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HDD Replacement Thread


Metdevil

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Hey guys. I thought I'd start up this thread just to help everyone out. After finding out that PS4 games can take up anywhere from 35-80GB, HDD replacement is probably going to be one of the first things PS4 owners are going to do.

 

So for the sake of simplicity, this thread is for any questions/sources that come up regarding HDD replacement.

 

German website 'Computer Bild' posted some details and images around replacing the HDD. Apparently, the PS4 allows HDDs up to 9.5mm in height, same the PS3. This is going to allow for some significantly larger storage on your console, I found HDDs up to 1.5TB that look like they should fit.

Replacement HDDs must be a 2.5" Sata Drive, (a 3.5" will not fit) with a maximum physical height of 9.5mm.

 

Please share with us which, if any, HDD you're planning on using so that other users can have an idea on what is available. Personally, I'm going to be getting this: Seagate 1TB 2.5" 9.5mm SSHD Sata 6Gb/s

I'm also going to be replacing that sweet PS screw with a plain-jane one and putting it in safe keeping :p

 

Step by Step instructions - You can find some great step-by-step instructions on upgrading your PS4 HDD straight from the source at US.Playstation.com [web page here]

 

Compatible HDDs

[spoiler=compathdd]

 

Below is some info what the different Western Digital (WD) colours represent:

Western Digital RED (typically low cost. Reliable NAS performance)

Western Digital BLUE (Quality and Reliability [mainstream])

Western Digital GREEN (Power management, Low operating temperatures [generally slow])

Western Digital BLACK (High performance, high reliability)

 

2TB - Samsung Spinpoint M9T (Height: 9mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 32MB | 5,400RPM)

 

1.5TB - Samsung Spinpoint M9T (Height: 9mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 32MB | 5,400RPM)

1.5TB - Hitachi Travelstar 5K1500 (Height: 9mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 32MB | 5,400RPM)

 

1TB - WD Blue SATA ( WD10SPCX) (Height: 7mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 16MB | 5,400RPM)

1TB - WD Blue SATA ( WD10JPVX) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 8MB | 5,400RPM)

1TB - WD Blue SATA ( WD10JPVT) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 3Gb/s | Buffer Size: 8MB | 5,400RPM)

1TB - WD Red NAS ( WD10JFCX) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 16MB)

1TB - WD AV-25 AV SATA ( WD10JUCT) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 3Gb/s | Buffer Size: 16MB | 5,400RPM)

1TB - Seagate SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 64MB | 5,400RPM)

1TB - Hitachi Travelstar 7K1000 (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 32MB | 7,200RPM)

1TB - Toshiba SSHD MQ01ABDH (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 32MB | 5,400RPM)

 

750GB - WD Black SATA ( WD7500BPKT) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 3Gb/s | Buffer Size: 16MB | 7,200RPM)

750GB - WD Black SATA ( WD7500BPKX) (Height: 9.5mm | Buffer: 6Gb/s | Buffer Size: 16MB | 7,200RPM)

 

 

 

HDD, SSHD, or SSD? - Essentially, the only difference between the three is speed (fast, faster, fastest - respectively). Who here loves graphs? I love graphs. Here are some graphs...

[spoiler=graphs]http://cdn.pcper.com/files/review/2013-11-17/load1.png

 

http://cdn.pcper.com/files/review/2013-11-18/load3.png

http://cdn.pcper.com/files/review/2013-11-18/load5.png

Source: http://www.pcper.com/reviews/General-Tech/PlayStation-4-PS4-HDD-SSHD-and-SSD-Performance-Testing

 

 

The biggest problem with SSD is price. An SSD close to 1TB could easily cost another PS4 and to me, the increase of a few seconds in speed isn't worth that. Of course if money is no option to you, then by all means, go for it and let us know how you get on.

 

 

I'll be adding more details to this thread as I come across them.

I'm by no means an expert on this, but I am doing a lot of research on it, to make sure that I don't screw myself (or any of you, of course). So if you notice anything wrong here, please let me know (nicely :o) and I'll correct it.

 

F.A.Q

 

Q. What am I looking for in a Hard Drive?

A. The first thing you want is a 2.5" (2.5 inch) HDD, this is a measurement of the HDD platter (the platter is the 'Disk' in HDD). Anything other than 2.5" will not work.

Next is the height (this is the physical thickness of the drive). The PS4 allows for a height of 9.5mm.

After finding HDDs that will physically fit, it's up to you on where you want the preference, storage capacity or performance. Most higher capacity HDDs are of lower performance and vice versa.

 

Q. What do all of these specifications mean?

A.

Form Factor - This is the '2.5"' from earlier. The measurement comes from the diametre of the disks/platters. Only 2.5" will do. 3.5" will not.

Height - PS4 allows a maximum physical height of >9.5mm. Most HDDs you will find will be 9.5mm. It is possible to find 2.5" drives that are larger than 9.5mm, so make sure you check its physical size.

Capacity - The overall storage space of the HDD. Sony's PS4 comes stock standard with a 500GB HDD. The more the better, but try not to trade up too much storage for performance. The PS4 has a lower capacity limit of 160GB, no upper limit has been announced.

Spindle Speed - The most important factor when gauging performance. Spindle speed is measured in Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). Higher speeds = more data being read/written. Most drives are either 5,400RPM (PS4 Stock is 5,400) or 7,200RPM.

Buffer Size - This is a temporary storage space used by the HDD to keep the data flowing. While reading, the HDD will load up its buffer memory with what it thinks will also be needed. Apparently this number made little difference with the PS3 after 8MB. Most HDDs are 8MB or 16MB but can be higher.

Data Transfer Rate - The rate which the drive can write/read data to/from the surface of the disk. Read as #Gbit/s (#Gb/s). Generally HDDs come in 3Gb/s and 6Gb/s speeds.

 

Q. Can't I just use my External Hard Drive?

A. Yes and no. You can use your external USB HDD for Save Data, music and videos, but you can not store Game Data (Patches, Game Installs, Game Downloads) onto it. If you're planning on using an external drive, it might pay to use it for media to save your internal storage for Game Data.

 

Q. Is the PS4 compatible with a SATA III drive?

A. Yes, although, since the PS4 is SATA II standard, your SATA III drive will only operate at SATA II speeds. You may only get 3Gb/s instead of the 6Gb/s that your HDD may specify.

 

Q. How much usable storage space can I expect to get from my HDD.

A. Due to the fact that 1GB is really 1024MB and not the 1000 that we assume it is, then you can expect a roughly 7% loss straight off the bat. Because of this, the standard 500GB HDD will actually be more like 465GB. On top of this, it is estimated that the PS4's Operating System uses up roughly 55-60GB also, meaning that your already diminished 465GB HDD will only have around 405-410GB of usable space. So if you're planning on upgrading to a 1TB HDD you can expect to have around 870-875GB of usable storage space (1000-7%=930 | 930-60=870)

 

Q. What will I need in preparation for changing my HDD?

A. As well as the obvious (a PS4 and a replacement HDD) you'll need a Phillips Screwdriver and a USB flashdrive (>1GB) with the System Update software on it. Follow [this link] for more information on the System Update.

NOTE: When downloading the System Update, ensure that the file size is the 859MB version for a new HDD. Not the ~300MB version, which is for the day one patch with stock HDD.

 

More FAQs will come once AQ's become more F :p

Edited by Metdevil
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I don't know about anywhere else, but here, Seagate have a terrible reputation - had 1 3.5" internal die personally; the only HDD to ever fail on me - so I would personally avoid their products.

 

I haven't looked into it but I'll edit this post once I do. I know 1TB+ is a must, though.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll look further into it.

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Was the first thing I thought of when I seen it was be 500gb standard. It took me a while to upgrade my ps3's hdd but I should have done it much sooner. Hopefully it's just as simple with the ps4, Just hope it doesn't cause any issues early on or with the warranty.

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I wish more companies would invest more in portable drives, as all the drives I've seen that will fit are 1Tb and the one 2Tb is 15mm so will not fit. Does anybody know what the ideal speed and cache size will be

From what I've found, ideal speed is 7200rpm while cache size makes little difference. Also, there is a 2TB that will fit, but it's not recommended since it's slow and designed to only be read periodically. Since the PS3 will be reading from it almost constantly, it's not ideal. Can't remember where I found it. EDIT: Couldn't find that 2TB but found a 1.5TB that'll fit. See above for a link.

 

Was the first thing I thought of when I seen it was be 500gb standard. It took me a while to upgrade my ps3's hdd but I should have done it much sooner. Hopefully it's just as simple with the ps4, Just hope it doesn't cause any issues early on or with the warranty.

 

Same as with PS3, replacing your PS4s Hard Drive will not void the warranty. :)

Edited by Metdevil
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From what I've found, ideal speed is 7200rpm while cache size makes little difference. Also, there is a 2TB that will fit, but it's not recommended since it's slow and designed to only be read periodically. Since the PS3 will be reading from it almost constantly, it's not ideal. Can't remember where I found it. EDIT: Couldn't find that 2TB but found a 1.5TB that'll fit. See above for a link.

 

That 1.5Tb is only 5400rpm, it's a shame WD don't do a black drive with at least 1Tb. The 2Tb drive I saw was a WD Green but like I said that is 15mm thick and on speed only states intelligent. Western Digital WD20NPVX Green 2TB 2.5" Hard Drive - Scan.co.uk

 

I really do wish they would put more into 2.5 inch drives, as even a 1.5Tb is going to run out fast especially for those who are going 100% digital.

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That 1.5Tb is only 5400rpm, it's a shame WD don't do a black drive with at least 1Tb. The 2Tb drive I saw was a WD Green but like I said that is 15mm thick and on speed only states intelligent. Western Digital WD20NPVX Green 2TB 2.5" Hard Drive - Scan.co.uk

 

I really do wish they would put more into 2.5 inch drives, as even a 1.5Tb is going to run out fast especially for those who are going 100% digital.

5,400RPM is the same as the stock standard HDD, so that's not too bad. We don't know any more specs for the stock HDD yet.

 

Yea, you're right, I think it was the WD Green that I was thinking of. At the moment, I'm tossing up between the 1.5TB or the Seagate SSHD. Might go for the Hybrid drive.

 

I would love to put a SDD in my PS4 but from what I saw a 1TB is like $500-$600 at the moment, no way I'm putting one of those in. I'm going to stay with the 500G HDD that it comes with at the moment and stick to disks for my games. If I run out of room I will just delete some stuff. Maybe for PS5 I will get a SDD. :D

 

Yea, I know. I found a 960GB in NZ for NZD$1050. Compared to the PS3 at NZD$650, I'm not willing to pay that kind of cash...

Edited by Metdevil
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You can't use an external to store Game Data on to. You can store Save Data, but it wont read from it. In other words, you'll have to transfer your save data onto your console before it's usable. However, the PS4 may not even be able to transfer save data to a USB source anymore thanks to all of the hacking and save modding going on out there. Their use of the cloud seems to back up this idea.

 

It is possible though, to dismantle the enclosure for the external HDD and use its internal HDD for your consoles internal HDD. This is what I did for my PS3's 320GB drive (back when 320GB was a lot). This method isn't recommended though, since it's possible that you could break the HDD inside in the process and it's harder to find the specs on whatever drive is inside, effectively making it quite an expensive gamble. I only did it on my PS3 because the HDD was free :p

Edited by Metdevil
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So to confirm - I can NOT store game files on an external HDD AT ALL? Not even purely for storage purposes?

 

I'm trying to come up with a long term solution to the problem I'm sure to run into, in that I will be out of space on ANY internal HDD in NO TIME. I currently own 400+ PS3 games, and expect to own even more on the PS4. I had hoped to go all digital this gen, but it's looking less and less feasible.

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Well that is unfortunate... i just don't like the idea of dismantling my PS4.. i'll just do what i currently do with my PS3 and delete my game data when i get rid of the game... This is also a big reason why digital media still will not become the main. Until you start shelling out terrabyte Harddrives with these devices, digital will always be the 2nd choice for most people.

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I'm trying to come up with a long term solution to the problem I'm sure to run into, in that I will be out of space on ANY internal HDD in NO TIME. I currently own 400+ PS3 games, and expect to own even more on the PS4. I had hoped to go all digital this gen, but it's looking less and less feasible.

 

^ This.

I'm sitting at just over 600 myself, counting physical and digital. (Also why I REALLY hope they add a sort function to our download lists on PS4.)

 

While I had no intention in going all digital, due to the sheer size of PS4 games, even only buying a handful of digital titles a 500GB HDD is a Band-Aid at best.

 

This is also a big reason why digital media still will not become the main. Until you start shelling out terrabyte Harddrives with these devices, digital will always be the 2nd choice for most people.

^ Truth.

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I like my physical media were I can, but obviously there are situations were DLC is the only option and of course there is going to be the PSN freebies, now the mistake I think both Sony and Microsoft have made(especially Microsoft as you can't even change drives) is they were both to concerned with size and have really limited people's choice on how much they can store by only going for a 2.5 inch drive as you are now limited to 1.5Tb(as we said earlier the only 2Tb we have seen is 15mm thick and too thick), were as if they had gone with 3.5 inch you have the max of 4Tb and the 3.5 inch market seems to be expanding a lot quicker,so for the guys that want to go all digital, have media stored(music, movies, picture) makes much more sense, even form Sony and Microsoft side it would have made more sense as they are both pushing digital.

Edited by ModernSith2010
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So to confirm - I can NOT store game files on an external HDD AT ALL? Not even purely for storage purposes?

 

I'm trying to come up with a long term solution to the problem I'm sure to run into, in that I will be out of space on ANY internal HDD in NO TIME. I currently own 400+ PS3 games, and expect to own even more on the PS4. I had hoped to go all digital this gen, but it's looking less and less feasible.

 

Correct. No game data can be stored externally, as with PS3. Shuhei Yoshida confirmed this somewhere, I'll try and find it. EDIT: Here it is

However this a (kind of) solution for you. Yoshida released some info about some sort of 'smart' installing/caching system or something. So your (I'm assuming - only) physical copy of games don't all take up space on your HDD. More info here

 

Well that is unfortunate... i just don't like the idea of dismantling my PS4.. i'll just do what i currently do with my PS3 and delete my game data when i get rid of the game... This is also a big reason why digital media still will not become the main. Until you start shelling out terrabyte Harddrives with these devices, digital will always be the 2nd choice for most people.

 

Apparently, the PS4 is easier to replace the HDD than the PS3 (which was easy enough as it was). It also doesn't void your warranty. Considering the random 'Sony Screw' that they've put on the HDD case, I'm guessing that they encourage replacing the HDD.

Edited by Metdevil
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Apparently, the PS4 is easier to replace the HDD than the PS3 (which was easy enough as it was). It also doesn't void your warranty. Considering the random 'Sony Screw' that they've put on the HDD case, I'm guessing that they encourage replacing the HDD.

 

yea but how do you install the playstation operating system onto the HDD?

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yea but how do you install the playstation operating system onto the HDD?

If it's like the PS3, it does it all for you when you turn it on after the transplant. Once you turn on your console after installing the new HDD, it gave you on-screen instructions on what to do next. Easy peasy :)

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If it's like the PS3, it does it all for you when you turn it on after the transplant. Once you turn on your console after installing the new HDD, it gave you on-screen instructions on what to do next. Easy peasy :)

 

When done on a PS3, are the system updates also stored on the PS3's internal memory, or do you have to redownload those?

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When done on a PS3, are the system updates also stored on the PS3's internal memory, or do you have to redownload those?

 

System updates are only downloaded to the HDD for install, once they are installed they are applied directly to the system itself, which is why replacing the HDD does not roll the system back to previous versions.

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That's actually quite nice.

Yea, like Psikorps said, you can't replace the HDD to 'trick' your console into going to a lower firmware. However, you'll still need to update to the latest firmware on startup.

 

This is from Vuule's (formerly k1ll1ng5pr33) thread:

Now plug back in all the cables and boot up your PS3. Follow the instructions on your screen. The PS3 will ask you to update to the latest firmware. You can either connect your USB Flash Drive with the latest firmware, or you can skip this part and format the HDD. The PS3 will update itself to FW1.9 afterwards. When it’s done, connect your PS3 to the internet or use a USB Flash Drive with the latest firmware to update your PS3.
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