PS3 HDD upgrade help

[Super Monkey Balls]

Got a new 160GB HDD and a USB cradle. I installed and formatted the new HDD thinking the PS3 would recognise the files as-is on the old HDD via the cradle, it didn't. The PS3 wont recognise the 160 via USB as a backup solution now. Am I right in thinking I should format the 160 to FAT32 on a PC and then I can backup to that, put the files on the PC, format it on the PS3 again, format the old one on the PC, put the files on that and finally restore?

If I'm right, I can't seem to get XP to detect the PS3 formatted drives via the cradle. How do I format them to FAT32?

[huxley]

To do it via your pc I think you need to use something like partition magic?

[kernow]

uhm

windows xp will not format a drive in FAT32 past 32GB. you'd need a utility or somewhat to do so. its pretty silly , they are basically forcing you to use NTFS. There are many tools out there than indeed can format >32GB.

after that all you do is make a system backup on the ps3 as it'll find it then (takes a couple hours, depending on data size), then put the new one in, and reverse the procedure

I'll take a look for a tool quickly

[kernow]

http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm

Making a partition in disk management (right click my computer and go to manage), and not formatting it, then using that fat32format.exe DOS tool will let you do this.

[Super Monkey Balls]

I think I've cracked it by addding a 20GB FAT32 partition on the 160GB with disc management, enough to backup my files temporarily on the PC.

Didn't know you could do that, I know nowt about these things.

Cheers guys!

[kernow]

nice one, I guess if you have <32GB to backup the limitation doesn't matter.

The PS3 will format up the new 160GB drive for you.

[Super Monkey Balls]

Oh for frigs sake

Well I'm halfway there, backup is on the PC but my PC really won't recognise the 20GB at all, even in disk management, even when I reformatted it on the PS3 with a 10GB partition "for other OS". Maybe the cradle is being gay.

I think I'll just nick my sisters iPod on Monday.

[kernow]

mmh, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't find it, as its not a standard partition table like a pc, and therefore windows wouldn't know what to do with the partition layout , or the non FAT32/NTFS filesystems on there. weird I'd expect it to show in disk management though, even if it had unreadable partitions.

[sj33]

The PC won't recognise anything formatted by the PS3 because the PS3 doesn't actually use FAT32 internally. It can read FAT32 and NTFS over USB, but your backup will use some custom file system.

Sorry if I've just got the wrong end of the stick, but I'm assuming you've used the 'Backup Utility' on the PS3 to backup your files, but I'm pretty sure the PC will not read them. Your PS3 will 'restore' from it though. The idea is you install the new HDD, and use the same option on your PS3 to restore your old files from the USB backup.

[kernow]

yep, it won't read the ps3 drive thats for certain. the ps3 will though

[Super Monkey Balls]

Sorry if I've just got the wrong end of the stick, but I'm assuming you've used the 'Backup Utility' on the PS3 to backup your files, but I'm pretty sure the PC will not read them. Your PS3 will 'restore' from it though. The idea is you install the new HDD, and use the same option on your PS3 to restore your old files from the USB backup.

Yeah, the backup files are now sat on my PC, I was assuming I could format my original 20GB HDD and put them on there for restoring to my new HDD via a USB cradle but I can't.

[Super Monkey Balls]

I'm about to throw my PS3 out the window.

I start the restore using an iPod and get "Could not complete the restore (800283EC)", system resets and I get a message saying restore has failed, theres a corrupt file on the HDD and it needs formatting. I format, try again, same thing.

HDD seems fine, could this error simply be due to the 1% restored or am I going to encounter a problem with my new HDD in the future?

I'm completely out of ideas for getting my saves/games back now.

[Super Monkey Balls]

I'm waiting for "plan C" but Orange Box has arrived. If I start a game and save, will it be deleted if/when I perform the restore?

[kernow]

probably

but you could back it up to an SD card or memory stick then add it back after the restore?

[Super Monkey Balls]

Yeah, I found that option shortly after posting