Installing a 3.5" Drive Internally in place of the Bluray Drive

[rednekcowboy]

Quite a while ago, I did a very simple project where I replaced the DVD drive on my RGH 360 with a 3.5" HDD that was powered externally.

I want to attempt the same thing with my PS3 (my bluray laser is dead and I have an extra 1TB drive I can use) but have a couple of questions before I do.

1. Will the PS3 boot without the Bluray attached?
2. Will I be able to update/switch CFW's without a bluray drive attached?

I'm going to the inlaws today or tomorrow until boxing day, so this project will likely wait until after Christmas.

[gDrive]

Quite a while ago, I did a very simple project where I replaced the DVD drive on my RGH 360 with a 3.5" HDD that was powered externally.

I want to attempt the same thing with my PS3 (my bluray laser is dead and I have an extra 1TB drive I can use) but have a couple of questions before I do.

1. Will the PS3 boot without the Bluray attached?
2. Will I be able to update/switch CFW's without a bluray drive attached?

I'm going to the inlaws today or tomorrow until boxing day, so this project will likely wait until after Christmas.

1. I'm not sure about that, but I don't think the console will boot up without a BD-ROM.
2. Firmware switching isn't a possibility unless someone patches out the hardware checks - why do you think Rogero's 3.55 v3.4 contains the NoBD/LV1/LV2 patches? It's for that very reason - to bypass those checks.

[rednekcowboy]

1. I'm not sure about that, but I don't think the console will boot up without a BD-ROM.
2. Firmware switching isn't a possibility unless someone patches out the hardware checks - why do you think Rogero's 3.55 v3.4 contains the NoBD/LV1/LV2 patches? It's for that very reason - to bypass those checks.

Hmmm, see, that's why I asked!! Guess I'll have to figure out something else.....

[gDrive]

Hmmm, see, that's why I asked!! Guess I'll have to figure out something else.....

What's your PS3 model? You could consider buying a spare PS3 BD-ROM if it is cheap enough to buy.

Alternatively, have you tried cleaning the laser on your faulty BD-ROM?

[rednekcowboy]

What's your PS3 model? You could consider buying a spare PS3 BD-ROM if it is cheap enough to buy.

Alternatively, have you tried cleaning the laser on your faulty BD-ROM?

Ya, I cleaned the laser--no difference. I do plan on buying a replacement (I checked on ebay a little bit ago and they weren't too bad--$40 or something).

I'm still going to use the 1TB drive as I have it lying around anyways and I need a bigger drive than the 250 GB one I have now and prefer to keep everything internal. What I'll probably do is run a sata cable from the HDD bay out to the drive and power it externally with a power supply from one of those sata->usb adapter kits you can get.

I have to do a little more research (aka, open up my ps3 and look to see how the hdd bay is connected to the mobo. I'm hoping it's just a sata connection). Alternatively, I can see if I can make a hole out of the back of my ps3 so I can place the drive behind the console so you can't see it and that way it wouldn't be so fugly!! LOL

[master737373]

No and no. I'll explain in a little bit.

Edit: I take it that you're going to also remove the BD controller, and without that, the PS3 won't pass system checks as it boots. You can change firmwares with the DRIVE but not without the controller.

[rednekcowboy]

No and no. I'll explain in a little bit.

Edit: I take it that you're going to also remove the BD controller, and without that, the PS3 won't pass system checks as it boots. You can change firmwares with the DRIVE but not without the controller.

So what you are saying is that if I leave the pcb from the bluray drive in the ps3 and connected, it will pass the checks?

[deank]

Without the logic board connected you won't be able to start any game/homebrew - they'll all blackscreen. You need at least the board connected.

[rednekcowboy]

Without the logic board connected you won't be able to start any game/homebrew - they'll all blackscreen. You need at least the board connected.

Cool, so I have a couple of things to test once I start messing with this!!

[rednekcowboy]

K, so I'll be returning home today and have done some more research.

1. As DeanK says, if the logic board from the BR drive is in and connected, it will pass the necessary checks when upgrading fw, etc.

2. It seems that the ps3 will only see a max of 1TB internal storage, so I'm good there as well.

I do have a question left though. How does the sata connector on a ps3 attache to the motherboard. What I mean is, on the 360, it's just a normal sata connection on the motherboard itself, but on the ps3 it looks like the connections for the hdd are attached directly to the mobo meaning I would either need to:
a)solder a sata cable to the motherboard somewhere or
b)get a male to female sata cable.

Is this correct or is there an actual sata port on the motherboard itself? I can't find any good pics of this portion of the mainboard and would like to know as I want to stop on the way home and pick up the supplies I'll need.