How to format your PS3 hard drive on a PC?

If your looking for any ps3 parts then ebay for non working ps3's is the way to go.
If you want to format the ps3 then just go into your Ps3 settings and choose format.
If you want to install a new hdd and then formatt it, then just throw it in. Use a flash stick with the latest update and plug it in. Turn on tye ps3 and follow the instructuons thatappear before you.

 

What I mainly am needing to know, if if a swap from 60gb to 60gb matching system will work in restoring the saves and content on that gaming drive, not as a PC drive, external, but PS3 internal on a different system. I am selling the PS3 to pay the rent, then buying later when I get a FT job again, I'm having trouble with that and as such, have to likely sell my gaming systems for the time being. I would like to save the data off it if not the case. I typically confirm things if I can, and I did see that a laptop drive worked in the 60GB, upping the storage to 120GB. (and 7200 rpm!)

 

Ok got ya.
First. Sadly. No. Saving one ps3's content is not possible using a ps3 hard drive to another. The PS3 will always format the new hdd thus erasing any datta.
BUT! If you use the back up option on the ps3 and save that to an external fat32 hdd (you only need about 10G for the basic saves) you can save your settings and game saves.
Movies and music and pics can be saved this way too but you will need to buy a bigger hdd "just for flash saving".
Then, you got to break the FAT32 barrier( I explained it two posts back).
But your a little down on quid so that won't work.
The format option on the ps3 is for A: an external flash drive. Or B: savings your stuff on a small portion of the PS3 and formating the rest. Method B is only good "if" the HDD is going to stay in the PS3. Once its out. The whole thing gets formatted on the install. No way around it.
Yes. You can use any notebook HDD in the PS3. They are the little thin ones and are otherwise called 2.5 note book hard drives.
A 7200rpm will work "but" and I say "maybe" the 7200's run a little hot for a PS3 and you might want to use 5200 instead, just a rumor I heard.
SO. Take the notebook hdd you have. Formatt the whole thing as a FAT32 using the method I posted earlier. Use it to back up ur PS3 externaly. Save that info like a gods grail and good luck with the job search.

 

Oh. And be sure to format your ps3 after you save all the info on the external.
Then deactivate it. Helps keep you clean while its in someone elses hands.

 

I am so sorry. I wasn't paying attention earlier.
To answer your question properly. An external hard drive enclosure costs anywhere between $20-$75 dollars.
This depends on what you want. An internal fan? No fan? A case for a normal 3.5 HDD? Or a case for 2.5 notebook HDD?
You want a case for a 2.5 notebook HDD. It comes with a double ended usb cord so that you can draw extra power to run the HDD if need be...ubut you won't need more than the one plugged in.
Formatting! Ok this is the goofy part.
Soneys hdd's are specially formatted with their own software so that they can not be seen sometimes by computer when attached to that computer through usb.
Some do. Some don't. I have run into both which is what made this thread so long in the first place.
If it won't show up ob the computer then attach it through one of the internal cables like the one your computer already uses.
If it gets recognised through the usb then great.
Next. You can go to disk management settings on your computer using windows and formatt it in a FAT32 method and all you get is 32G out of it "or" you can go to Fat32Formatter website and use their software to break that FAT32 barrier and use the whole HDD space as a Flash drive.
Because....remember your PS3 will only recognise flash (FA32) drives externally.
If its not for the ps3 and only for the computer then use the same disk management in windows and formatt it in NTSC. It uses the whole HDD but the PS3 won't recognise it.
No matter what they say. Stay away from swisskniff....more or less its garbage.
Good luck.

 

What you need to do is: Initialize Disk.

To initialize new disks
Open Computer Management (Local) (Right Click on My Computer, the Click Manage).

In the console tree, click Disk Management:
Computer Management (Local)
Storage
Disk Management

Right-click the disk you want to initialize, and then click Initialize Disk.
In the Initialize Disk dialog box, select the disk(s) to initialize.
The disk is initialized as a basic disk.

Now you should be able to see it and Format it.

 

hey yall, I'm found this through google and had a question.

What cord do I need to hook up my hard drive from the ps3 80gb to the computer. The Usb cord that plugs into the controller doesn't fit so I want to know what the exact name of the cord plugs into the hard drive to reformat

 

Try using a external hard drive case for a sata laptop drives.
Or if your a real noob. Try going to www.myhackers.info they can swap or upgrade your ps3 drive for you. They helped me. Good luck!

 

All you have to do is run CMD.EXE in administrator, and format the disk to fat32
to make it bootable it is a simple line of commands.
diskpart
list disk
select disk (X)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=fat32
assign
exit


It's that simple.