Need to reformat my PS3 HD

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
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Can I hook the 2.5" HD straight to my PC somehow, or does it need an enclosure? I haven't tried anything yet, just getting some info before I do so.
 

taltamir

Lifer
Mar 21, 2004
13,576
6
76
the only difference between a 2.5" drive and a 3.5" drive, is that the 2.5 inch drive is slightly smaller, it uses the same power and data cables, it just will be too small to faster to your 3.5" cage with screws, you either need an adapter or just scotch tape it to the case.
 

SpeedEng66

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2002
4,501
1
81
if you need to reformat your ps3 hd

why dont you just format it via ps3?

now if your talking about formating a external hd so you can copy your saved game files & ect... you need to format the external to fat32 (which means you have to partition the external to less than 32gb and then the option for fat 32 will be there) in order for the ps3 to see it..
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
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Originally posted by: SpeedEng66
if you need to reformat your ps3 hd

why dont you just format it via ps3?

now if your talking about formating a external hd so you can copy your saved game files & ect... you need to format the external to fat32 (which means you have to partition the external to less than 32gb and then the option for fat 32 will be there) in order for the ps3 to see it..

My ps3 is stuck at the firmware install screen and nothing I do gets it passed 99%. Even after reformatting, it still gets stuck at 99% :(
 

zerogear

Diamond Member
Jun 4, 2000
5,611
9
81
Originally posted by: TecHNooB
Originally posted by: SpeedEng66
if you need to reformat your ps3 hd

why dont you just format it via ps3?

now if your talking about formating a external hd so you can copy your saved game files & ect... you need to format the external to fat32 (which means you have to partition the external to less than 32gb and then the option for fat 32 will be there) in order for the ps3 to see it..

My ps3 is stuck at the firmware install screen and nothing I do gets it passed 99%. Even after reformatting, it still gets stuck at 99% :(

tbh, that doesn't sound like a hard drive issue.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
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So I dusted off my comatose ps3 today and tried to install firmware 2.55. For the first time since I first formatted my HD, the PS3 itself did a reformat of the HD (it did reformat once b4, but would skip straight to installing the firmware for successive firmware install re-attempts). I saw some new menus that I don't recall seeing during my last attempt at reviving my dead system. Alas, she's still stuck at 99% and has been for the past 8+ hours. Got my hopes up when I saw the unfamiliar menus. Does anyone think a new HD would fix this issue? I wonder if the problem is a deep-rooted hardware problem.
 

razel

Platinum Member
May 14, 2002
2,337
93
101
The firmware could be corrupt. Try downloading a fresh new copy. Also are you possibly downgrading firmware? I don't think it allows that.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
The firmware could be corrupt. Try downloading a fresh new copy. Also are you possibly downgrading firmware? I don't think it allows that.

it's a fresh copy. I'm installing using a flash drive. also meant 3.55 before.
 

razel

Platinum Member
May 14, 2002
2,337
93
101
I had a cousin get a free PS3 that his buddy thought was broken. It was the same deal with the firmware being unable to complete. Actually it couldn't format the drive. I suspected the HDD. We did the Seagate diagnosis on the Seagate drive and found a SMART error. We followed the instructions, ran the DOS Seagate diag where it remapped the bad sectors. Reinstalled the drive into the PS3 and BAM. He earned himself a PS3. That would be my next suggestion is the check the health of the HDD.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
I had a cousin get a free PS3 that his buddy thought was broken. It was the same deal with the firmware being unable to complete. Actually it couldn't format the drive. I suspected the HDD. We did the Seagate diagnosis on the Seagate drive and found a SMART error. We followed the instructions, ran the DOS Seagate diag where it remapped the bad sectors. Reinstalled the drive into the PS3 and BAM. He earned himself a PS3. That would be my next suggestion is the check the health of the HDD.

sounds like a plan :)
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
good call on running the diagnostic tools. the drive failed short drive self test. just placed an order for another one. i hope this does the trick!
 

zerogear

Diamond Member
Jun 4, 2000
5,611
9
81
Why would fimeware on a flash drive affect be affected by the HDD being corrupt is beyond me.
 

razel

Platinum Member
May 14, 2002
2,337
93
101
It's not the firmware. It's the hard drive. I'm pretty sure the PS3 detected the SMART error and didn't want to continue. Too bad it didn't throw an error message.
 

MrCoyote

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,001
5
91
Wow you waited over a year to take another look at your PS3. Why not just send it in for repair? Is it not under warranty? Or go to Goodwill and find a cheap 2.5" drive and plug it in to see if it will work.
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
Wow you waited over a year to take another look at your PS3. Why not just send it in for repair? Is it not under warranty? Or go to Goodwill and find a cheap 2.5" drive and plug it in to see if it will work.

busy doin stuff :(

It's not the firmware. It's the hard drive. I'm pretty sure the PS3 detected the SMART error and didn't want to continue. Too bad it didn't throw an error message.

the drive passed smart test
 
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