PS3 WD My Passport 4TB Maximum Size

[Marcas]

I need assistance, I have been trying to overcome this problem for months.
1. Is it possible to play game backups from an external hard drive? This seems to be something I cannot find the answer to.
2. If so, what is the absolute maximum of my 4TB external HDD that can be used for playing backups?
3. What do I have to do with partitions and such to accomplish the above?
Things I know:
-You need an MBR partitioned FAT32 drive for it to natively read it.
-You can use NTFS, but not backups from it.
-I cannot get any manager to find it, even with prepNTFS
-The purported maximum size is 1.5TB for FAT32
-I have formatted it as under 1TB for fat32, set it as the primary partition, and had no success
Any help with this issue would be appreciated, as I have seen several other users with this issue in my online travels, all unsuccessful.
Edit: All help is appreciated, but chances are, if you have a link to another thread, I have probably seen it and not had any success. Not saying don't post 'em, just don't want to seem like an ass later.

 

[Coldheart2236]

1. Is it possible to play game backups from an external hard drive? This seems to be something I cannot find the answer to.

Yes, you can play PS1 and PS3 backups in ISO format from an external hard drive (PS2 ISOs must be mounted and launched from the internal HDD) - either on a FAT32 or NTFS drive/partition. For games over 4GB in size, you're best off using NTFS instead of splitting the ISO to accommodate FAT32 file size limitations. I use webMAN MOD to mount all of my ISO backups. PS2 ISOs must be mounted and played from the PS3s internal HDD.

As for the upper limits for external drives, I'm honestly not sure. Mine is a 2TB with two partitions, so neither partition is 2TB as in your case.

 

[DeViL303]

1. Is it possible to play game backups from an external hard drive? This seems to be something I cannot find the answer to.

You can run PS1 and PS3 ISO backups from FAT32 or NTFS drives.

2. If so, what is the absolute maximum of my 4TB external HDD that can be used for playing backups?

The max size is 2TB, it must be MBR, not GPT.

What do I have to do with partitions and such to accomplish the above?

You Need it to be formatted to MBR and be under 2TB. Some WD drives have hidden factory partitions and are not compatible with ps3 afaik... I might be wrong on that.

 

[Marcas]

As for the upper limits for external drives, I'm honestly not sure. Mine is a 2TB with two partitions, so neither partition is 2TB as in your case.

So how do I go about the partitioning? Setting which to active and all that? I have DiskGenius so there is pretty much all functionality I assume I need.

You Need it to be formatted to MBR and be under 2TB. Some WD drives have hidden factory partitions and are not compatible with ps3 afaik... I might be wrong on that.

I have looked on my disk manager software, and there doesn't seem to be any non-user created disk space or partitions. The model number is WDBYFT0040BBK-0A

 

[DeViL303]

I don't know enough to help out sorry. I think these hidden partitions are not removable, I do not think they will show up in software. So for the WD drives that are not compatible there is no fix afaik. I do not know if this is your issue but it is probably not a coincidence that its a WD...

 

[Marcas]

I don't know enough to help out sorry. I think these hidden partitions are not removable, I do not think they will show up in software. So for the WD drives that are not compatible there is no fix afaik. I do not know if this is your issue but it is probably not a coincidence that its a WD...

Damn. Thanks for your time. Every post I have read leads me to believe that WD 4TB Passports are not for the PS3. Doesn't mean I will stop trying though!

 

[Cypher_CG89]

-I have formatted it as under 1TB for fat32, set it as the primary partition, and had no success

If you have already tried with FAT32 MBR and the PS3 will not see it on the XMB> under music, video etc> then you HDD is most likely not compatible with the PS3.

Mainly the PS3 will not like the firmware running the drive.

Also the model Number you posted says its a MAC ready HDD for Macs. This will most likely not work on a PS3 no matter what you do.

There is one way for to you use it with you PS3> with PS3 MacOS Netserver.

Basically you rip your game to ISO format on your PS3, FTP them to your Mac with the HDD attached then you can serve and mount them through webMAN MOD through LAN network/ or direct connection to the PS3 through an Ethernet cable (WiFi is too slow) from your Mac and play them on your PS3.

I am just assuming you have a Mac book or something like this as this is a Mac ready HDD you have.

Also this way you can use the full 4 TB in NTFS MBR/GPT without limits as its the mac reading the HDD not the PS3.

 

[DeViL303]

Also the model Number you posted says its a MAC ready HDD for Macs. This will most likely not work on a PS3 no matter what you do.

AFAIK there is no difference in hardware between hard drives that work on Mac or Windows. If they say "Mac ready" its probably just for noobs who don't know they can buy any drive and use it with a Mac, or it simply means they are formatted for Mac out of the box, which basically means not NTFS.

 

[Ioskeha]

Damn. Thanks for your time. Every post I have read leads me to believe that WD 4TB Passports are not for the PS3. Doesn't mean I will stop trying though!

You could try MiniTool Partition. I've used that program in the past to view/unallocate hidden partitions. There's also Disk Manament built into windows that might work as well. You cloud also try also diskpart commad which is also part of Windows. You need to use the commans prompt though.

 

[Marcas]

Also the model Number you posted says its a MAC ready HDD for Macs. This will most likely not work on a PS3 no matter what you do.

Sorry, meant Part number, if that makes a difference. And I bought this when I had no knowledge of computers. An office depot employee recommended it, along with a PC that couldn't run any games past 2015.

 

[Cypher_CG89]

AFAIK there is no difference in hardware between hard drives that work on Mac or Windows

No there is not, I just rechecked my facts.... I don't like Macs, so only a limited knowledge of them.

Its the software/firmware running these Passport Drives that the PS3 does not like, it's garbage to it. Auto backup software and crap on them. The HDD itself the PS3 would most likely be able to use, but these drives are normally soldered in on these Passport drives so you cannot remove the actual HDD.

I just looked on the WD site and these drives are full of crap, stuff for hardware encryption of files on the HDD, they need drivers from what I can see, which I think are on the drive, WD Discovery and crap.

I just assumed mac till the OP has said he has a PC. Still PS3 NetServer would be the way to go if on windows as well. As the OP has tried FAT32 MBR and the PS3 would still not read it.

I wonder if you could wipe all that crap off or is it on a flash chip on the PCB inside the case..?? But I think that would make these drives unusable....

they are formatted for Mac out of the box, which basically means not NTFS.

Oh crap.. right is only READ only with MacOS and NTFS. MacOS use's fat32, exFAT and such....whoops my bad.

Sorry, meant Part number, if that makes a difference. And I bought this when I had no knowledge of computers. An office depot employee recommended it, along with a PC that couldn't run any games past 2015.

I still think PS3NetServer might be the way to go with this HDD. Its not that hard to setup, but you would need your PC connected to PS3 through LAN or direct connection with Ethernet as wifi is far too slow for this.... Are you running windows..?

 

[DeViL303]

Yeah, PS3netserv might be the best method, it actually works really well.

 

[Marcas]

I still think PS3NetServer might be the way to go with this HDD. Its not that hard to setup, but you would need your PC connected to PS3 through LAN or direct connection with Ethernet as wifi is far too slow for this.... Are you running windows..?

I am. And I think my question is solved. No, I cannot use my Passport. Time to get a Seagate 2TB. Though I will try Ps3netserv. Edit: Can it be used on PS3HEN?
Thank you all for your time. I hope this thread helps future users