.255.255.0 -j ACCEPT
iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o ppp0 -j MASQUERADE

There is a way of hijacking PS3 updates using bind9. This is useful to stop Sony from irreversibly blocking linux—by installing a firmware which cannot be downgraded.

Now I have a working internet server, OtherOS++ and BootOS have a chance of working.

Working methods

kha0S debian LV2 patcher method—working—usb storage only

kha0s comes as a linux.img file. This is not an optical disk iso image, it is a file which should be copied to the root of a FAT filesystem on a USB stick.

kha0S it won't boot unless there are some more packages installed, namely asbsetOS≤1.4 and lv2 patcher. bootOS is an updated and renamed version of asbestOS, however kha0S requires the older version asbsetOS≤1.4.

The steps are

Downlad the three files linux.img, lv2-v9.pkg and Kmeaw_AsBestOS_Installer_1.4.pkg copy them into the top directory of a usb stick using a PC
Put the USB stick in your Playstation 3
Install lv2-v9.pkg and Kmeaw_AsBestOS_Installer_1.4.pkg using Game->*Install Package Files from Sony's xmb menu
Run AsbestOS 1.4 which will find linux.img and add it to the lv2-patcher menu for later selection
Run lv2-patcher which will then have linux.img at the bottom of the menu.

A single partition FAT formatted USB memory stick works for me. A multiple partition external hard drive does not work for me.

kha0S does not have a working ethernet interface on my PS3 phat.

OtherOS++ network install—working but many download links are broken—installs on PS3 internal hard disk

Petitboot is a mini linux rescue system with mount, parted, fdisk, rmdir and other commands.

ps3devwiki

The easy install scripts have gone. You have to set up the hard disk as described here and go through the debootstrap steps here. There are many problems. The debian bootstrap method works but loses its way with the apt package list. You have to rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* && apt-get update to fix a mergelist problem.
4.

A working kernel is available as a simple download from ps3devwiki

http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Linux_3_on_PS3

The section 'Install new kernel on target machine' is useful.
This kernel does not have usbserial compiled (therefore cannot use 3 dongle).
My line to boot this in /etc/kboot.conf is

ps3devwiki=/boot/vmlinux root=/dev/ps3dd2 map=/boot/System.map

Severe kernel headaches

I encountered many difficulties before finding the above kernel.

The kernel in the debootstrap instructions is no longer available at gitbrew.

Various other misadventures are documented in another of my blog pages http://nabstersblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/sony-playstation-3-ps3-linux-kernel.html

Debian installer—not working

This is taken from the PS3 Debian Install HOWTO. Add the following line to /etc/kboot on /dev/ps3dd2

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

Problem: it gets stuck at 25% when downloading installer packages.

/etc/fstab note

/dev/ps3dd2    /        ext3    defaults        0 1

/dev/ps3vram    none        swap    sw            0 0

/dev/ps3dd1    none        swap    sw            0 0

/dev/sr0    /mnt/cdrom    auto    noauto,ro        0 0

proc        /proc        proc    defaults        0 0

shm        /dev/shm    tmpfs    nodev/nosuid/noexec    0 0

none        /mnt/spuisofs    spuisofs

spufs           /spu            spufs   defaults                0 0

Back up the now precious working root filesystem

From inside petitboot, remount your external storage as rw.  These were the instructions for my partitioned external hard drive: 

umount /dev/sda3

mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

cd /tmp/petitboot/mnt/ps3dd2

tar cvpf /mnt/nabster-ps3dd2-root-directory.tar .

It is a good idea to also back up the PS3 NAND flash memory

dd if=/dev/ps3flasha of=ps3flasha-dump.bin bs=1024

Not working methods

OtherOS++—not working for CD installation

This above page also has a software called otheros++. Where it says "Run ... .pkg" it means install it using "Game->*Install Package Files" then run it using "Game->PSLight"

otheros++ boots the official debian ppc install CD, however it promptly loses the CD drive during installation. This occurs whether you select powerpc or powerpc64.

This is because OtherOS++ needs a working DHCP and internet server, which is a whole new headache to set up. OtherOS++ therefore is not as user friendly as Sony's previous OtherOS.

BootOS 2.01—not working for CD installation

bootOS is an updated and renamed version of asbestOS. It wipes over the Linux entry in LV2 patcher created by asbsetOS≤1.4, thus making the kha0S linux.img inoperable.

Although claiming to allow the installation of unmodified debian, BootOS 2.01 manifestly fails to do this when presented with the installation CD.

It needs a DHCP network, which is a whole new headache to set up.

BootOS 2.01 internet method—not working

"Install Debian" gets part way there but after a long download it is currently unable to find a suitable kernel.

It seems that BootOS 2.01 uses a kboot.conf file in the root directory of the game partition. This file could be edited to use linux installed onto a USB from another computer.

...: nabster :...

PS3 CFW 3.55 BootOS (AsbestOS) and linux Debian log, with blu-ray workaround