PS3 hardware failure

Backups are also locked to the same PS3 so that does not help in the case of a dead PS3 (only if the drive dies but everything else is kosher).

In my case I had the new PS3 fail after using the data transfer utility which helped me discover the wonder of locked game saves.

Cheers

 

The backup utility is pretty much only useful if you're upgrading your hdd, or if your hdd dies. Unfortunately, your PS3 is far more likely to die compared to your internal hdd.

 

You're right of course, and I'm a twat

 

Question. Could I take a friends PS3, remove his HDD and replace it with another one of mine, transfer all the data from my old HDD to it, and then put the new HDD my PS3? This without any unwanted side-effects to my, or his, PS3 or PSN account.

 

Incorrect. I want everything that's on my old small HDD onto a bigger new HDD and use it on my old PS3. Including save files locked to my PS3.

But if I have to format it first then it wont work.

Am I just overthinking it, and there is an easier way to do this?

 

If you're just upgrading the harddrive in your PS3, then a backup to an external drive is the easiest way. I did this when I went from 60GB to 320GB.

 

Will this let me keep my locked save files on the new HDD? I'd hate to restart all those games again.

 

Yes, everything. Even Singstar songs.

The only real problems exist when you move stuff to a new PS3.

 

hold on there, I think not...let me re-read the question and edit back!!

 

The best advice is given by Nesh.

Only a different HDD/PS3 combination will format, so the whole time you keep your old PS3 HDD it will slot back into your machine with no problem (or format), so...

1) Backup to an external HDD
2) Upgrade HDD
3) Restore data from external HDD
4) Check all the game saves worked (if not at least they are not lost - you can stick your old HDD back in)

The problem is some things (and save games) will not backup (from my understanding)...there's a list somewhere on the web.

Backup process:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-back-up-and-import-ps3-game-saves/

Says here you can restore backups to another PS3:
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/3_15/settings/backuputility.html

Saves that won't transfer:
http://www.ps3news.com/PlayStation-3/locked-ps3-game-saves-compilation-list-is-now-available/

 

Thanks guys.

I guess I better find a big enough external HDD, or re-download and re-install a bunch of stuff. It's a shame there isn't an easier or faster way to do it.

 

Yeah, so those are games that cause problems when you want to bring them to another PS3 through any other means than the direct network transfer. These do not cause issues with backup/restore to a new harddrive - at least from personal experience, I had a bunch of those games when I transferred and had no issues.

 

So I had my PS3 repaired this weekend and just got it back, and so far it's working again like a charm. Just 40 euros, and with a guarantee as well. Very nice - after cleaning up some demoes and trailers, and manually copying the savegames I wanted to have, it's now backing up nicely. Now I only have to think about whether or not I want to do a network transfer or if I'm going to keep my Slim more or less clean and only copy a couple of saves over there for convenience. I think I might keep it clean - the only thing I'll miss now is the SingStar songs that I've bought, and although a bit of a nuisance, I can get that arranged with a call to Sony. I'll think about it.

 

Damn! My launch 60GB finally gave in and died, yes it was the YLOD in the middle of a Sports Champions table tennis match.
Bought a new 320GB slim.
Too bad all my gamesaves were last backed up in May, so I lost my FFXIII finished game save, GoW3 finished save, all my Red Dead Redemption saves, and of course all locked saves like Assasins Creed 2 and the more recent saves like Tumble and Sports Champions saves among others.
Been spending the last couple of days redownloading all my bought content from PSN (and there's a lot!).
I've never tried the game update feature that was apparently introduced in some recent fw, do I need to initiate the update, cancel it, and it continues the update in background?

Might try fixing the dear old fatty some day, or send it for repair if I can find some place that fixes them for a reasonable fee. I'd really like to get my saves back.

I already thought a couple of weeks ago to get me a Slim, and transfer all the data from the fat before it breaks, should've done it then

 

Mine died this summer. I did the reflow and brought it back long enough to copy game saves to a flash drive and deactivate the unit. It isn't too hard so I recommend giving it a shot if you aren't adverse to tinkering.

 

Yeah, might try that, doesn't look too difficult.

If I manage to reanimate the PS3, will I be able to use the data transfer tool just to transfer the saved data.
If I delete all other data than savegames, will it transfer just what's there on the old PS3 and still leave what I've put on the new slim, or will it empty the slim and transfer the old data?
I just thought now that I just finished dl'ing all the games to the new one, I'd rather they remain there in the new PS3, instead of being replaced with those on the old PS3... it might not really matter in reality, but I just feel I'd rather keep the fresh installs and just transfer the saves.
Also I really wouldn't trust the fixed PS3, what if it decides to give the YLOD again in the middle of transfer process, it would be best to keep the data to be transferred at minimum, so it wouldn't take too long time and risk of getting it overheat would be smaller.

Edit: I see the instructions for data transfer utility says:
"When you perform this operation, all data that is stored on the PS3 system that will receive the data (the "destination system”) will be deleted. "
so, it won't be possible to keep old data on new PS3.

 

If you have your old PS3 backed up to an external drive, is there any way to use that data with a new PS3?

I kind of had the idea that your PS3 had to be alive for its data to be transferred to a new one..

 

Ah, sorry, the previous page lists the game saves that can't be transferred with a backup.

So very silly that Sony got themselves into a situation where they felt the need to lock the saves to a piece of hardware.

I haven't played any PS2 games on my launch 60 for years now, nor really bothered to play the handful of SACDs I got to test out the system, so going to a slim with its lower power usage and expected better long-term reliability is getting more and more tempting.