Arch Linux with KDE Plasma on a jailbroken PS4.

Run Linux from a USB drive on a jailbroken PS4. Tested setup, ready-to-use files. Works on CUH-7116B (Pro) and CUH-2116A (Slim) on FW 13.52 with GoldHEN. The loader supports FW 5.05-13.52.

Download v1.0 Source on GitHub

Requirements

A jailbroken PS4 with GoldHEN (FTP on port 2121 and a payload loader).
A USB stick: 32GB USB 3.0 is best, 16GB is the minimum. Writing erases the whole stick.

Which kernel

Model	Type	Southbridge	Kernel	Status
CUH-10xx, CUH-11xx	Fat	Aeolia	`bzImage-belize-7.1.7`	Untested
CUH-12xx	Fat	Belize	`bzImage-belize-7.1.7`	Untested
CUH-2116A	Slim	Baikal	`bzImage-baikal-7.0.8`	Works (FW 13.52, GoldHEN)
Other CUH-2xxx	Slim	Depends on the motherboard	Belize or Baikal	Untested
CUH-70xx	Pro	Belize	`bzImage-belize-7.1.7`	Untested
CUH-7116B	Pro	Belize	`bzImage-belize-7.1.7`	Works (FW 13.52, GoldHEN)
Other CUH-7xxx	Pro	Depends on the motherboard	Belize or Baikal	Untested

Not sure? If the Belize kernel gets a white light every time, use the Baikal kernel. Some Fat models have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips that may not work.

Install

1. Write the USB image

Download psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part1 and psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part2 from the release (a ready-made Arch Linux KDE USB image, xz-compressed, split in 2 parts) and write-img.ps1.

Join the parts. Windows:

cmd /c copy /b psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part1 + psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part2 psxitarch-usb.img.xz

Linux:

cat psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part1 psxitarch-usb.img.xz.part2 > psxitarch-usb.img.xz

In PowerShell as Administrator, run Get-Disk to find the USB number (not your PC disk), then:
```
.\write-img.ps1 -ImagePath .\psxitarch-usb.img.xz -DiskNumber <N>
```
(needs 7-Zip). Or extract the .img with 7-Zip and use balenaEtcher or Rufus (DD mode). If Windows asks to format the stick, click Cancel.

2. Put the kernel on the PS4

Jailbreak with GoldHEN and FTP to the PS4, port 2121.
Create the folder /data/linux/boot/.
Upload the kernel for your console and name it /data/linux/boot/bzImage.
Upload initramfs.cpio.gz to /data/linux/boot/initramfs.cpio.gz.

Do not put a file named bzImage on the USB: the loader prefers a USB kernel, so leave it off and one USB works on every console.

3. Boot

Plug the USB into the PS4 before you turn it on.
Jailbreak.
Send linux-1024mb.elf to the loader:
```
nc -q 1 <PS4-IP> 9020 < linux-1024mb.elf
```
If port 9020 does not answer, try 9090. A black screen for a minute or two is normal; it then logs in to the KDE desktop.

After a reboot you are back on the PS4. Jailbreak and send the payload again. The USB can stay plugged in.

The light: if it turns from white to blue within about 15 seconds, the kernel started. If it stays white for more than 20 seconds, check the kernel table, or power off, turn the console back on, and try again.

Payloads

File	VRAM	Use
`linux-32mb.elf` to `linux-512mb.elf`	32-512MB	No desktop. Server only.
`linux-1024mb.elf`	1GB	Use this for the desktop. Tested on Pro and Slim.
`linux-2048mb.elf`	2GB	More graphics memory.
`linux-3072mb.elf`	3GB	Not tested.
`linux-4096mb.elf`	4GB	Tested on Pro (FW 13.52). Leaves about 4GB RAM.

After it boots

The controller works on a USB cable. Bluetooth has to be paired again after every boot.
Ethernet works. Wi-Fi is still being tested. Prefer 2.4GHz.
Sleep is turned off. Suspending the console breaks this Linux.

Use the rest of the USB

Only from Linux running on the PS4. Grow only the partition labeled psxitarch (partition 2 of the USB stick); never touch the console's internal disk. These are the usual commands (not run on the console):

lsblk -f
sudo parted /dev/sdX resizepart 2 100%
sudo resize2fs /dev/sdX2

Troubleshooting

Black screen: do a full power off, wait a few seconds, jailbreak again and retry. The 2nd or 3rd try usually works.
Best routine: plug the USB in before powering on, send the ELF right after the jailbreak without opening games or apps, and wait 1-2 minutes.
Rescue shell with mounting LABEL=psxitarch failed: the USB was not detected. Plug it in and reboot.
Pasted commands add junk characters: type them by hand.

Credits

fail0verflow (original PS4 Linux port, ps4-kexec), rancido and PSXITA Team, eeply, valeryy, tihmstar, mircoho, codedwrench, crashniels (kernel patches), rmuxnet (Strawberry kernels, loader rework), ps4boot (original loader), ArabPixel (ps4-linux-loader, FW 12.5x/13.xx), PSXITA Team (Psxitarch v3 initramfs), Piotr Karbowski (better-initramfs), Erkkola (Arch KDE rootfs), centi07 and DionKill (Mesa packages), SiSTR0 (GoldHEN). Kernels, payloads and initramfs are unmodified and belong to their authors.