PS3 Advice

[NightHavoc]

So here is the situation.

I currently have an old first gen 60 gig ps3 that needs a serious storage upgrade. I have a growing list of games that I need to play and due to me recently subscribing to PS+ this list is going to get bigger. I've looked online and it seems that replacing the hard drive is pretty simple.

However, since it is a first gen PS3 I'm slightly worried that it might die on me in the not too distant future. It's started freezing on me during some games or while I'm browsing the play station store. Sometimes its refused to turn off or switch on and other little hiccups as well.

I don't really want to fork over $250 plus for a new one (Yay Australia!) so my options are.
1. I can buy a new hard drive and install it hoping that it wont die on me.
2. I can look into buying a newish PS3 from somewhere like ebay with a bigger Hard drive which should cost less than in store.
3. I can hold out and wait till the prices drop because of the new consoles and then buy a new one
4. I can suck it up and buy a new one.



So guys and girls what do you think is the best solution to my problem? is there another option that could work?

 

[Frezzato]

snip

I agree that the prices will probably drop on the slim PS3 (non slot-loading, sliding door type), so I would wait. In the meantime, you should prepare for the likelihood that your original PS3 will die some day. C'est la vie. Therefore, you should maintain a manual backup of your important game saves. In addition, if you're not online a lot, I would definitely connect to PSN and sync your trophies. Manually backing up your saves is the most important thing to do right now--if you consider that important.

Are you familiar with formatting USB drives to FAT32 format?

*EDIT* Incidentally, are you relying on PS+ for all of your game save backups?

 

[NightHavoc]

snip

I agree that the prices will probably drop on the slim PS3

Are you familiar with formatting USB drives to FAT32 format?

The price drop is probably my most preferred option so hopefully it doesn't die before then but you're right I should probably be taking some measures to save all my data at this point. I'm not really familiar with formatting USB drives but with the power of google I can be.

*Edit* No I purchased it recently so I haven't used that feature as yet

 

[Frezzato]

snip

I like how Sony gave users the power to upgrade their own PS3s but the backup part is a little complicated. Since you're paying for PS+ you can send your PS3 game saves online, but there are still some things that, for some strange reason, can't be saved online. This includes all PSP Mini, PS1 and PS2 game saves, so if you have any of those that you would like to save, then you're still going to have to use a local, external hard drive backup.

I'm curious though if there's a limit to the data you can save online with PS+. I like how most game saves can be copied locally, like Skyrim and Fallout 3, but other titles can only be copied via PS+, like Bayonetta and Heavy Rain. If you can save everything you need online then you won't have to retask a USB device. However, you're still going to need a new notebook hard drive if you're going to swap out your current PS3 HDD or upgrade the HDD on a new PS3. I upgraded my current PS3 with a 500GB. Incidentally, I've read that the newer PS3s with only 12GB of flash RAM don't come with the required HDD mounting bracket, which you can pull from your current PS3 or buy separately online.

In terms of priorities, I would still focus on backing up your game save data. You're going to need to format your external device with your PC (whether it's a USB stick or notebook/PC hard drive in an external enclosure) to FAT32. If your PC uses XP you should look for SWISSKNIFE. Since I have Windows 7, I believe I used something called FAT32Formatter. I can't really remember for certain if I used FAT32Formatter, but this is the link [http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/Fat32Formatter/index.html]. Here's a good article [http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/format-large-hard-drive-fat-fat32/] on the matter.

 

[NightHavoc]

snip

I've read that the newer PS3s with only 12GB of flash RAM don't come with the required HDD mounting bracket, which you can pull from your current PS3 or buy separately online.

Thanks for the advice! This little bit of information is quite handy to know too. Looks like I need to pick up the older slim version if possible. I think I have an old external HDD around here somewhere I'll get started on the backing up and hopefully prices drop soonish.

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

I think they're starting to sell ps3's with 20 gig hard drives or something in them. I'd buy a hard drive for your current model, then buy a new one if it breaks and swap the hard drive. I'd definitely wait as long as possible to see how low the prices get

Since I have Windows 7, I believe I used something called FAT32Formatter. I can't really remember for certain if I used FAT32Formatter, but this is the link [http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/Fat32Formatter/index.html]. Here's a good article [http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/format-large-hard-drive-fat-fat32/] on the matter.

If it just needs to be fat32, he can use guiformat [http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm]. Its literally a tiny app that formats things to fat32. Just select your drive and click ok (careful not to format your main hard drive). I needed it put a 64 gig micro sd in my phone that didn't technically support it, but the example does it to a 3 terabyte hard drive