[Cbe-oss-dev] cannot boot newer kernels on PS3

[Geoff Levand]

Andrew Friedley wrote:
> I'm running FC6 on an early 20gb-model PS3 (the 20gb disk was replaced 
> with a 120gb).  The system works fine; I was even able to compile my own 
> 2.6.21-rc7 kernel from the 20070516 addons CD, using my own fairly 
> modified kernel config.


I highly recommend, if possible, to upgrade to Fedora 8.


> Lately I've been trying to build a new kernel.  I've tried using the 
> source in linux-2.6.24-20080131.tar.bz2 from the 20080201 addons CD as 
> well as a git pull from earlier today with no luck.  Here's the git tree 
> I used:
> 
> git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/geoff/ps3-linux.git


Please specify the commit version, as that code is changed almost daily.
'git-show --pretty=oneline' will work.

To start, I recommend you use the mainline linux-2.6.25 stable sources
from kernel.org.


> Using either kernel source, I did the following to try and build/boot a 
> new kernel with the default config:
> 
> make ps3_defconfig
> make
> make modules_install
> cp vmlinux /boot/vmlinux-2.6.24
> 
> Then add this to /etc/kboot.conf:


This seems OK.


> linux24='/boot/vmlinux-2.6.24'


This is maybe OK.  Could try to add 'video=safe'.


> I realize I haven't set up an initrd in the process above, though I've 
> tried doing so in the same manner I did for the 2.6.21 kernel to no 
> avail.  The problem doesn't seem to be related to anything initrd.


It should at least start to boot with ps3_defconfig and no initrd.


> So, I reboot, kboot comes up, I type 'linux24' and hit enter.  Here's 
> what I see:
> 
> kboot: linux24
> get memory ranges:1
> Modified cmdline:root=LABEL=/
> segment[0].mem:0x17ce000 memsz:5623808
> segment[1].mem:0x1d2b000 memsz:16384
> segment[2].mem:0x7bff000 memsz:4096
> VUART: cleanup.
> SYSMGR: cleanp.(close event mask)
> 
> Then, nothing happens.  I'm seeing no other errors or anything wrong.  I have to 
> hard-reset the system by holding the power button until the second beep.


This is the kboot kernel going down.  The kboot kernel either hangs
very late going down, or the new kernel hangs very early coming up.

* What kboot are you using?  At the kboot prompt type 'uname -a'.
Then try to install the latest kboot from here:

  http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/geoff/cell/ps3-kboot/

* what system firmware version are you using?  Try to upgrade to the latest.

* Try to boot with 'video=safe'.

* Also see this:

  http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/geoff/cell/ps3-howto/ps3-boot-recovery-howto.txt

-Geoff