I currently have a 40 GB hard-drive for my PS3 and I no longer have enough space and don't want to delete anything. I heard that the PS3 was made so that you could replace the hard-drive and that it was easy to do. I want to try it but don't know what Hard-drives are compatible with the PS3 and which one I should buy. I don't even know how much they cost or if I will even be able to figure out how to do it LOL.

Anyway...is it easy to do?

What hard-drives do you think work well?

upgrades aren't that hard: i personally used this one. http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Scorpio-Drive-WD5000BEVT/dp/B001JSSDGU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1301148127&sr=8-5

the important part is that the ps3 uses a laptop hard drive meaning the 2.5 inch drive.  anything bigger and it won't fit.

i read some debate concerning 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm ... from what i read due to the way the ps3 is designed the extra rpm doesn't give you any better peformance (i.e. not the slowest part of loading)

the "hardest" part is that the drive must be formatted to FAT32 before putting it into  your ps3 otherwise it won't register.  it's easy enough to due but you'll need computer and i recommend this application: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/FAT32format.shtml

also keep in mind, if you want saves and whatnot to transfer you'll have to use the backup utility.  the big question i had and now i can confirm is YES, copy prohibited files will transfer over no problem.  This will obviously require an additional storage device.  

$55 for 500GB? What is wrong with it LOL...isn't that cheap for 500GB? Anyway, I don't want to break my PS3 or have it not work. You sure its idiot proof? What kind of additional storage device?

Well first things first you are going to need an External Hard Drive so heres a good one that I bought at Best Buy. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Seagate/FreeAgentGoFlexDesk1TBExternalUSB2.0HardDriveBlack/9929061.p?id=1218196478313&skuId=9929061

Then I suggest you buy a Western Digital 500gb Internal Hard Drive like this. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/WesternDigital/ScorpioBlue500GBInternalSerialATAHardDriveforLaptops/9172799.p?id=1218044489855&skuId=9172799

Then you have to format your external into FAT32, I have a step by step process here. http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=126296&page=1&str=489824198#

Then once it is in FAT32 hook it up to your PS3 and Back up your old Internal Hard Drive onto your External Hard Drive, you can do that by going to Settings  > System Settings > Backup Utility and choose to back up to your External HDD. Then just wait while it backs up.

When its done turn off your PS3 and find yourself a small Phillips-head Screwdriver and unplug all the wires on your PS3, also make sure there aren't any games in it.

Then use this How to video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sRkj89axOU

Its a long process, sorry.

nothing wrong with it -- Western digital and Seagate are more or less considered the best hardware manufactures today.  and memory is cheap now-a-days.  at the same time i bought this drive i also but a 1.5 Tb drive for about $80 but that's a bit cheaper overall cause it  was 3.5 inches.

so let me put this in a clearer manner.

1. back up your current data on an additional storage device.  if you want to just back up saves you probably only need a 1 Gb or so jumpdrive as save files aren't very big.  if you want to backup everything you'll need something larger than the amount of data on your ps3 (i.e. 40 Gb).  just going the save files route isn't that back but understand you'll have to re-download and re-install all of your old data from psn/disc installs.  also remember, which ever method you go it will have to connect to the ps3 via the hsb slot.

to do the backup navigate to the backup manager and chose "backup to external".

2. get a replacement drive of your choice.  it MUST be 2.5 inches and formated to be FAT32.  this will require you have a computer that has room to add an additional hardrive so it can be formatted.  the fat32format app i linked about is pretty easy to use.  save the file to the root of your C: drive.  Open a command prompt.  type in "fat32formate X:" where X is the assigned letter of the new drive.  probably F.

3. Remove the old ps3 drive -- really easy.  just a couple of screws.

4. put in the new drive and replace the screws.

5. turn the ps3 on -- it will go through a formatting process.

6. put that additional storage device back into the hsb slot.  navigate to the backup manager and choose "restore".

Done!

I started with an 80 Gb drive and it took me pretty much an entire evening to complete.  Most of that was inactive mind you while I was waiting for data to transfer.

so overall, really quite easy...to me.  step 2 is the "hard" part which really comes down to -- how comfortable are you installing hardware on a PC and using a command prompt?  if you feel comfortable it's really really easy.  if that scares you might want to reconsider the upgrade.

hmmm, I actually didn't even know about the FAT32 thing, I just took out the old harddrive and sticked the new one in fresh out of the box and it worked lol.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IKRKO0/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0V2GSRR1HYFEX5SWHRN0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Would that one work?

It's a standard height 2.5" HDD so yes. Personally, for the extra $15, I'd just get a 500 GB model if you want to store a lot of media or never have to worry about space on installs, etc. again.

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Scorpio-Drive-WD5000BEVT/dp/B001JSSDGU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1301159284&sr=1-1

No need to format the replacement HDD when installing it either; the PS3 will automatically require the drive to be formatted once it boots up, so the only issue in transferring your old drive's data is having an external storage source to save the Back Up to (created by the PS3 Back Up Utility). For a 40 GB HDD, it shouldn't take that long.

yep, i agree -- that drive will work just fine.  i also agree with that for the extra $15 you might as well go 500 Gb but that's really up to you.

to the second bit ... both myself and my friend whom i got to buy the same drive had to go through the fat32format.  true -- the ps3 will format the drive again once installed however without the fat32format the ps3 didn't recognize the drive at all.  that's probably doesn't effect all drives but it did effect mine and my friends.

lol i upgraded mine to 500gig a week ago.

step 1: just go to a computer store (not gamestop or best buy ect a acual computer store where they sell PCs laptops ect ect) and just ask if they sell PS3 hard drives (it has to be a 2.5 inch SATA 5400RPM Hard drive )

Step 2: ull need any external hard drive now this is the tricky part, the external hardrive has to be type FAT32 to work with ps3 to check if it is just go to my computer right click the external hard drive and click format then go down to file system click the drop down menu and if it doesnt have FAT32 then u must download SWISSKNIFE program (just google it) once downloaded install and thats it... (nothing needs to be done with the program just install and ur done) then just go back to external hard drive right click > format and in the drop down menu it should have FAT32 then select

Step 3: now that your external hard drive is FAT32 and will work with PS3s plug it into ur PS3 via USB go to system settings > backup Utility then back up all your ps3 memory onto the external hard drive

Step 4: then unplug ur ps3 take out cords and everything then take out ur old ps3 hard drive and replace with new hard drive (check utube videos on how to do it or if ur smart ull figure it out)

Step 5:plug external hard drive back in turn on ps3 and then just go back to backup utility then click restore, DONE

the part below is ONLY IF STEP 5 DOES NOT WORK

some people run into another problem where STEP 5 does not work ok somtimes when u get to step 5 and when you turn ps3 back on once new hard drive is installed something will come up telling you to install lastest ps3 software or somthing like that (ull just know if it happens) its simple all u gota do is go to offical ps3 site and download the lastest firmware update for ps3 (you downlaod ONTO your computer) once downloaded u gota put it into the external hard drive AS THE EXACT FOLDERS ok you save the ps3 update into a folder called "UPDATE" (all caps) then you save that folder into a folder called "PS3" (all caps) so PS3 > UPDATE > *the downloaded update* --- then you plug the external hard drive back into ps3 then turn on ps3 then follow the onscreen instuctions then just go back to backup utility then click restore DONE

mk thats about it :) i have like 40 ps3 games and i allways had to delete data everytime i got a new game and was soo annoying but now there all on the ps3 with plenty of room left over