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Possible to have windows on ps4?

Tags:
  • Windows
  • Playstation 4
  • Components
Last response: in Other Consumer Electronics
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June 13, 2014 6:11:34 AM

Since the ps4 has similar components to a pc i was wondering if you can hack the ps4 to use a different os like windows

More about : windows ps4

June 13, 2014 3:21:25 PM

As far as i know, the PS4 uses a different processor, which is incompatible with Windows.

Sorry...
June 13, 2014 3:25:01 PM

ohh damn it
what about linux
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June 13, 2014 4:18:04 PM

Very different processor, indeed - PS4 CPU Type
It was possible to install Linux on PS3, but that function was taken away with firmware update.
So "enjoy" your PS4!
June 14, 2014 3:19:53 AM

AliRidha said:
Since the ps4 has similar components to a pc i was wondering if you can hack the ps4 to use a different os like windows


Most home and handheld consoles use very well protected boot chains to ensure that the only software that can be run on them is the software provided by the manufacturer.

Individuals have been trying to hack the PSVita for quite some time with no luck. The PS3 could run Linux, but this operating system was actually run as a virtual machine. The operating system that ran on the metal for the XBox 360 and PS3 was actually a lightweight hypervisor designed specifically to keep prying eyes away from the metal. The same theory has been carried forward with the XBox One and PS4, lightweight hypervisors running one or more guest operating systems.

Lets assume for a moment that it would be possible to disable the cryptographic protection of the boot chain and run bare metal code arbitrarily without having a hypervisor in the middle. It would be possible to run any operating system that one wishes, however a certain amount of work would need to be done first.

The operating system would need a bootloader and hardware abstraction layer written specifically for the host hardware and accompanying firmware. An existing bootloader may be suitable for the job, or could act as a suitable intermediary with a little modification, but in all likelihood the existing Windows HAL would need to be overhauled to make it compatible unless the XBone/PS4 firmware is much closer to UEFI than I suspect that it is. If these two tasks can be accomplished, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to load and run a platform neutral kernel such as the NT kernel. Then, it would be a matter of writing device drivers for the new operating system. Given that there's very little exotic hardware in either device, this would not be a terribly difficult task if the proper documentation is available.

In summary, it's theoretically possible but it won't be happening any time soon without some serious help from Sony and Microsoft.
!