Can Ubuntu be installed on a PS1 or PS2?

[honeybear]

Hi,

PS3 sure. But however on an older model? Since I have an old PS1, I would be interested to use it with Linux... And what about USB, does it work well?

Happy Tux

[Dlambert]

No, i don't believe so, not efficiently at least.

[honeybear]

No, i don't believe so, not efficiently at least.

the linux distro for ps2 is not available. But anyhow a recent uuntu would be great because repository are updated



Linux for PlayStation 2
January 2002 - June 2010
After years of service, the server running playstation2-linux.com has been retired, and the original website along with it. In its place we will offer a downloadable archive of the forum posts and project downloads for the community to continue to enjoy.

We expect the archive to be posted here by the end of November 2010. Please check back then if you are interested in the archive.

Thank you to those members of the community that contributed so many helpful posts, builds, tutorials and projects to the site.

[Dustin2128]

Short answer:No.
Long answer:No, the hardware of both is far too weak to run ubuntu even if either had a hard drive or a proper BIOS/EFI.

[3rdalbum]

Hi,

PS3 sure. But however on an older model? Since I have an old PS1, I would be interested to use it with Linux... And what about USB, does it work well?

The PS1 doesn't have USB :-)

The PS2 has 32 MiB of RAM and 4 MiB of VRAM, which does not satisfy Ubuntu's system requirements; additionally the PS2 uses a MIPS processor, not an x86, so even if there was enough RAM you'd need the unofficial MIPS port of Ubuntu.

The PS1 with 2 MiB of RAM, 33MHz processor, 1 MiB of VRAM and less than 1 MiB of total permanent storage is definitely not suitable for Ubuntu, and I'd be absolutely amazed if someone could get Linux onto it. It would be a very involved task.

[matchett808]

Sorry, just need to say that it will be *possible* to put at least a terminal on it. There is a debian MIPS and 33MiB of RAM is more than enough for a headless server or a terminal based installation!

Just my two cents but thought it would be interesting, as previously mentioned - its probably not easy and not worth it....before even thinking about any sort of security stopping you. Apart from anything else how would you load the OS on??

[tghe-retford]

Different console, but the Sega Dreamcast can run Linux, but it's CPU is a Hitachi SH4 (so you couldn't just whack a live CD in there obviously) so the whole thing had to be rewritten and stripped down to run on a Dreamcast, and then its hardware is so underpowered, the Dreamcast Linux disc I had could only run twm... slowly!

Source: http://linuxdc.sourceforge.net/

You could strip down Linux and possibly get a command line to run on a PS1 or a basic window manager for the PS2 - in fact an official Linux disk was released by Sony - Window Maker, Fluxbox and FVWM are known to work with said disk, but I would not get hopeful about running Ubuntu or even a light-weight Ubuntu derivative on a PS1 or PS2.

[Spice Weasel]

No, but a lighter, official distribution (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Linux_for_PlayStation_2) can.

[honeybear]

No, but a lighter, official distribution (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Linux_for_PlayStation_2) can.

why you mean? because conventional current Linux distros are already to heavy for the PS2. When you look, the CPU and video card are already advanced. Enough for making a mythtv center no?

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/MythTV_on_Playstation3