This guide will help you set up Ubuntu 7.10 on your PS3 there is no risk of leaving the PS3 dead you if you cant get it set up and you cant get back to the PS3 system you just turn off the PS3 and then hold the power button for a about 5 seconds untill it beeps a couple of times then it will reset and boot the standard PS3 system
Requirements:Â USB Keyboard & Mouse, Either a copy of Ubuntu 8.10 for the PS3 ready burnt onto a CD or you will need a PC and a blank CD to burn the ununtu download onto.
If you are installing Ubuntu I recommend you try the new Ubuntu 8.10 which is much better for wireless networking and setting up bluetooth devices, you will find our guide on the right menu
This guide shows you how to install the Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbonâ€
operating system on a Playstation 3, using the alternate installation
CD from october 25. The process will take about one hour.
1. Prepare your media
Download the alternate installation CD from this page. The alternate disk has no liveCD-functionality, which makes the installation procedure quicker – but without a GUI.
Burn the iso-file to a CD most people can just click the file and their burning program will open up to start burning otherwise look for instructions in Google, Nero will burn by clicking the file .
2. Prepare the PS3
We need to format the hard disk to make room for the Other OS on the PS3. Before formatting you might want to backup your saved data.
- Go to [Settings] > [System Settings] > [Format Utility].
- Choose [Custom] and [Allot 10GB to the Other OS].
- Choose [Quick Format] and confirm.When the format is completed, press X to restart the system.
Install Kboot
-
Insert the CD you burned the Ubuntu image into the PlayStation 3.
-
In the XMB, go to [Settings] > [System Settings] > [Install Other OS].
-
The “otheros.bld” file will be detected on the CD by the PlayStation 3. Press “X” on the controller to select “OK” which is automatically highlighted at this prompt. After selecting “OK”, the kboot boot loader will be installed.
-
In the XMB, go to [Settings] > [System Settings] > [Default System].
- Choose “Other OS” as the default.
- At the following prompt you will be asked if you want to boot into the Other OS now. Choose “Yes.”
-
The PlayStation 3 will restart and boot into a command line prompt. The prompt will look like this.
kboot:
3. Loading the installer
After a few lines of text, the terminal will stop and display:
This is an Ubuntu Live CDROM
…
If in doubt, just press Enter.kboot: _
Pressing Enter will start the installation with the kernel loading the system.
After detecting your hardware, you need to partition a disk. Select
Guided – use entire disk, select /dev/ps3da 10,7 GB, and format #1 as
ext3 and #5 as swap. All options should be the defaults if you have
followed this guide, so you should be able to just hit Enter through
most screens.
4. Installing the base system
Fill in information about yourself and your system by following the
configuration screens.You may set up you wireless network now or choose
to do this later (in the desktop environment).
Hostname: PS3-Ubuntu (or whatever you want)
Setting up resolution can be done later, so just hit Continue.
When the installation completes the CD will be ejected so you won’t
be restarting the installation at the next boot. The screen might hang
at a line saying “USB bus deregisteredâ€. Just hold in the I/O button on
the front to force a restart of the PS3.
When it reboots, hit Enter at the kboot: prompt. Wait for a while, and you will soon be greeted by the Ubuntu login screen!
To configure your system (including fixing the resolution which is probably set very low), see other posts
Something went wrong!
You can always restart the PS3 by holding down the front I/O sensor.
If you hold it down until it beeps two times it will shut down. At the
kboot: prompt, set the default OS back to XMB by writing:
kboot: boot-game-os OR  ps3-boot-game-os (which seams to be what it is now)
Tags: ps3 linux, ps3 ubuntu
ERROR..
for me i had to use “kboot: ps3-boot-game-os” not “boot-game-os” to return to the default PS3 os
hi, it hangs after i hit enter to start installing and then the keyboard and mouse shut off
My install hangs as well. The monitor goes blank and there is no disk activity on the PS3.
what version of ubuntu are u trying to install, where during the install does it hang and are you using the kboot that is on the cd with the ubuntu installation files.
right guys if the install is hanging make sure you use the otheros which is on the ubuntu cd that you burn when installing Kboot to the PS3, if you have done this please leave me a message so I can look further into it
nevermind what i sent earlier i used an unregistered version of power iso that fixed the problem and it burned the cd the right way..i see that it was the nero express 6.0 not converting the iso file that was the problem and before that it was my Winrar archive taking over the iso functions that messed it up.now im at the installing phase at 29%.. im past the 6% wait thanks for your online linux guide and the iso image .i cant wait to get the PCman file manager installed once this is complete ..youve been a great deal of help
how do i install the PCMan file manager???
My system hangs as well at the kboot: prompt. I am trying to install Ubuntu 8.10 on a PS3. I think the problem could be the otheros.bld file. I had to locate one on the Web (hopefully the right one!). The .ISO download did NOT include the installer file for 8.10+PS3??!! Also, I am not sure if I built the install CD correctly. I place the .ISO file in the CD root and otheros.bld file in /PS3/OTHEROS. Is this correct and do you have any other ideas??
wkw
Everything went well…
…but the very end.
Setup: I have a PS3 60GB model (with a 300GB drive), a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse synced to a Bluetooth fob (and not to the PS3), and a PS/2 keyboard/mouse with a PS/2 to USB adapter.
When I reboot to Ubuntu 8.10, I get to the kboot prompt just fine.
When Ubuntu loads up, though, my keyboards and mice die. My BT keyboard dies first, but my PS/2-USB keyboard keeps working. Once I login, though, the PS/2-USB keyboard dies as well.
Ubuntu is running, because after the keyboard failure, it told me that I had updates.
Any suggestions?
I have a special case… I want to install Ubuntu 7.10 from a SD or USB since my BD unit is damaged… is there some way to do it?
i get thru intsalling te base for ubuntu 8.10 an i get an error that says, error returned while trying to install kernl into target system.
Kernel package: ‘linux-perpc64-smp’
check /var/log/syslog or see virtual console 4 for the details.
im running a bone stock (software upgraded 60gb ps3)
everything installed, now it says at the kboot promp after hitting enter, eval: 1: /vmlinux: not found.
pls help!!!
i have problem with start linux.
What is kboot?
I Downloaded the Ubuntu installation CD and the version hangs up a bit!!!when i trying to pack up from CD it stopps at 80% i want mail at my PSN:Jacktheboss666 and now i am trying to Download Ubuntu 8.10 and i want it to work!!! Any buddie please…
well i started to install and got to 6% then it just stopped contact me at stevenstark@live.com
hi there … i have a problem with xubuntu
every thing goes well but… i have very low resolution so i can’t see the install window
help Please
if you take a look at the guide it tells you how to set the resolution during set up that should help you.
Hi Steven,
When I install Ubuntu on my PS3 it stalls at 6% for quite some time I would leave it there for a while maybe go and watch something on tv when its doing this, see if that helps.
hello guys please help me i hane burn the disk[im sure it is works right because it have no problem on my pc to install] and when i put it on my ps3 and do install otheros.bld it did restart and then it display on the screen:NO DEFAULT ROOT FS WAS FOUND,OR ONE WAS FOUND AND IT DIDNT CONTAINS A MESSAGE=CONFIG FILE.
REASONS THIS MAY HAVE HAPPENED INCLUDE:
1]NO DRIVE WITH ROOTFS WAS ACTUALLY FOUND.
2]YOUR ROOFS DOES NOT HAVE THE CORRECT VOLUME LABEL OF /
3]YOUR ROOT IS CORRUPT[USE THE RESCUE CD TO FIX THIS]
Kboot:___
please help me
I have Ubuntu 7.10 for ps3, downloaded from the link on this site. It burned successfully to a DVD-R. I was able to successfully install “otherOS” on the ps3. Upon restarting the bootloader does its job and recognizes the system components. Before it recognizes the disk it says:
udhcpc (v1.3.2) started
Sending discover…
don’t understand action “leasefail”
No lease, failing
ifconfig: up: Unknown host
Welcome to Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)!
This is an Ubuntu installation CDROM,
built on 20071026
The default option is ‘install’. For maximum
control, you can use the ‘expert’ option.
If in doubt, just press Enter.
kboot:
(a bunch of ps3 and usb prefixes)
the last one says this:
ps3-ehci-driver sb_05: USB bus 1 dereregistered
and then it hangs up altogether, I cannot get past this.
Hi, I would recommend you remove 7.10 and use 8.10 its much better. and would probably solve this problem aswell
Hey for that rootfs problem check out this link…
http://psubuntu.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=366
Don’t know why nobody will tell anyone this, but YOU MUST install pettitboot (at least i had to) in order to boot.
Good luck
{ ADMIN EDIT ****** }
This is not entirely true but in some cases it may be needed though I have never come across it.
I have the same problem as Brandon. Where can I get the 8.10 version? Can you Please send me a link
I’ve got a new one for you:
I easily installed 8.10 and it ran ok. I upgraded to 9.04 vis the package manage and all is ok except for the wireless networking, which went away on reboot…
After repeatedly trying settings in the network connections editor, still no-go. The prompt still says wireless device not managed. The router is set up properly to accept new connections, the WEP key is correct, etc. Also tried manual TCP, MAC ID (but not BSSID). No error messages appear about the connection, just ‘no managed connections’.
Is this broken in this ps3 version or did it maybe install the wrong kernel? (I am using a linux HP laptop next to the ps3 wireless on the same router for this message.)
This is 9.04,Kernel 2.26.28-6-poweroc62-smp, GNOME 2.26.1.
oops – sorry about the typos -
1-via the package manager
2-Kernel 2.26.28.6-powerpc64-smp
Nick, if you tested the CD by running it on your PC, and it worked, you downloaded the wrong CD. You need the PS3 version of Ubuntu, and it’s not an officially supported version. A link would be helpful but I haven’t got one, sorry.
I am having a problem with the actual installation process. I’ve gotten past the KBoot just fine, configured the keyboard. But I get bombarded with errors when it tries to detect the CD-ROM, and “PC Devices”. With the CD-ROM, it hangs at 0% for about 45 minutes, all the while the BD Drive starts going nuts (buzzing, whirring, and making my floor vibrate loudly), then I get an error saying that it couldn’t detect the drive. (YES, the drive works… If it didn’t I wouldn’t have gotten this far, and I can still play games if I reset into the normal XMB). The PC devices kinda stumps me though. It asks for some parameters, says its detecting the devices, then the screen goes red and gives 3 errors before going back to the main installation options.
When I try to do the base install it gets so far then it says the kernel cannot be found
Kernel package: ‘linux-perpc64-smp’
check /var/log/syslog or see virtual console 4 for the details.
WTF am having lots of problems first with YDL 6.1 now with ubuntu
I have the exact same problem as RJones above. Why does it not detect the cd rom drive which its installing from? Any help would be appreciated.
I’m trying to install XUBUNTU 9.04 for the very first time. I can get to KBOOT fine, but when I hit enter to start install process, after a few lines of code, the screen goes blank. I’ve tried leaving it for upto 15 mins. but no luck. I downloaded the ISO file from XUBUNTU.org and I made sure it was the PS3 version. Any idea what I’m doing wrong?
you can DL 8.10 for PS3 at http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/8.10/release/ubuntu-8.10-alternate-powerpc+ps3.iso
ugh, I’ve installed 9.04, and after the kboot (to install) i just get a blank screen.
i’ve installed older versions of ubuntu(successfully), but they didn’t work well with my WPA wlan, and I’ve heard 9.04 does it well.
I’ve tried reburning the iso, still no luck, anyone know what the problem is?
Thanks for this blog … I learned a bunch!
i tried the install and all my game data saves got deleted is there any way to get that stuff back or am i screwed
Tried ubuntu 7.10 and 8.0. 7.1o hangs after when hitting enter to install.
8.10 started installing but then ended up saying there was a problem with the integrity of the disc. I tried retry but it did not work. I burned another copy of the disc using Ner but got the same error