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[Dandy Crocodile]

I just upgraded to a 2TB this weekend and it was easy as hell.
Opening and swapping the hard drive is only as hard as unscrewing five screws.

 

[Luminaire]

Beyond stupid Sony doesn't allow external storage.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't USB 2.0 Storage be slower than SATA?

 

[gogogow]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't USB 2.0 Storage be slower than SATA?

Let me correct you, the PS4 supports USB3.0.

 

[n0razi]

2TB firecuda... its widely considered the best all around upgrade for the price

 

[Interrobang]

For the people who have PT, is the process different? I heard you need a second HDD to transfer to first, then transfer to your new one? Anyone do this before?

EDIT - Also, for the poster above me that recommended the 5TB drive, is this the one? Seagate Backup Plus 5TB Portable External Hard Drive with 200GB of Cloud Storage USB 3.0, Black (STDR5000100) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZP2B23/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2OtyybZVYNFHM

Reposting for new page. Scared for my PT!

 

[gogogow]

2TB firecuda... its widely considered the best all around upgrade for the price

Well, it better be, it's the most expensive 2.5 inch drive you can get from Seagate, not counting the Enterprise line.

 

[TheApatheticOne]

Used a GC to buy the 2tb seagate backup slim. When I got the Pro, I thought Id be fine with the 1 tb after having a 2tb in my standard PS4.... nope. Feels restricting as hell. I have a few games that are set in stone for me (Overwatch, Titanfall 2, Rainbow 6 Siege, etc.) and its too damn restricting. Already filled, and cuts are getting extremely hard. Got it for 55 shipped (after 25 gc).

 

[GringoJB]

OP, just remember to back up your files and you should be fine. It's really easy.

Quick question:

For people with the PS4 Pro who swapped out the drive with the 2TB Seagate Backup Plus Slim drive: does it randomly start beeping? Had it on my original PS4 and it did that. Haven't swapped out the drive on my Pro yet.

Yeah, it does beep... I swapped that drive into my PS4 Pro on day one and I was freaked out for a bit! But I've had zero actual issues with it, and I haven't managed to find any reports online of people that have had issues (even though it's kinda spooky)

 

[Ahasverus]

Reposting for new page. Scared for my PT!

I think you're scrwed.

 

[Astral Dog]

Sony should really start allowing external storage at this point, maybe next year, the gen just got past its half time.

Beyond stupid Sony doesn't allow external storage.

They dont!!?
Just got one last month and im already worried about storade, the only HD i have right now is a big gray box .very strange

 

[Juice]

Same. Freaking sick of running out of storage on my 2TB drive. Wish I could install a much larger one.

 

[adamsapple]

They dont!!?
Just got one last month and im already worried about storade, the only HD i have right now is a big gray box .

Nope, you can only use external storage if you're transferring data from one PS4 to another, but it's encrypted. You cannot use an external HDD as storage to install games or content to run from, like how XB1 lets you.

On topic, Pro comes with a 1TB and so far I've still got 650+ GB available, but I guess it's because I'm mostly getting retail games, only 2 digital games on my device (RoTR and Mafia 3) and half a dozen demos.

 

[NegativeCero]

I'm pretty good about deleting games I'm no longer going to play, but I know eventually I'm gonna need to switch out my 1TB drive I put in there.

 

[BigEmil]

And they haven't been hacking. This stubborness makes me feel the PS4 has a fatal security flaw, and such thing WILL get found, even if they don't want to. They're almost highlighting hackers where their weakness is.

One of the PS3 exploits was due to the through external usb. So blame the hackers they had to lock this down. But anyways the PS4 only has 2 usb ports (Pro having 3 usb ports) having 1 usb port always used is gonna be annoying in the long run better off with a internal storage upgrade

 

[Interrobang]

I think you're scrwed.

That's just not true, mate.

 

[Astral Dog]

Nope, you can only use external storage if you're transferring data from one PS4 to another, but it's encrypted. You cannot use an external HDD as storage to install games or content to run from, like how XB1 lets you.

On topic, Pro comes with a 1TB and so far I've still got 650+ GB available, but I guess it's because I'm mostly getting retail games, only 2 digital games on my device (RoTR and Mafia 3) and half a dozen demos.

I guess i will have to buy a new one soon

Why do you say retail games? I thought both were the same because you still had to install them on the Drive regardless if its a Disk or not. is there any difference between using a disk and downloading the games?

 

[Blueblur1]

How fast are those Seagate Backup Plus drives y'all are linking too? Are they faster than the default 5200 RPM drives found inside PS4s and Pros?

 

[IC5]

Why are people buying slow external drives to crack open and use as internal?

A proper internal drive will perform better.

 

[kikonawa]

Get a 5 TB Seagate Portable Backup Plus drive, gut it and throw that shit into the system. That's what I did.

thats hardcore

 

[kikonawa]

why would you keep all those games on your harddisk anyway?

 

[androvsky]

Does the PS4 have problems with aggressive power saving drives shutting down every eight seconds and freezing the system while it spins up like the PS3 did? I'd assume not due to the constant recording, but I figured I'd ask anyway.

 

[gdt]

I've never ran into this issue every really. Granted my PS4 doesn't get a ton of playtime but I just delete something I'm not playing.

 

[renzolama]

Just upgraded from 1TB to 2TB yesterday. It's great, aside from now having to deal with the terribad PSN download speeds that can barely push 15mbps on my 250mbps line.

 

[meppi]

why would you keep all those games on your harddisk anyway?

Because I don't want to have to download gigs of patches every time I reinstall a game.
If they made it so that you could just delete the disc install and left everything else intact, it wouldn't be this kind of problem.

I've got a 2TB atm and it sucks having to delete stuff constantly. :-/
I want a 4GB one but I need to be sure that I'm getting one that actually fits before I order.

 

[adamsapple]

I guess i will have to buy a new one soon

Why do you say retail games? I thought both were the same because you still had to install them on the Drive regardless if its a Disk or not. is there any difference between using a disk and downloading the games?

I specified retail because it's a lot easier and convenient to just delete them after I'm done playing them. Installing the game in the background happens as soon as I insert the disc, for a digital version you first have to let it download a certain amount (which is often a good 50% or more of the full download size in itself) and deleting a digital game and then having to re-download it from scratch in the future is both a lot more inconvenient and a big burden on data caps.*

* I would absolutely LOVE if Sony would separate actual game game installs and patch updates so I wouldn't need to re-download all the patches if I ever reinstall a game in the future. As of right now, if you delete game data, you lose both the game data and any downloaded patches along with it.

 

[Let me in]

Is it possible to plug in an external HDD?

 

[spankdatazz22]

Glad I saw this thread. I just made an assumption I'd be able to buy an external drive plug it in and it would work

 

[Ahasverus]

* I would absolutely LOVE if Sony would separate actual game game installs and patch updates so I wouldn't need to re-download all the patches if I ever reinstall a game in the future. As of right now, if you delete game data, you lose both the game data and any downloaded patches along with it.

This is an acceptable compromise. It's crazy that they haven't.

 

[cakely]

Upgrade your internal drive to something bigger. It's a really easy process.

 

[MADGAME]

I'm getting close to considering this upgrade. Just to confirm what I've read:

1. Back up saves to either the cloud, usb, or both.
2. Install new drive and re-install games.
3. Load save data from cloud or usb.
4. Profit??

Is that it?

 

[spindashing]

How have the Seagate HDDs been treating you guys? I really want the 2 TB model linked here but it is a Seagate and I do not wish for it to crap out on me.

 

[Blueblur1]

Why are people buying slow external drives to crack open and use as internal?

A proper internal drive will perform better.

That's what's been on my mind as well. I researched and found that Seagate Backup Plus HDD is indeed a 5400 RPM drive which I rather not go back to.

 

[robErob]

Reposting for new page. Scared for my PT!

I would like to know the same thing. I didn't know that there were bigger drives then 2tb that fit into the ps4.

 

[EmiPrime]

How have the Seagate HDDs been treating you guys? I really want the 2 TB model linked here but it is a Seagate and I do not wish for it to crap out on me.

Seagate are fine. If anything I'd choose them over Western Digital.

 

[Interrobang]

I'm getting close to considering this upgrade. Just to confirm what I've read:

1. Back up saves to either the cloud, usb, or both.
2. Install new drive and re-install games.
3. Load save data from cloud or usb.
4. Profit??

Is that it?

I think it's different for valuable un-re-downloadable things like PT demo, but can't get a straight answer :/

 

[Version 3.0]

Then throw the old drive in the enclosure and either use it on an XB1 or Wii U or just as extra storage for your PC.

I can't believe I didn't think of this. I jumped up to a 2TB drive when I got a PS4 Pro, and about 2 weeks later I bought a 2TB drive for the Xbox One.

Speaking of which, my god, I swear the Xbox's 500 GB drive is somehow about 1/4th the size of the PS4's 500 GB drive. I'd been using the stock drives since launch, and even though I use the PS4 for every non-exclusive game, it's the damn Xbox that's always full. Right now, literally all I have on it is Halo 5 , Halo: MCC, and just a couple of Rare Replay games (because of earlier space issues), and it didn't have enough space for Gears 4's 21 GB patch. That's when I caved and got the external drive.

Meanwhile, the PS4 always had several disc games installed, and all my download-only ones as well, and I think I've only had to clear space twice since launch.

 

[PsihoPerihelion]

Is there any HDD that doesn't beep every now and then? I'd be so annoyed if mine did this.

 

[EmiPrime]

Is there any HDD that doesn't beep every now and then? I'd be so annoyed if mine did this.

My 2TB Firecuda doesn't beep.

 

[MADGAME]

I think it's different for valuable un-re-downloadable things like PT demo, but can't get a straight answer :/

Sorry, I should have clarified for straight-up vanilla regular HDD upgrade.

 

[Retsudo]

For the people who have PT, is the process different? I heard you need a second HDD to transfer to first, then transfer to your new one? Anyone do this before?

I think you're scrwed.

I would like to know the same thing. I didn't know that there were bigger drives then 2tb that fit into the ps4.

Just create a backup to a pen drive or a portable drive before switching hard drives. I deleted everything i had on my ps4 except P.T., so the process would be quicker.

After installing the new harddrive and installing the firmware on the new drive, just insert your usb device of choice with the backup of P.T., go to options and restore the data.

Thats what i did and P.T. is sitting nice and gory on my ps4.

 

[cLOUDo]

There is some good video steep by steep
For noobs users? XD

 

[PantsuJo]

Some time ago a Gaffer suggests an interesting solution for the PS4 storage problem.

If I remember correctly he modified the network settings of Ps4 in order to backup games and updates to a local server in his LAN.

So every time he needs to restore old installation files he can quickly recover them from this "nas" (at the lan network speed of course).

I don't remember the software used to manage these backups on PC (a Windows exe) nor the user nickname here.

Can someone help me to remember (or contact the user?)

 

[Ahasverus]

Some time ago a Gaffer suggests an interesting solution for the PS4 storage problem.

If I remember correctly he modified the network settings of Ps4 in order to backup games and updates to a local server in his LAN.

So every time he needs to restore old installation files he can quickly recover them from this "nas" (at the lan network speed of course).

I don't remember the software used to manage these backups on PC (a Windows exe) nor the user nickname here.

Can someone help me to remember (or contact the user?)

This is brilliant

 

[PantsuJo]

This is brilliant

Yes, indeed. I'm searching on Google for this software (and a guide as well), trying to remember its name

 

[Interrobang]

Just create a backup to a pen drive or a portable drive before switching hard drives. I deleted everything i had on my ps4 except P.T., so the process would be quicker.

After installing the new harddrive and installing the firmware on the new drive, just insert your usb device of choice with the backup of P.T., go to options and restore the data.

Thats what i did and P.T. is sitting nice and gory on my ps4.

This is perfect - thanks. When you say make a backup, do you mean just transfer it to a thumbdrive? Do I just stick in a thumbdrive, transfer PT to it, and then stick it back in when done?

 

[SallyIsNow]

Sony should really start allowing external storage at this point, maybe next year, the gen just got past its half time.

Can't fucking believe the Pro didn't come with that off the bat.

 

[TheMan]

The worst is when you have enough space for installation plus billion gb patch, but the fucking ps4 wants you to have quadruple the amount of empty space on rhe drive so you have to delete half your shit. So FUCKING annoying.

 

[Retsudo]

This is perfect - thanks. When you say make a backup, do you mean just transfer it to a thumbdrive? Do I just stick in a thumbdrive, transfer PT to it, and then stick it back in when done?

Yes, go to the Settings menu -> System -> Back up and restore, and follow the instructions. It's super easy.

Link to youtube video with instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX_uAAqqVxw

Just in case my PS4 harddrive ever craps out, i uploaded my backup to my pc so if i ever need to reinstall everything from 0 i can still have it.

 

[StereoVsn]

I am running 1TB SSD in my PRO and it's worth it. FF loading speeds are fairly small compared to what I am seeing people complain online. Other open world games will also take advantage.

I dunno, I find 1TB (850 GB available or so after the OS and the conversion where 1TB is like 930GB) sufficient. Hopefully SAD NAND shortage is going to get resolved next year and 2TB will drop to 300ish. Overall though if you play a lot of different games and a lot of Open Workd games, SSD does work to cut down those loading times and some of the stutter.

 

[Hiltz]

Is getting a back up necessary if I don't care about wanting to save my gameplay files for Uncharted and Overwatch when I intend to buy a 2 TB Fire Cuda or whatever other hard drive someone recommends in terms of performance and reliability? I just got a PS4 Slim a few days ago and only began to play those, so I wouldn't mind just starting over and reinstalling the digital versions of Overwatch and Titanfall 2 that I bought off of PS+, and whatever download requirement the physical copy of Uncharted 4 requires. I haven't opened the game case for Bloodborne yet. Other than that, the only other content on the default 500GB I have installed are gameplay demos for Nier Automata and Gravity Rush 2.