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How to upgrade your PlayStation 3 Hard Drive

By James Yu on 25 September 2007

It doesn't matter if you have the 20GB, 60GB, or even the new 80GB PlayStation 3 — you can always use more storage space.

All that available hard-disk space quickly disappears once you start downloading games, demos, and HD videos. Fortunately, Sony has designed the PS3 to allow console owners to perform their own hard-drive upgrades. You can go out and select your own hard drive instead of being forced to buy an official first-party hard-disk accessory. However, giving console owners that freedom means that aspiring upgraders will need to know how to select the right hard-drive upgrade and the proper installation technique.

Hard-disk manufacturer Seagate supplied us with a 160GB Momentus 5400.3 for our upgrade.

The first step to replacing the hard disk is going to the store or visiting an online retailer to pick up a new hard disk. The PS3 is compatible with just about any 2.5-inch SATA notebook hard disk. Both 5400-RPM and 7200-RPM drives should work fine. The physical size of the hard disk is important because it has to fit the PS3's 2.5-inch drive tray. As far as storage capacity goes, it doesn't make sense to go through the trouble of upgrading unless you go big: We're talking 120GB, 160GB, or even 250GB.

Once you have your upgrade drive, the next step is to back up the data on your current PS3 hard drive to an external storage unit. You can skip this step if you aren't attached to your music, videos, and game saves, but most of us will probably want to save all that information. The PS3 has a built-in software backup utility that can copy the PS3's hard-drive contents to an external storage device, such as a USB thumb drive or a memory stick. The removable storage device must use the FAT32 file system in order for the PS3 to recognise it. If you have an external hard drive that's formatted in NTFS, you can use the Disk Management utility in Windows to reformat the drive, but you'll need to create partitions on large external hard drives because Windows can only do FAT32 on drives 32GB or smaller.

Save your data using the PS3's backup utility.

If your storage device isn't large enough to handle a full system backup, you can selectively copy data over through the various music, photo, and game menus in the XMB. Your PlayStation Network login and system settings will remain safe on the system during the entire process. After you have your data safely backed up, you can move on to the actual hard-drive swap.

You will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to complete this part of the installation process. The PS3 owner's manual also includes step-by-step details on how to replace the hard drive, in case you need more instructions.

Turn off and unplug the system. Remove the plastic HD side-panel, and remove the blue screw.

Open the metal latch, move the drive tray to the right, and slide out the drive.

Remove the four screws that hold the hard drive to the tray. Use a screwdriver that fits snugly because the screws are extremely tight and easy to strip.

Swap in the new drive, and replace the screws.

Put the drive tray back into the system and slide it into place. Then replace the blue screw and snap the side panel back onto the system.

Turn on the console and let the system format the new drive. Then load up the PS3 backup utility to restore data from your external storage device back onto the PS3 hard drive.

At this point you should have a newly upgraded PS3 and the leftover hard drive. You could try selling the old drive, but small-capacity used drives might not fetch enough money to be worth the hassle of finding a buyer. If you still want to make the drive useful, you can buy an external drive enclosure to make it into a portable storage device.

Topics: ps3, playstation, sony, hdd, hard, drive, swap, how, upgrade, hard drive

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Comments (188)

  • cj commented on 18/11/2009 12:28 Report abuse

    im thinkin about upgrading my ps3 harddrive to something a bit bigger, but how do i save my trophies? i know how to save my game data to my 600gb external hard drive but im not sure how to but i dont want to loose ny trophie data?

  • wowzawooker commented on 04/11/2009 05:45 Report abuse

    is there a company that replaces the hardrive for you?

  • THE BOSS commented on 03/11/2009 15:32 Report abuse

    REAL GOOD QUESTION!!!
    So my 60gb just got YLOD so i'm not sending it to sony, HELL NO!! i am buying a new 250gh PS3 slim, so here is my question.
    Is it possible to put my 60gb HD into my new ps3 slim, back up my files with an 80gb Ipod then put my 250gb HD back in my new ps3 and restore my data and saves files? plus will i be able to sync my trophies and old account back into my new ps3 thru ps3 network?
    I ask because i heard you have to sync in your trophies and deactivate my old ps3 with my old ps3 first but it's dead and can't use it at all?...
    Please let me know

  • DaWolf968 commented on 02/11/2009 02:55 Report abuse

    There is a downloadable software on the ps store that allows you to play ps2 games, but it says only for above 40 GB. So does upgrading your hard drive allow you to use this software?

  • LordNykoniswrong commented on 01/11/2009 00:52 Report abuse

    In response to LordNykon 500gb for 99$ is not a good price. You can get it online for 85$ with free shipping and its probably going to be a better quality one too.

  • LordNykoniswrong commented on 01/11/2009 00:46 Report abuse

    In response to LordNykon 500gb for 99$ is not a good price. You can get it online for 85$ with free shipping and its probably going to be a better quality one too.

  • Kysyth commented on 30/10/2009 17:12 Report abuse

    That is the Biggest HD Which Works

    GB and does the speed matter

  • lewis commented on 30/10/2009 09:26 Report abuse

    thanks for the info now i can go up to 500gb and save all my info on it thx

  • damien commented on 12/09/2009 14:01 Report abuse

    hey can i upgrade to 320gb?
    and sings that it will be slower?
    thx~

  • rob boy commented on 07/09/2009 16:26 Report abuse

    Ok so I shipped my broken ps3 to sony and now im just waiting for my system to come back but there's a problem i just found out sony doesn't return you, your broken ps3. what they do is send you a refurbished ps3 for 150.00 bucks plus tax, this is done to get your ps3 faster so you'll end up with someone else's fixed ps3 and paper stating what they fixed on the system oh yea they replace the cover to make it look new but it's not. You get a 90 day warranty once you recieve your system but it could be shorter or longer. If my refurbished system breaks again and i gotta pay another 150, forget it! ill just buy a 300.00 dollar one and that system loads faster. keep you guys updated peace

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