Installing Ubuntu on your PS3

This part of the installation instructions follows step 1 Setting up your PS3 to run Linux. It assumes you have burned the Ubuntu Playstation 3 Desktop PC iso file∞ to a CD (or DVD).

Loading the installer

If you're still in XMB, restart the PS3 (by pressing [Yes] at the [Default System] > [Other OS] prompt) with the disc loaded. Otherwise, just insert the CD (or DVD) in the PS3, start it up, and wait for the installer to begin.

After a few lines of text, the terminal will stop and display:


Pressing Enter will start the installation with the kernel loading the system. Just ignore the two lines of usb 3-2 device description errors for a couple of minutes and you will soon be booting the live cd installer.

Installing the base system

If your monitor resolution is not automatically detected, you will have to move the contents around to see the whole window area. Simply hold down the keyboard Alt-key while you click and drag the mouse to position the window so you can see the Forward buttons on each screen.

When the partitioner starts, choose Guided - use entire disk (meaning the 10.7GB you formatted from the XMB in step 1∞).

Fill in your user information (name and password) and computer name (psubuntu).

When the installer has collected all required information you will be presented with a summary. If everything is correct, click Forward and the installation process begins.

If prompted with "unable to find package linux-cell", there is a work around. Click continue and go to "Select and install software". The progress bar will validate your installed packages and then prompt with available kernels. Select linux-image-cell-14-2.4.22 (the last kernel in the list).

Unless you are connected to a network you might get an error box saying "Cannot access security updates". Just click OK.

When the installation completes, click the Restart now-button. The CD will be automatically ejected. Press enter.

If the system hangs, just push and hold in the I/O button on the console to force a shutdown. Then start the system up again.

Hit Enter at the kboot: prompt. Wait for a while, and you will soon be greeted by the Ubuntu login screen. You have successfully installed Ubuntu on you Playstation 3.

To configure and set up your system (including fixing the resolution which is probably set very low), see the PSUbuntu setup page.