PS3 Backup and Restore to a new PS3?

[Twiggs462]

I have a PS3 that I have setup with all my games, roms and other customizations. Can I backup the entire internal hard drive so that I can restore to another PS3 if needed instead of having to install everything again?

I have 4.91 Evilnat beta 10

 

[GuilloteTesla]

Unfortunately no, as each console encrypts the HDD with it's own, unique-per-console key.

The only thing you may do is copy all the HDD contents to your PC, and then transfer it to another PS3, but bear in mind that licenses and activation files won't work "as is".

It's easier to just reinstall everything from scratch on each console, by using some USB drive with your PKGs, or by using PKG Linker.

 

[Charles_n_town]

you could ty the official method, which involves connecting a cross over cable or ethernet cable between both ps3s, but it probably won't transfer over copywritten saves or trophies (maybe some other things). @Berion also has a guide to backup important files. however, his guide I think is mostly for when upgrading the hdd of a single system. more will be required if transferring to a new ps3 due to unique keys.

 

[esc0rtd3w]

Basically exactly what @Charles_n_town said. It will copy most of the main files from hdd0 using the system backup restore option. You can also backup and restore to a USB device.

Edit: @GuilloteTesla also said basically the same thing

 

[Berion]

System Backup is nearly useless because:

• not contains all data (eg. trophies)
• not restoring all data (nearly nothing on different mobo, due to IDPS used in encryption)
• creation is very long due to compressing and encrypting, mostly already compressed and encrypted data
• no way to validate if archives aren't broken (we don't know if ps3 doing that, but there are reports that ppl couldn't restore archives from fully healthy usb)

Backup by hand is best what you can use, but it is time consuming. However, you can at least read it fast on PC (not on HAN/HEN, due to missing ERK way of dump it).

Eventually, Debug HDD Exchange Utility but can be picky of target devices accepting.


@Charles_n_town No, it doesn't matter. Just restoring on different console needs extra steps.