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I never understood the whole make your console a computer obsession. I mean, don't you have to use a perfectly working computer to learn how to make your console a computer? Can't you just continue to use that first computer as a perfectly working... computer?

There's no stopping these guys, though. It seems that someone took a Linux-loaded PS3 one step further for... bragging rights? I don't know. Through some untold evil invocation, they managed to shoehorn Windows Vista onto a PlayStation 3. Prepare to nod your head in continual disbelief as you watch the above video, making sure to frequently close your eyes in disgust a few times. And you have plenty of time to close your eyes, as it takes about 4 full minutes before we even get cursor move-ability.

In fact, the loading time is so painfully slow that the video actually jumps to 8x speed, and even then, the video is over 7 minutes long. And the payoff? In the end, Notepad opens after 12 minutes. Woo.

If there was a Console Abuse headline, I would definitely call this in.

STFUAJPG?

[Via Kotaku]

How To:
-Install Qemu 0.9.1

-Use vlite to shrink a Vista Image, and apply the 256mb memory patch

-Install Vista on your Computer using the vlite image with Qemu and Bochs Bios Rev 1.171 by sshwarts (It took my computer 12 hours.)

-Copy the .IMG Made from Bochs/Qemu to your PS3's HDD

-Open Terminal where the Vista IMG is located

-type qemu -hda vista.img -m 256 -L "Location to Rev 1.171 directory, Drag n Drop" -cpu pentium3

It will take about 25 min to fully boot (network connection and audio show up)

Bochs Bios Rev 1.171:
http://tinyurl.com/65v5sf

Video Download Locations:
http://tinyurl.com/5ds84w

Mirror:
http://tinyurl.com/6ykur6

Continue: More Windows Vista stories





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35 comments | showing # 1 to 35

pendelton21's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 09:59
pendelton21
...dear God, why...
ReclusiveSpirit's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 09:59
ReclusiveSpirit
I saw this a couple of days ago and I heard some of the apps on Vista could take almost a day to apply.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:00
Holyetheline
Wow that's very impressive!
Jagzi11a's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:04
Jagzi11a
I am impressed by the work that these dudes put into getting it to work. Also isn't it funny that the ps3 will stream video from XP or vista and the 360 can only stream from media center PC's (XP media center or vista)
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:08
linuxguy
you should know that linux on the ps3 runs on a xen like hypervisor
so it's like this
PPE(power4)---hypervisor---linux distro(with X11 running and all)---qemu---vista(biggest bloatware ever)
Kryptinite's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:09
Kryptinite
LOL....12 minutes to open NotePad?


working as intended.
TorpedoTed's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:09
TorpedoTed
Just goes to show how powerful a pc actually is!!
DemonEyes23's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:13
DemonEyes23
ha its impressive though generally useless i prefer nix over vista anyway...ubuntu anyway...sweet sweet ubuntu
DemonEyes23's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:15
DemonEyes23
and this doesn't really prove how powerful a pc is...if your pc was running all the crap that linuxguy outlined it would likely take 12 mins too + or - a few minutes
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:19
linuxguy
Also linux on ps3 has access to 192MB of RAM with every IO passing trough the hypervisor hence more lag also there must be lots of swapping going on and we all know how slow harddrives are compared to RAM
taterchimp's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:24
taterchimp
Im sorry, I'm not that into pokemon...
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:26
linuxguy
@tatership: oh XKCD reference nicely done sir!
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:29
falinter
Why not?
RJG's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:30
RJG
I never understood the whole make your console a computer obsession.

Because they want something good instead of something crap?

/umbrella
killias2's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:31
killias2
Man, I won't even put Vista on my new PC, much less an innocent, frightened little console.

For shame.
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:40
mistic
I'd just stop after the install of linux :-)
Rob165x's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:41
Rob165x
This is impressive...although I'm an xbox 360 owner I do like the PS3 and while I perfer the xbox 360 for games I have to say the PS3 does some pretty cool stuff. It's a media powerhouse that makes me want to own one. There's many things that can contribute to Vista running slow. 1).Vista is a resource hog, PS3/360 have 512 system Ram, split into 2 for videocard (256mb generally)...Vista needs 512mb. 2). Vista can be slow on a fast computer (not saying PS3 ain't fast) but PS3 is a videogame's dedicated system, not one which is meant to do multiple processes like a PC. On that note, its safe to say the way that a PC can't emulate a PS3 as good is an example of why PS3 will have problems emulating an OS. Needless to say the versatility is impressive. I wonder if the 360 Processors' being more in likeness to PCs would help fledge this better. (I do admit PS3 processor is faster, just saying 360 is easier to code)
Rob165x's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:44
Rob165x
Oh and about the streaming video/music from PC it ain't true. You can stream thru Media Center or without it. In fact I perfer not using Media Center because it has problems playing DivX. You just have to make sure you're connected to a router and have folders shared on PC.
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:54
-PL-
Behold the power of the Cell Processor!
savagesaladin's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:56
savagesaladin
Does XP actually run on it well?
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:57
king3vbo
That poor PS3
Miike's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 10:58
Miike
RE: Jagzi11a
It's not true. I stream videos from winXP to 360 all the time. You don't need a media centre PC, just windows media player.

I can understand why people do it, they felt it was a challenge. You should see the stuff people try to put linux on. Hell, "does it run linux?" is a meme. Toaster? Does it run linux? coffee maker? does it .... you get the picture.

This just adds to the list of "cool stuff a ps3 can do".

I wonder how they got around the ram problem...
Crumpet Lips's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 11:16
Crumpet Lips
@Jagzii11a
That's funny, I could swear my computer is a Windows XP machine and has been able to stream my movies and pictures and music over to my 360 since I got it. Hah yeah I must just be crazy..... -_-
VixenFox's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 11:28
VixenFox
----- lol ----- @-PL- :D
mikeyed's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 11:29
mikeyed
Adding a terrible operating system to mediocre console is really like doing nothing at all.
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 11:40
linuxguy
@mikeyed:GTFO and STFUAJPG
parrothead's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 13:14
parrothead
Vista sucks on a computer, why would I put in on my PS3?
cryocide's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 13:16
cryocide
Two things:

1) It's not a CPU power problem. It's a memory problem. The system just doesn't have enough RAM to run -any- OS worth a damn. Because of this...

2) Linux doesn't run worth a damn on PS3 either. Vista is a huge memory hog, but unless you've stripped-down your Linux build, it's just as useless for everyday computing.
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 13:22
pedrovay2003
People want to make their consoles a computer so you can NOT play NOT roms on them and play them on your TV instead of your NOT computer.
Narishma's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 13:25
Narishma
@savagesaladin: No version Windows runs on it since it doesn't have a x86 CPU. You can run it with an emulator like they do in this video but it's too slow to be usable.

@TorpedoTed: It doesn't. If you were to run Windows on an emulator on a PC it'll be just as slow as this. Maybe a little quicker because PCs generally have more RAM than 256MB but it would still be unusable.
Phoenix0783's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 13:58
Phoenix0783
Well of course it's slow. teh ps3 has only 256mb of ram (but it's fast) so there is constant paging. Also, it's run from inside linux virtually so, linux is already using resources and then along comes vista which wants even more. the same thing would happen if you ran another instance of linux in qemu.
RWarrior1CO's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 15:03
RWarrior1CO
Not surprising. The PS3 can barely run its browser without running out of memory after a few pages.
KorJax's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2008 17:59
KorJax
Yeah there is also the problem that PC processors are built with parallel processing which is good for processing applications and the like and a faster/more advanced solution to basic console processors.

While the PS3's processor runs at a much more basic and simplified architecture that works in linearity (which means it will take forever to do anything in it that isn't a linearly processed application like your average PS3 game). Although the PS3's processor is powerful, its just not as advanced or efficient as regular parallel processors in PC's. If it was, you would be paying an arm and a leg for a PS3 to run games at the quality that it does :)

But it's also slow mostly because of the fact that the PS3 only has 256MB of memory in it, and Vista really requires 1GB+ to run well.
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 04:39
Burnt Meatloaf
It's running an emulator. Big whoop. You can emulate Vista on any platform if you're patient enough. You don't need any hacking skills to do it.

An emulator isn't going to mimic all the vector and streaming instructions on an x86 CPU, so even on a supercomputer it would be slow as dirt.

You want to see slow? Try emulating a PS2 on a PC, let alone a PS3.
Dan CiTi's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/07/2008 08:30
Dan CiTi
This why Linux is meant for the PS3. I have Ubuntu on my PS3, it runs faster than pretty much every PC I've seen.
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