Upgrading HDD on CFW PS3?

8BitWalugi · Jan 23, 2022

Hi there,

I’m interested in upgrading my CFW PS3’s HDD to an SSD. I’m just wondering however, during the hard drive upgrade process I need to reinstall the OS. Do I need to use the same CFW version that the current hard drive has installed, or does just the version number need to match?

I believe the console is running 4.85 CFW, would it be safe to install 4.88 OFW and then reinstall CFW?

Any help is appreciated

Magsor · Jan 23, 2022

I would skip OFW. Everything is safe of course because in the end you can pop your old hard drive in and it will work given that its the same version number as your console. Use a CFW for the upgrade? Upgrade your CFW first? Cloning your hard drive is also a thing I have seeen recommended.

Eveldee · Jan 23, 2022

Also, I've not tried it myself but a lot of people said that the PS3 can't match SSD speed as it' hardware is not powerful enough, even recent hard drives aren't used at 100% so I don't think that the upgrade is worth. But you can still upgrade your HDD capacity with a limit at 2TB iirc

tglaria · Jan 23, 2022

8BitWalugi said:
Hi there,

I’m interested in upgrading my CFW PS3’s HDD to an SSD. I’m just wondering however, during the hard drive upgrade process I need to reinstall the OS. Do I need to use the same CFW version that the current hard drive has installed, or does just the version number need to match?

I believe the console is running 4.85 CFW, would it be safe to install 4.88 OFW and then reinstall CFW?

Any help is appreciated

Just a question?
Why change the HDD with an SSD?

AFAIK there's no noticeable speed upgrade.

Aheago · Jan 23, 2022

tglaria said:
Just a question?
Why change the HDD with an SSD?

AFAIK there's no noticeable speed upgrade.

IMO the reliability factor is why I use an SSD. I don’t need to worry as much about if my PS3 is going to work in the future after storing/moving it around. (Which isn’t great for a mechanical drive)

Deleted member 114266 · Jan 23, 2022

While the PS3 can't utilize the full bandwidth of an SSD, the SSD's effectively zero seek time can still provide a massive improvement especially while reading a large number of small files spread across the drive. In a benchmark for an SSD that would give you a low transfer rate on most SSDs, but that low speed is still at the maximum rate the PS3 can utilize.

So the main interface is still silky smooth even while scrolling around with hundreds of games.

When the PS4 came out tests were run and it could fully utilize an SDD either, and the prices were high so people said it's a waste of money upgrade. Now prices of SSDs have become much less expensive. And putting solid-state media in older hardware can make them run a little bit better, and extend their life and there are fewer moving parts, less power draw, and less heat generated.

Magsor · Jan 24, 2022

tglaria said:
Just a question?
Why change the HDD with an SSD?

AFAIK there's no noticeable speed upgrade.

There would be IMO. The PS3 can accept an 7200 rpm hard drive but only comes with a 5400rpm. You would at the very least match the speed of a 7200 rpm hard drive on top of being cooler.

8BitWalugi · Feb 3, 2022

tglaria said:
Just a question?
Why change the HDD with an SSD?

AFAIK there's no noticeable speed upgrade.

As others have said, I’m more concerned with reliability. My hard drive failed once in the past, causing me to lose hundreds of save files. It was rough.

But yes, just wondering what the upgrade process is. I’m getting some conflicting ideas from other replies in this thread

godreborn · Feb 4, 2022

8BitWalugi said:
As others have said, I’m more concerned with reliability. My hard drive failed once in the past, causing me to lose hundreds of save files. It was rough.

But yes, just wondering what the upgrade process is. I’m getting some conflicting ideas from other replies in this thread

Just get a wd drive 9.5mm, laptop hdd.

Wondermike · Feb 28, 2023

Magsor said:
I would skip OFW. Everything is safe of course because in the end you can pop your old hard drive in and it will work given that its the same version number as your console. Use a CFW for the upgrade? Upgrade your CFW first? Cloning your hard drive is also a thing I have seeen recommended.

When you say cloning your hard drive, do you mean copi everything from the old to the new one?

Post automatically merged: Feb 28, 2023

Eveldee said:
Also, I've not tried it myself but a lot of people said that the PS3 can't match SSD speed as it' hardware is not powerful enough, even recent hard drives aren't used at 100% so I don't think that the upgrade is worth. But you can still upgrade your HDD capacity with a limit at 2TB iirc

I have heard people say the ssd reduce the heat, which i guess is good on old consoles if you are a guy like me who don't know how to replace the thermal paste, or does it not matter much?

Upgrading HDD on CFW PS3?

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