Transferring game saves

[Tibor Lugosi]

I pre-ordered the Uncharted 3 bundle (with the 320 GB PS3) and would like to transfer my game saves from my current 120GB PS3 to a USB flash drive and then to the new PS3. I have several pretty large saves (Fallout 3 GOTY, Fallout NV, TES: Oblivion GOTY, RE5, MW 1 and 2, Uncharted 1 and 2, MGS 4, Civ Rev, Valkyria Chronicles, etc). Would a 8GB flash drive be large enough or should I get a bigger one? And is the process pretty easy to do?
The reason I want to use a USB flash drive and not transfer my saves via ethernet cable is that I don't want to delete everything from the old console.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Xerios]

Originally Posted by Tibor Lugosi

I pre-ordered the Uncharted 3 bundle (with the 320 GB PS3) and would like to transfer my game saves from my current 120GB PS3 to a USB flash drive and then to the new PS3. I have several pretty large saves (Fallout 3 GOTY, Fallout NV, TES: Oblivion GOTY, RE5, MW 1 and 2, Uncharted 1 and 2, MGS 4, Civ Rev, Valkyria Chronicles, etc). Would a 8GB flash drive be large enough or should I get a bigger one? And is the process pretty easy to do?
The reason I want to use a USB flash drive and not transfer my saves via ethernet cable is that I don't want to delete everything from the old console.
Any advice would be appreciated.

a) 8gb will definitely hold all of those... not only that but it would hold all of those approx 150-160 times over.

b) if any of the saves are locked (ie not able to be copied via flash drive) the only way to move those over is with the ethernet cable OR using the cloud save feature in PS Plus..

[darkpoet25]

Originally Posted by Tibor Lugosi

I pre-ordered the Uncharted 3 bundle (with the 320 GB PS3) and would like to transfer my game saves from my current 120GB PS3 to a USB flash drive and then to the new PS3. I have several pretty large saves (Fallout 3 GOTY, Fallout NV, TES: Oblivion GOTY, RE5, MW 1 and 2, Uncharted 1 and 2, MGS 4, Civ Rev, Valkyria Chronicles, etc). Would a 8GB flash drive be large enough or should I get a bigger one? And is the process pretty easy to do?
The reason I want to use a USB flash drive and not transfer my saves via ethernet cable is that I don't want to delete everything from the old console.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Have you thought about using a USB cable to transfer your saves from the 120GB to the 320Gb. Under the XMB, in settings there is a tab that allows you to do this.

[Trace17]

Originally Posted by Xerios

a) 8gb will definitely hold all of those... not only that but it would hold all of those approx 150-160 times over.

b) if any of the saves are locked (ie not able to be copied via flash drive) the only way to move those over is with the ethernet cable OR using the cloud save feature in PS Plus..

Doesn't the new U3 bundle come with 30 days of Plus for free? I would recommend waiting and getting your month of plus with your new console, then uploading everything on your old console to the cloud for your new one, with the only stipulation being you copy them off the cloud before the 30 days is up I would think.

I don't know how it works though, i.e. is it just a code that gives you a month of plus or not.

[Tibor Lugosi]

Thanks all, I didn't know about the PS Plus thing... I'll keep that in mind, it's always good to have a backup.

[BORIS1]

the flash drive will have to be formatted in fat32 or it won't be compatible

[Tibor Lugosi]

Originally Posted by BORIS1

the flash drive will have to be formatted in fat32 or it won't be compatible

Done, thanks!

[Psx0005]

Ummmm...it would be much easier for you to just direct connect the old PS3 to the newer PS3 and do the Data Transfer Utility via the System Settings. It will carry over ALL of your saves, even the copy-protected ones. No need for Plus or the external media if you do that.

EDIT: Didn't see darkpoet25's post. Pretty much the same thing he/she said.

[Wingman1977]

Here's the link to the transfer method between two PS3 consoles via a ethernet cable: LINK

[TJtheDrummerPro]

Quick question(s) to everyone:

My fatty launch 60gb just crapped out on me about a week ago. It can power on for about 3-4 minutes before it overheats and automatically shuts off. During the 3-4 minutes, do I just transfer my save data to a jump drive and wait until I purchase my new PS3 and copy it? That easy?

I would do the data transfer via USB/ethernet but I know my old PS3 won't stay powered on long enough to complete the process.

Also, where does the data save to? Can I just remove my old hard drive and insert it into the new ps3 and be good to go, or no?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Keep in mind that the Data Utility Transfer thing MOVES the data. It does not COPY. It erases one drive and moves data to the new drive.

[TJtheDrummerPro]

That doesn't answer my questions. Lol

Can anyone help me out?

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by TJtheDrummerPro

Quick question(s) to everyone:

My fatty launch 60gb just crapped out on me about a week ago. It can power on for about 3-4 minutes before it overheats and automatically shuts off. During the 3-4 minutes, do I just transfer my save data to a jump drive and wait until I purchase my new PS3 and copy it? That easy?

I would do the data transfer via USB/ethernet but I know my old PS3 won't stay powered on long enough to complete the process.

Also, where does the data save to? Can I just remove my old hard drive and insert it into the new ps3 and be good to go, or no?

Originally Posted by TJtheDrummerPro

That doesn't answer my questions. Lol

Can anyone help me out?

Sorry. I didn't notice your post.

You can try that. But, unfortunately, there is more and more content that is being copy-protected these days. That means that it will allow you to save it to an external storage device (Flash drive, HDD, etc). However, that copy-protected data will not be allowed to be transfered to any other PS3 and/or HDD. PS Store purchased DLC is mostly all copy-protected too. So, no use in trying to save that. The good news on this is that the PS Store keeps a record of your purchases and will allow you to redownload everything you already paid for once your PSN account is active on the new PS3. It takes time, but it works.

Inserting ANY HDD into a PS3 that has not already been in use with that specific PS3 will instantly prompt to you format the drive before you will be able to continue with said HDD in it. Therefore, taking your old PS3 HDD and placing in a new PS3 will wipe it clean.

Sorry, but that is where the industry is headed because of the "save data cheaters" activities.

Your best bet is to research which of your most important game saves are copy protected so that you can save some time and surprises in the back-up and transfer process.

[PirateBooty]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Keep in mind that the Data Utility Transfer thing MOVES the data. It does not COPY. It erases one drive and moves data to the new drive.

That's not always true. I performed this method and it copied everything to the new PS3 and left the data on the old PS3 intact. Everything was still there and I've spoken with several others who have confirmed the same results.