Linux Now Booted On GameCube System

modifried writes "The GameCube-Linux project managed to get the Linux kernel to boot on a GameCube gaming system - it 'shows a full screen of kernel messages, up to mounting root', but there are still errors to be fixed. From what I have gathered no one has (as of yet) been able to burn a bootable mini-DVD for the system. Instead they are currently using a glitch in the patching system from the online-enabled game Phantasy Star Online. Screenshots can be found here. (And if you'd like more information on the PSOLoader, it can be found here.)"

Re:Forgive my ignorance...

[noselasd]

For fun ?

Re:You know...

[Kethinov]

It was their staunch refusal to touch CDs (because they were easily copied) that lost them SquareSoft as a developer to Sony, and the N64's anemic cartrige space nearly dragged them out of the mainstream gaming market.

They were, and still are, well known as one of the most litigous companies when it comes to emulators and ROMs. They crack down the hardest on manufacturers of ROM copier devices.

Funny thing is, this approach flopped on N64 and Nintendos all before it. Search Kazaa for Playstation ISOs and how many do you find, not many. Search Kazaa for N64 dumps, SNES dumps, NES dumps, how many do you find? Tons. Reason? You can make dumps of N64, SNES, and NES catridges that don't get much bigger than 128mb depending on what method you use to dump the data. But CD images are always ~700MB; though some of my Playstation CD images are as small as 300mb, while Final Fantasies are something around ~780mb. My recent rip of Final Fantasy X clocked at 4.19gb.

Nintendo finally (unfortunately) realized that more data storage = pirate unfriendly with the Gamecube, even though those mini DVDs are still loads smaller in filesize than the PS2 disks. But it's their copy protection (burn/read from outside to in, among other theories) that has really stumped emulation enthusiasts like myself. To my knowledge, only a small group of people have figured out how to rip a GC disk, and they're not sharing how. Developers of the Dolphin emu probably know how to do it as well.

Actually, the only (public) method I know of that actually works is using the same exploit as is being used to create this GC Linux. You can supposedly make an ISO of any GC disk by exploiting the update process in Phantasy Star Online, though I wouldn't bother with such a backwards-ass method. I'd rather just tweak a DVD ROM to be able to read and make ISOs of the disks. In any event, PS2 and GC have both been out for just about the same amount of time, and PS2 emulation is lightyears ahead of GC. Nintendo's anti-piracy efforts are so good this time that people even have a hard time getting Linux, which supposedly "runs on anything", to run on one ;)

Re:Theres a reason they can't make the DVD's

[Jawju]

The GC discs spin the same way as other CD/DVDs (clockwise). However, they read from the outside towards the inside (I believe the XBox does the same). This allows faster bootups and so on. I think the problem with copying is getting your hands on the 8cm discs. You can get blank ones if you own a GC dev kit, but good luck getting them on ebay ;)

Re:Theres a reason they can't make the DVD's

[Jawju]

There's a lot of comments on this older /. article [slashdot.org].

The disc spinning backwards seems to be some sort of chinese whisper due to the fact that the tracks written on it are reversed.

But there's a simpler way I know they spin in the right direction - I own one, and if you have it running and open the case, the disc is spinning in the regular direction.

Re:perepherals and whatnot...

[Psykechan]

Nintendo has broadband (Ethernet) adapters for sale here [nintendo.com] at their online store. They don't have them listed as backordered like some of their other items [nintendo.com] so they should be in stock.

For anyone who is thinking that the GC is useless running Linux without a hard drive, I would like to point out the SD flash RAM adapter [lik-sang.com] and Mini DVD-R discs [yahoo.com]. While these aren't necessarily supported by the project at the moment, it's not too big of a stretch to imagine that they may be.