PS3 Ubuntu Won't Install

Hi,
there are several problems installing, the main bug is there too many processes causing the installation to freeze. There is a workaround to shut down some processes or partition before installing. that should take you through the installer.

For the video problem check the table at http://ps3wiki.qj.net/index.php/PS3_Video_Mode to adjust the framebuffer resolution. You should have ps3pfutils installed to run ps3videomode.

OK I will give that video thing a shot but for the processes to shut down I don't know which ones I can stop wthout causing any harm. All of the processes that Ben Colins mentioned in the other thread are not running for mine. Could you possibly give me an idea of the processes that might be running that I can kill?

You could kill things like bluetooth services or the soundsystem. There is also hplip running, if I remember correctly. All these could be shut down. You should nevertheless be patient, the installation process could be very long (~20 min) before the screen reacts again.

Is it possible to install it straight from the kboot so that no other processes are running at all?

No, not at the moment. You could install from the alternate cd, but it raises another problem at the moment (detection of the hard disk partition is wrong). You could write a feature spec to enable installing from kboot, if you want to.
In my opinion, installing with the installer from the live session is way more straightforward for the user. I think Ben and Colin are working on the installer bug so this should be working again soon.

Sorry but I haven't quite learned all of my terms yet. When I went to that link for the video it says to enter inps3videomode at the terminal. What is the terminal? Is that the same thing as the kboot?

The terminal is a powerful tool to get things done, generally spoken.
You can find a launcher for a terminal in the application menu.

I couldn't find any of those things in the process list. I am going to system moniton then looking at the processes. Could you just tell me all of the processes necessary to run the install so I can kill everything else besides those?

OK I eventually just tried killing random process that didn't sound important I think it was two processes that began with a d and one other one but now it got past the 15% mark. Also, after I killed one of the processes it slightly changed the look of ubunty so it was more gray and it started to run faster. Any idea of what this might be?

1 - i agree there should a straightforward text version of the installer that lists some of the more common options and lets the user install from kboot. such would look simple as this

KBOOT: install

Ubuntu Text Install

Is your primary Language English?

A - Yes
B - No( Other Languages)

~ : A

Is your Keyboard Standard English Keyboard?

A - Yes
B - No (Other Keyboards)

~ : A

Select a partition option:

A - Use Entire Drive
B - Create Equal Partitions.
C - Create 1 Large Partition and 1 Small Swap Partition
D - Other

~ : A

Drive Being Partitioned, Please wait this may take a moment

Status: |#############################|

Drive Partitioned!

We now need to collect some information from you

Name: kfjkf
Login: fhkdf
Password: 9868fgr
Password: 9868fgr
System Name: dghjdfh-jfhjd

Thank You! would you like to install Ubuntu Now?

A- Yes
B - No

~ : A

Installing. this may take a while.

Progress |##############################|

Install Done! Please restart the system, and welcome to Ubuntu!

Restart?

A- Yes
B - No, i like useless menu's

~ : A

also Ubuntu handles all of its scaling automatically, but this is done by HDMI, so unless you have HDMI the system can detect your settings and simply goes to the lowest setting possible. somewhere in the 300's i belive.

Hahaha couldn't agree with you more. And as for the ps3videomode thing I am a bit confused. I went to that site and they said to either change the video mode through a terminal, which might result in a split screen if you implement full screen, (which was the case for me) or you could change the kboot.conf file where it says, "video=ps3fb:mode:#" and you'd change that to whatever you want. The only problem is that it doesn't have that part about the video in the kboot file so should I add that part in? And as I said before, changing the screen to fullscreen through the terminal is not an option as that splits my screen in two pieces and switches their sides.

For the videomode thing, you can just add the parameter at the end of the kernel boot line. My kboot.conf looks like this, for example:

message=/etc/kboot.msg
default=linux
timeout=100
linux='/boot/vmlinux initrd=/boot/initrd.img root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:4'
xmb='boot-game-os'
old='/boot/vmlinux.old initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:4'

At kboot prompt, you can then tab through the options, to boot either linux (the standard kernel), xmb (the Sony OS), or old (the old backup kernel).

OK so I tried editting my kboot.conf file and for some reason when I tried saving it, it would allow me. I am the only user on the computer and it didn't ask for the password like it does when I install things. All I did was add the one line that says, "video=ps3fb:mode:129"

Sorry I meant to say that it would NOT allow me to change the kboot.conf file so that my video mode coule be changed. All I want to do is change it to full screen and I can't do that through the terminal because it splits my screen in half.

You have to open the file with superuser rights. You could open the file using the command »sudo gedit /etc/kboot.conf«, type in your password and then you would be able to save the changes in the editor. For more information please read https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

I tried changing the kboot.conf by adding the line about the video mode. I tried to change my video mode to mode 129 so I would have fullscreen on a 480i TV but it did nothing. I made sure to save it correctly and everything. It didn't change at first and after I restarted it was still the same video mode with black borders on the outside of the screen. Here is what my kboot.conf file says:

message=/etc/kboot.msg
default=linux
timeout=100
linux='/boot/vmlinux initrd=/boot/initrd.img root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash'
old='/boot/vmlinux.old initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash'
video=ps3fb:mode:129

This was wrong, please look at my example above. Your kboot.conf should
look like this:

message=/etc/kboot.msg
default=linux
timeout=100
linux='/boot/vmlinux initrd=/boot/initrd.img root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash
video=ps3fb:mode:129'
old='/boot/vmlinux.old initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old root=/dev/sda1 quiet
splash video=ps3fb:mode:129'

Sorry, I have to rewrite again as my mail program inserted automatic line breaks. This is the correct version:

message=/etc/kboot.msg
default=linux
timeout=100
linux='/boot/vmlinux initrd=/boot/initrd.img root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:129'
old='/boot/vmlinux.old initrd=/boot/initrd.img.old root=/dev/sda1 quiet splash video=ps3fb:mode:129'

I didn't prepare the hdd.
the instalation dosn't contiue at the disk preparation

and it wont let me type anything at kboot:

does anyone know how to acess the xmb

first off this is my first post so i dont know how to quote properly yet second is for tom... to get back to xmb the normal way ive learned in that situation is while powering on hold the power button until it beeps a second time. this will prompt the xmb video display settings. its a safety net for if you go from a hd tv to a non hd tv and forget to change from hdmi (saved my butt) hope this helps and third thanks to all who are posting solutions to this could you point me in the direction of where to get these video setting numbers? ive picked up on 129=480i but i really want 1080i through hdmi. if i could just be dirrected to a site listing them i would be greatly appreciative

sorry guess i should look at dates...

Awesome that 10.4 has finally solved this problem of small screen installs. Unfortunately Sony has now changed the policy of installing alternate OSs on PS3... go figure!