209w ago - Petitboot is a graphical bootloader for the PlayStation 3. In 2007 the initial
Petitboot Bootloader for PS3 was released.
In 2008 the
developers Benjamin Herrenschmidt and
Jeremy Kerr updated it to v0.2 (rename to
otheros.bld to install) which is available here:
Download:
Petitboot v0.2 /
Petitboot v0.2 (Network Support)
Recently Sony's own PS3 Dev
Geoffrey Levand has been updating it (linked above) further, with today's build available below:
Download:
PS3 Petitboot (09.05.19)
Installing Petitboot
1. Put your otheros.bld file on to a USB disk, in a file called /PS3/otheros/otheros.bld. Assuming your USB disk is mounted at /media/usbdisk:
[jk@pokey ~]$ mkdir -p /media/usbdisk/PS3/otheros
[jk@pokey ~]$ cp otheros.bld /media/usbdisk/PS3/otheros/
If you don't have a USB disk, you can use any sort of media that the PS3 can read - CDROM, DVD, compact flash, etc. Just make sure that the file is called /PS3/otheros/otheros.bld.
2. Plug the USB disk into your PS3, and navigate to System -> System Settings -> Install Other OS. The PS3 should find the new file on the USB disk, and install it.
3. To boot with petitboot, just set your default operating system to "Other OS" (System -> System Settings -> Set Default OS), and reboot.
Using Petitboot
When petitboot starts, it will try to find existing Linux installations, by looking for /etc/kboot.conf, /etc/yaboot.conf or /boot/petitboot.conf files on any storage device connected to the system. Each discovered device will appear on the left-hand pane of the screen, and bootable options appear on the right.
You can navigate the boot options with the arrow keys (if you have a USB keyboard connected), or the D-Pad on the PS3 controller. If you're using a PS3 controller, you will need to have it connected via the cable; wireless controllers aren't supported (yet!).
If you only have a blank screen with no device icons, then petitboot has not found any bootable options. You can flip to a text console (using Alt+F1) to investigate.
The keys available are pictured below.
Petitboot Console
If you're using the petitboot console (either by hitting Alt+F1, or logging-in over the network), you have a fairly standard Linux system available. Some notes:
Discovered storage devices are mounted under /var/tmp/mnt, named by their device. For example, /dev/ps3da1 is mounted at /var/tmp/mnt/ps3da1.
To boot a kernel, use kexec: kexec -f --append="root=/dev/ps3da1" /var/tmp/mnt/ps3da1/boot/vmlinux .
Reverting to the Standard PS3 Software
If you'd like to revert to the standard PS3 behaviour (ie, the PS3 boots directly to gameos), then you can just do a reset of the PS3:
1. Turn the ps3 off
2. Hold down the power button until you get a second set of beeps
The ps3 boot sequence will now be back at the factory default.
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It's not about the configuration (yaboot.conf kboot.conf pettitboot.conf) it'a bout the "program" itself
Randomly, my internal HDD is not detected, my external USB HDD as well. Not to mention the occasional system lockup during Boot-Game-OS.
You cannot say such a thing, the only thing I would consider is to choose another, there are plenty of sourcecodes to modify and create a new bootloader instantly ..
But PayPal's got donation buttons, that is fair ..
It works fine if you configure it correctly, I installed Petitboot on several PS3s if you feel like it is getting stuck in some areas, don't go there.