Porting of Linux 2.6 to PS2

[Mega Man]

I uploaded the current version. It is little bit more stable and it has support for the internal hard disc.
Linux 2.6 Test Files Version 5

edit: After some tests I think the data cache is not flushed correctly. I get illegal instructions for code where this is never possible. When I read data from the data cache, it is correct. If I disable data cache, the system is slower and it seems to run stable.

[SkyNet]

Nice work with version 5 MegaMan. Actually I had to configure Network manually ---DHCP does not autoconfigure.
To me what you built in ver 5 is really smart like "Artificial Inteligence" to my opinion.
At first it says on GUI that system will run in low memory mode and that it needs swap to be activated.
Everything works immedeatelly including just connected keyboard. My ver 14 slim works with it. Installer looks like the one used in linux kit.
It downloads from internet files in order to install Debian.
Actually it showed list of drives where is possible to install Debian and the list had in it my USB Flash Drive---so I have question : Is it possible to connect USB-HDD and install there Debian?
MegaMan I really like what you doing---it is awesome. I am happy that you working on development of kernel 2.6 for ps2. I think that this is the way we should go.
Interesting question: Which desktop environment is possible to use with kernel 2.6 for ps2 when kernel 2.6 will be ready as final version?
Also how do you see usage of Linux 2.6 with ps2 slim----As LiveDVD or through LAN? What is your opinion here? Thanks...

[danielb]

with linux 2.6 a usb hdd can be used with slim im using like that but the kernel is still very unstable to use...

[KarasQ]

i think i created a directory and it fixed itself
mkdir /lib/modules/2.6.35.4/
im not sure try and tell if worked for you

Yes it works.

I use PS2 SCPH 77004, I extracted debian 5.0 baseimage to pendrive ext2 partition and it works fine but I should change to ext3 to avoid fsck every time I run it It also run pretty stable. I got once segmentation fault when entered a command, but I haven't tested network yet. It seems it doesn't log out randomly anymore (at least didn't occur for me this time).

[Mega Man]

I didn't tested the installer with the latest version. It is the offical installer from Debian, so many people were involved in developing and testing on other systems. So it is smarter than the existing PS2 installers. It should be possible to install Debian to USB, but you need to use initrd.usb2.gz and kernel parameter "newroot=/dev/sda1" to start it. initrd.usb2.gz is sometimes not working. I think it is caused by using 64-Bit or 128-Bit registers which is currently not fully supported.
It is possible to install all existing Linux programs, but not everything will work. Currently there will no desktop environment run, because there is no frame buffer or X-Windows driver. If a frame buffer driver is working, X-Windows will also work, but it will need much memory.
Linux 2.6 seems to use to much memory to run it from Live-DVD with graphical interface. The best way to run it, is from internal hard disc. On slim a NFS root with swap on USB memory stick will be the best option.
I've also tested WLAN. My USB stick was able to scan WLAN networks. I didn't tried a connection yet, because the encrypted configuration is always complicated, but I am sure it will work.
There is one easy way to configure the cache. The following kernel parameter will disable cache and use a small acceleration buffer.

cca=7

This makes Linux 2.6 really stable and slow. Value 3 enables cache and value 2 disables cache and acceleration.

[deba5er]

Mega Man,

I'm interested. I'm backing up my current ps2linux next release now so I can blow the hdd away in an attempt to use the installer. Using kernel v5 without the cca=7 last night I would repeatedly kick out of the base installation at about 30% due to an illegal instruction. Later last night I went ahead and built my March 2010 distro with new openssh/openssl, dillo 2.2-ssl, and WindowMaker so I have to back up this work before trying again tonight because I want to release one more crappy 2.4 release some time before your 2.6 debian puts the final nail in the coffin of 2.4 ;-) I'll post my results tonight unless it gets REALLY slow.

EDIT - Really slow. I left it running the base install overnight and it is only at 6% validating libc6. I'll leave it running for today, but it is likely hung up during the install previous to the point that I reached before failing (without the cca=7 kernel parameter I reached 30% on the base install before getting "illegal instruction").

EDIT2 - Power outage during the day (very common where I live). Installation apparently did not complete successfully, but I don't have any logs to analyze unless I start over. I need a good UPS before conducting a test of this duration.

[deba5er]

@Mega Man,
For cca, here are the possibilities (some not applicable to r5900):
+ * Cache Coherency Attributes:
+ * UC: Uncached. cca=2
+ * UA: Uncached accelerated. cca=7
+ * C: Cacheable, coherency unspecified. cca=3
+ * CNC: Cacheable non-coherent. cca=3
+ * CC: Cacheable coherent. cca=5
+ * CCE: Cacheable coherent, exclusive read. cca=4
+ * CCEW: Cacheable coherent, exclusive write. cca=5
+ * CCUOW: Cacheable coherent, update on write. cca=6

Re: [PATCH 2/2] target: remove dead DF_* flags (Linux SCSI) notes "The DF_TRANSPORT_BUF_ALLOC flag was originally used by a now extinct
v2.2/v2.4 backend driver (iscsi_target_ata.c) for the old drivers/ide/ code that required a single contigious buffer to be setup on the non
cache coherent MIPS r5900 (the Playstation2 for non linux-mips.org folks) -> r3000 IOP DMA to the single channel PATA expansion adapter."

So if we are non cache coherent according to the above note, therefore only 2, 3, or 7 are proper choices, right? My assumption is that cca=3 is default and that causes the problems? I will test more but this is way out of my league ;-)

EDIT- At the same spot in the base installation (30%), the command that fails is the "chroot /target /sbin/ldconfig" - it alternates between output of "segmentation fault", "bus error", and "illegal instruction". This is where it is trying to run the recently unpacked (from the network) /sbin/ldconfig from the hard drive. The TV is in use right now, but later I'll check to see binary compatibility of the executables on /target. cca=3 was fast though!

[Mega Man]

I added a data cache flush which seems to work.
Kernelloader - Browse /Linux 2.6/Linux 2.6 Test Files Version 6 at SourceForge.net

Please tell me if there are still problems with random errors.

[deba5er]

@Mega Man

Thanks, will check it out asap!

EDIT: It did not complete the installation, but it appeared to be memory starved (swapping for many hours in same part of installation). However, the base installed. Will work more with it tonight. NO segfaults, illegal instructions, halts, etc. so I am fairly certain that running for 16 hours straight for a Debian install would have shown the errors if you had not fixed it. Excellent!

[Mega Man]

Did you used a fat or a slim PS2?
Did you install it on the internal HDD or on a USB storage device?