So I guess there’s a good chance I’m going to offload my existing 20gb PS3 and move on up to the 60gb. My question is this: how do I go about deleting my account data from the old 20gb machine and recovering it on the new 60gb? Is that an easy thing to do, or indeed even possible? Even though I am probably going to sell to a friend, I still don’t want to ship my old PS3 out of here with all my account/credit card data still on it someplace, nor do I want to have to remake my account/friends list etc.
But why would anyone on earth want to sell a PS3 once they’ve learned discipline from it?
Something tells me I’m going to have to do it first and then report :/
Known steps are:
- copy data to USB key (game saves)
- format old HD
- copy data to new console via the USB key
I suspect some sort of reset is available to restore the PS3 to its original state. I also suspect that the user account details are on the server, and just the login/pass is handled by the PS3. I don’t think the user data can be backed up and restored to another device, just the game saves, but I’ll look more closely.
The answer to all your questions is to sell all your ps3s and stick with your 360. :D
Deep in the settings somewhere is a setting to reset or restore your ps3 to factory settings. I think it’s even mentioned in the manual on “how to dispose of your ps3” and talks about this procedure to clear all data from your ps3.
So, the HD is easily upgradeable, anyone with a PS3 and 360 would probably be better served with a Wifi Bridge instead of two independent adapters, and the PS3 can talk to USB thumb drives. Why even bother with the 60GB model? One of the 1st things I would do would be to swap either hard drive with a 7200rpm 100+ GB drive.
Restore default settings
Select this option if you want to restore the PS3 to the default settings it had when it first came out of the box. After the operation is completed you will see the initial setup screen that appeared the first time you turned on your PS3™.
NOTE
* You cannot use this feature to go back to an earlier version of the system software.
Restore PS3 system
Use this option to delete the contents of the internal hard disk and restore the default settings that your PS3 had when it first came out of the box. Data lost through the use of this option cannot be recovered.
NOTE
* You cannot use this feature to go back to an earlier version of the system software.Okay, so formatting the PS3 is easy enough. I’m just wondering if it’s equally easy to recover an existing user account on a new PS3…
The “restore PS3 system” is what you need.
After you back up your game saves, use that. It’ll work as they say: it behaves as if it’s just been taken out of the box for the first time.
On the new system, turn it on, go through the setup questions it asks, set up your network (if wireless), then click on the “join PS3 network” (it defaults to this prompt after you finish the initial setup). It’ll then offer to let you log in to an existing PSN account, you just need your email address and password. Once you’re in, it downloads your friends etc.
I just did it, and it seemed to work fine. Messages (incoming or outgoing) are not restored, but I see all of you guys still.
WOOT. Thanks a lot.