Looks like we need a new PS3

[Misguided]

Well, one our PS3s, a 20GB launch model (BC) appears to have died today. I've missed all of the Black Friday sales. Moreover, they seem to all have been for the new top-loading model, and I'm not sure I want that. I'm thinking of picking up the 320GB model with Uncharted 3 for 299.

Probably the worst part about all of this is my son losing his Dark Souls data.

[Autistic Angel]

The only reason for your son to lose his Dark Souls data is if the hard drive has died.  If that's the only reason your 20-gig backward compatible unit has failed, you can simply replace the drive and continue using a markedly superior model.

Otherwise, the Playstation 3 uses a standard SATA laptop hard drive.  There should be all sorts of options for retrieving data from it, including mounting the drive inside your new PS3 long enough to copy the savegame files onto a USB key.

What's the problem with your system?  As the owner of a 60-gig BC unit in need of repairs, it might have parts I could really use!

-Autistic Angel

[TiLT]

The only reason for your son to lose his Dark Souls data is if the hard drive has died.  If that's the only reason your 20-gig backward compatible unit has failed, you can simply replace the drive and continue using a markedly superior model.

Last I heard, Dark Souls is one of those games that won't let you copy its save data, which means that any console swapping results in all your progress being lost. I don't know if this applies to PS Plus.

[Autistic Angel]

Oh, you're right.  A quick Google search showed up lots of people complaining about it.  What a weird, arbitrary decision to lock down save games that way.

-Autistic Angel

[TiLT]

Oh, you're right.  A quick Google search showed up lots of people complaining about it.  What a weird, arbitrary decision to lock down save games that way.

-Autistic Angel

I guess it's to avoid cheating, but it can suck if you need to exchange your console for whatever reason.

[Harkonis]

while it certainly sucks to have this happen, I understand the reasoning behind the DS save data.  (especially on a game that prides itself in how hard it is to do well)  This prevents sending game data to another player to make it easier for them as well as makes it slightly harder to hack.

[TiLT]

while it certainly sucks to have this happen, I understand the reasoning behind the DS save data.  (especially on a game that prides itself in how hard it is to do well)  This prevents sending game data to another player to make it easier for them as well as makes it slightly harder to hack.

More importantly, it makes it impossible to backup your save before a dangerous situation and restoring it if things go wrong.

[EddieA]

The only reason for your son to lose his Dark Souls data is if the hard drive has died.  If that's the only reason your 20-gig backward compatible unit has failed, you can simply replace the drive and continue using a markedly superior model.

Last I heard, Dark Souls is one of those games that won't let you copy its save data, which means that any console swapping results in all your progress being lost. I don't know if this applies to PS Plus.

I believe the PS+ cloud saves let you upload and restore anything.  For saves that are normally locked, you have to wait something like 48 hours each time you upload or download them.

[Azhag]

I'd think the $199 sales will be back again monday or closer to christmas

[Misguided]

AA, it has a 120GB drive I put in myself. The issue is that you can't just swap the drive into another PS3 and have it read the data, because it won't. You also can't access the drive from a PC or Mac to the best of my knowledge.

When powering up, the light goes briefly from green to yellow, then to flashing red.

Anybody have experience with the super-slim units? Engadget said the top loading mechanism, buttons, and whole thing in general feel really cheap, which is why I'm thinking of getting the regular slim instead.

The only reason for your son to lose his Dark Souls data is if the hard drive has died.  If that's the only reason your 20-gig backward compatible unit has failed, you can simply replace the drive and continue using a markedly superior model. And that's all irrespective of the save data for individual games being locked.

Otherwise, the Playstation 3 uses a standard SATA laptop hard drive.  There should be all sorts of options for retrieving data from it, including mounting the drive inside your new PS3 long enough to copy the savegame files onto a USB key.

What's the problem with your system?  As the owner of a 60-gig BC unit in need of repairs, it might have parts I could really use!

-Autistic Angel

[tcweidner]

if you google around Im sure you'll be able to find cheaper replacements.  Like 120 here, http://www.zwee.com/game-consoles/cheap-ps3/

never used that site but you figure you only need a few years out of it til ps4 hits

[Autistic Angel]

AA, it has a 120GB drive I put in myself. The issue is that you can't just swap the drive into another PS3 and have it read the data, because it won't.

I did not realize that was a limitation.  The hard drive connected to my current 360 was transplanted from the one that died before it, so I assumed the PS3 worked the same way.  It's a good thing to learn considering that I may be following you in a search for a new PS3 in the near future. 

Hopefully, though, the company will make good on the warranty for the replacement Blu-Ray drive they sold me that keeled over after a couple weeks.  I'd really prefer to preserve my backwards compatibility if I possibly can....

-Autistic Angel

[Misguided]

Yeah, unfortunately, if you take a drive from a PS3 and put it into a different one, the only thing you can do is format it. It won't allow you to access any data.

[sgoldj]

Now I am curious.  I haven't used my ps3 for game sin a while so the data back up is not that important, BUT, if I had to get a new machine, how would I restore all the rock and dlc and exported songs?

My ps3 is fine, now I am just curious as to how that would work.

[MonkeyFinger]

With two working PS3 systems you have the Data Transfer Utility that you can use with an ethernet cable to get (almost) everything from one to the other. Not speedy but it does work.