[Cbe-oss-dev] Debian for PS3?

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008, Sven Luther wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 07:09:23PM +0100, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> Hi Geert, will you be at fosdem again this year, we can meet there and
> discuss ? 

Yes I will. BTW, for those who don't already know, there will be a presentation
about Linux on PS3:
http://www.fosdem.org/2008/schedule/events/embedded_linux_ps3

> > Although it's been possible to install Debian on PS3 since a long time (cfr.
> > http://www.keshi.org/moin/PS3/Debian/Live, or you could just use plain
> > debootstrap), there's no official support for PS3 in Debian yet.
> > 
> > So I downloaded debian-testing-powerpc-netinst.iso (dated 2008-02-20), booted
> > it using a self-compiled kernel and /install/powerpc/initrd.gz from the ISO
> > image, and installed Debian on the PS3's hard disk without any glitches!
> 
> You need to wait for the newer version with the 2.6.24 kernel. I
> provided the patches for it, but was expulsed from the debian kernel
> team when trying to work on this. And anything coming from me is seen
> with suspicion.
> 
> Maximilian attems recently told aurelien gerome, that sure, as long as
> the patches didn't come from me, they would be acceptable. As you may
> know, i lent the ps3 to aurelien, so he could help the work on this.

IC.

> > Hence what's missing?
> > 
> >   - PS3 kernel support
> > 
> >       o Although there's now full PS3 support in plain 2.6.24 (except for
> > 	wireless), the 2.6.24 kernel images in sid have PS3 support turned off.
> > 	Enabling PS3 support should be a matter of changing the existing
> > 	powerpc64 config, or adding a new one.
> 
> These bugs are relevant :
> 
>   http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=462529
> 
> and :
> 
>   http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=439006
> 
> especially the second would need external input so that the technical
> committe doesn't continue ignoring the issue, and at least have the
> decency to reply.

I added a comment to the first one.

> >   - PS3 Boot loader support
> > 
> >       o There's no PS3 bootloader (otheros.bld) in Debian, which means you have
> > 	to use e.g. the one from the PS3 Linux Distributor's Starter Kit.  To
> > 	include an otheros.bld, e.g. kboot should be packaged, including the
> > 	infrastructure to build an otheros.bld.
> >       o Apart from this, there's no support in the installer for setting up
> > 	/etc/kboot.conf.
> 
> Aurelien planed to work on it.

OK.

> >   - PS3 utility packages:
> >       o ps3-utils (new package; an older version is already packaged by Ubuntu
> > 	as ps3pf-utils)
> > 
> >   - Generic Cell support packages:
> >       o New packages (already packaged by Ubuntu):

Speaking about Ubuntu vs. Debian: how difficult is it to get packages that are
in Ubuntu but not in Debian in Debian?

With kind regards,

Geert Uytterhoeven
Software Architect

Sony Network and Software Technology Center Europe
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