This article shows how to format a USB hard drive with the FAT32 file system format using both a Windows computer and a Mac. It also explains how to use the memory drive as an external drive of a PlayStation 3. Due to the hardware architecture of the However, Sony manufactured consoles cannot install and play video games directly from an external hard drive.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Format a USB Hard Drive with a Windows System
Step 1. Connect the storage drive to your computer
You can do this by directly using the USB data cable supplied with the device.
The USB ports have a tapered rectangular shape and are placed directly on the computer case
Step 2. Access the "Start" menu
You can do this by pressing the Windows logo button located in the lower left corner of the desktop or by pressing the ⊞ Win key on your keyboard.
Step 3. Type the keywords "this pc" into the "Start" menu
At the top of the results list you will see an icon appear with a computer monitor and keyboard.
Step 4. Click the This PC icon
It features a computer monitor and keyboard and is located at the top of the "Start" menu. This will bring up the "This PC" dialog box.
Step 5. Select the USB hard drive icon with the right mouse button
Normally it should be located in the central part of the window, within the "Devices and Drives" section.
If you're using a laptop with a trackpad, tap the surface with two fingers at the same time to simulate right-clicking a mouse
Step 6. Choose the Properties option from the pop-up menu that appeared
It is placed at the end of the list of available items.
Step 7. Locate the "File System" entry
It is located at the top of the tab General of the "Properties" window. If the "File System" field shows a value other than "FAT32", the hard disk must be formatted.
If the "File System" entry shows the value "FAT32", you can proceed directly to connect the unit with the PS3
Step 8. Close the "Properties" window
Simply click the icon in the shape of X located in the upper right corner of the window.
Step 9. Select the USB hard drive icon again with the right mouse button, then choose the Format item
It is located approximately in the middle of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Remember that the formatting procedure of any memory unit deletes all the data stored inside it
Step 10. Select the "File System" drop-down menu
It is located directly under the "File System" heading. This will bring up a list of options.
Step 11. Choose the FAT32 entry
This is the file system to use to make the hard drive compatible with the PS3.
Step 12. Press the Start buttons successively And OK.
This will start the formatting process.
The duration of the process varies according to the processing speed of the computer and the memory capacity of the hard drive
Step 13. When prompted, press the OK button
You will only need to do this when the pop-up window appears warning you that the disk has been formatted correctly.
Step 14. Double click on the USB memory drive icon
It should be located within the "Devices and Drives" section of the "This PC" window.
Step 15. Proceed to create four new folders on the hard drive
Select an empty spot in the window that appeared with the right mouse button, choose the item New one from the drop-down menu, then select the option Folder. Alternatively, access the tab Home located at the top of the window and press the button New folder. The four folders must have the following names, exactly as they are reported:
- MUSIC;
- PHOTO;
- GAME;
- VIDEO.
Step 16. Close the "This PC" window and disconnect the hard drive from the computer
At this point you are ready to connect it to the PS3.
If you need to add audio, image or video files before connecting the disc to the console, do so by copying their contents into the appropriate folders (for example, the music files must be transferred to the "MUSIC" folder)
Part 2 of 3: Format a USB Hard Drive on Mac
Step 1. Connect the storage drive to your computer
You can do this by directly using the USB data cable supplied with the device.
- The USB ports have a tapered rectangular shape and are placed directly on the computer case.
- Some Macs don't have USB ports, so if that's the case, you'll need to purchase a dedicated adapter.
Step 2. Open a Finder window
It features a blue stylized face icon located inside the Mac dock.
Step 3. Select the USB hard drive name using the Mac trackpad with two fingers
It's located on the left side of the Finder window. This will display the relevant context menu.
Step 4. Choose the Get Info option
It is located approximately in the middle of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 5. Look for the "Format" entry
It is located in the "General" section of the information window for the selected unit. If the "Format" field shows a value other than "FAT32", the hard disk must be formatted in order to make it compatible and usable by the PS3.
If the "Format" entry shows the value "FAT32", you can proceed directly to connect the unit with the PS3
Step 6. Open the "Spotlight" search field
Click the magnifying glass icon located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 7. Type the keywords disk utility into the "Spotlight" search field
A list of results will be displayed showing all the entries that agree with the searched criteria.
Step 8. Click the Disk Utility icon
It should be one of the first options at the top of the search results list.
Step 9. Select the name of the external hard drive
It is located inside the left sidebar of the "Disk Utility" window.
Step 10. Go to the Initialize tab
It is located at the top of the "Disk Utility" window.
Step 11. Select the "Format" drop-down menu
It is located in the central part of the "Disk Utility" window.
Step 12. Choose the FAT32 file system format
This way the hard drive will be formatted with the FAT32 file system, which will make it compatible with the hardware architecture of the PS3.
In the text field below the one dedicated to the file system format you can add a name to assign to the memory unit
Step 13. Press the Initialize button
It is located in the lower right part of the window. This way the selected hard drive will be formatted with the chosen file system. At the end of the process you can close the "Disk Utility" window.
Remember that the disk formatting process deletes all the information it contains, so if you need to preserve personal or sensitive files and data, copy them to your computer before starting the media initialization
Step 14. Open a Finder window and select the external drive icon
A new, completely blank dialog box will appear showing the contents of the selected memory drive.
Step 15. Proceed to create four new folders on the hard drive
You can choose to access the "File" menu and select the "New folder" item, or you can click an empty spot in the window using the Mac trackpad with two fingers and choose the item New folder from the context menu that will appear. The four folders must have the following names, exactly as they are reported:
- MUSIC;
- PHOTO;
- GAME;
- VIDEO.
Step 16. Disconnect the hard drive from the computer
At this point you are ready to connect it to the PS3.
Part 3 of 3: Connect the Hard Drive to the PS3
Step 1. Connect the memory drive to the console
Use the USB data cable that came with the hard drive and plug the USB connector into the USB port on the PS3. The USB ports of the console are located on the front of the body.
Step 2. Turn on the PS3 and its paired controller
The easiest way to do this is to press the button PS of the controller.
Alternatively, you can press the individual power buttons of the PS3 and its paired controller
Step 3. Scroll the main menu to the left to locate and select the Settings item
It is located on the far left of the PlayStation 3 main menu.
Step 4. Scroll down the "Settings" menu to locate and select the System Settings item, then press the key X of the controller.
It is located at the bottom of the "Settings" menu.
Step 5. Scroll down the "System Settings" menu to locate and select the Backup Utility item, then press the button X of the controller.
This item is located at the bottom of the "System Settings" menu.
Step 6. Choose the Backup option and press the button X of the controller.
It should be the first item on the page that appeared.
Step 7. When prompted, choose the Yes option and press the button again X of the controller.
This will take you to the page where you will be asked to select the hard drive to use.
Step 8. Choose the hard drive name and press the X button on the controller
Unless there are multiple memory units connected to the console, there should be only one option within the page that appears. This way all the data inside the PS3 will be saved on the external hard drive.
