PS3 Hard Drive help

[Crocski]

My PS3 was replace the other day as the blu ray drive wasn't working. I took out the 160gb drive that was in it (which had all my music, games saves etc.) and put the original back in.

When I received the replacement PS3, I put my 160gb back in but it's asking me to format it and won't take no for an answer.

I've put the 40gb back in, set everyhting up again, downloaded the latest firmware but when I stick the 160gb back in.....same thing

I thought I could just get a SATA enclosure or docking unit, transfer everything onto my laptop, format the HDD then, and bit by bit transfer everything via USB flash drive. But i've done a quick search and apparantly the PS3 data on a HDD can't be read by a PC??????

There must be a way???

Any help pleeeeaaase
Croc

[3x3cut10n3r]

Unfortunately not, you will have to lose all your data.

Same thing happened to me, for exactly the same reason.

PS3 HDD's are keyed to specific machines, if the HDD is put into another machine, the only option you have will be to format.

Also there is no program, as far as I could find, that will allow any OS to read the PS3's proprietary file system.

You'll have to take it as a learning experience like I did. Now I backup all my latest saves on a USB stick before turning the PS3 off, just in case.