Low on HDD Space & Changing Internal Drive

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Yeah don't help me will you

I can't get my computer to recognise it, so i can't format it...Help?

**Sam_From_Space** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

Yeah don't help me will you

I can't get my computer to recognise it, so i can't format it...Help?

Oh hush now, of course i'll help ya.

I'm presuming like 99% Of hard-drive enclosures, it connects via the usb port?

Ok, it could be a faulty usb port, or faulty wiring.

I'm presuming you already put the hdd in the enclosure?

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Yes it connects via USB, well done

Obviously the HDD is in there, i'm not quite that stupid yet.

**Sam_From_Space** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

Yes it connects via USB, well done

Obviously the HDD is in there, i'm not quite that stupid yet.

*Awkward Silence Ensues*

Ok, let me make a couple more presumptions...

You're using XP?

You can hear the enclosure power up?

Try running diskmgmt.msc

Then try running This

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Yup XP and yup i can hear it. I'll try that then...

**Sam_From_Space** · 06-27-2008

*Posting so Carl can post again*

I'll be back in a few minutes let me know what's happening!

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Nope won't find it. So i guess that means the enclosure is turd

**Yip-Man** · 06-27-2008

Carl could try using something like partion magic - think it a free downlaod on to PC, I had little trouble getting my Pc to see the HHD, take it you have gone into the disk management section under admin tools from the control panel in PC.. you can see current C / D drives etc, but no un allocated one, i remember it took a while for my PC to see it.

If your External Case came with a double USB wire, make sure they both plugged in, as sometimes the case cannot draw enough power form one USB port. My drive sometimes works on one sometimes on two...

A few people have had probs with XP, but managed to do it with parion magic which also has the added advantage of formatting to the full 55gig rather than limited 32 gig from XP.

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

I can't use Partion magic for some reason why i double click setup it tells me that "install sheild scripted runtime" or something.

And yeah my enclosure does have 2 USBs, but i still can't get it to recognise using both. Even under disc management

Can't evn hear the HDD anymore except for a slight very quiet clicking.

**Yip-Man** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

I can't use Partion magic for some reason why i double click setup it tells me that "install sheild scripted runtime" or something.

And yeah my enclosure does have 2 USBs, but i still can't get it to recognise using both. Even under disc management

Can't evn hear the HDD anymore except for a slight very quiet clicking.

I'ld say could be USB port probs, try plugging it into PS3, I know it wont work, but the USB ports ar egood and the ol power thing, if it don't spin, then it gotta be the Case mate.

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Can hear it now that it's plugged into my PS3. I know my computer's USB ports are fine though because i just tested them with a flash drive.

But yet my computer stil refuses to believe that i have an external drive plugged in.

**Yip-Man** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

Can hear it now that it's plugged into my PS3. I know my computer's USB ports are fine though because i just tested them with a flash drive.

But yet my computer stil refuses to believe that i have an external drive plugged in.

could be just that external drive cannot extract enough power from the ports. how close is ur ps3 to pc, could try one usb in ps3 for power and one in pc to get it formatted, but it does sound like not drawing enough power from pc, as needs a bit to get the drive spinning... have u got any other usb ports being used if so take everything out....

but def think its the ports and power then !

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Okay that's a bit weird if it can't draw the power it needs...

Plugged one into PS3 and one into PC and my computer still won't recognise it. I can feel it spinning though and it's clicking so it's definatley moving/working.

**Yip-Man** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

Okay that's a bit weird if it can't draw the power it needs...

Plugged one into PS3 and one into PC and my computer still won't recognise it. I can feel it spinning though and it's clicking so it's definatley moving/working.

I'm a bit perplexed on this one then, prob is im at work and they bloked me from going into that part of Xp (great i know).. but i remember it took me a few tries to get it to show up, trying to remember what i did, but with out looking cant help that much.

oooh just had a thought, are you going into the removable storage or Disk management sections... cos if you go into removealbe storeage it wont regonise it yet, you need to go into disk management to format it.

thats all i cna do for you form memory sorry mate

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Yeah i'm in disk management mate but it won't recognise it, it's strange.

My neighbour is good with computers, i will ask him when he is home from school.

**Yip-Man** · 06-27-2008

Originally Posted by Carl

Yeah i'm in disk management mate but it won't recognise it, it's strange.

My neighbour is good with computers, i will ask him when he is home from school.

cool, prob best bet, as my very old brain can only recall so much from memory, but there was something i had to do to reconise it, but for the life of me cant remember, hopefully he'll help.

Edit: Carl , if you find a fix to get it to regonise it, PM me how you did it, then i'll add it to the orginal post for others, and i'll Rep and credit you for it.

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

Haha it's okay mate you've been a great help. +rep for helping mate, and for Sam too.

Yeah sure i'l let you know if/how i get it working.

**FrogmanTM** · 06-27-2008

I'm still not clear on this one bit. When you use the Backup option from the PS3 system menu, what exactly is it backing up? I see it creates a series of files (compressed, I assume), but I don't know for sure what is contained in the backup. I have heard differing reports on this and would like some clarification from any of those out there who have done this themselves. I will soon be upgrading my HDD for PS3, and will find out the hard way I suppose, but I would like to know the real truth before I take the plunge. I regularly run a system backup to my external USB drive, and I also backup my saves from time to time on my memory stick, so I am not really worried about losing data so to speak, but I would still like to know what to expect when I go through the process. I know I can always re-download any bought items from the store, patches, or any other content that was from the store, but I am wondering if some of this is not included in the actual system backup.

**Carl** · 06-27-2008

When you do that, all music, pictures, videos, PSN games, games insalls, gamesaves...basically everything, is put onto the HDD.

Back to earlier, and my mate coudn't get get the PC to access my HDD either. Any luck remembering what it is you did Yip-man mate?

**Yip-Man** · 06-30-2008

@Carl, sorry mate, I had a little look over the weekend and no, one thing you might be able to do is pop to a Computer shop ( generallY small independant ones - as they usaully more Helpful) and see if they think the drive is working, get then to do a test, and if it does, try to get them to formatt it for you. Usually got bit of stuff done that way dont understand that way. sorry mate .... tooo old and lost to many grey cells.

**plAythiNG** · 07-01-2008

wat is the best hdd to use for ps3. i am thikngi of the Western Digital SATA 52oorpm 2.5" 320gb drive. is this fine?

Comatosed · 07-01-2008

Originally Posted by plAythiNG

wat is the best hdd to use for ps3. i am thikngi of the Western Digital SATA 52oorpm 2.5" 320gb drive. is this fine?

That drive would be fine with the PS3 mate!

Edit: @Car: Have you tired plugging the drive into your motherboard, if you've got SATA ports that is? Format it that way then put it back into your ext enclosure.

**Jeezus** · 07-02-2008

Very helpful, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. =)

**Mefron** · 07-06-2008

Does the os automatically copy on to the new hd? or do you need to save it somehow

**ybbiv** · 07-07-2008

Carl, I know how you feel. I've come across the exact same problem that you have. My drive wasn't recognized in Disk Management nor was it recognized by a program called SwissKnife. The drive was spinning within the enclosure but wouldn't show up (tried it on my XP computer and my roommate's Vista rig).

I still haven't found a fix and kind of came to the conclusion that it's probably the enclosure itself. Although I haven't tried Partition Magic yet, so I think I'll try that one last thing before I return the enclosure for a new one.

Also, I'm pretty sure that when you hear the clicking sound the drive isn't getting enough power. My drive would click until I plugged in the optional second USB cable.