How to set up a new hard drive for a PS3?
I got my grandson a new sata HDD for his PS3, as it as corrupted.
I can see where to download the PS3 stuff online, which needs to go to a 1GB flash stick (which I don't have). Can the download be put onto a disc and then used to format the new hard drive on startup?
Best Answer
It sounds like you're trying to replace the internal hard drive of the PS3. If so, the PS3 will detect that and prompt you to format it on start up. You shouldn't need to download/run anything from a USB flash stick or CD/DVD at all. It is very much 'Plug and Play' in that regard.
Once formatted, it will install the version of the OS that the PS3 was released with. Once up and running, you can update from this version as you would normally: by connecting it to the Internet and checking for updates using the 'Settings' menu and allowing it to download the updates.
These updates can also be done using a USB flash stick, which I believe is where you're getting confused. As @Memor-X states - you can update using some Game's disks - if you get some new released games it'll stop you from playing until you updated the system to the required version, which is included on the disk.
But you shouldn't need either a USB stick or a DVD if all you're doing is replacing a faulted/corrupted hard drive.
If you're still unsure, there are plenty of guides that walk you through how to replace a PS3 hard drive on Youtube, such as the one below. Basically, the process is:
- From the PS3, Back up your saves to a USB flash stick or external hard drive
- Disconnect the PS3 from the power.
- Locate and take off the hard drive cover.
- Remove the 'blue screw', which holds the hard drive bay in place.
- Remove the hard drive bay, and unscrew the old hard drive.
- Swap out the old drive for the new one, and rescrew the hard drive in place.
- Replace the hard drive bay (making sure to push it in firmly).
- Replace the blue screw and hard drive bay cover.
- Reconnect power, turn on your PS3 and follow the prompts to format the drive.
(Note that your controller may need to be plugged into the PS3 by the charging cable in order to function correctly.) - Restore any backed up saves/data.
Note: Every PS3 hard drive is encoded to that specific PS3. Once replaced with a new drive, the encoding is changed. This means that - should you be able to get save files off the corrupted drive, you should do this before replacing the drive.
Pictures about "How to set up a new hard drive for a PS3?"
How do I format a new hard drive for a PS3?
Part 1: How to Format a PS3 HDD on PC or Mac?Do you have to format a PS3 hard drive?
You do not need to pre-format a HDD you plan to install internally to the PS3. The console will format it during the installation. However \u2013 read the installation instructions below. Notice that you need an external HDD/flash drive to backup your existing data/store the PS3 firmware.Can you use any hard drive for PS3?
The PlayStation 3 is designed to run with 9.5mm high, 2.5-inch SATA hard drives - the exact same models found in most modern laptop computers. As SATA is effectively an open standard, you can pair your PS3 with any device that uses the interface.How do I connect my hard drive to PS3?
Luckily, gamers can just plug an external HDD into the console's USB port and use that make room on the internal drive. One thing you need to remember is that the hard drive needs to be formatted to use - this means that every single thing on the drive will be deleted before you can use it.How to upgrade PS3 Hard Drive - New HDD Tutorial
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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