Re: [ps2hacking-devel] Some answers on digest #38 and #39

[Guido A. P. jr. <gu...@pa...>]

On Mon, 7 Jan 2002, Michael Riches wrote:

> It was my understanding that this was a PS1 program, and only runs on a
> PS2 because the PS2 can emulate the PS1. If this is the case, how does it
> actually help development on PS2 linux? Could the bootloader for this be
> extended to reboot the PS2 in PS2 mode, and not PS1 mode?
> 
> 		-Mike Riches
> 		 mriches@u.washington.edu
> 		 http://students.washington.edu/mriches
The part about the PS1 program printing kernel messages was meant as joke, 
i'm pretty sure it is a real linux kernel. 

But fact is that the PS2 (at least mine, I don't have access to 
any other modchipped PS2s) recognizes the runix CD as a PS1-CD and shows 
the PS1-logo before booting the kernel, just as it does when you insert 
a PS1 game (i borrowed one to test this). 

My guess is that the runix guys have great knowledge about the 
PS1 boot process from their PS1-linux efforts and use the PS1-CD format as 
a kind of bootloader for the PS2 kernel. An interesting thing is that you 
see _all_ kernel messages on the tv, so i think that output has nothing to 
do with the kernel itself, but is feature of the "bootloader (?)". 
Otherwise you wouldn't be able to see the very first kernel messages 
(bogomips etc). 

As soon as I get my PS2 connected to a PC equipped with a 
TV card, i'll take some screenshots and publish them if anyone is 
interested.

Guido