Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          5 - 10 minutes

Sections

3

  • Hard Drive Backup
  • 1 step
  • Hard Drive
  • 3 steps
  • Hard Drive
  • 2 steps

Flags

0

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Hard Drive Backup
  • If you need to backup the data on your current hard drive, follow the instructions in this step. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
  • On a Windows/OS X/Linux machine, format an external USB hard drive (with enough space available to backup your current hard content) into the FAT32 file system.
  • Make sure it’s formatted FAT32. The Playstation 3 backup utility will not recognize any other file system.
  • Connect your formatted hard drive to the Playstation 3 through a USB port and power the console up.
  • Navigate the XMB to the ‘Settings’ menu and select ‘System Settings’
  • Select the ‘Backup Utility’ function to create a backup of your data - this can take up to 2 hours if you have a lot of data on the PS3.

If you need to backup the data on your current hard drive, follow the instructions in this step. Otherwise, continue to the next step.

On a Windows/OS X/Linux machine, format an external USB hard drive (with enough space available to backup your current hard content) into the FAT32 file system.

Make sure it’s formatted FAT32. The Playstation 3 backup utility will not recognize any other file system.

Connect your formatted hard drive to the Playstation 3 through a USB port and power the console up.

Navigate the XMB to the ‘Settings’ menu and select ‘System Settings’

Select the ‘Backup Utility’ function to create a backup of your data - this can take up to 2 hours if you have a lot of data on the PS3.

1024

Step 2

              Hard Drive
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive door away from the lower case.
  • Remove the hard drive door from the PS3.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the hard drive door away from the lower case.

Remove the hard drive door from the PS3.

Step 3

  • Remove the blue 8 mm Phillips screw securing the hard drive cage to the chassis.

Remove the blue 8 mm Phillips screw securing the hard drive cage to the chassis.

Step 4

  • Grab the hard drive pull tab and pull the hard drive toward the front face of the PS3.
  • Pull the hard drive assembly out of the PS3.

Grab the hard drive pull tab and pull the hard drive toward the front face of the PS3.

Pull the hard drive assembly out of the PS3.

Step 5

              Hard Drive
  • Remove the four 4.3 mm Phillips screws securing the hard drive cage to the hard drive.
  • These 4 screws can sometimes be very difficult to remove. If you strip the heads our Screw Extracting Pliers remove the damaged screws nicely.

Remove the four 4.3 mm Phillips screws securing the hard drive cage to the hard drive.

These 4 screws can sometimes be very difficult to remove. If you strip the heads our Screw Extracting Pliers remove the damaged screws nicely.

Step 6

  • Remove the hard drive from its steel cage.
  • If you’re installing a new hard drive into your PS3, use this guide to restore the data you backed up.

Remove the hard drive from its steel cage.

If you’re installing a new hard drive into your PS3, use this guide to restore the data you backed up.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

                                      with 10 other contributors 


                    Walter Galan

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Jay Ho - Sep 30, 2012

Reply

Hi there!

Thank you for this (and all the other) guide!

My Hard Drive Slot looks a little bit different.

You have to spudge away the door from the left side and after removing the Blue Screw you can easily pull out the harddrive and you don’t have to slide the tray to the side and out afterwards.

Maybe worth a note that there are several versions around..

Elton Boyd - Jul 2, 2014

Reply

My problem is my ps3 don’t play disc

Dirk Ronsmans - Dec 1, 2015

How is this in any way related to a HDD replacement guide?

Dirk Ronsmans - Dec 1, 2015

Reply

Nice explenatory guide!

alexhuman49 - Feb 4, 2016

Reply

My playstation3 fell over" lost all my icons on screen. I took it in to see what’s wrong, they say I need to replace hard drive. Were can I buy a hard drive and how much does it cost? Can I do it myself? Please give me some answers or tips