Technical Help

[monkeybus]

Hi guys I have just upgraded my ps3 hdd, had a few problems but got there. My problem now is restoring my backup data. I am using a 16 gb flashdrive and when I check how much there is on the system it says there is 11 gb used, but when I back it up there is only 5500 approx kb on it, it takes about half an hour to backup. Is there any chance that I'm running out of space and my flashdrive is not 16 gb. When I try to restore it tells me there is no backup data. Any help will greatly appreciated!  

[TTDegs]

I'm a little bit lost sorry

Not quite sure how much space was on the USB, and when!

Can you tell us please:
what size the original HDD was
how much data is on it right now
have you formatted the USB to FAT32

I would suggest:
formatting the USB (to FAT32) to make sure it is empty
putting the original HDD back into the PS3
run backup
swap new HDD into PS3
run restore


Please note that the very first time you use the NEW HDD in the PS3, it will force a format - and will prompt for you to install firmware 3.15, which you can do either via PSN, or from a (different!) USB stick.
With the USB method, you will need to d/l 3.15 to your PC first, then copy it into a folder on the USB
PS3/UPDATES

(upper case is vital, as is the directory structure. Again, USB will need to have been formatted to FAT32)

[monkeybus]

We did all that, we formatted to fat32, backed up off the old hard drive which was 40gb. We had 26gb out of 37 free space. We backed up onto the flash drive and then downloaded the 3.15 onto a seperate flash drive, changed HDD, installed the software update, formatted HDD then went to backup utility, restore and we are now being told no back up data found. Does show up on the laptop though when we look at it there. It is in a few folders before it gets to the actual backup data.

[monkeybus]

OK, I have put the old HDD back in, formatted the flashdrive (fat32) and backed up again. Removed old (40GB) HDD installed new (500GB) and formatted that, I then went to backup utility to restore and still tells me there is no backup data on my flashdrive. Should I be creating folders on the flashdrive myself. When I check it on the PC it has made these folders (PS3>EXPORT>BACKUP), is this correct as I had read that the PS3 only searches two folders deep. I also tried changing the folders to (PS3>BACKUP) with no success. Even closer to insanity !!!!

[dnlgee]

Is there any other directories in the "Backup" folder on your flashdrive?

[monkeybus]

If you are talking about folders, no the flash drive was completely empty - formatted to within an inch of its life!

[TTDegs]

have you created the user(s) on the PS3 since you put the new HDD in?

I have this nagging thought that the restore will only restore the saves for the original user ID...

might be completely wrong!

[monkeybus · Accepted solution]

Yes I'm pretty sure I did at one stage, I have done it soooo many times I think my PS3 feels like a cheap hooker.  

  I have since found a way around my problem as all I cared about was saved game data, I had already deleted all game data so the only stuff I lost was things I could download again.

  I used the flashdrive to copy saved game data to it one at a time then swapped HDD and copied it back, too easy.

  Thanks guys for trying to help. CHEERS!!!!