Linux on PS3

[Soundwave]

My brother is getting a free PS3 with his new phone contract & I was talking to him about putting Linux on it & it occured to me I didnt really know what the benefit is in doing this

I know when the PS3 first hit lots of people were putting Yellow Dog on there but is that still the case??

Is there anything really cool about running linux on it??

Also how difficult to replace the HDD in them??
He's obviously getting a 40GB one & he'd like to whack a 160GB drive in there instead if it isnt too much hassle.

Ta muchly

Neil

[sj33]

It's not so hot tbh because it runs in hypervisor mode, meaning it's running on a crippled CPU and no access to accelerated video on the GPU. This is an intentional limitation by Sony. Last time I tried it, it just wasn't worth it.

Swapping the HDD is simple though, you literally just detach it from the hole on the bottom, remove it from the bracket and put in your own.

[Soundwave]

Thats cool no Linux then but a HDD swap is on the cards

Thanks for the help.

Neil

[sj33]

It's fully promoted by Sony too, they even explain how to switch HDD's in the manual. Take note Microsoft.

btw there is an option called 'Backup Data' to backup your existing saves to USB device.

[Soundwave]

It's fully promoted by Sony too, they even explain how to switch HDD's in the manual. Take note Microsoft.

btw there is an option called 'Backup Data' to backup your existing saves to USB device.

Blimey thats alright then, will deffenitley make sure I read the manual then for a change lol

Thats a good idea...does it recognise xternal HDD's then as well??
I've got a spare 500GB external sat at home that we could use as well then

[sj33]

Kinda. It recognises external HDD's as a USB device, to play music, movies etc.... but you can't put games on there.

[Soundwave]

Kinda. It recognises external HDD's as a USB device, to play music, movies etc.... but you can't put games on there.

Thats fine it's all I'd need it for as my brother doesnt have a wireless network at home so we can pop all the usual Music/DivX stuff onto the External one & use that for media streaming instead.

Fantastic...I really need to buy myself one now as well I think

Neil

[kernow]

It's not so hot tbh because it runs in hypervisor mode, meaning it's running on a crippled CPU

You have full CELL support, thats the whole point, the software just doesn't use it. You have access to everything on cell, sure, maybe not the GPU, but thats because its not for running as a desktop pc, its for CELLSDK development.

so no, its useless to most people, pretty much, you can surf the web and do minimal desktop stuff if you so wish, but its for cell development first and foremost, this is why they have no will or need to open up the RSX. It doesn't run in hypervisor mode either, there is a piece of software that runs as a hypervisor restricting hardware access.

[funkydan]

It's fully promoted by Sony too, they even explain how to switch HDD's in the manual. Take note Microsoft.

btw there is an option called 'Backup Data' to backup your existing saves to USB device.

Bit off the OP topic I know but when you back up, does it back up all the games you've downloaded as well as the saves? I was thinking about putting in a larger HDD in my PS3 but was wondering how I could back up everything on the PS3 and then restore it all to the new inserted HDD?