This article will show you how to format an external hard drive on a Windows or Mac OS X computer and then connect it to the PlayStation 3. Due to internal PS3 hardware, you cannot play games directly from the external hard drive.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: How to format your hard drive in Windows
Step 1. Connect your external hard drive to your computer
Do this with the USB cable that came with your external hard drive.
USB ports look like thin rectangular connectors on a computer case
Step 2. Open the Start menu
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen or press the ⊞ Win key.
Step 3. In the Start menu search bar, type This PC
A monitor-shaped icon appears at the top of the Start menu.
Step 4. Click on This PC
It's a monitor-shaped icon at the top of the Start menu. The This PC window opens.
Step 5. Right-click on the hard drive icon
It is usually found in the middle of the page. A dropdown menu will open.
On a laptop with a trackpad, two-finger click on it to simulate a right-click
Step 6. Click Properties
It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
Step 7. Look at the value in the "File system" line
It's at the top of the General tab. If the value is different from "FAT32", you need to reformat the disk.
If this line says "FAT32", go to the hard drive connection
Step 8. Close the "Properties" window
To do this, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the window.
Step 9. Right-click the external hard drive icon again and then click Format
It's in the middle of the dropdown menu.
Formatting the hard drive will delete all files stored on it
Step 10. Open the File System menu
It is located in the "File System" section. A dropdown menu will open.
Step 11. Click on FAT32
This is the file system that will allow you to use the hard drive on your PS3.
Step 12. Click Startand then press OK.
The process of formatting the disk will start.
The duration of this process depends on the speed of the computer and the capacity of the disk
Step 13. Click OK when prompted
Do this in the pop-up window informing you that the hard drive has been formatted.
Step 14. Double click on the external hard drive icon
You will find it in the This PC window.
Step 15. Create four folders on your external hard drive
To do this, right-click in the hard disk window, select New, and then click Folder; you can also click Home (at the top of the window)> New Folder. Name the folders like this:
- MUSIC
- PHOTO
- GAMES
- VIDEO
Step 16. Close the This PC window and disconnect your external hard drive
Now it can be connected to PS3.
If you want to add music, photos or videos to the external hard drive before connecting the external hard drive to the game console, copy them to the appropriate folders (for example, audio files in the "Music" folder)
Part 2 of 3: How to Format Hard Drive in Mac OS X
Step 1. Connect your external hard drive to your computer
Do this with the USB cable that came with your external hard drive.
- USB ports look like thin rectangular connectors on a computer case.
- Some Mac computers do not have USB ports; in this case, buy an adapter.
Step 2. Open Finder
It's a blue, face-shaped icon in the dock.
Step 3. With two fingers, click on the name of the external hard drive
It's on the left side of the Finder window. A dropdown menu will open.
Step 4. Click Properties
It's in the middle of the dropdown menu.
Step 5. Look at the value in the "Format" section
You will find this section in the window that opens. If the value is different from "FAT32", you will need to reformat the drive to be PS3 compatible.
If this section says "FAT32", go to connecting the hard drive
Step 6. Open Spotlight
Click on the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 7. Enter Disk Utility in Spotlight
A list of programs will open.
Step 8. Click on Disk Utility
This program should appear first in Spotlight search results.
Step 9. Click on the name of the external hard drive
It's on the left sidebar.
Step 10. Go to the Erase tab
It's at the top of the Disk Utility window.
Step 11. Click on the "Format" menu
It's in the middle of the page.
Step 12. Click on FAT32
It's in the drop-down menu. This way you can format the disk with the FAT32 file system, which is compatible with the PS3.
You may have to choose your drive name from the menu just below
Step 13. Click on Erase
This button is at the bottom of the page. The hard drive will be formatted; now close the Disk Utility window.
Formatting the hard drive will delete all files stored on it, so please back up important data
Step 14. Open Finder and then select your hard drive
The hard disk window will open.
Step 15. Create four folders on your external hard drive
To do this, click "File" at the top left of the page, and then click "New folder"; you can also click the trackpad with two fingers and select New Folder. Name the folders like this:
- MUSIC
- PHOTO
- GAMES
- VIDEO
Step 16. Disconnect the external hard drive
Now it can be connected to PS3.
Part 3 of 3: How to Connect a Hard Drive to PS3
Step 1. Connect the hard drive to the PlayStation 3
To do this, connect the USB cable to the hard drive and to the USB port of the PS3. The PS3 USB ports are located on the front of the console.
Step 2. Turn on your PS3 and controller
To do this, press the "PS" button on the controller.
You can also press the power button on both PS3 and controller
Step 3. Scroll left and select Settings
It's on the left side of the PlayStation 3 menu.
Step 4. Scroll down, select System Settings and press X.
It's near the bottom of the Settings menu.
Step 5. Scroll down, select Backup Utility and press X.
It's in the middle of the System Settings menu.
Step 6. Select Create a backup and press X.
This is the first option on the page.
Step 7. Select Yeswhen prompted, then press X.
You will be taken to a page where you can select your hard drive.
Step 8. Select the name of the external hard drive and then press X
If there is only one USB drive connected to the console, your hard drive will be the only one on the page. The PS3 data will be backed up to the hard drive.