Does anyone know if there is an adapter you can get for the PS3 here in the states that is a SATA to eSATA connection for the internal HD of the PS3. I have read alot of speculation that Sony may come out with it but I have also seen other third parties with units that plug in like the internal HD and has an eSATA connection so I could use 3.5" HD's up to 2 TB so I get a faster read than trying to use an external HD with a usb connection. Seen them just can not find a place to buy them.

I found this wondering if it would work.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10226&cs_id=1022603&p_id=3750&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10315&cs_id=1031502&p_id=5330&seq=1&format=2

don't forget the PS3's internal connector is a female SATA connector.

There are plenty of adapters that allow one to install a 3.5" internal drive externally via SATA. I don't know where to buy one, but they exist.

Now, the PS3 likely isn't eSATA compliant. While the specifications are similar, eSATA controllers have a wider voltage range and allow longer cables. This doesn't matter too much, but I wouldn't go over a SATA-compliant cable length.

As to powering a 3.5" drive, I think you need a power brick as I don't think the PS3's HDD connector supports +12V power.

don't forget the PS3's internal connector is a female SATA connector.

There are plenty of adapters that allow one to install a 3.5" internal drive externally via SATA. I don't know where to buy one, but they exist.

Now, the PS3 likely isn't eSATA compliant. While the specifications are similar, eSATA controllers have a wider voltage range and allow longer cables. This doesn't matter too much, but I wouldn't go over a SATA-compliant cable length.

As to powering a 3.5" drive, I think you need a power brick as I don't think the PS3's HDD connector supports +12V power.

I have seen an eSATA adapter for the PS3 but it looks like it is from Japan or something has the plug in to the SATA inside to an eSATA ada[ter. Then you just get an internal HD dock (that powers it) and you should be in business but I can find no where to buy the adapter so I wanted to see if I could do my own. If you click the links I posted there is a SATA to eSATA adapter, looks like a male end just do not know if it will plug in since the pins are covered in a casing, will it fit into the PS3 female end. But think about it since all the system setting are on the PS3 itself and not on the hard drive you should be able to use multiple HD's in therory right? That way when you fill one up just take it out of the docking station plug another one in and presto more storage an swap between them for what you want to do movies music games etc... that would be awesome.

whenever you install a new HDD that is not the one that was in there already it formats it.

This occurs even if the 2nd hard drive was formatted on that PS3.

One. Drive. Only.

whenever you install a new HDD that is not the one that was in there already it formats it.

This occurs even if the 2nd hard drive was formatted on that PS3.

One. Drive. Only.I thought that this was false. I thought a unique PS3ID was installed on the drives. Therefor you can hot swap between the same PS3, just not a different one.

I thought that this was false. I thought a unique PS3ID was installed on the drives. Therefor you can hot swap between the same PS3, just not a different one.

Nope. One hard drive per system. If you take a 40gb and a 60gb and swap them for each other on the same system, it'll format it every time. Tried and tested my friend.

Nope. One hard drive per system. If you take a 40gb and a 60gb and swap them for each other on the same system, it'll format it every time. Tried and tested my friend.

Now if you took your HD out the one you are using and put it back in would it want to reformat it? My 500 GB drive got overworked today and got hot and my PS3 froze then went black screen. Would not start up at all so i took the drive out and put it back in and all was good had to reset video items but other than that all good should it have wanted to reformat?

Now if you took your HD out the one you are using and put it back in would it want to reformat it? My 500 GB drive got overworked today and got hot and my PS3 froze then went black screen. Would not start up at all so i took the drive out and put it back in and all was good had to reset video items but other than that all good should it have wanted to reformat?

if you take out a hard drive and stick it right back in, there's no formatting involved. If you introduced another hard drive into the mix, then there'll be some formatting.

if you take out a hard drive and stick it right back in, there's no formatting involved. If you introduced another hard drive into the mix, then there'll be some formatting.

Man that sucks, how cool would it be to swap drives around for added storage but you could at least use a larger drive at least a 1 TB and use a 3.5" drive for much cheaper than the 2.5" drive. Wonder if Sony will fix this problem there are photos of a PS3 adapter to do this very thing, acts as a base so you have to stand your PS3 upright and it also adds 4 more usb connections as well and an eSATA adapter, makes you think they have been thinking of this.

So if you take a drive that is already been formatted in the PS3 and swap for a larger one and then ou ut back in the smaller one it will ask to reformat but if you do not reformat and put the bigger one back in will it be OK since you did not format the smaller one again? Just curious would be willing to try this to see for myself but I do not want to have to wipe out my larger one. What do you think.

Man that sucks, how cool would it be to swap drives around for added storage but you could at least use a larger drive at least a 1 TB and use a 3.5" drive for much cheaper than the 2.5" drive. Wonder if Sony will fix this problem there are photos of a PS3 adapter to do this very thing, acts as a base so you have to stand your PS3 upright and it also adds 4 more usb connections as well and an eSATA adapter, makes you think they have been thinking of this.

So if you take a drive that is already been formatted in the PS3 and swap for a larger one and then ou ut back in the smaller one it will ask to reformat but if you do not reformat and put the bigger one back in will it be OK since you did not format the smaller one again? Just curious would be willing to try this to see for myself but I do not want to have to wipe out my larger one. What do you think.

As long as you take out drive A and insert drive B and then remove drive B and then reinsert drive A, it'll ask you to reformat.

However, if you take out drive A and reinsert it right back in without introducing another drive to the PS3, you're good to go.

Nope. One hard drive per system. If you take a 40gb and a 60gb and swap them for each other on the same system, it'll format it every time. Tried and tested my friend.

Is this true if you used a backup of your original drive King?

edit: what I mean is if I put my original 60 gb drive back in my ps3..will I have to format it?

As long as you take out drive A and insert drive B and then remove drive B and then reinsert drive A, it'll ask you to reformat.

However, if you take out drive A and reinsert it right back in without introducing another drive to the PS3, you're good to go.

Will it ask me to reformat even if I do not format drive B? I take out A and put in B and start it up it will ask me to reformat but if I just say no and shut it right off and put back in drive A it will still ask me to reformat just because i even inserted another drive and did not reformat? Hmmm, there has to be a way around this.

Google: Team Xecuter HD xtender. I bought this and it works great. you have to have an external HD or external encloser with sata connection. You will also need a sata to esata cable. Very nice looking and simple. I would recoment it if you want to hook up a 500GB or higher. If not just get a laptop hard drive. I got it for 25 bucks i think. plus 5 for shipping. Not sure if it works for the slim model. But it should work with any fat ps3.

Google: Team Xecuter HD xtender. I bought this and it works great. you have to have an external HD or external encloser with sata connection. You will also need a sata to esata cable. Very nice looking and simple. I would recoment it if you want to hook up a 500GB or higher. If not just get a laptop hard drive. I got it for 25 bucks i think. plus 5 for shipping. Not sure if it works for the slim model. But it should work with any fat ps3.

edit: what I mean is if I put my original 60 gb drive back in my ps3..will I have to format it?
Yes, it will require a format - as he said tried & tested.

We'll never get confirmation (other than "that's the way it works") but I suspect it's an ID generated on the fly & stored on the chip w/ the firmware. Likely uses the console ID as a salt to create = it's a one time use.

1) Take the old drive out
2) put in a new drive = format
3) put the old drive back = format again

Many have tried, it's confirmed.