Format PS3 HDD

[firebelly]

hi
Just want to know whether after installing a new 500GB HDD, should I format it. Read that it takes around 20 hours to format it.

Suggestions?

[kingsley]

hi
Just want to know whether after installing a new 500GB HDD, should I format it. Read that it takes around 20 hours to format it.

Suggestions?

Just do a quick format. Regular format does a bad sector check which will take a long time.

[firebelly]

there is an option of quick format?

didn't know that

Secondly
would you recommend an OEM (like from Canada Computer) or a proper sealed HDD (like from Amazon in a sealed box) for PS3

I am looking into buying a 500GB WD today. The price haven't dropped for quite some time, plus it is difficult to get a model of Passport where the port is not soldered onto the HDD.

Suggestion????

[JuGGERNAUT]

there is an option of quick format?

didn't know that

Secondly
would you recommend an OEM (like from Canada Computer) or a proper sealed HDD (like from Amazon in a sealed box) for PS3

I am looking into buying a 500GB WD today. The price haven't dropped for quite some time, plus it is difficult to get a model of Passport where the port is not soldered onto the HDD.

Suggestion????

Are you planning on buying an external hard drive and removing the drive from the enclosure? If thats the case your better off buying something like this (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=35430&vpn=WD5000BEVT&manufacture=Western%20Digital%20WD)

I think the only difference between OEM and retail HDD's is the warranty. Retail has a better warranty.

[firebelly]

I was planning on buying something like this

http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=020355&cid=HD.517.47

but then one of my other NDD failed, was in warranty so changed it. That's why am thinking of biting the bullet and buy one for around $30 more

[keross1ve]

Good choice on the Western Digial.

Just as FYI for anyone else thinking of purchasing the 500gb hard drives for ps3:

DON'T buy the Seagate 500GB 5400.6 SATA drives. Go with the Western Digital!

Here's why: I got the seagate first and all seemed well, except some of my games started stuttering. Videos on the hard drive and everything were great, and only some games were stuttering so it was hard to pick up, but the stuttering was HORRIBLE. Games that constantly read/write to the hard drive will show this problem well, something like rainbow six vegas 2, and I've heard oblivion reacts the same. Not all games constantly read/write, but a lot of them do. I couldn't even get past the opening cinematic for Killzone 2 without giving up.

Upon searching on the internet, I came upon other people complaining of the same thing, so it is a problem with all the drives for the series. Someone mentioned that it was because the seagates had some energy saving feature working for it to save battery life on laptops. Someone also said it could be that the headers or something stop every time they are not in a constant read or write state, and thats what was causing the slowdown.

I exchanged the 500gb seagate for the 500gb western digital, and everything has been fine for the last couple of months.

Anyway, to answer your question, just do a quick format, it doesn't take very long at all. What does take a long time is if you are performing a backup and restore of the original drive onto the new one. For an almost full 60 gb drive, it took me 3-4 hours each way. You might want to delete stuff you don't need like demos or trailers to save time on the backup/restore. You also need an external hard drive formatted to fat32 to do this.

Hope that helps.

[firebelly]

Thanks,

I only have around 30GB right now. Just got it around 2 months ago.
Personally I do not save the demos after playing. It takes me around 60~80 mins for a backup.

I shall be getting the HDD in this coming week and then go through the motions.

BTW ppl do you recomment one from Canada Computer or NCIX or NewEgg or Tigerdirect. I mean abt the warrenty and service

[sfu_lifer]

Thanks,

I only have around 30GB right now. Just got it around 2 months ago.
Personally I do not save the demos after playing. It takes me around 60~80 mins for a backup.

I shall be getting the HDD in this coming week and then go through the motions.

BTW ppl do you recomment one from Canada Computer or NCIX or NewEgg or Tigerdirect. I mean abt the warrenty and service

Not sure about newegg canada but newegg.com has always taken care of me and my buddies who buy stuff from them. They have really good customer service. But avoid Tigerdirect. NCIX support is ok, nothing to shout about.

[nden]

Will those 7200 rpm drives improve game play?

[firebelly]

Not sure about newegg canada but newegg.com has always taken care of me and my buddies who buy stuff from them. They have really good customer service. But avoid Tigerdirect. NCIX support is ok, nothing to shout about.

Is it worth getting 3 year warranty (if available) or WD will take care of it?

[sfu_lifer]

Is it worth getting 3 year warranty (if available) or WD will take care of it?

Don't waste your money. You can RMA to Western Digital.
3 years :
http://www.wdc.com/en/company/releases/PressRelease.asp?release={264FE90B-5808-489E-9DEC-05106E24AD79}
Of course they won't recover your data but at least you can get a replacement :)

[firebelly]

Now the question is should I go with 7200rpm or 5400rpm

read somewhere that there isn't much difference in performance like loading of the games etc

[sfu_lifer]

Now the question is should I go with 7200rpm or 5400rpm

read somewhere that there isn't much difference in performance like loading of the games etc

Personally, I can live with an added few seconds of loadtime. I'd rather save the $$ and go 5400rpm.

[firebelly]

thanks
thats what i am thinking too :)

will let you know how the change goes

[appleb]

Good choice on the Western Digial.

Just as FYI for anyone else thinking of purchasing the 500gb hard drives for ps3:

DON'T buy the Seagate 500GB 5400.6 SATA drives. Go with the Western Digital!

Here's why: I got the seagate first and all seemed well, except some of my games started stuttering. Videos on the hard drive and everything were great, and only some games were stuttering so it was hard to pick up, but the stuttering was HORRIBLE. Games that constantly read/write to the hard drive will show this problem well, something like rainbow six vegas 2, and I've heard oblivion reacts the same. Not all games constantly read/write, but a lot of them do. I couldn't even get past the opening cinematic for Killzone 2 without giving up.

+1 on not choosing a Seagate. I bought the Seagate Momentus 500GB and I had the same stuttering problems as you. I figured since the stock drive was a Seagate Momentus 60GB that this series would be a safe upgrade, but I was very wrong.

I was also randomly getting "An incorrect hard drive type was found" error on startup.

[kleptodathief]

a 7200rpm will speed up load times on games a bit but not much...plus it will run 'hotter' i notice warm air coming out the rear of my ps3..gets pretty warm:confused: , i don't use my ps3 much tho

[keross1ve]

+1 on not choosing a Seagate. I bought the Seagate Momentus 500GB and I had the same stuttering problems as you. I figured since the stock drive was a Seagate Momentus 60GB that this series would be a safe upgrade, but I was very wrong.

I was also randomly getting "An incorrect hard drive type was found" error on startup.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that issue. I got that message once too with the seagate. Some others were having this same issue as well. I also figured since the original drive was a seagate and I've never had problems with seagate, I'd give it a try. Bad choice!:lol:

[kleptodathief]

^after reading bout games stuttering, maybe its a HD issue( i have the 7200rpm hitachi 320gb drive), i cud NOT get killzone demo to startup, it wud just hang at the starting screen! dam if its it the HD :confused:

[firebelly]

Just put the new hdd in. Old one was Toshiba and not Seagate :)
Downloading the firmware now, after installing it will be restoring the system. Is that right?