Just installed YDL 6.2 on my PS3, some beginner confusion...

[Cyber Akuma]

I just did a fresh install, and I am having a few issues with YDL 6.2 that I wasn't able to google.

1. My monitor supports 1080p HDMI and HDCP, so I set the videomode to 133 instead of the default 3. It works, but now in Virtual Desktop 1 I sorta have two desktops, each with their own wallpaper, one within thee other. Clicking outside the smaller desktop (which has the Computer, Trash, etc icons in it) is normal, clicking outside of it causes the menu to appear. How do I fix this?

2. Even though they are set to startup with the system in the network configuration, neither my WiFi nor Ethernet are active on boot, I need to manually activate them every time. How do I make them active on boot?

3. The whole OS is very laggy. I know that the PS3 is not that well suited for running Linux, but is it really normal that sometimes I can't do anything for 30 or so seconds and then finally the apps unfreeze and I can use my house again? Starting any app has a lag of about 15 seconds until a window finally appears, and just having the Add/Remove Software window open causes the system to lag to a crawl.

4. There ALWAYS seems to be something stopping the system from rebooting and I need to force-close it, any way I can find out what it is and why its doing this?

5. How can I stop YDL from opening up a file explorer window of "root" every time I login?

Thanks

[ppietro]

I just did a fresh install, and I am having a few issues with YDL 6.2 that I wasn't able to google.

What's your PS3 model, BTW? There's a few different hardware revisions.

1. My monitor supports 1080p HDMI and HDCP, so I set the videomode to 133 instead of the default 3. It works, but now in Virtual Desktop 1 I sorta have two desktops, each with their own wallpaper, one within thee other. Clicking outside the smaller desktop (which has the Computer, Trash, etc icons in it) is normal, clicking outside of it causes the menu to appear. How do I fix this?

From the "Yellow Dog Icon" in the top menu bar, select (YDL) --> Windows --> Cleanup Windows.

2. Even though they are set to startup with the system in the network configuration, neither my WiFi nor Ethernet are active on boot, I need to manually activate them every time. How do I make them active on boot?

Which panel are you using? wicd or Network Configuration? If you're using Wicd, Network Configuration settings have no effect. There's a separate "Automatically connect to network" pick in wicd.

I can't do anything for 30 or so seconds and then finally the apps unfreeze and I can use my house again?

Wow - YDL is powerful if it stops your entire house!

Okay - let's answer your question for reals:

3. The whole OS is very laggy. I know that the PS3 is not that well suited for running Linux, but is it really normal that sometimes I can't do anything for 30 or so seconds and then finally the apps unfreeze and I can use my mouse again? Starting any app has a lag of about 15 seconds until a window finally appears, and just having the Add/Remove Software window open causes the system to lag to a crawl.

If you've loaded down your system with a lot of applications running at the same time - yes - this can happen. Remember - you only have 256 Megs of system RAM until swap is invoked.

Alternatively, if you're using Wireless, you may be getting disconnected and reconnected to the wireless access point. That would cause a symptom like you're describing. Does this happen with Wired connections?

And - Add/Remove software always slows down your system big time - it does a lot of hard disc access that strains the PS3. Especially after you've added yum-protectbase - that will really slow it down.

4. There ALWAYS seems to be something stopping the system from rebooting and I need to force-close it, any way I can find out what it is and why its doing this?

Ah yes - that's an artifact of the way YDL uses Enlightenment. Since Enlightenment - the default Window Manager for YDL - doesn't have a file manager, they use Gnome's Nautilus. Unfortunately, Nautilus doesn't recognize Enlightenment's shutdown signal. So - you have to manually kill it when you log out. No harm done - just annoying.

If it really bothers you - you might be better off using Gnome. From your login screen, use the Sessions menu to select it - it is already pre-loaded on your system.

5. How can I stop YDL from opening up a file explorer window of "root" every time I login?

Don't log in as root.

Seriously - you shouldn't be logging in as root for normal use anyway. Use your normal user account instead. You should have created that in the second part of the YDL install - after the reboot.

Root should be reserved for system administration operations only. You can always elevate a terminal window to root with the su -l command.

This might not fix your issue BTW - I never did quite figure out how to fix that one myself in 6.1. But - at least I'll feel better knowing you're not logging in as root.

Also - in my clean install of 6.2, the file explorer didn't automatically open when I logged in as a normal user. But - I haven't tested too much in 6.2 yet - it's on a completely separate hard disc that I swap in my PS3.

Cheers,
Paul

[Cyber Akuma]

What's your PS3 model, BTW? There's a few different hardware revisions.

I have a 60GB model.

Although my cousin, who has a 40GB model, wants me to help him install Linux on his PS3 as well.

From the "Yellow Dog Icon" in the top menu bar, select (YDL) --> Windows --> Cleanup Windows.

.... wow, I could have sworn I did this before, anyway, it worked perfectly, thanks.

Which panel are you using? wicd or Network Configuration? If you're using Wicd, Network Configuration settings have no effect. There's a separate "Automatically connect to network" pick in wicd.

Network Configuration, I didn't install anything that doesn't come on the disk yet, want to get my repos in order (my other topic) before I start updating/installing.

Wow - YDL is powerful if it stops your entire house!

Okay - let's answer your question for reals:

If you've loaded down your system with a lot of applications running at the same time - yes - this can happen. Remember - you only have 256 Megs of system RAM until swap is invoked.

Alternatively, if you're using Wireless, you may be getting disconnected and reconnected to the wireless access point. That would cause a symptom like you're describing. Does this happen with Wired connections?

And - Add/Remove software always slows down your system big time - it does a lot of hard disc access that strains the PS3. Especially after you've added yum-protectbase - that will really slow it down.

DOH! How did I write house? Where as my brain at the time XD

Half the time I am not even running anything when trying to open an app.

It SHOULD (keyword should, if the default installer did what it said it would do) using a 500mb swap partition as well as my vram as swap.

And im actually using a wired connection, haven't even tried wireless yet.

And ouch, adding protectbase will slow it down a lot? The guides I read for setting up the repos for PS3 use recommended I install that.

Ah yes - that's an artifact of the way YDL uses Enlightenment. Since Enlightenment - the default Window Manager for YDL - doesn't have a file manager, they use Gnome's Nautilus. Unfortunately, Nautilus doesn't recognize Enlightenment's shutdown signal. So - you have to manually kill it when you log out. No harm done - just annoying.

If it really bothers you - you might be better off using Gnome. From your login screen, use the Sessions menu to select it - it is already pre-loaded on your system.

I see

Oh well, I can live with it.

How much space would installing Gnome, KDE, etc take? (though gnome was installed, strangely, it lists KDE as installed and Enlightenment as NOT installed, even though I know that Enlightenment is since im using it.... and I chose GNOME and Enlightenment (but not KDE) in the installer.)

Don't log in as root.

Seriously - you shouldn't be logging in as root for normal use anyway. Use your normal user account instead. You should have created that in the second part of the YDL install - after the reboot.

Root should be reserved for system administration operations only. You can always elevate a terminal window to root with the su -l command.

This might not fix your issue BTW - I never did quite figure out how to fix that one myself in 6.1. But - at least I'll feel better knowing you're not logging in as root.

Also - in my clean install of 6.2, the file explorer didn't automatically open when I logged in as a normal user. But - I haven't tested too much in 6.2 yet - it's on a completely separate hard disc that I swap in my PS3.

Cheers,
Paul

I understand how dangerous it is to be root when on a normal desktop/laptop, but why is it such a big deal on a PS3?

I will mostly be using it for browsing and emulation, its not as if I will be performing credit card purchases, bank management, or anything else on it where security or people not knowing what I am doing would be important, wouldn't being root just make things easier in this case? Ubuntu on my laptop is annoying how it asks me my password every 2 seconds but I don't use the root account because I know the serious security risk that would impose on me if I did.

So why is it important that I am not root on my PS3?

--------------------------

Oh by the way, one last thing, is there any way I can backup the PS3's linux partition on a FAT32 USB drive (this means that I would need to split the backup files since FAT32 has a 4GB limit, so stuff like DD is out as using it with split backups would be a pain) so if anything happens I can just restore this instead of reinstalling and reconfiguring everything? Would partimage on SystemRescueCD work? (its what I use to backup/restore my other linux and windows desktops). Since YDL created three partitions (system, os, and swap) I am not sure how I would go about this if I could. I am fairly familiar with partimage.

And finally, any experience with petitboot?
http://ozlabs.org/~jk/projects/petitboot/

Would this work well with YDL on my PS3?

[ppietro]

Network Configuration, I didn't install anything that doesn't come on the disk yet, want to get my repos in order (my other topic) before I start updating/installing.

wicd comes on the disc, BTW. It's also automatically installed for YDL 6.2 But - since you're using Wired, you haven't run into it yet.

And ouch, adding protectbase will slow it down a lot? The guides I read for setting up the repos for PS3 use recommended I install that.

That's not an idle recommendation. YDL is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, via the CentOS recompile. Even though we have to use Fedora Core 6 - because of the version difference between current Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora - running that repo without yum-protectbase will cause mismatched library upgrades and eventually "bad things will happen".

How much space would installing Gnome, KDE, etc take? (though gnome was installed, strangely, it lists KDE as installed and Enlightenment as NOT installed, even though I know that Enlightenment is since im using it.... and I chose GNOME and Enlightenment (but not KDE) in the installer.)

Not sure how much KDE takes. As I mentioned, the YDL installer preloads Enlightenment and Gnome - even though the Add/Remove doesn't show Enlightenment.

I understand how dangerous it is to be root when on a normal desktop/laptop, but why is it such a big deal on a PS3?

Same reason it's a big deal on *any* PC. You open yourself up to root hijacking and intrusion.

I will mostly be using it for browsing and emulation, its not as if I will be performing credit card purchases, bank management, or anything else on it where security or people not knowing what I am doing would be important, wouldn't being root just make things easier in this case?

Most programs assume that you have normal privileges. Sometimes, running as root confuses them. Plus - big big security risk, etc. Just running a browser as root is kinda dangerous today - especially since you normally don't load anti-virus software in Linux.

Ubuntu on my laptop is annoying how it asks me my password every 2 seconds but I don't use the root account because I know the serious security risk that would impose on me if I did.

Oh yeah - sudo. Generally, Red Hat based systems like YDL don't use sudo - although it's available if you really miss it. We just elevate the terminal window to root with su and stay there. Some of the GUI apps can also prompt for root - and they'll hold the credential for other apps that want it for a fixed time period.

So why is it important that I am not root on my PS3?

Hey - it's your security hole. What's your IP address again?

Oh by the way, one last thing, is there any way I can backup the PS3's linux partition on a FAT32 USB drive (this means that I would need to split the backup files since FAT32 has a 4GB limit, so stuff like DD is out as using it with split backups would be a pain) so if anything happens I can just restore this instead of reinstalling and reconfiguring everything?

Sure - if you're comfortable with tar/gzip, that shouldn't be an issue. That's the way I backup my system.

Would partimage on SystemRescueCD work? (its what I use to backup/restore my other linux and windows desktops). Since YDL created three partitions (system, os, and swap) I am not sure how I would go about this if I could. I am fairly familiar with partimage.

Maybe - maybe not. First - I never use partimage. I'm a Unix user from waaay back - SunOS was the first Unix I used. (That's the ancestor to Solaris!) I'm a tar/gzip person - occasionally dd. That's all I use.

Second - the PS3 hard disc is encrypted. Standard Boot CDs won't work. Nor will pulling the PS3 drive out and trying to mount it on a regular computer. The only boot sequence is the kboot/yaboot loaders - either on CD ROM or loaded into your PS3's firmware.

And finally, any experience with petitboot?
http://ozlabs.org/~jk/projects/petitboot/

Would this work well with YDL on my PS3?

Tried it - didn't like it.

Too graphical. If you don't have a monitor running, you have a prayer of recovery with the standard "kboot" firmware, but not with Petitboot. Petitboot is very slick - but it doesn't respect the "default" setting you can create in /etc/yaboot.conf. Instead, it boots what it last remembers. So - if you're trying to create a custom resolution for a new display - it boots with its last graphical settings, even if you've created a new one and told the system to use it.

So - fine for beginners, not so great for Linux tweakers, IMHO. YMMV.

Cheers,
Paul

[Cyber Akuma]

wicd comes on the disc, BTW. It's also automatically installed for YDL 6.2 But - since you're using Wired, you haven't run into it yet.

Ok, so do you have any ideas how I can fix this?

That's not an idle recommendation. YDL is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, via the CentOS recompile. Even though we have to use Fedora Core 6 - because of the version difference between current Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora - running that repo without yum-protectbase will cause mismatched library upgrades and eventually "bad things will happen".

Right, so I pretty much really should add it.

Ill do that as soon as I get all my repos in order, I don't want to install anything without fixing those first.

Im surprised it dosen't come preinstalled if its so important.

Same reason it's a big deal on *any* PC. You open yourself up to root hijacking and intrusion.

Most programs assume that you have normal privileges. Sometimes, running as root confuses them. Plus - big big security risk, etc. Just running a browser as root is kinda dangerous today - especially since you normally don't load anti-virus software in Linux.

Oh yeah - sudo. Generally, Red Hat based systems like YDL don't use sudo - although it's available if you really miss it. We just elevate the terminal window to root with su and stay there. Some of the GUI apps can also prompt for root - and they'll hold the credential for other apps that want it for a fixed time period.

Hey - it's your security hole. What's your IP address again?

I am not trying to argue "b-b-but, I WANT to use root!", because as I said I fully understand how dangerous it is on a normal PC, I am just confused, what do I have to be worried about though on a PS3 that merely has a 10GB linux partition that will contain no sensitive information anyway? I just don't understand how, as you said, "Same reason it's a big deal on *any* PC" when its a system that really dosen't have anything worthwhile to data mine on, contain anything secure, browse anything secure, or really matter if data gets damaged?

Sure - if you're comfortable with tar/gzip, that shouldn't be an issue. That's the way I backup my system.

Well, I was asking for a method...

Maybe - maybe not. First - I never use partimage. I'm a Unix user from waaay back - SunOS was the first Unix I used. (That's the ancestor to Solaris!) I'm a tar/gzip person - occasionally dd. That's all I use.

Second - the PS3 hard disc is encrypted. Standard Boot CDs won't work. Nor will pulling the PS3 drive out and trying to mount it on a regular computer. The only boot sequence is the kboot/yaboot loaders - either on CD ROM or loaded into your PS3's firmware.

Yes, I understand, I was under the impression that using a bootcd (or even SystemRescueCD if it would work) on the ps3 itself in linux mode would make it only see the Linux partition as the actual HDD, much like how the YDL installer could only see the 10GB YDL partition as the entire HDD, I know I can't read the entire PS3 HDD or read it connected to another system...... yet..... I only wanted to backup the Linux partition, using the PS3 itself.

Tried it - didn't like it.

Too graphical. If you don't have a monitor running, you have a prayer of recovery with the standard "kboot" firmware, but not with Petitboot. Petitboot is very slick - but it doesn't respect the "default" setting you can create in /etc/yaboot.conf. Instead, it boots what it last remembers. So - if you're trying to create a custom resolution for a new display - it boots with its last graphical settings, even if you've created a new one and told the system to use it.

So - fine for beginners, not so great for Linux tweakers, IMHO. YMMV.

Cheers,
Paul

Well, I just wanted it to look nice, if it was a PC this would be a different story, but since its a console and already pretty darn restricted anyway, I figured might as well make it look nice instead of having DOS-like text everywhere.

Can't I just reinstall the YDL kboot from the XMB if I didn't like it?

[ppietro]

wicd comes on the disc, BTW. It's also automatically installed for YDL 6.2 But - since you're using Wired, you haven't run into it yet.

Ok, so do you have any ideas how I can fix this?

No - Wired just "seems to work" for me.

I do have one tip. If there's a Wireless device and a Wired device simultaneously in Network Configuration, try deleting the one you're not using.

The weird thing about the PS3 is that both devices - wired and wireless - share the same MAC address. If you have both checked to start-up - or possibly both present - this might confuse Linux.

So - I'd try deleting the Wireless device, and making sure the Wired device is set to "Activate device when computer starts" on the General tab of the Ethernet Device properties.

That's not an idle recommendation. YDL is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, via the CentOS recompile. Even though we have to use Fedora Core 6 - because of the version difference between current Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora - running that repo without yum-protectbase will cause mismatched library upgrades and eventually "bad things will happen".

Right, so I pretty much really should add it.

Ill do that as soon as I get all my repos in order, I don't want to install anything without fixing those first.

Im surprised it dosen't come preinstalled if its so important.

It's not part of an Enterprise-wide Linux deployment. Since Enterprise systems don't use external repos - you don't update software very often - there's no need for it.

Specifically - Red Hat Enterprise Linux uses locked down Red Hat Enterprise repos. This is to prevent the end user from having any direct control over their terminal.

So - yeah - it's only when you try to run Enterprise Linuxes in the Real World that you need it.

I describe a little of what an Enterprise system is here:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3684&p=16307#p16307

Same reason it's a big deal on *any* PC. You open yourself up to root hijacking and intrusion.

I am not trying to argue "b-b-but, I WANT to use root!", because as I said I fully understand how dangerous it is on a normal PC, I am just confused, what do I have to be worried about though on a PS3 that merely has a 10GB linux partition that will contain no sensitive information anyway?

Well - just off the top of my head, browsing to a website that executes a script as root that turns your PS3 into a DDOS robot. Running an emulator that has a viral payload in disguise than then hijacks your regular PCs via your network. There's plenty of reasons not to normally run as root - plus you're disabling the main point of the security that was built into Linux in the first place.

Look - ignore me all you like - it's your system. But - I'm just telling you standard Linux procedures:
http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+ro ... =firefox-a

I don't make up these things to annoy you. You asked - I answered - you choose to ignore. Next question.

Sure - if you're comfortable with tar/gzip, that shouldn't be an issue. That's the way I backup my system.

Well, I was asking for a method...

You said in your other post:

I am fairly new to linux, but YDL isn't my first expirence with it. I have used Ubuntu and OpenSUSE

I took this to mean you had some basic Linux knowledge - mea culpa. Tar/Gzip (and lately tar/bzip2) is the underpinnings of pretty much every source code archive in Linux.

Here's a quick guide to using it:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3563&p=15255#p15255

Well, I just wanted it to look nice, if it was a PC this would be a different story, but since its a console and already pretty darn restricted anyway, I figured might as well make it look nice instead of having DOS-like text everywhere.

Can't I just reinstall the YDL kboot from the XMB if I didn't like it?

Yes - you can install petitboot and try it. If you don't like it, you can put the other bootloader back. Again - you asked the question - I answered. I even included a "YMMV" - Your mileage may vary - warning. This means - although I didn't like it - you might.

Cheers,
Paul

[Cyber Akuma]

No - Wired just "seems to work" for me.

I do have one tip. If there's a Wireless device and a Wired device simultaneously in Network Configuration, try deleting the one you're not using.

The weird thing about the PS3 is that both devices - wired and wireless - share the same MAC address. If you have both checked to start-up - or possibly both present - this might confuse Linux.

So - I'd try deleting the Wireless device, and making sure the Wired device is set to "Activate device when computer starts" on the General tab of the Ethernet Device properties.

Ok, ill try that.

If I delete Wireless and it dosen't work, how would I add it back?

Well - just off the top of my head, browsing to a website that executes a script as root that turns your PS3 into a DDOS robot. Running an emulator that has a viral payload in disguise than then hijacks your regular PCs via your network. There's plenty of reasons not to normally run as root - plus you're disabling the main point of the security that was built into Linux in the first place.

Look - ignore me all you like - it's your system. But - I'm just telling you standard Linux procedures:
http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+ro ... =firefox-a

I don't make up these things to annoy you. You asked - I answered - you choose to ignore. Next question.

No need to become hostile, sigh, this is why I as worried about asking this, I know how opposed ot running as root most Linux users are.

Again, I was NOT trying to argue or ignore you, I was genuinely confused on why for a PS3 it would matter, I didn't see why a PS3 sub-system that is locked out of the main system and dosen't really need to be secure mattered.

Ill setup a user account a soon as I am done configuring and installing everything.

Though there are a few things still confusing me about what you said.

Wouldn't it be near impossible to get a virus from something downloaded from the repos? Wouldn't that have been discovered long ago if something on there contained malicious code? Like say, an emulator from the Bodega repos. I don't know enough to download and compile programs on my own that aren't in the repos.

How likely is it that a site would be designed to hijack an operating system other than Windows? Especially Linux? Plus, wouldn't it need to manage to hijack my browser first before it can get to my OS? Considering the point of a hack/virus is to spread, why would anybody want to code one for anything other than IE in Windows? And maybe the Windows version of Firefox?

I know the linux community in general is very serious about security and not running as root, I just don't understand how a PS3 can be a serious threat. It would be like installing Linux on my watch and still not using root, wouldn't it? Too obscure, unpopular, and useless a target to even bother trying to hack unless someone is specifically manually targeting you for some reason?

Again, NOT arguing, I am asking, because I want to clarify this.

I took this to mean you had some basic Linux knowledge - mea culpa. Tar/Gzip (and lately tar/bzip2) is the underpinnings of pretty much every source code archive in Linux.

Here's a quick guide to using it:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3563&p=15255#p15255

Well, I never had to install or compile anything manually in Linux yet, I have only installed packages from the repos in Ubuntu and OpenSUSE, or what already came on the installer disks.

Dosen't seem too different from when I had to use PKZIP back in the dos/win95 days.

But I am confused, is that a guide on using gzip or on backing up your drive?

Yes - you can install petitboot and try it. If you don't like it, you can put the other bootloader back. Again - you asked the question - I answered. I even included a "YMMV" - Your mileage may vary - warning. This means - although I didn't like it - you might.

Cheers,
Paul

Yeah, I know what YMMV means, I just wanted to make sure that I could change it back if I didn't like it, the way you said it made it sound like if it screws up anything I am stuck. I am not planning to install it until I fully configure this new install the way I want though, just to be safe.

Guess I need to Google a petitboot guide now.

[ppietro]

Ok, ill try that.

If I delete Wireless and it dosen't work, how would I add it back?

Use Scenario 2 here:
Wireless tips and tricks for YDL 6.1
or just use wicd.

Look - ignore me all you like - it's your system. But - I'm just telling you standard Linux procedures:
http://www.google.com/search?q=linux+ro ... =firefox-a

I don't make up these things to annoy you. You asked - I answered - you choose to ignore. Next question.

No need to become hostile, sigh, this is why I as worried about asking this, I know how opposed ot running as root most Linux users are.

If you know, why do you persist on asking? Again - we don't make this stuff up - there are documented reasons why it is the way it is. If you choose to ignore it - fine - but you're doing that at your own risk.

Your basic assumption - that running Linux on a PS3 is like running Linux on a watch is flawed. Linux on the PS3 is a full enterprise Linux. Anytime you connect a PS3 running Linux to the Internet, you have the same issues that connecting a PC to the internet has.

And - the virus model is different. Since most Linuxes have sophisticated scripting tools - you don't need a binary to do damage like you would on Windows. Even though the PS3 isn't running x86 code doesn't mean you can't create a trojan or virus. Perl scripts are just as effective - and system independent. And - unlike PCs - If you lose control of your root account, you've lost control of your machine in much more severe ways. Root accounts do not play by the same rules as the rest of the accounts in Linux. They wield ultimate power - safeguards do not apply to root.

For a different argument - consider this. Since root wields so much power, if you make a mistake as root - it can be catastrophic. Forcing yourself to run as a normal user and elevate to root makes sure you're doing what you mean to do. Think of it as a safety check.

And for the record - I'm not being hostile - I'm being time limited. None of us are YDL/Fixstars employees - we're all volunteers on this forum. I just do not have the cycles to get into an argument about a fundamental principle of Linux. If you choose to do so - that's your right. But - don't expect to get anything further about this from me.

The Google search I posted is a great place to start if you want to find out more.

But I am confused, is that a guide on using gzip or on backing up your drive?

It's a guide to using gzip. Since it's Linux, and most everything is installed from the repos, I generally don't back up my drive - just the /home directory tree and /root directory.

Basically, I just clean install Linux if necessary, then re-add my applications from Add/Remove Software. If I have a backup of my /home directory, then all my custom settings are preserved. If I have any custom tools, I generally load them in /root - thus I back that up too.

Cheers,
Paul

P.S. These two links may be helpful:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

[ppietro]

I just wanted to make sure that I could change it back if I didn't like it, the way you said it made it sound like if it screws up anything I am stuck. I am not planning to install it until I fully configure this new install the way I want though, just to be safe.

Guess I need to Google a petitboot guide now.

Let me explain a little more about this. This actually happened to me.

Say you have a 1080p monitor that you're using at home. Now, you take your PS3 to a place with a computer monitor that only does 720p.

If you're using /etc/yaboot.conf, you can have a number of default profiles. Before you leave home, you switch the default to 720p and you're good to go when you get to your location.

However - with Petitboot, it ignores the default entry, and still selects 1080p, since that's what you last used. Your remote monitor doesn't support this - and since you can't read the Petitboot display - you can't change it.

Now - if you could get back to the GameOS, and re-launch Petitboot, from a mode you knew worked, you would get the GUI. But - since that's a graphical pick from Petitboot - and the menus change slightly - even if you knew it was "back arrow, back arrow, down, right arrow" at one time, that might not get you back to the GameOS.

So - you use the "Hold the power switch down" trick to reset the PS3 settings to 480i GameOS. Well - guess what - the monitor doesn't support that either. So - now you have no way of setting the system back to OtherOS, since you can't read the display.

I think I finally solved this by connecting the PS3 to a projector that was capable of running 480i, and setting the mode I needed. But - it definitely added up to more work than the simple kboot: firmware.

Again - I realize that not everyone has the same needs I do. But - the added overhead of the GUI, plus the additional time it takes to deal with the GUI - it seems to load a little bit slower - is a deal breaker for me. I just want Linux to load when I pick OtherOS - I don't need a separate menu from there - that's what the XMB is for in the first place.

As far as using Petitboot, just load it from the "Install OtherOS" from the XMB. You'll need to have a USB drive with the Petitboot otheros.bld file in a /PS3/otheros directory. If you want to revert back, just put the YDL install disc in the PS3, select "Install OtherOS" and point it at the /PS3/otheros directory on the DVD.

Cheers,
Paul

[Cyber Akuma]

Deleting wireless unfortunately didn't work.

It also appeared to have gotten reinstalled on reboot.