How to run linux on fat ps2?

[Abelus]

Hello.
I have fat modchipped PAL PS2 with network adapter and hdd connected to it. I need to install linux on ps2. I downloaded linux distro from http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/8...ng.html?rnd=64 unpacked to 1 gb usb stick to directory /ps2linux, copied base and usrlocal files there. Then I loaded kloader2.0.elf from ULE. The question is what shall I do next in that loader in order to run linux? Can someone explain step by step?

By the way, in the ps2linux-usbinstaller_v0.7.txt it says something about modifying 5 files, I didn't understand that point at all (
And one more thing, I don't have usb keyboard and mouse, will it work with just gamepad (at least will it boot)?

[deba5er]

@Abelus

1) Make sure your HDD is formatted for HDLOADER first, and that it has room in the FIRST 128GB for the PS2-Linux partitions (PS2-Linux partitions must be in the first 128GB of a HDD).

It's still a little rough, but better than version 0.7 of my installer --- it's version 0.8 (yes, I think like Google I will always submit a beta)

Get ps2linux_v0.8.zip from http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/8...ng.html?rnd=39

Unpack to a USB drive so that it has a /ps2linux directory off of the root.

From the same 4shared site, in the
2010_Mar_base_and_usrlocal_package directory, download the two .bz2 files and put on the usb drive in the /ps2linux directory.

If you have a version 9 or greater PS2, you need to copy the LIBSD.IRX and SDRDRV.IRX from an old PS2 game like SSX or the original PS2 Linux Kit RTE (files dated in 2000 should be fine, some dated in 2001 are ok) - place these in the /ps2linux directory also.

Then edit the /ps2linux/install_config/ps2linux.cfg for your network and display configuration <-- IMPORTANT - it is ok to modify in Windows with notepad, just as it is ok in Linux with vi or vim. If you don't modify this file IT WILL NOT WORK unless you have exactly the same configuration as me, which is extremely unlikely. This is the only file you need to modify (as opposed to the version 0.7 installer).

From Ulaunchelf, run mass:/ps2linux/install_config/radshell.elf. Just press "y" when prompted, kernelloader will then start, and you will be prompted to enter the type of PS2-Linux installation - in your case "h" for hdd installation.

Good luck, this is beta so if you run into errors, post them and I'll try to fix them.

Edit - Yes, this works fine with the gamepad. When you first boot up, make sure you press the "Analog" button to light the LED on your gamepad. Use the left joystick to move the cursor, and L1/L2 are the left-click/right-click on the mouse. Right-click to get the Fluxbox menu, and select "virtual keyboard". After this, you should be able to do everything with a gamepad to replace mouse and keyboard.

[Abelus]

Thanks for the reply deba5er, I have some questions though:
My lan configuration settings (IP, DNS etc.) are obtained automatically (if I enter them manually, the network willl not work). My ps2 is PAL, TV is ntsc/PAL. so what do I need to enter in /ps2linux/install_config/ps2linux.cfg file ?
My ps2 is scph-50008 so what version is it ?
Will all my games installed to hdd be erased ?

[deba5er]

@Abelus

For dhcp, I don't use this, so it is not tested, but with the version 4 kernel it should work. You should let the static addresses stay in ps2linux.cfg, but go ahead with the installation, and when you run kloader2.1.elf for the first time and boot, get to a linux bash shell prompt and "vi /etc/network/interfaces" and comment out the static ip information and uncomment the dhcp line. The display information should be PAL,inter for xmode and PAL for crtmode.

[deba5er]

@Abelus

My ps2 is scph-50008 so what version is it ?
Will all my games installed to hdd be erased ?

I think it is a version 9 (my personal favorite) so you will need to get a copy of LIBSD.IRX and SDRDRV.IRX from a game like SSX (oldest games) or PS2-Linux Kit RTE and place them in the usb /ps2linux directory to allow sound.

I have test loaded about 50 times and have at no time experienced hdloader game loss. This is because I am using the ps2fdisk program by achurch to partition for PS2-Linux. The only time I would worry is if your hard drive is over 128GB, because PS2-Linux is not aware of 48-bit (like some versions of HDLOADER). I ALWAYS test alongside installed hdloader games for this exact reason so that I can prove that no damage to game partitions occurs. It is worth noting that I've used this with hard drives over 128GB, but I just made sure that I removed a couple large consecutive games loaded in the first 128GB of the hard drive so that it would re-use the <128GB space for the PS2-Linux partitions. Later the games can be reinstalled to the disk with no bad consequences.

[Abelus]

Ok, I've done all that, but when I run mass:/ps2linux/install_config/radshell.elf. from ULE, it prompts me to press "y" , but I don't have keyboard and gamepad won't respond It seems that I will need a keyboard anyways?

[deba5er]

@Abelus

Yes, for installation a keyboard is required because it will also later on prompt for what type of installation and what partition size. I'm sorry if I was unclear on that. Once installed, you can operate without a keyboard and mouse though.

[Abelus]

Any usb keyboard will work ?

[deba5er]

@Abelus

People have reported problems with some usb keyboard makes not working, so if you can borrow a keyboard from another computer or a friends computer to do the installation it might be better. I use Logitech and I've never had a problem, but the keyboard has to work in both homebrew (radshell.elf) and in PS2-Linux.

The reason for the "y" answers in radshell is because even if there was no file present it would strangely ask if it was ok to over-write the (non-existent) file.

[Abelus]

Ok thanks, but before I get usb keyboard, I have 1 more question, maybe not very smart but still:
I tried to run Linux from the Live dvd (there is a thread in this forum about it), and it booted normal to desktop, but the cursor didn't respond at all using gamepad (. So, maybe there is a way to replace some files in the image from your distro so to make gamepad work ?