Replacing a PS3 hard disk

I'm going to show how easy it is to replace the hard disk in your PS3

Why would you want to replace the disk?
Most PS3 models contain a 60 GB HDD. For most people this is enough storage, but others (who got loads of save games and other media) might need a larger disk. Another reason could be a broken disk.

What kind of HDD do I need?
The disk of the Playstation 3 is a 2.5” (laptop) SATA HDD. These are a more expensive than a traditional 3.5” (the one that is used in a Desktop PC). When buying a new HDD, make sure that it is SATA 150 (1.5 GB/s) and not IDE (PATA) or SCSI.

What should I do before replacing the HDD?
Create a backup of all your data. The HDD contains your media, saved games and game updates. You could copy all items to an external HDD or USB stick or use the backup utility in the System Settings.

Your settings and updates of the Playstation 3 software won’t get lost because they are stored on a separate chip.


Replacing the HDD

1. Locate the HDD bay to the left of the PS3. It is covered by a small plastic cover. Once you have located it, remove the cover.
2. There should be a (blue) screw (marked in the image below). Unscrew it.
   
3. Grab the metal handle, and pull the HDD all the way to the right.
   
4. Now pull the disk out of the PS3.
   
   
   
5. The HDD sits inside a case where it needs to be released from. There are 2 screws on each side. Unscrew all of them.
   
   
   
6. Remove the HDD from the case by sliding it out and put the new HDD in it. Put the 4 screws back, and then slide the case back into the PS3.
7. Pull the case all the way to the left and put the blue screw back in the case. Close the small handle, and put the plastic cover back.

Making the new HDD ready for use

After installing the new HDD, you should turn on your PS3. There should be a message saying that the new disk needs to be formatted. Choose Yes to format it. If you don’t see the message, then go to System Settings and format the disk manually.

After the formatting is done, you can use your new HDD. Now is also the right time to restore any backups that you have made.

That’s all. You have successfully replaced your PS3 HDD!

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