A loader fork for newer PS5 Linux setups
ps5-linux-loader-13xx v2.5-13.60-pro is a fork of the PS5 Linux loader focused on firmware 13.60 and PS5 Pro hardware, including the Pro model identified by the project as Viola. The release provides ELF payloads intended to start a compatible Linux image on the console; it is not a general-purpose Linux distribution or a host-side emulator.
The loader requires a Linux image built from the matching ps5-linux-patches project. The broader PS5 Linux project presents Linux as a way to use the console as a desktop computer, with support for features such as HDMI output, USB peripherals, Ethernet and selected storage options. Those capabilities depend on the associated kernel, image and hardware configuration rather than on the loader alone.
PS5 Pro support is built into the same ELF
The release incorporates the upstream Pro-support work listed in its notes. The changes include a wider vtophys handling fix, a revised hypervisor memory carveout at 0x8e0000000, a hypervisor code-base adjustment of +0x800000, an updated RSDP location at 0x7fd8e000 and Pro-specific e820 memory information.
Base PS5 and PS5 Pro systems use the same ELF file in this release, with the hardware detected at runtime. That avoids requiring separate loader files for the standard console and the Pro model, although the underlying Linux image still needs to match the target firmware and hardware support available in the patches project.
USB image loading no longer depends on a reliable file size
The current build also adds a fallback for loading bzImage and initrd.img files when a USB reader reports a file size of zero. Earlier behavior could stop with an allocation error stating that the kernel image had zero bytes, even when the files were present. The fallback is aimed at readers whose storage interface provides incomplete size metadata, making boot attempts less dependent on that USB reporting behavior.
This is a loader-side compatibility improvement rather than a promise that every USB device or storage workload will work reliably. The release notes specifically identify the zero-size metadata case as the problem addressed by the fallback.
Two builds are available
The asset named ps5-linux-loader_13.60-pro_current.elf is the build from the pro-1360-local branch. A second asset, ps5-linux-loader_13.60-pro_PROVEN_ef20ff22.elf, is offered as the exact build used for a project-reported 13.60 Pro boot with Ubuntu 26.04.1 and the Linux root system on a USB SSD. That description is a project claim, not an independent performance measurement.
The release tag is v2.5-13.60-pro, published on October 19, 2026. The two files are closely matched in size, at 205,656 bytes and 205,584 bytes respectively. Users who want the project’s stated hardware-proven configuration can choose the separately named asset, while the other file represents the build from the listed development branch.
Known limitations remain on 13.60 Pro
The release does not present the new Pro support as complete. Under sustained USB-storage activity, the xHCI controller can reportedly hang with an “HC died” error. That issue matters particularly for configurations that boot or run Linux from USB storage, and it may interrupt access to attached devices or the system root filesystem.
The notes also identify possible failures in the MediaTek Bluetooth firmware handshake. Users relying on the console’s internal Bluetooth hardware may therefore encounter connectivity problems until the kernel-side work in ps5-linux-patches progresses. These are listed as open issues for 13.60 Pro, not as defects confirmed on every system.
Project context and hardware expectations
The accompanying project documentation describes PS5 Linux as a soft-mod Linux environment for supported PS5 Phat and Slim firmware versions, with a documented range from 3.00 through 7.61. It lists desktop-oriented features including 4K60 HDMI video and audio output, USB peripherals, Ethernet, a custom Blu-ray drive driver and selected Bluetooth support. The release itself extends the loader fork to firmware 13.60 and Pro hardware, so readers should treat the release notes as the more specific source for this build’s target rather than assuming that every README firmware statement applies unchanged.
The documented setup generally uses a USB drive of at least 64GB, with an external SSD recommended, plus a USB keyboard and mouse. An M.2 SSD can be used for Linux on configurations that support it, though the project documentation says that this dedicates the drive to Linux rather than PS5 game storage. These are requirements for the surrounding PS5 Linux environment, not additional files bundled with the loader.
The project also describes HDMI output at common 1080p, 1440p and 2160p 60Hz modes, while noting that monitor compatibility and HDMI audio can vary. Those broader capabilities should not be read as guarantees for the new firmware and Pro combination, especially while the release still lists USB-controller and Bluetooth issues.
What this release changes
For PS5 Linux users targeting firmware 13.60, the main change is a loader fork with explicit Pro support and runtime model detection. The USB metadata fallback addresses a narrower but practical boot failure, while the separate proven asset gives users a clearly identified reference build for the project’s reported Ubuntu-on-USB configuration.
The release still depends on the matching patched Linux image and does not resolve the remaining kernel-side issues on PS5 Pro. Its value is therefore concentrated on enabling the loader stage for the newer target and improving image discovery in a specific class of USB-reader failures, rather than delivering a complete replacement for the Linux kernel, image or device drivers.
