Help: Backing up PS3 HDD without PS3

[DeanA]

But backups don't restore onto a different PS3!

Doh...! You're completely right.

Sorry about that..

On the positive side, you've saved me from wasting time doing a backup each month!

Cheers,
Dean

 

[DeanA]

I don't know Dean each member at my former place who bought a 60 has had red/yellow or drive failure and gotten a replacement. I haven't seen/heard a single 40 (Shifty may have had a 40 can't remember) or 80 have problems but I know I intentionally stayed away from the 60s when buying my PS3.

Hmm.. interesting. We've got an entire studio of people (60-70-ish), and a *lot* of people got 60GB PS3s at launch. And I've only heard of one breaking (BD unit failing to recognise disk insertion)..

Now, the other machine.. that's a different story. I don't know anyone at work who has one, who hasn't had to get it replaced. Often multiple times(*).

Dean

(*) I'm on my 3rd!

 

[tha_con]

Doh...! You're completely right.

Sorry about that..

On the positive side, you've saved me from wasting time doing a backup each month!

Cheers,
Dean

This is not correct. Being on my 3rd PS3, I can confirm that the following is restored onto multiple PS3s

o Save Data
o Some Game Data (installs, some DLC, etc)
o Photos
o Music
o Videos (Content not purchased from the PS Store)
o Themes
o User Profiles (does not always restore PSN account information)
o User Settings (Display, Audio, Network, etc)

It's more than worth it if you want to save time. Doing a restoration can save you anywhere from an hour, to a few hours. While the games themselves may not be restored, a lot of the other data is, and it's far easier (and faster) to simply restore that data via a backup, than it is to try and reinstall all those themes and put all your media back on your PS3.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I think you are taking his situation and applying it to all PS3 users, which is a bit unfair.

I didn't really say anything that contradicts your points raised in this post. As I replied to JPT, Sony's position is valid and understandable. I don't disagree with it, but Sony should be clearer when they mention backups. It was certainly a waste of time for me when I did it! And they also don't clearly explain the need and method to unlist you PS3 hardware from your PSN account. I didn't find out about that until the PS3 was gone, so that's one of my 5 hardware's down. Not that that'll really be an issue, but still, it's bad form.

This is not correct. Being on my 3rd PS3, I can confirm that the following is restored onto multiple PS3s

o Save Data
o Some Game Data (installs, some DLC, etc)
o Photos
o Music
o Videos (Content not purchased from the PS Store)
o Themes
o User Profiles (does not always restore PSN account information)
o User Settings (Display, Audio, Network, etc)

It's more than worth it if you want to save time.

Well, if you have media on the PS3, that's true. Save data is far quicker to backup on its own. Themes are only an issue if you have lots instead of one or two choice selections. Game-data like patches must be very hit-and-miss; none of mine was restored and I had to patch everything from scratch. User profiles is kinda irrelevant. Didn't restore PSN account info or local settings. It didn't backup my PSN US account at all. So all it did was have a couple of names in accounts, nothing else. It's not that hard to add a new account and retype the name!

As the time to backup was something like an hour, requiring lots of GBs, yet it restored very little of that content, it was an inefficient process and it would have been better to just backup and restore the settings, themes and such manually. The backup failed in my case. This is because the backup function copied over all my PSN games which I couldn't then use. There ought to be a "Backup Lite" option, or '"Transfer account to new PS3", for just saving out the basic stuff that gets restored to new hardware. Which should also give the option to deregister the hardware with the SPN account DLC. Now if you have loads and loads of media, yes the backup is more efficient. Redundant PSN data isn't that much of a problem as it's still quicker to leave the PS3 going and come back to it when everything that can be restored is restored. I'm still of the opinion the backup tool was aimed almost exclusively at people upgrading the hardware and not on replacing hardware, because there is no specific functionality to facilitate that.

 

[ShadowRunner]

And it has to remain that way. The whole problem here is piracy. If an HDD could be restored to any PS3, pirates would offer HDD clones full of content. What Sony need to do though is offer a service to transfer content from one PS3 to another, which they can keep tabs on without breaching their security.

Offering it as a service mite be more risk then they are willing to take as it would mean much more people within sony support having access to it id assume, which would increase the risk of a leak.

They may may be extra weary of this because of what happened with the PSP and the 'special' battery to put it in service mode. It wasnt a leak, i believe a repaired PSP was sent out with one still in it, but it would have been much less likely id imagine if it wasnt a standard repair practice.

I'm still of the opinion the backup tool was aimed almost exclusively at people upgrading the hardware and not on replacing hardware, because there is no specific functionality to facilitate that.

Id agree with that. The need for a better backup utility that has the option to only backup content not downloadable, just gamesaves really. Media is likely to exist elsewhere like on a PC and is easy to create backup copies of outside of a dedicated utility if desired.

 

[BadTB25]

Yes, reports of PS3 failures aren't as uncommon as they were. I thought with XB360 the service is a return-to-base one, so you get your HDD or content back, but it's a 2+ week wait? Whereas Sony apparently make a doorstep replacement, so there's no delay, but the issue with HDD's then rears its ugly head.

I think the only option is to contact Sony directly explaining your position and hope they can make an exception, which isn't an issue for 99.99% of PS3 owners who can download their content again.

With the X360, you're allowed to transfer all your license keys once every 6 months (or is it a year) to a different 360. If they send you a replacement console for a broken one, its done automatically. It allows you to play everything on that console without having to be logged on. Otherewise, any content that you've bought can be redownloaded to any console as long as you're logged in with that gamertag. Also, you're only allowed to have your gamertag Live on one console at a time.

Sony, should allow something similar to where you can "tie" your content into a new system if it breaks or you buy a new one. It's a good thing that there console is usually reliable. I know I'd be pissed if I lost my my digital content because of a bad PS3. They should at least allow you to redownload the content for free--maybe through a voucher, PSN points card or something similar.

If you bought a new console, say a 60GB fully BC one, are you able to transfer all of the content that you previously bought for a different PS3?

Also, Sorry about the back luck deepbrown.

 

[patsu]

PSN games can be shared on up to 5 boxes, so they are not an issue at all. You can always redownload them, or even share some of your purchases (!)

Purchased videos are tied to hardware but you can call Sony up to transfer the license to a new machine (Once a year I think since PS3 is pretty robust). Rented videos will be gone in 24 hours or 14 days. You probably have to call them too if your PS3 fails half way.

Game saves are the problematic ones because you're the only source. That's what we are talking about above. Plus...

deepbrown's "press games" are one-off specials. Would be hard to get a new promo code for them.

 

[djskribbles]

This is not correct. Being on my 3rd PS3, I can confirm that the following is restored onto multiple PS3s

o Save Data
o Some Game Data (installs, some DLC, etc)
o Photos
o Music
o Videos (Content not purchased from the PS Store)
o Themes
o User Profiles (does not always restore PSN account information)
o User Settings (Display, Audio, Network, etc)

It's more than worth it if you want to save time. Doing a restoration can save you anywhere from an hour, to a few hours. While the games themselves may not be restored, a lot of the other data is, and it's far easier (and faster) to simply restore that data via a backup, than it is to try and reinstall all those themes and put all your media back on your PS3.

That's a relief, I was getting scared reading through this thread.
I still have a 20GB launch unit going strong. I have replaced the HDD twice (20GB -> 80GB -> 160GB) not because of failures, but to upgrade. I'm gonna go backup my data now. All I have is a 16GB USB drive so I guess I'll have to pick and choose.

 

[patsu]

Yeah, moral of the story is: backup game saves often.

 

[BadTB25]

PSN games can be shared on up to 5 boxes, so they are not an issue at all. You can always redownload them, or even share some of your purchases (!)

Purchased videos are tied to hardware but you can call Sony up to transfer the license to a new machine (Once a year I think since PS3 is pretty robust). Rented videos will be gone in 24 hours or 14 days. You probably have to call them too if your PS3 fails half way.

Game saves are the problematic ones because you're the only source. That's what we are talking about above. Plus...

deepbrown's "press games" are one-off specials. Would be hard to get a new promo code for them.

Thanks patsu, that's a relief to know. I may be moving to Guam in September and my brother only has a PS3 (he's there), so I suspect that I will be playing my PS3 a lot more after I move.
I'm also considering upgrading mine to 500GB. Does anyone know if there is a 1TB HDD out there, and if so, is it compatible with the PS3.

 

[patsu]

I read that PS3 caps the HDD size to 500Gb. 1Tb won't run beyond certain firmware version. Try google for the info.

 

[ShadowRunner]

I read that PS3 caps the HDD size to 500Gb. 1Tb won't run beyond certain firmware version. Try google for the info.

I thought the biggest laptop drives available were 500GB anyhow.

I supose you could use a 3.5" drive but you would need to make a e-sata passthrough plate if one isnt available already. Unless you dont mind it looking a mess!

EDIT:

Found this -> HDXT-Hard-Drive-Extennder

 

[patsu]

Yes, I almost bought that before someone on B3D told me about the 2.5" 500Gb HDD.

If you use the extender with 3.5" HDD, you can go beyond 500Gb but PS3 wouldn't start.

 

[AzBat]

I thought with XB360 the service is a return-to-base one, so you get your HDD or content back, but it's a 2+ week wait?

As BadTB25 mentions below you just keep your hard drive before sending it in. They don't even want cables, controllers, power supplies or even the detachable faceplate. In my experience I called them the week of Thanksgiving to replace my console for a defective DVD drive(never got RROD). I had my replacement less than the a week later. Again that was over a national holiday, Black Friday & a weekend. If I had RROD they would have sent me a prepaid box to ship my system. So with my system I had to pack it myself & pay for shipping. I got a refurbished system and just put my hard drive on it & it worked the second I turned it on without any hiccups. This is one great reason to have a portable hard drive.

With the X360, you're allowed to transfer all your license keys once every 6 months (or is it a year) to a different 360. If they send you a replacement console for a broken one, its done automatically. It allows you to play everything on that console without having to be logged on. Otherewise, any content that you've bought can be redownloaded to any console as long as you're logged in with that gamertag. Also, you're only allowed to have your gamertag Live on one console at a time.

The license transfer tool can only be done once every 12 months. It's basically only for those that buy new systems to replace existing ones. And you're right if you get a repaired console they automatically transfer the licenses for you. But in order for you to use the content offline you still have to re-download the licenses for all your content to the new machine.

As for one GamerTag on one console at a time, that's true, but you can "recover" a GamerTag on any machine. However, Microsoft suggests you instead move your GamerTag to a memory unit to keep from losing achievements offline or messing up game saves.

Tommy McClain

 

[corduroygt]

An easy solution to this problem would be adding a check option to the repair form, when checked, Sony techs would move your hdd from your broken ps3 to the new one, re-encrypting with the new PS3 hardware ID, which I'm sure they have an internal tool for.
They could even make it a $20 option to account for the costs, you'd pay for the convenience and hassle-free replacement and transfer of all your files.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Yeah, moral of the story is: backup game saves often.

Ha! The painful irony of that is I went to backup my LBP savefile so I wouldn't lose my creations in case of tragic failure. Selected the USB device, save over the existing one...oops! That's all my hard work gone! I should have triple-checked, but it was surprisingly easy to muddle up restoring from USB and saving to USB!

 

[deepbrown]

I think you are taking his situation and applying it to all PS3 users, which is a bit unfair.

With the XB360, you can detach your HDD, keep it, and play that content whenever you like. That is their fix to a failed console.

With the PS3, you can back up your data, or, conversely, re-download everything onto the new console.

For the average user, both situations are manageable, but not ideal. In his case, he cannot redownload the press builds of these games, but that situation does not transfer to all PS3 users. If they were standard builds of games that were purchased, a redownload would solve all of the problems (well, all except the save data issue, for which a backup utility is provided).

Honestly, if Sony provides standard users with all of the tools to ensure their data can be kept safe and up-to-date (via the backup feature) I fail to see what needs to be addressed, other than the management of press builds of games and the users who may have them.

That said, the backup is still usefull, as it will restore user data, save data, install data (meaning once you back up you will not have to reinstall data from disc based games). The only thing that cannot be restored from a backup save onto another PS3 are downloaded titles, which can be re-downloaded for normal users.

Thanks...some of what you say is true. But in others you are wrong.

My PS3 won't turn on, at all. I cannot get my Save games, I cannot get my Music, I cannot get my photos, or my games etc.

What you're all saying is that if I can't turn on my PS3 - I can't get ANY of the 60gb's of data on my HDD. None of it. Which is RIDICULOUS - because I have an 2.5 HDD full of data, sitting there, and apparently there's noway I can get to it.

The PS3 way of doing things is FLAWED.

 

[deepbrown]

Ha! The painful irony of that is I went to backup my LBP savefile so I wouldn't lose my creations in case of tragic failure. Selected the USB device, save over the existing one...oops! That's all my hard work gone! I should have triple-checked, but it was surprisingly easy to muddle up restoring from USB and saving to USB!

Shifty shifty. I hope you uploaded it online...then you can just redownload your level.

 

[deepbrown]

Yeah, moral of the story is: backup game saves often.

That's a sh*t moral. The moral is - I should be able to get my data, when a supposedly reliable piece of hardware fails from no fault of my own. SIMPLE AS.

 

[ShadowRunner]

That's a sh*t moral. The moral is - I should be able to get my data, when a supposedly reliable piece of hardware fails from no fault of my own. SIMPLE AS.

If your supposedly reliable harddrive failed you would be in exactly the same situation.

The Lesson? for anything not re-downloadable like personal media and saves make multiple copies. The same goes for any peice of hardware whether it be a PC, ipod, camera or anything else that has the ability to hold data