# Possible to run FreeBSD at PS3?



## gechu (Nov 30, 2013)

Hi all,

I have a PS3 slim (latest firmware to date) at home. I'm not playing any games, but would like to run XBMC on it. My understanding is that FreeBSD is required because it is the only platform which has a graphics driver with hardware acceleration. Is it possible to install FreeBSD on my old PS3? I found one guide: is this guide to install FreeBSD on a PS3 valid for all models and firmwares of the PS3?

Thanks, Erik


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## sossego (Nov 30, 2013)

You need to look at the PS3 developers website. Nathan Whitehorn had it working on one. So the answer is yes.


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## gechu (Nov 30, 2013)

He used the "fat" PS3 with old firmware, and all references are dated 2011. _I w_as hoping to get more up to date information.


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## phillipsjk (Nov 30, 2013)

It is my understanding is that PS3 security is completely broken. However, Sony made a public example of George Hotz for breaking out of the OtherOS hypervisor.

Subsequent work has revealed the root signing keys that lets you sign custom firmware. The key management is likely fixed for the PS4.

Searching around, all the information I can find about PS3 jail-breaking appear to be binary blobs promised in return for filling out a survey. I suspect if you really want to do this in the open without being sued, you should ask Sony to re-anable OtherOS on the PS3. I myself would not buy a PS4 until they show good faith: equivalent OtherOS on the PS4 is not good enough. Of course, I personally never bought a PS3 myself: was tempted, but the fact OtherOS ran in a hypervisor made me leery.

Edit: moved back one link for the signing keys


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## sossego (Dec 2, 2013)

My understanding of the PS3 community is that they are pretty much open about their activities. Recent news is that the firmware has finally been broken and that native access to the CPU and GPU sets should be available. Let it be known that IBM is not completely ready to give up all of their secrets. http://gigaom.com/2013/08/06/ibm-hopes- ... franchise/ but that shows they are ready to change their minds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER8 
That means: twelve cores with fifteen free registers out of 32 per core or 60 possible spaces for instruction per load-store cycle. 4 GHz of speed to run the instructions which come into it. Given that a pattern can be "learned", one can get it to run complex sets of instructions if a logic board is available with multiple sockets.


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## sossego (Aug 23, 2014)

This is open to all including student/research. The platform has Linux only and then Linux plus others. The Open Power Foundation.


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