I'm not at home to check, but can you not just put the HD in and connect to a media share on your network and transfer files that way?
I know you can pull files off your meda share on your PC to your PS3, never tried going the other way, probably not even possible.
What about putting a USB key into the USB of the PS3? (Again never tried this) and seeing if it lets you copy the files to the stick?
Unicorns ARE real - They are just fat, grey and called Rhinos