Can I transfer saved game data and demos to a different PS3?

[Grisle]

Sorry if this has been asked, but I searched and couldn't find specifics on how to do it...can someone help me. I need to transfer saved game data and demos to my new PS3.

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by Grisle

Sorry if this has been asked, but I searched and couldn't find specifics on how to do it...can someone help me. I need to transfer saved game data and demos to my new PS3.

Attach a usb drive or memory stick if you have the card readers..goto the Saved Data Utility under the Game menu. Select the game save and hit triangle to bring up the copy function..copy to your usb or memory stick.. reverse routine on new PS3

Update: There is no copy all function here so you will have to do each one individually

[Grisle]

Thanks

[NARMAK]

That only answers the copying save file question, i am more interested in the 2nd question as i am about to upgrade mine to 250GB but would like to transfer my Demo's, DL games, Music, Photo's & all my Video's, can anybody tell me how to do this, i live in the UK so hardware suggestions that are available to do this here are welcome

[egon_spengler]

If you go to the playstation store, in the top right of the screen next to your name/basket, you will see "Download List". This shows you ALL demos and store content you have ever downloaded/purchased.

you can download anything you have paid for up to 5 times at no extra cost.

For example, I bought Crash Bandicoot for £3.49.
If I put a new HDD in, I can go to the store and download it from MY list again for £0.00

Now the interesting thing here is that Crash Bandicoot is no longer available in the UK store, yet I can still see it in my list. Has it been hidden because I've bought it, or is it literally no longer available? Spyro 2 was only in the store for a week or two then vanished.

The other interesting thing about this is, you can get half the cash off your mate, log in on HIS/HER machine with YOUR account and download the game onto their machine. I've shared Blast Factor, RubaDub, Crash, Tekken and the motorstorm updates with my friends so far.

The ONLY game that this WON'T work for is Warhawk. You still get 5 free re-downloads, however the game will only work on the account that bought it. If you download it onto your mates console, he can only play it logged in as you, and you can't play it on your own machine for 24 hours (apparently).

Copying HDD's via a PC is possible, however some games may not be playable using this method. (Think the PS3 probably has a registry similar to Windows).

Therefore I'd go down the re-download and install everything properly path.

(Saying that some kind of 'ghost drive' software might work)

Hope this helps

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

That only answers the copying save file question, i am more interested in the 2nd question as i am about to upgrade mine to 250GB but would like to transfer my Demo's, DL games, Music, Photo's & all my Video's, can anybody tell me how to do this, i live in the UK so hardware suggestions that are available to do this here are welcome

Well I started working on one ...few things to note first..

1. I copied my photos, music, home videos to the USB drive first because I wanted a backup copy that wasn't in the PS3 file format...just standard files that I could then restore to our Mac etc if need be..something to think about.

2. After copying them I went back and deleted them off the PS3 so the backup utility wouldn't spend time doing it.

Here is what I had written so far...

So here is what I know after upgrading to a larger HDD. Might be handy for someone else hesitating or unsure.

READ ALL OF THIS - as there are a few notes at the end that are important to know BEFORE you follow this process. Some are for your peace of mind and some are related to configuration variations.

The process backing up and restoring to the SAME machine

1. Obviously connect a storage device that is going to be big enough to backup your content - I used an external USB drive.
2. Under System Settings\Backup Utility run the backup option and select the device you connected in step 1.
3. My 20 GB of data took about 45 or so minutes to backup to my usb drive. It was a slower 2.5" external.
4. Once it's finished, power down your PS3.
5. Remove the old drive and replace with the new drive. It's easy. The old drive is your safety net if something doesn't go as expected with your restore. Just put it back in if you have a problem along the way.
6. Turn on the PS3
7. Format the drive when prompted.
8. Go to the System Settings\Backup Utility, select Restore and device from step 1. You will see a item that is something like 101220071324 - which is the date/time of your backup. Select it to restore and follow the the prompts to overwrite, reboot etc when it's finished

That's it. Everything should be restored exactly as before - even stuff you have downloaded from the store. No need to re-download it. All your system settings, user accounts, game saves are present.

Now a few things to note..

1. When your doing a backup you get various warnings both in the documentation and via prompts..

a) about protected content may not be backed-up/restorable etc.
b) about user and system settings NOT being saved to the backup.

Warnings that are a bit scary because of their ambiguity.

I believe a) and b) are only of concern if your trying to restore that data to ANOTHER MACHINE or accounts have changed on your current machine.

Point a) is probably where the idea that you would have to re-download protected content from the store..and if you delete accounts or try restoring on another machine you mightl have to.

Point b) - the reason you get this "scary" warning is because the system and user settings (but not game save data) are stored in the firmware of the MACHINE and are not stored/saved into the backup file..so this warning is really saying those settings won't transfer to another machine or wont be restorable if you delete accounts etc on THIS machine.

Here is what I *assume* are the implications

IF your restoring that backup to the same MACHINE and the user accounts haven't changed then I *assume* either a) or b) are not of any concern. Your machine will look the same after the restore - except you will have more space now. During an upgrade your user accounts are unlikely to have changed so it's not a big deal...but backups that you have sitting around for a long time and then maybe an account gets deleted may not restore any protected content data for those accounts - hence the warning prompts.

I did the backup while logged in as the user associated with the master account

[Psx0005]

Originally Posted by ps3andlovinit

IF your restoring that backup to the same MACHINE and the user accounts haven't changed then I *assume* either a) or b) are not of any concern. Your machine will look the same after the restore - except you will have more space now. During an upgrade your user accounts are unlikely to have changed so it's not a big deal...but backups that you have sitting around for a long time and then maybe an account gets deleted may not restore any protected content data for those accounts - hence the warning prompts.

I did the backup while logged in as the user associated with the master account

Just out of curiousity, would there by any way to restore the data on a HD from an older PS3 onto a newer PS3 at all? Like placing the old HD into a 2.5 HD enclosure and USB 2.0'ing it into the new PS3 and trying to import the data over? I am angry at myself because I forgot to backup my PS3 game saves and now I'm stuck with a 250GB drive that has data that's useless to everything but the old PS3 which is now sitting in a garbage bin at Sony's customer service center

[ihova22]

Hi newbie here rapidly losing hair as:

I’ve just replaced my original PS3 Fujistu 40 GB HDD with a Western Digital Scorpio WD3200BEVT 320GB 2.5" Internal SATA Hard Drive and I’m having issues with restoring my back up.

1. backed up all 28gb of data on a IDE 160 WD 1600AVJB using an usb sata/ide to usb adaptor after I had firstly set up the ide back up drive as fat 32 with swissknife and back up went fine using PS3 menus all good. Then a week later my new hard drive for ps3 truned up and I replaced Hdd and switched on PS3, asked to format which it did formatted and then told me I needed a firmware update so I then downloaded firmware update 2.53 from internet as requested and all was going fine all done in 1.30mins - 1 hour back up - 10 m ins install and 20 mins to format and replace firmware.

2. The I went to restore back up data from my IDE drive using USB IDE/SATA adaptor lead and WD 160GB. Powered down ps3 attached power lead to HD then attached adaptor cable from HDD to PS3 USB port and powered back up. Then went to back up utility on menu and now ps3 won't recognize the usb hard drive . It just keeps asking me to insert media with back up on it what the heck is going on?? Won’t even recgonise it to back up on either as i've tried that also. Tried adaptor on laptop and all is fine all folders are still there [PS3] - [EXPORT] – [BACKUP] and all archive data is in back up folder. What I can't understand is PS£ found usb drive no problem at all for original back up a week ago when PS3 had 40GB HDD still in it and original 2.53 firmware setup??

Why won't it find the USB hard disk with back up data on it now it has the new 320GB HDD installed and another 2.53 firmware update any ideas?????


Please before I commit hari kari

[Icemage]

Be careful when changing PS3s/hard drives. Some games have save files that are locked (Rock Band, Burnout Paradise, and maybe others too) which prevents you from moving your save data to another machine/hard drive.

[Havok83]

Be careful about trophy enabled games, which soon will be all new ones. Those saves are tied to the user and PSN account. I recently changed my PSN password and none of those saves recognize me as the original user so they cant be used. You may not be able to transfer your saves onto a new PS3 if the saves are tied to that system

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by Havok83

I recently changed my PSN password and none of those saves recognize me as the original user so they cant be used.

Changing your password shouldn't have made a difference.

Did you mean you changed your local account to be associated with a different PSN account?

[Havok83]

Originally Posted by ps3andlovinit

Changing your password shouldn't have made a difference.

Did you mean you changed your local account to be associated with a different PSN account?

It shouldnt but it does. Theres a glitch in the firmware since the trophy system was enabled. I changed the password on my PSN account. People have noticed their saves are corrupted after changing passwords and/or email for their PSN. My saves for GTA IV, Burnout, Resistance 2, LBP and Soul Calibur were all corrupted after I did so. Heres some links with people experiencing the same:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genme...topic=46705891

http://boardsus.playstation.com/play...=387087&page=3

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by Havok83

It shouldnt but it does. Theres a glitch in the firmware since the trophy system was enabled. I changed the password on my PSN account. People have noticed their saves are corrupted after changing passwords and/or email for their PSN. My saves for GTA IV, Burnout, Resistance 2, LBP and Soul Calibur were all corrupted after I did so. Heres some links with people experiencing the same:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genme...topic=46705891

http://boardsus.playstation.com/play...=387087&page=3

So thats what happened to my saved games! I changed my password after exchanging the whole Kratos LBP DLC and was no longer able to play any of my trophys for trophys anymore! Atleast I now have some closure on the issue. I thought it was my PS3 being a douche or something.

Of course all of this was happening during my PS3 meltdown with getting the trophy error and almost losing all my trophys.

[PopButtox]

Originally Posted by Lucy Diamond

The backup will take care of all of that.

I just did that a month ago when I bought my samsung 500gig and the ps3 took care of everything.

I didn't have any pix or mp3s on the HDD at the time, so I can't speak for them, but it did port over my Metal Gear encyclopedia thingie and that lurking in shadows art/ game/ trophy thingie.

Before you do anything, highlight your main trophy icon, hit triangle and sync with server. This will back up your trophies.

The ps3 backup utility will take care of everything else.

make sure your pix and mp3's are backed up somewhere else, just to be sure.

i know a few people whom wish they'd read that first, lol.

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by Havok83

It shouldnt but it does. Theres a glitch in the firmware since the trophy system was enabled. I changed the password on my PSN account. People have noticed their saves are corrupted after changing passwords and/or email for their PSN. My saves for GTA IV, Burnout, Resistance 2, LBP and Soul Calibur were all corrupted after I did so. Heres some links with people experiencing the same:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genme...topic=46705891

http://boardsus.playstation.com/play...=387087&page=3

Thanks. So it looks like a defect.

[Havok83]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

So thats what happened to my saved games! I changed my password after exchanging the whole Kratos LBP DLC and was no longer able to play any of my trophys for trophys anymore! Atleast I now have some closure on the issue. I thought it was my PS3 being a douche or something.

Of course all of this was happening during my PS3 meltdown with getting the trophy error and almost losing all my trophys.

I thought it was just R2 that was messed up but then the other games werent loading properly as well. The common theme they had were the trophies (SC IV doesnt have them but the save is tied to your account). Did some searching and it seems the common thread was changes to PSN login info. Most people wouldnt even realize this was an issue since most dont change that. I wish I had know ahead of time. Definetly not going to replay GTA IV for a 3rd time.

[Septimus Prime]

A few clarifications:

1. You can download anything you've purchased from the PlayStation®Store an unlimited number of times. HOWEVER, you can only do this with up to five separate PS3 consoles. Each of them will have unrestricted access to your downloads.

2. You can use your PSN account on any PS3. All you have to do is create a user for yourself on each PS3 and then sign up for PSN and use your existing account. This should track your trophies across all consoles.

3. What you will need to watch out for (other than save files that are copy-protected) is DLC. Some games (Dead Space in particular, so I'm guessing all EA games) will check for DLC when you try to load save data in game, and if the game data (DLC is saved as game data) does not match, it won't let you load the save file.

For example, let's say you purchased a Scorpion Suit off PSN for Dead Space, copied your save, and then transferred it to a different PS3 with no DLC game data. Even if you use your PSN ID, you won't be able to load that save data on the second PS3, though you can still transfer it back and use it just fine on your first PS3.

What you can do, in this case, is redownload your DLC on your second PS3, but of course this will occupy one of your 5 console slots on your account.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by Havok83

I thought it was just R2 that was messed up but then the other games werent loading properly as well. The common theme they had were the trophies (SC IV doesnt have them but the save is tied to your account). Did some searching and it seems the common thread was changes to PSN login info. Most people wouldnt even realize this was an issue since most dont change that. I wish I had know ahead of time. Definetly not going to replay GTA IV for a 3rd time.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=68871

Yeah I forgot to mention the part during this I was exchanging PSN information (reseting my password) for LBP DLC. I mean who ever thought that reseting your password would make it so you no longer can play your saved games that have trophys enabled?

[mattyneckhay102]

so i put my saved game files on a usb and copied them to my new hard-drive. when i go to load the games in the game, it says "user did not create saved game file. Cannot load saved game." does anyone know anything about that and how to fix it? id really appreciate any help

[RichieG1121]

Ok so i have that, does your ps3 need to be jailbroken cause i am trying to copy a save onto a usb and move it to another cause my parents are divored 2 different ps3's. so after i put i 8gb cruzer into my ps3 it appears and everything but when i press triangel on the save i don't have the option to copy the file to my usb it wont appear in that area.