Runix

Includes but not limited to: SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Gear and I guess the Virtual Boy.

Moderator:Moderators

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:
Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:16 pm

meant to post this ages ago but just remembered today as I got an email from the runix website.
basically runix was a project to get Linux running on the ps1, and it sort of got completed. Its pretty hard to find info on it nowadays but I have read a few sites with a couple of people claiming to get it running. a guy from runix posted a semi complete tutorial on how to get it to work but He has never confirmed it personally
I've got a way to boot on the PSX (don't know if it works with a PS2). The trick is to use a Net Yaroze boot disc and to load your stuff on the PSX threw the serial port (or even maybe threw the parallel, but I've never herd of it). Indeed, you'll need three things :
- your PSX to have a mod-chip (in order to read the burned CD of the Net Yaro boot)
- this (http://hitmen.c02.at/html/psx_siocable.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) between your PSX and your computer in order to load the stuff
- the Net Yaro boot disc. I've got my copy on the old runix forum (but you may find it here : http://spazioinwind.libero.it/yarozeit/kit.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; , or surely on the link on this page : http://www.jeuxvideo.com/forums/1-60-32 ... nt-ps1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Notice that the dev kit on of the first link is incomplete, but the one in the second link is. Maybe you'll need to have a spec region memory card as well.

You should also use a game-shark devise, or similar stuff, instead of the Skywalker Serial Cable.

All you should want to know is her : http://hitmen.c02.at/html/psx_faq.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and on the rest of the website.

Good luck.
other links that are confirmed to be working

Runix files
http://www.stampede.org/~lethal/
Last edited by blaze3927 on Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

User avatar
robm
Posts:276
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:05 pm
Location:Reynoldsburg. OH

Re: Runix

Post by robm » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:29 am

Well, here's an honest question.

I can see the advantage to running Linux on a PS2 or PS3. You can put a hard drive in a PS2, and a PS3 already has one. The PS2 benefits from this advantage because you can develop applications for the PS2 in this manner, but it's a HIDEOUS procedure... hideous. Much better to run an emulator on the PC and get the free SDK that's been released, dev on the PC, and then upload the prog through FTP to the PS2. it w

The PS1, on the other hand, (as far as I know,) has no hard drive capability, would require a modchip, and would have little functionality, if any. Or have I missed something?

But, if it's a "Because I can" kind of thing, I totally understand. I'd put Linux on a cell phone if I could.

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:47 pm

yeh its more as a proof of concept, and yes you do need a modchip or a gameshark because to run the net yaroze disc on a non dev playstation i'm pretty sure you need to enter a few gameshark codes to bypass the net yaroze's boot check thingo.
and it would be pretty cool to get one running because no one else has actually proven that they have done it (pics etc.).
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

User avatar
robm
Posts:276
Joined:Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:05 pm
Location:Reynoldsburg. OH

Re: Runix

Post by robm » Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:40 pm

Hmm, that's too bad. At this point in time, if I was going to deal with a Linux installation of any kind, it would be to install it on my PS2. I do happen to have two psones lying around though... hmm.

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Fri Jun 19, 2009 9:04 am

Sorry to bump this but should this go in reference ?
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

User avatar
stuntpenguin007
Posts:667
Joined:Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:21 pm

Re: Runix

Post by stuntpenguin007 » Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:50 pm

Isn't the reference section a place filled with tutorials and guides?
SNESP WIP
Case - 50%
acquired parts - 90%
assembly - 0%

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:25 pm

yeh but since this isnt really confirmed yet...
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

User avatar
HotDog-Cart
Portablizer
Posts:3804
Joined:Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:07 pm
PSN Username:Lythinca
Steam ID:scythe_king
Location:Your IP Address, Connecting...
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by HotDog-Cart » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:10 pm

Hmm, I could try this if the weird chip in mine is a mod chip.
Image

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:22 am

please do, i never got/have the time to get around to doing it
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

panzeroceania
Posts:1
Joined:Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:35 am

Re: Runix

Post by panzeroceania » Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:38 am

there is some purpose, if you could get some kind of network connectivity (weren't there some development PlayStations or something with a port for dial up internet) you could run it as a thin client and have a network file system.

Where can I get instructions on how to set this up?

User avatar
mako321
Posts:711
Joined:Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:27 am

Re: Runix

Post by mako321 » Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:57 am

do you actually need a modchip though? Pretty much all(I could be wrong)ps1's can play backups via the disk swap trick, can't they?

tom61
Senior Member
Posts:1517
Joined:Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:51 pm

Re: Runix

Post by tom61 » Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:56 pm

mako321 wrote:do you actually need a modchip though? Pretty much all(I could be wrong)ps1's can play backups via the disk swap trick, can't they?
IIRC, you need a cheat device to do the swap trick. I seem to recall buying the one I have just for getting homebrew to work with the swap trick.

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:59 pm

you dont need a modchip/ cheat device to do the swap disc trick, but i think i remember reading somewhere that you need a gameshark to trick the net yaroze disc into thinking it was being booted by a net yaroze machine as opposed to a normal ps1
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

tarkb
Posts:1
Joined:Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:33 pm

Re: Runix

Post by tarkb » Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:15 am

I thought I was the only one nuts enough to be researching this a few years ago!

"We're all a little weird, we like to think theres someone weirder. I'm sure some of you are looking at me going 'At least I'm not as weird as Gaffigan.' And then I'm thinking 'At least I'm not as weird as those people in the looney bin.' And the people in the looney bin are going 'Well, at least I'm not an orange."


From scouring old links years ago (and archive.org IIRC) I have:

PSXLinux-cross-tools-i586.tar.gz
PSXLinux-kernel-2.4.x-alpha2.tar.gz
PSXLinux-kernel-2.4.x-beta1.tar.gz
kernel-psx-2.4.0.tar.gz
press-release3.txt


The press release reads:

PSXLinux kernel alpha 2 release

Blokman Trading s.r.o released alpha 2 version of Linux kernel for Sony Playstation - PSXLinux.
PSXLinux based on uClinux 2.4.x kernel (http://www.uClinux.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and contains new drivers for
Sony Playstation.

Essential features were added:
- GPU virtual console
- Playstation memory card block driver
- ability to mount root file system on Playstation memory card;
- minor bugs fixed

In August we intend to release tools for memory card root image creation.
Please, visit http://www.runix.ru" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best regards,
Chief Executive Officer
Vadim V. Veshchezerov



I don't believe you need PSXLinux-cross-tools-i586.tar.gz -- you can build yer own
gcc/binutils cross chain easily enough. There is (was?) also a "psxdev" toolchain that had a few patches to gcc/binutils IIRC. PSXdev IIRC contained a bunch of linux tools (e.g. gimp plugin to make TIM images IIRC) and some programs for talking to a PSX from linux. You can do stuff like have a program running on the psx use your pc hard drive as a "virtual filesystem" if that makes sense. I don't use psxdev other than I built a toolchain from
it's sources, since I don't run linux at home (and, I believe it needed a kernel module loaded on your pc, which probably won't work with any kernel newer than 7 years old or whatever).

I can build and run homebrew apps with either a toolchain built from psxdev source rpms, or my own "stock" gcc/binutils-built toolchain, and haven't noticed any difference except code size varies.

I believe I gave up on runix because I couldn't find the "memory card root filesystem image"
creator? Anyone know where that is? OR an alternative way to create it?


I don't remember if I was ever able to compile the kernel succesfully, but IIRC I sent a kernel
over piocons and it didn't seem to do anything (might have caused psx to crash, i don't remember). I think it was a precompiled kernel from who knows where (inside one of those tarballs maybe?).


The unanswered questions I have:

what compiler to use to compile the kernel?
Is PSXLinux-cross-tools-i586.tar.gz anything more than
a stock gcc/binutils? Does it output ecoff or elf or aout or...?


Assuming you can compile, what are the steps to convert a compiled kernel to run on the psx? (there are various tools for converting a gcc-generated ecoff into the PSX EXE format, fixing headers, setting the "start location in RAM", etc.) Or do the kernel makefiles handle
all this for you? One nice thing for homebrew is UPX can pack PSX executables (maybe not a kernel though). I imagine the kernel compile also uses a psx-specific linker script to layout
the sections in the executable.


Can you boot from a burned CD (e.g. using the swap trick)?

Can you send a kernel binary over piocons to load it? (does the kernel do anything
"special" that will interfere with caetla?)


piocons is simply a linux/unix/bsd tool that talks to an ISA "comm link card", which has a
parallel-cable-ish-type cord that goes to an action replay plus, which is plugged into the back of an old-school psx. the action replay plus runs a "custom" "firmware" known as caetla. you can flash your action replay with caetla if it doesn't come with it.


piocons/caetla lets you call printf() or getchar() etc. in your psx prog, and have it
routed to your pc display/keyboard. (I believe caetla "patches" the psx "bios"/memory to call it's own custom routines instead of the "built-in libc" system calls that are on the psx). I would think if runix has written a GPU console, you could easily write a console that worked
over piocons/caetla (disclaimer: I can compile a kernel, but I don't mess with kernel sources, so "easily" doesn't mean I know how).


Since ps2 is backward-compatible with psx, I imagine runix might even work on it?
(although sony did an official linux kit for ps2 IIRC). The same issues apply for
1) how to actually load the kernel
2) I don't know what (specifically unix) tools there are for loading homebrew apps on ps2, so a GPU console might be the best bet.


You can use the swap trick on a stock old-school psx, but I haven't tried the net yaroze
boot cd. The swap trick is sometimes sensitive on what "original CD" you are swapping with (e.g. the # of audio tracks on the original, length of the data track, etc.). This can manifest in games as audio tracks or FMV videos not playing or stuttering (see thrill kill for an example that is known to not play good using the swap trick). This means even if it works, it might not be reliable enough to use, unless you have enough original CDs and enough patience to find a good "match". (I have never had a modchip, so I don't know if that helps).


There are various other things (if you want to use malloc() on the psx, you have to tell it where to allocate memory from) that are hard to find documented anywhere if you are not
using the official dev kit. Best bet is to look at any homebrew sources and see what they do.
The runix kernel is probably a good source for some psx-specific "initialization code" and whatnot.


This is probably way too long, but if you have tried looking for any of this stuff a few years ago, let alone now, it is a pain. If I helped one insane person become crazier, it will all have
been worthwhile.


Anyone else crazy enough to comment or research further?

User avatar
blaze3927
Portablizer
Posts:1114
Joined:Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:14 am
360 GamerTag:notjames
Location:Australia
Contact:

Re: Runix

Post by blaze3927 » Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:48 am

omg omg omg omg its 1:40 am in the morning and i found someone who is as crazy as i a,m!!!!!!!
right i have to goto bed but i skim ready your post and as for compiling iremember readin up a guy (mayber robin psx) who made a compiled iso but i also remember this tutorial that was in italian

aother thing to do is see if you can find the iso for the net yaroze disc and get your hands on a gameshark with a parallel port

lets put an end to runix!!!!
Australian Kaillera server
[url]hhttp://i56.tinypic.com/ncb0wi.gif[/url]

Post Reply