I Love gentoo, it has to be the best linux distribution available & not to mention the fastest. Gentoo is known for speed mostly, because just about everything you install is compiled from source while being optimized for your specific Hardware. This is not the most user friendly distribution but once you have it configured it is easy to do upgrades/updates. Ok so here we go.
Things you need:
- cd/dvd burner
- blank disc
- WIRED internet connection (wireless can be enabled after OS install)
Get the Gentoo Install CD
HereFirst Burn the ISO to the CD. Then Insert it into the drive.
Now you need to partition the ps3 harddrive to your liking which is dependent on how much space you require for the GameOS and Linux. This can be any of the options except All Space Reserved for GameOS(This would leave nothing for linux)
Now boot the game OS on the PS3, goto Settings ---> System Settings ---> Install Other OS
At this point the Ps3 should read the gentoo boot cd and install the bootloader.
After this is done, select Default OS Option from the System Settings Menu and select Other OS.
It will prompt you to boot the other OS now, select yes.
Now the ps3 should reboot and show a boot: prompt, press enter
Once finishes loading and you are at the root# prompt issue these commands one at a time.
First we Partion the Drive and Format it under Linux:
We are creating 2 partions one for the applications and storage the other for swap space.(In linux the swap space is created into a seperate partion on the harddrive instead of a file like windows uses.
livecd ~ # fdisk /dev/ps3da
The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 1305.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
(e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)
Command (m for help): n
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 1
First cylinder (1-1305, default 1):
Using default value 1
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK
(1-1305, default 1305): +9000M
+9000M = 9GB or 9 gigabytes of space for the linux os.
Here we create the swap partition:
Command (m for help): n
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 2
First cylinder (1096-1305, default 1096):
Using default value 1096
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK
(1096-1305, default 1305):
Using default value 1305
Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-4): 2
Hex code (type L to list codes): 82
Changed system type of partition 2 to 82
(Linux swap / Solaris) This changes the partition
type for swap.
Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4): 1
Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/ps3da: 10.7 GB, 10737414144 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1305 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/ps3da1 * 1 1095 8795556 83 Linux
/dev/ps3da2 1096 1305 1686825 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered!
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
WARNING: Re-reading the partition table failed with error 16: Device or resource busy.
The kernel still uses the old table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot.
Syncing disks.
livecd ~ #
Now its time to format the OS partition and the swap.
mkfs.ext3 -j /dev/ps3da1 (formats the Linux OS partition as EXT3)
mkswap /dev/ps3da2 (formats Swap Partition)
swapon /dev/ps3da2 (enables the Swap Partiton)
Ok now its time to get ready for the os to install, enter these commands one at a time
at the command prompt.
livecd ~ # mount /dev/ps3da1 /mnt/gentoo/
livecd ~ # cd /mnt/gentoo/
livecd ~ # wget http://gentoo.osuosl.org/experimental/ppc64/
stages/stage4-970-ps3_32ul.tar.bz2
the above command downloads a portion of the OS.
livecd ~ # tar -xjpf stage4*
livecd ~ # mount -t proc none /mnt/gentoo/proc
livecd ~ # mount -o bind /dev /mnt/gentoo/dev
livecd ~ # cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/gentoo/etc
livecd gentoo # chroot /mnt/gentoo/ /bin/bash
livecd / # env-update && source /etc/profile
livecd / # export PS1="(chroot) $PS1"
--- 'profiles/arch.list' is empty or not available.
Empty portage tree?
>>> Regenerating /etc/ld.so.cache...
Now we update the database of applications and software for Gentoo
(chroot) / # emerge --sync
After issuing this command it will download all the newest
Ebuilds(instruction files used by the software manager emerge)
Set the timezone
You first need to select your timezone so that your system knows where it is located. Look for your timezone in /usr/share/zoneinfo, then copy it to /etc/localtime. Please avoid the /usr/share/zoneinfo/Etc/GMT* timezones as their names do not indicate the expected zones. For instance, GMT-8 is in fact GMT+8.
(chroot) ls /usr/share/zoneinfo (Suppose you want to use GMT)
(chroot) cp /usr/share/zoneinfo/GMT /etc/localtime
the command ls lists a directory
the command cp copys a file
e2label /dev/ps3da1 /
Now we need to edit the bootloader config file
(chroot) / # cd /etc
(chroot) / # nano kboot.conf
Here is my Kboot.conf( only options that need to change is the
resolution this dependson the TV set you are using,
This is the format)
label='device: initrd=device: kernel_options'
here is a list of different tv options
# 480i = ps3fb:mode:1
# 576i = ps3fb:mode:6
# 720p = ps3fb:mode:3
# 1080i = ps3fb:mode:4
# 1080p = ps3fb:mode:5
My kboot.conf:
default=gentoo
timeout=5
#This LINE BELOW SHOULD BE ALL ON ONE LINE!!!
gentoo='ps3da1:/boot/kernel initrd=ps3da1:/boot/initrd
root=/dev/ram0 real_root=/dev/ps3da1 init=/linuxrc
video=ps3fb:mode:1 rhgb'
#end kboot.conf
Ok now edit the /etc/fstab file with this command,
nano /etc/fstab
Change it to look like this:
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# noatime turns off atimes for increased performance (atimes normally aren't
# needed; notail increases performance of ReiserFS (at the expense of storage
# efficiency). It's safe to drop the noatime options if you want and to
# switch between notail / tail freely.
#
# The root filesystem should have a pass number of either 0 or 1.
# All other filesystems should have a pass number of 0 or greater than 1.
#
# See the manpage fstab(5) for more information.
#
#
# NOTE: If your BOOT partition is ReiserFS, add the notail option to opts.
#/dev/BOOT /boot ext2 noauto,noatime 1 2
/dev/ps3da1 / ext3 noatime 0 1
/dev/ps3da2 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom audo noauto,ro 0 0
#/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto 0 0
# glibc 2.2 and above expects tmpfs to be mounted at /dev/shm for
# POSIX shared memory (shm_open, shm_unlink).
# (tmpfs is a dynamically expandable/shrinkable ramdisk, and will
# use almost no memory if not populated with files)
shm /dev/shm tmpfs nodev,nosuid,noexec 0 0
none /spu spufs defaults 0 0
Now we need to set the root password
type passwd root then enter your password
Exit the chroot, unmount filesystems, and reboot
You can now exit the chroot in order to reboot. Be sure to unmount the filesystems prior to rebooting.
(chroot) etc # exit
# cd /mnt/ livecd mnt
# umount gentoo/proc/ gentoo/dev/ gentoo/ livecd mnt
# umount /mnt/usb/ livecd mnt
# reboot
Eject the Install CD when the PS3 power-cycles.
On Reboot Linux should load, Login with User : root and the password you picked.
First we need to edit your make.conf, this is located in /etc/
nano /etc/make.conf , Will open the file to be edited to exit the editor after finishing
press ctrl+x and say yes to saving the file. Here is my example make.conf for the PS3:
CFLAGS="-O2 -pipe -mcpu=970 -mtune=970 -mabi=altivec"
CXXFLAGS="-O2 -pipe -mcpu=970 -mtune=970 -mabi=altivec"
CHOST="powerpc-unknown-linux-gnu"
USE=" curl xml xmlreader apache2 cgi force-cgi-redirect php5 usb -cups altivec X fbcon ps3 gnutls opengl dbus jpeg png gnome eds esd
ssl spell glitz svg gtk gtk2 alsa oss hal truetype ldap fam server"
ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~ppc ~ppc64"
#end make.conf
Then Issue a emerge --update --deep world
That will then download compile and upgrade all installed packages on your PS3
on).
