ePSXe is made for x86 only. If you use powerpc it probably won't work. You might want to try another emulator instead, for example PCSX (Guide) or pSX (Guide) which is in the repository.

Legal note: The installation and use of this emulator requires a Sony Playstation BIOS file. You may not use such a file to play games in a PSX emulator if you do not own a Sony Playstation, Sony PSOne or Sony Playstation 2 console. Owning the BIOS image without owning the actual console is a violation of copyright law. You have been warned. Do NOT ask in this thread, or message me, where to find the BIOS file or game images. Any such messages will be ignored and possibly reported.

Note: This guide is provided as is. I have not personally tested Feisty or other earlier versions of Ubuntu, so your mileage may vary. Although there are no issues caused by this guide that I know of, use at your own risk.

Installation
Common changes:

sudo aptitude install unzip
cd ~
mkdir ePSXe_install
cd ePSXe_install
wget http://www.epsxe.com/files/epsxe160lin.zip

wget http://www.pbernert.com/gpupetemesagl176.tar.gz
wget http://www.pbernert.com/gpupetexgl208.tar.gz
wget http://www.pbernert.com/gpupeopssoftx117.tar.gz
wget http://www.pbernert.com/gpupeopssoftsdl116.tar.gz

wget http://www.myte.ca/files/spupeopsoss-alsa109.tar.gz
wget http://www.pbernert.com/spupetenull101.tar.gz
wget http://www.emuxhaven.net/emuxhaven/psx/plugin/spuEternal141_linux.tgz

wget http://www.myte.ca/files/omnijoy-1.0.0-bin32.tar.gz
wget http://members.chello.at/erich.kitzmueller/ammoq/down/padJoy082.tgz

export EPSXE='/usr/local/games/epsxe'
sudo mkdir $EPSXE
sudo unzip -d $EPSXE epsxe160lin.zip
sudo tar xfz gpupetemesagl176.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz gpupetexgl208.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz gpupeopssoftx117.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz gpupeopssoftsdl116.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/

sudo tar xfz spupeopsoss-alsa109.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz spupetenull101.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz spuEternal141_linux.tgz -C $EPSXE/plugins/

sudo tar xfz omnijoy-1.0.0-bin32.tar.gz -C $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo tar xfz padJoy082.tgz -C $EPSXE/plugins/

cd $EPSXE/plugins/
sudo mv padJoy/bin/* . 
sudo rm -rf padJoy
sudo mv cfg* ../cfg/
sudo mv *.cfg ../cfg/
sudo chmod 666 ../cfg/*.cfg

cd $EPSXE
sudo chmod 777 cfg sstates snap memcards
sudo touch memcards/epsxe000.mcr memcards/epsxe001.mcr .epsxerc
sudo chmod 666 memcards/*
sudo chmod 666 .epsxerc

For Gutsy or Hardy: (note, "upx-ucl-beta" may be "upx-ucl" on Hardy)

sudo aptitude install upx-ucl-beta

cd $EPSXE
sudo cp epsxe epsxe_bak
sudo upx -d epsxe

If you are running a 32 version of Ubuntu before Hardy:

sudo aptitude install libgtk1.2-common libgtk1.2 libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2

If you are running 32 bit Hardy:

sudo aptitude install libgtk1.2-common libgtk1.2
cd ~/ePSXe_install
wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gcc-2.95/libstdc++2.10-...
sudo dpkg install libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2_2.95.4-24_i386.deb

If you are running a 64bit version of Ubuntu, things are a bit more complex...
First you need to add dfreers repository. Go here and find your version of Ubuntu and follow the instructions. After you have done that:

For Feisty64: (These steps assume that you have not already installed the 32bit gtk/glib stuff. If you have, you can skip this.)

sudo aptitude install ia32-libs-gtk

cd ~/ePSXe_install
mkdir tmp_libs
cd tmp_libs

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/g/gtk+1.2/libgtk1.2_1.2.10-18...
wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/g/glib1.2/libglib1.2_1.2.10-1...
wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gcc-2.95/libstdc++2.10-...
dpkg -x libgtk1.2_1.2.10-18_i386.deb .
dpkg -x libglib1.2_1.2.10-17build1_i386.deb .
dpkg -x libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2_2.95.4-24_i386.deb .
sudo cp usr/lib/* /usr/lib32/

For Gutsy64:

sudo aptitude install ia32-libs lib32glib1.2 lib32gtk1.2

cd ~/ePSXe_install
mkdir tmp_libs
cd tmp_libs

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gcc-2.95/libstdc++2.10-...
dpkg -x libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2_2.95.4-24_i386.deb .
sudo cp usr/lib/* /usr/lib32/

Common changes:

cd ~
rm -rf ePSXe_install

Create a shell script that will start ePSXe:

sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/epsxe

and paste this:

#!/bin/bash

export EPSXE='/usr/local/games/epsxe'
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$EPSXE
cd $EPSXE
./epsxe $*
chmod 666 $EPSXE/cfg/*.cfg $EPSXE/sstates/* $EPSXE/memcards/*.mcr $EPSXE/snap/* 2>/dev/null

Save/Close, and change permissions for the new file:

sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/epsxe

You can now start by typing "epsxe" in the terminal (without "").

• In the menu, open "Config -> BIOS", and set it to /usr/local/games/epsxe/bios/SCPH1001.BIN, click OK. (You must find and obtain ths file yourself. Once you have a copy of it, put it in /usr/local/games/epsxe/bios/)
• Open "Config -> Video", and select either "Pete's MesaGL Driver 1.76", "Pete's XGL2 Driver 2.8" or "P.E.Op.S. Softx Driver 1.17". Click configure, then OK to write a config file. Verify that it is working by clicking the Test button, then OK. (Which one you use depends on your computer.)
• In "Config -> Sound" select "P.E.Op.S. OSS Audio Driver", "P.E.Op.S. ALSA Audio Driver" or "Eternal SPU Plugin", Configure, then OK. Verify that it is working by clicking the Test button, then OK. (The "NULL" driver are for those few games that just don't seem to work with sound. Or if you have a slow computer, and figure you don't care for the sound.)
• In Config -> CDROM, set the path to your CD/DVD-ROM. In most cases it should be /dev/cdrom but in my case /dev/hdc. You can check your path by typing "mount |grep cd" in a console.
• In Config -> Game Pad -> Pad 1 menu, you can set up the controls with the keyboard. If you have a real controller, use the "Config -> Ext. Game Pad" option, and pick either omnipad or padjoy, click configre, and set your buttons where you want them.

Useful Links
Original Thread
Icon
Another How-To
Petes Home Page
Petes Forum
NightCrawler03Xs How-To/Installer (Handy little installer that does most of the work for you. Read the script, and it was safe as of the reading. You will still need to do the "upx -d" fix if you are using Gutsy.)

Source: UbuntuForums.org