[Cbe-oss-dev] Can't boot PS3 without using initrd

[Geert Uytterhoeven]

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009, Jonathan Adamczewski wrote:
> I've been trying to set up an initrd-free boot for my PS3 without
> success.  I've built everything I can identify as being necessary
> into the kernel, turned off initrd support, and get a kernel that
> loads, flashes some penguins and text to the screen for the briefest
> of moments and then the screen goes black and the system freezes -
> no lights indicating activity, press the power button until the
> second beep to shutdown.
> 
> I have tried kernel 2.6.29 and 2.6.30-rc7 with the same result.
> 
> Booting a working (with initrd) kernel without the initrd=foo part
> of the command line results in the same black screen and no response.
> 
> I'm currently running 2.6.30-rc7 with initrd support without problem.
> 
> Any ideas?

Probably it panics because it cannot find a root file system.
As ps3fb has to copy the screen contents from main memory to graphics memory
on every vertical blank, it's quite possible the system comes to a halt in
between the printing of the panic message and the copying to graphics memory,
hence you never see the panic message.

With kind regards,

Geert Uytterhoeven
Software Architect
Techsoft Centre

Technology and Software Centre Europe
The Corporate Village · Da Vincilaan 7-D1 · B-1935 Zaventem · Belgium

Phone:    +32 (0)2 700 8453
Fax:      +32 (0)2 700 8622
E-mail:   Geert.Uytterhoeven at sonycom.com
Internet: http://www.sony-europe.com/

A division of Sony Europe (Belgium) N.V.
VAT BE 0413.825.160 · RPR Brussels
Fortis · BIC GEBABEBB · IBAN BE41293037680010