Question about upgrading PS3 HDD

[MacBH928]

I want to swap my PS3 HDD but there is something that is confusing me. It says I need 2 HDDs...

1 to backup my ps3 data to
2 the new HDD that I will install in the PS3

That basically means I will have to backup the data to one HDD, and from it, transfer the data back in the new HDD. Isn't this a waste of energy and time? Can't I just back the ps3 data to the new HDD and install it? Or maybe install the new HDD and download the data from the original(old) HDD that was already in?

The other option is to download 200+GB of data from PSN.

 

[gkarris]

From

https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/features/how-to-add-an-external-hdd-to-your-game-console-646264

The PS3 doesn't support running games or copying them back and forth on an external HD, so you must do this:

PlayStation 3

Unlike the Xbox 360, you can't save PS3 games to the external drive, so here, we'd suggest using an external HDD to keep all the music, movies and TV shows you want to watch while the games stay on the internal HDD on your console.

The PS3 also only recognises FAT32 drives, so you'll need to follow steps 1-6 described above first. After that, you'll have to do one more thing to use it with your console.

1. After you've converted the drive to FAT32, go back to My Computer and open the drive.

2. Create the following folders: MUSIC, PHOTO, GAME and VIDEO. You can now fill up all the folders (except GAME) with the media content you want to access on your PS3.

While you can't play games from the external HDD, you can back up your downloaded games to the HDD; this means that if you delete a game, you don't have to waste data to redownload it. To back up a game:

1. After you've connected the HDD to the PS3, go to Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility > Backup.

2. Select Confirm and then select USB Drive, and your entire PS3 will be backed up on to the HDD. This process will take some time. Once this is done, you still can't play games from the external HDD, but if you need to make space, you can delete old games from the PS3, and transfer them back on later.

3. To recover games from the backup, start the PS3, then go to Game > Saved Data Utility

4. Select the external HDD. Scroll through the list to find the game you want to import. Press the triangle button on your controller, and then select Copy. This will copy the backup to the PS3 and you can use it again.