linux

ocsic · Post by **ocsic** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 11:39 am

Hi

I have been thinking about how to get linuk to boot on the PSP.

In past versions of Linux you could make a boot and a root disk. You would rawrite the disks. Also I seem to remember that with Slackware you could install on to a fat partition. So here is where I am going with this would it be possible to partition the MS and rawrite to one partition and configure the other as usual and boot from there.

This is just a thought my strength is in networking not in programming. Could this work?

Best Regards

Ocsic

(That’s cisco backwards)

Souls85 · Post by **Souls85** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 12:24 pm

correct me if im wrong but I thought I saw a post about a guy who was making a x86 emu for psp if he does finish making it then yes it would be possable. but im a n00b to psp modding

Benihana · Post by **Benihana** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:43 am

Unlike Windows, Linux can be compiled for many different architectures. Take the iPod for example. There is no need to wait for a x86 emu. <a href="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/Main_Page"> Linux/MIPS </a> is one that would be worth looking at.

-Benihana

zigzag · Post by **zigzag** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:18 pm

However, currently there is no way to boot it (chances of the memory stick boot approach above are... non existant?).

Mangus · Post by **Mangus** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:46 pm

well it depends on if the psp embedded API can support the commands given and an eboot would have top be made so the linux could be launched from on top of the psp, the psp won't but from the ms, that requires a bios configuration, which currently can't be done

ocsic · Post by **ocsic** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 2:05 pm

Thanks for entertaining the idea. I have been watching other threads recently on up coming operating systems and hey "you never know"

PS one other thought if it eventually works it may be possible to boot windows or X by using VMWare a great program that runs the OS from a file image.

Karmix · Post by **Karmix** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 7:59 am

It should be possible, but it probably wouldn't be as simple as you make it sound. First, you're going to need to write some boot strap code that would allow you to specify any kernel arguments you needed, drop the processor into kernel mode, if it's not alredy there, layout the memory for the linux kernel, then load the kernel from the memory stick, and transfer control to it's code. To make the kernel work, you're minimally going to have to write drivers for the memory stick, as well as display drivers. Depending on how you want to lay things out on the memory stick, you might have to write some new filesystem drivers. If the USB chips are already supported, you'll be lucky, otherwise you'll have to have those so you can use your USB hub, keyboard, and mouse. Optionally, you might also want drivers for audio, and the gamepad itself.

All, in all, it's not just a matter of dropping the kernel in place, and it works, but it's not impossible, either. At this point, I think if someone was determined to do it, they already have most of, if not all of the information they need, to do it available. It'd just be a matter of writing the code.

streeto · Post by **streeto** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:27 am

Replacing the kernel does not seem to happen soon. But there are other ways to have a POSIX environment similar to GNU/Linux. Anyone here know Cygwin? It "translates" *NIX system calls into win32 API.

I think maybe this is the easiest way to follow. Still, I know almost nothing about PSP kernel, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Souls85 · Post by **Souls85** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:31 am

I still think that waiting for a x86 emu would be worth it
besides then you could play all sorts of cool dos programs.

Post by **Warren** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:54 pm

Souls85 wrote:I still think that waiting for a x86 emu would be worth it
besides then you could play all sorts of cool dos programs.

In case you haven't noticed, porting an OS to a console is a bit of a challenge and people like to boast that "thier" OS (Linux|FreeBSD|NetBSD|etc...) runs on soo many more machines than your OS, look it even runs on a PSP!

Running an OS inside of an emulator on an embedded platform gives them nothing to brag about. Porting Linux isn't ultimately about using it, it's more about saying "Hey! look what we did!"

(And yes, having DosBox work on the PSP would be kind of cool, but would be a LOT harder than you think)