PS4: Change hard drive
Changing your PS4 hard drive is a tricky business. In order to prevent both hardware damage and data loss, you should proceed very carefully and in sequence with the following steps.
Backup before changing hard drive
In order to be able to use your game files on your new hard drive, you have to save your data before changing the hard drive. We have prepared a quick guide for you. More details can be found in this article.
- Connect a USB stick or hard drive to your Playstation and open the menu.
- Select "Manage Data Saved by Application"> "System Data Saved"> "Copy to USB Storage Device".
- Use the [X] key to select all files to be backed up and click on "Copy". Then remove your USB stick.
Change your PS4 hard drive
For the next step you need a 2.5 "hard disk with a maximum height of 12.5 mm. Thinner hard disks fit more easily. Of course, SSD-based storage media are also possible, your hard disk only has to have a SATA connection. A hybrid feature disk costs extra Amazon around 90 euros.
- Turn off your PS4 completely and slide the top left cover of your console to the left.
- Remove all screws from the hard drive bracket and pull them out towards the drive.
- Then you have to unscrew the bracket from the actual hard disk and fix your new hard disk in the bracket.
- Screw your bracket and hard drive back into your PS4 and then close the cover.
Reinstallation of the system software:
To use your PS4 with the new hard drive. you have to update the system software. For this you need a mass storage device (e.g. USB stick) with at least 1 GB free space.
- Download the firmware update from the official Playstation homepage and save the file to your USB mass storage device. It is important that you create the "PS4" folder with the "UPDATE" subfolder and save the "PS4UPDATE.PUP" file that you have just downloaded in it. The folder structure must therefore look like this: Storage device: \ PS4 \ UPDATE
- Connect your prepared storage device to your PS4. To do this, it must be completely switched off.
- Press the power button of your PS4 for about 7 seconds to start the security mode.
- Click on: "Install System Software" and follow the setup instructions. If your PS4 does not recognize the update, you should check the folder structure described in point 1.
- Once the installation is complete, you can start your PS4 normally.
Restore the game files:
Use the following instructions to copy the backed up files back to your PS4.
- Connect a USB stick or hard drive to your PS4 and open the menu.
- Navigate to "Management of the data saved by the application"> "Saved data on USB storage device"> "Copy to system memory" and select the files to be copied using the [X] key to restore them.