Unoffical Upgrade your PS3 HDD thread

anything that doesnt transfer over needs to be re downloaded. just go to your download history and redownload it.

how are you guys stripping threads? make sure you have a driver that fits the screw heads properly, apply a little pressure to the screw heads with the driver and turn it slowly.

to the backup questions. dont go doing anything silly with downloading and trying to restore from your pc if you dont have an ipod to use borrow a friends its extremely simple.
 
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[quote name='shadowkast']Question: Just swapped hard drives on my ps3. Problem: None of my rockband stuff transfered over. The RockBand1 library I have ripped didn't transfer. Is this cause of the copyrights??? If so, damn!!! Also, my game save from RockBand2 didn't transfer....this I don't understand. Thanx guys

EDIT: No game data transfered over (game installs, add-ons, version updates, etc.) normal??[/quote]

None of the Rockband stuff will ever transfer as they have the data locked. Not sure how/why, all I know is that you're SOL when it comes to transferring any Rockband saves. Everything else you can just pop the disc in the PS3 and it'll reinstall the game for you and your saves/trophies will be there after installation is complete.
 
Problem: My PS3 doesn't go beyond 40% in the restoration process

I recently swapped out my 60GB PS3's HDD with a Toshiba 250GB one. I saved all my backed up info onto an external 400GB one. When I try to restore the info from the external 400GB to the new 250GB internal one the restoration process doesn't go beyond 40%. About 2 minutes after it reaches 40% the external hard drive stops communicating and the PS3 HDD indicator light just completely stops. Is there something I could have done? What possible solutions are there?
 
I contacted Sony phone support and they said the internal drive is probably at fault.

I'm returning it to Newegg (despite previous owners also using it for the PS3) for a refund. Newegg is charging me both a restocking and shipping fee. I was able to dispute the shipping fee to free, but they refuse to waive the restocking fee. They shouldn't be restocking a defective item, and shouldnt charge me nearly $10 to do so (I know thats not exactly how it works).

Back to buying from Amazon, they don't have those extra charges.
 
[quote name='gamer4432']I contacted Sony phone support and they said the internal drive is probably at fault.

I'm returning it to Newegg (despite previous owners also using it for the PS3) for a refund. Newegg is charging me both a restocking and shipping fee. I was able to dispute the shipping fee to free, but they refuse to waive the restocking fee. They shouldn't be restocking a defective item, and shouldnt charge me nearly $10 to do so (I know thats not exactly how it works).

Back to buying from Amazon, they don't have those extra charges.[/QUOTE]

get a replacement first. id bet that specific hdd is bad not that model.
theres no restocking fee when you request a replacement. they also pay for shipping, you can print out a label or they will reimburse you.

edit - neweggs return/exchange policies vary by product and theyre always listed on each products page.
 
[quote name='gamer4432']I contacted Sony phone support and they said the internal drive is probably at fault.

I'm returning it to Newegg (despite previous owners also using it for the PS3) for a refund. Newegg is charging me both a restocking and shipping fee. I was able to dispute the shipping fee to free, but they refuse to waive the restocking fee. They shouldn't be restocking a defective item, and shouldnt charge me nearly $10 to do so (I know thats not exactly how it works).

Back to buying from Amazon, they don't have those extra charges.[/quote]

Did you but it new? Contact the Manufacture, instead of dealing with Newegg. It should carry a warranty anyway.
 
[quote name='Viol8tor']Did you but it new? Contact the Manufacture, instead of dealing with Newegg. It should carry a warranty anyway.[/quote]
If he can get a replacement from Newegg for free, that's what he should do. When you do a manufacturer warranty replacement, they'll give you a refurbished one. At least, that's what Western Digital does, though, who knows with the drive being so new, when I've done it they were all almost out of warranty.
 
So I've got my new HD in hand and am planning to swap it in this weekend. Just have a couple questions before I do the deed:

1. Is there stuff that refuses to copy over even if you use the backup tool? I've heard some Rock Band data (like RB1 imported songs) can be stubborn. There's not much I can do about that but I'd just like to know. I'll have to play one last set with my beloved band if it's not possible. :cry: Based on what people say in the RB forums, it sounds like everything copies over.

2. For gamesharing purposes, do I need to deauthorize my PS3 before doing the backup or will it transfer the authorization too?
 
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[quote name='metaly']So I've got my new HD in hand and am planning to swap it in this weekend. Just have a couple questions before I do the deed:

1. Is there stuff that refuses to copy over even if you use the backup tool? I've heard some Rock Band data (like RB1 imported songs) can be stubborn. There's not much I can do about that but I'd just like to know. I'll have to play one last set with my beloved band if it's not possible. :cry: Based on what people say in the RB forums, it sounds like everything copies over.

2. For gamesharing purposes, do I need to deauthorize my PS3 before doing the backup or will it transfer the authorization too?[/quote]

For gamesharing it only matters if you switch PS3s. In this case you are not, you're keeping the same PS3 so you do not need to deauthorize anything.
 
Got everything installed and restored and it seems to be working great! My PS3 now has more free space than my computers, which was pretty weird when I first realized it.

Thanks SB for the tip.
 
I recently upgraded my PS3 HDD this weekend. Didn't even read any instructions which was probably not a good idea. Backing up the HDD and putting in the new drive was super easy, but after your done don't select "restore" which apparently restores your PS3 to its default state completely wiping out all your information. Yikes! Instead the "Restore drive" option is a sub-option under the backup hard disk utility. Live and learn....
 
[quote name='brettsp']I recently upgraded my PS3 HDD this weekend. Didn't even read any instructions which was probably not a good idea. Backing up the HDD and putting in the new drive was super easy, but after your done don't select "restore" which apparently restores your PS3 to its default state completely wiping out all your information. Yikes! Instead the "Restore drive" option is a sub-option under the backup hard disk utility. Live and learn....[/QUOTE]

it does prompt you telling you it will erase everything.
sucks you didnt catch it though.
 
Yeah, apparently the drive backup backs up everything, the OS updates, all your settings, messages and even your PSN password. I was worried for a minute but it all ended ok.
 
Question: Can you stream movies to the PS3 from an external HD? I ask because I was just going to buy a 1TB external HD instead of installing one on the PS3.
 
[quote name='CAG 79']Question: Can you stream movies to the PS3 from an external HD? I ask because I was just going to buy a 1TB external HD instead of installing one on the PS3.[/quote]

Yup. When I upgraded mine I put the old drive in an enclosure and now have a bunch of divx/mp4 movies on there. The only bummer is you cannot see a preview thumb like if it was on the internal HDD. Same goes for Music and Pictures too!
 
Alright, finally decided to upgrade!. First off, I want to thank all who contributed to this thread. You guys have provided ALOT of help.

:applause::applause::applause:

I pulled the trigger on a Western Digital 500GB Drive for $109 http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digit...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1233122555&sr=8-1

There where great reviews on Newegg about this being a great substitute for an upgrade. I should have this new drive in my possession by the weekend, and will commence on the replacement procedure.

I was close to purchasing this external enclosure as well, for my current 80GB PS3's drive:http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-Pn-Nst...losure/dp/B000UOC3WY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Until i noticed a customers review that it was not compatible with the PS3's HD.:whistle2:| I thought all i was looking for, was an enclosure that supported a 2.5 Drive. Can someone correct me on what specific type of External enclosure i should be looking for? Much appreciated.

I was hoping to get an enclosure that runs of the USB power supply, and not off an additional AC adapter. I have a car stereo that supports music playback off a USB device. Having my extra 80GBHD on the go to fill that role would be pretty freaking sweet!.:bouncy:
 
I bought the cheapeast 2.5" enclosure off ebay which runs off USB power and it works fine.

That enclosure is for IDE drives though. Make sure your enclosure is for SATA drives.
 
Quick question: I bought a Japanese 20GB a couple years ago from a CAG. Can I still upgrade the HDD with a US model. Also, can I transfer over the games that he had downloaded when he had it?
 
you can surely upgrade the hdd, but some of the games will not transfer over. there are issues with transfering some games which will require you to redownload them. it's not so bad if you already own them on your account but if you don't then they may have to be repurchased. unless you still have their account to use.
 
Got a 320gb WD HD for $75 at Newegg.

Well, to take the screws that are holding the HD out was a PAIN! I have the 80gb MG series and I guess the screws were way too tight. Had to use pliers to loosen the things.

*UPDATE*
Using a larger size Phillips head (bigger than the NO.0) and using more pressure seemed to help too.
 
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i finally got my HD swapped out last night. i ended up getting a 16 GB memory stick from newegg that i used to do the backup. changing the drives out was one of the easiest hardware upgrades i've ever done. the screws were a little tricky, but i used the #0 screwdriver, and by pushing down on the screws a lot it wasn't too bad to get them out. it seemed like they used some locktite or something on the screws, cause there was a definite little snap/pop but after that they came out really easily.
 
A little update:

Finished the restore process. EVERYTHING transferred over, even my RB1+2 saves and songs.

The trophy list is not updated, says "no trophy information" but once you start to play the games again, all the trophies load back. I had loaded my trophies through the PSN before restore to make sure they saved on the PS servers which they did.

All in all, pretty easy process except if you have the screw problem.
 
I cant get the 4 screws on the hd bay out. Screws are bit stripped, might have to use a plier to get it off. I called sony and they're sending me a replacement hd bay with 4 screws, maybe i'll just wait until that comes and replace the entire thing including the case.
 
I just replaced my hard drive from 40 to 320GB. I was going to go for 500GB, but I missed out on a great deal and got tired of waiting. Bought a Western Digital My Passport Essential, broke it open, switched the hard drives with absolutely no problems with screws or anything else, and now I'm a normal human being.

To be honest, I'm a little worried. I was getting some network type errors and errors when trying to download the picture show application. I don't think that stuff is related, though. Still worried my PS3 might be on the fritz. I'll check when my bro is off the tv in a bit.

Anyone else having problems with their PS3 about now?
 
[quote name='mguiddy']Any of these. I'm a fan of Western Digital.[/quote]

Thank you for the help but the link does not take me to hard drives. Sorry to be a noob, I am admittedly technically challenged but want to buy the best HD for my geek other half as a surprise.
 
[quote name='donut']Thank you for the help but the link does not take me to hard drives. Sorry to be a noob, I am admittedly technically challenged but want to buy the best HD for my geek other half as a surprise.[/quote]
It's the stupid affiliate linking...:roll: try copying and pasting the following, removing any spaces.
http:// www.newegg.com/ Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150380%201309740009%201035507777&name=5400%20RPM


Also, the one you originally posted was too big (physically I mean), it was 3.5" and the PS3 requires a 2.5" drive (sometimes refered to as a "Laptop Drive")
 
I'm finally gonna give in and get a bigger HD for my PS3, but I'm looking at getting an External HD that would be compatible with both my Vista laptop and my PS3. The reason I want an external is so I can put all of the TV shows I want to watch on it. I've gotten tired of waiting on Warner Bros. to release a couple shows on DVD and have started the long process of downloading those, which I want to put on the external so I can watch them on my 42 inch TV. The external would be for TV shows and Movies. I'll upgrade the actual PS3 HD at some point too but for right now I think an external would be better for what I want to use it for :)

I just wanted to know if someone could point me in the direction of a good external HD that will work with both the laptop and PS3? Thank yoju!
 
Anyone have a problem with the PS3 randomly not being able to find the new hard drive? I upgraded to a 500GB a few months back and the first drive had this problem so I figured, "Ok - bad drive," and swapped it out. My new hard drive does the same thing so I'm figuring it's a problem with the hard drive not spinning up quick enough for the PS3 or something along those lines.

Putting the original 60GB drive back in has no problems. It was in for a week while I waited for the replacement drive and started fine every time.
 
is this a good way to do it

put the New HDD in to the PS3 and put the old HDD in to a enclosures HDD case then download all to the NEW HDD
 
[quote name='StrandedBrit']I bought the cheapeast 2.5" enclosure off ebay which runs off USB power and it works fine.

That enclosure is for IDE drives though. Make sure your enclosure is for SATA drives.[/QUOTE]

what's the best one to use with a 80-500GB HDD
 
[quote name='Brad Bishop']Anyone have a problem with the PS3 randomly not being able to find the new hard drive? I upgraded to a 500GB a few months back and the first drive had this problem so I figured, "Ok - bad drive," and swapped it out. My new hard drive does the same thing so I'm figuring it's a problem with the hard drive not spinning up quick enough for the PS3 or something along those lines.

Putting the original 60GB drive back in has no problems. It was in for a week while I waited for the replacement drive and started fine every time.[/quote]


My original BC model (60GB) gave me that problem occassionally, and required a restart to fix. Eventually that unit died and wouldn't show output to any display.

I put the same exact hd onto a replacement sent by Sony, and I have never received that message. I'm thinking it's linked to the ps3 hardware itself (the message that is).
 
[quote name='dragonjud']My original BC model (60GB) gave me that problem occassionally, and required a restart to fix. Eventually that unit died and wouldn't show output to any display.

I put the same exact hd onto a replacement sent by Sony, and I have never received that message. I'm thinking it's linked to the ps3 hardware itself (the message that is).[/quote]

Thanks for that.
 
i was wondering. I had bought a enclosure for my current 60gb hdd so i can use it once i swap it out next week. I was wondering, after installing te new HDD, could i simply plug in the old HDD (now in the enclosure) via USB and transfer files that way?

a friend said this wouldnt work because there would be formatting errors or something, but i could swear i read somewhere that this was entirerably possible, and was the best way to avoid buying a large USB drive or external HDD if you wanted to keep most of your files.
 
is there a hdd ranking? whats best? western digital scorpio vs seagate momentus? 320 vs 500?

or whatever you can get your hands on?
 
[quote name='the_grimace']i was wondering. I had bought a enclosure for my current 60gb hdd so i can use it once i swap it out next week. I was wondering, after installing te new HDD, could i simply plug in the old HDD (now in the enclosure) via USB and transfer files that way?

a friend said this wouldnt work because there would be formatting errors or something, but i could swear i read somewhere that this was entirerably possible, and was the best way to avoid buying a large USB drive or external HDD if you wanted to keep most of your files.[/quote]


No that won't work. The ps3 can only be restored from a backup created using the ps3 backup tool. If you try just copying the files over you'll get some kind of error.

So this is what I would do if upgrading to a new drive.
1. Create a backup on the old drive, create a backup on a flash drive, or create a backup on a external drive formated to fat32 (ps3 can only read that format). Personally I probably use a flash drive because I think I have less than 16 gigs of stuff on my ps3. I think I have a few 16 gigs drive lying around somewhere. If not I used the old drive because I have a connect that can make it a usb drive.

2. switch out old drive for new drive.

3. connect whatever is holding the backup file to ps3

4. preform the restore

A pc might not be able to format the old drive without special software. I hear swissknife works so I would use that so I could use the old drive as backup or something.
 
[quote name='Baron O Hell']No that won't work. The ps3 can only be restored from a backup created using the ps3 backup tool. If you try just copying the files over you'll get some kind of error.

So this is what I would do if upgrading to a new drive.
1. Create a backup on the old drive, create a backup on a flash drive, or create a backup on a external drive formated to fat32 (ps3 can only read that format). Personally I probably use a flash drive because I think I have less than 16 gigs of stuff on my ps3. I think I have a few 16 gigs drive lying around somewhere. If not I used the old drive because I have a connect that can make it a usb drive.

2. switch out old drive for new drive.

3. connect whatever is holding the backup file to ps3

4. preform the restore

A pc might not be able to format the old drive without special software. I hear swissknife works so I would use that so I could use the old drive as backup or something.[/quote]

well, i was fearing this, but its not too bad, i can easily copy the saves to a flash drive. The rest can be redownloaded. A pain in the ass, but looks to be my only option as of now.

thanks for the help :p
 
This question isn't so much about upgrading the HDD, but adding an additional drive. I've got my eyes on a 1.5TB external drive to put all my DVDs on. It says it's simple - just plug into a USB port and away you go. Has anyone done this with their PS3? Any thoughts on whether or not its a good idea?
 
^ People have been doing that for a while now... Use external hdd to play media files, there's nothing wrong with it. The only headache with the fat external hdds is that you have to supply additional power. With the thin external hdds, you just need to pluck into the USB port.
 
dumb question, but when you backup and restore, locked save files still transfer over, right?

also, what's the current best deal on a large drive (maybe a 500gb)?
 
Do you have to manually add back your PSn accounts or do they stay as part of the back-up ?
I don't know the info for my foreign accounts [I made it up] to be able to recover them .
 
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