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When the PlayStation 4 was first launched, 500GB of storage appeared ample. It quickly turned out to not be, nevertheless, with sport file sizes increasing at a good fee of knots.
Now, years later, video games like Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 can simply high 100GB. That does not go away an excessive amount of area in your default drive for a lot of different video games.
Even when you have the improved model of the PS4 or the PS4 Pro, every with a 1TB drive, they’ll wrestle.
Fortunately, there are two choices for PS4 or PS4 Professional storage enlargement. One is blindingly easy, the opposite barely extra sophisticated. They each work very successfully although and are not too expensive.
The straightforward method: Tips on how to increase your PS4 drive by way of an exterior USB 3.0 HDD
The best methodology for PS4 reminiscence enlargement, whether or not you might have the unique mannequin, 2016 refresh or a PS4 Professional, is so as to add a USB 3.0 onerous drive to your setup.
Any USB 3.0 drive will do the job and the PS4 helps drives as much as 8TB in dimension.
We selected a devoted PS4 version of the Seagate Game Drive with 4TB of space. It is nice worth at below £100 and is designed to match the PS4 completely.
One other nice various is a WD_Black P10 Game Drive, which is particularly designed for avid gamers and prices solely just a little extra for as much as 5TB.
Whichever you select, to get it to work together with your PS4, simply plug it into any of the three USB 3.0 ports. We selected one of many rear ports to tuck it out of the way in which.
You then want to go to the Settings menu with a view to format the drive to work as exterior storage. Head to Units, then USB Storage Units. You need to see your new drive listed on the following display.
Click on on it and you’ll be taken to a web page with a field that claims “Format and Prolonged Storage”. Click on on that, watch for a short time and bingo, the drive is able to use.
The PS4 will routinely set your exterior drive to be the default to put in video games on.
If you wish to use your inside drive as an alternative, return into the Settings menu, head to Storage and press Choices. You should have the choice to decide on between the inner and exterior drives as the sport set up location.
The tougher method: Exchange the HDD inside your PS4
One other approach to increase the storage of your PS4 is to switch the onerous drive contained in the machine. It isn’t as sophisticated because it sounds and may very well be perfect if you happen to, say, need to add a solid-state drive for speedier entry.
You’ll have to take not less than a part of the console aside. Sony makes it quite simple for you, however you’ll nonetheless discover the method just a little long-winded. The straightforward half although is selecting a drive.
The PS4 makes use of a 2.5-inch SATA HDD, the kind which you may discover in a laptop computer. Nevertheless, not any previous 2.5-inch drive will work. To suit a PS4 it is going to have to be no larger than 9.5mm in depth or it will be too massive for the onerous drive enclosure drawer.
There are some on the market that can meet the specs, at across the £50 mark. We opted for a Western Digital WD10JPVX – an older 5400RPM Blue drive with a 7mm depth which inserts properly – however there are many more moderen SATA III options.
You possibly can even go for an SSD/HDD hybrid drive, such because the 1TB Seagate FireCuda gaming drive that is available on Amazon UK.
Some have additionally urged pure SSD equivalents, which ramp up load speeds dramatically however might be prohibitively costly if you happen to’re making an attempt to extend storage somewhat than shrink it.
The set-up
Putting in a PS4 onerous drive is much more time-consuming than growing the storage by way of an exterior resolution. The PS4 will take a bit extra to stand up and working, which incorporates having to again up recordsdata as you may should fully begin afresh as soon as the brand new drive is in place.
The recordsdata that can have to be backed up are sport saves and any video clips or screenshots you want to hold. You are able to do the previous in a few methods.
If you’re a PlayStation Plus member you possibly can add all your save recordsdata to the cloud, able to obtain once more while you’re performed. Actually, if you happen to had already set this as much as occur routinely you needn’t trouble your self with this a part of the method once more. If you have not and have a good few video games, this will take some time.
Should you aren’t a PlayStation Plus member or want to hold a extra native copy of your saves, you will want a USB reminiscence stick or (paradoxically) an exterior onerous drive formatted to FAT, FAT32 or exFAT customary to retailer knowledge on. Plug it into the PS4 via one of many entrance USB ports and prepare for a laborious course of.
Head to Settings, Utility Saved Knowledge Administration, Saved Knowledge in System Storage and you may see Copy to USB Storage System. Go into that menu and you may see an inventory of all of your video games. Enter each individually and you’ll tick the recordsdata you need to copy and ensure. The recordsdata will immediately be copied onto the exterior drive (or uploaded to the cloud if you happen to undergo that route).
Additionally, keep in mind to again up your captured movies and screengrabs from the Seize Gallery part of System Storage Administration. And after getting you are prepared to put in the brand new drive.
Putting in the drive
Ensure you fully energy down your PS4, not simply into relaxation mode, after which unplug it from any of the wires on the again. Put the console on a flat floor after which slide off the onerous drive casing. It should not be troublesome to do however does differ in location from the unique PS4, slim PS4 and PS4 Professional.
Inside you may achieve entry to the onerous drive enclosure, which is fastened in place with only one giant screw with the PlayStation symbols on it. Undue that with a Phillips screwdriver and you’ll slide out the prevailing drive utilizing the small deal with.
Unscrew the 4 black screws, two on both facet of the onerous drive enclosure – leaving the rubber holders in place. Then take away the drive that got here with the PS4.
Exchange it with the brand new drive and screw the black screws again in place.
Slide the drive again into the console till it feels prefer it has been connected correctly and screw it in place utilizing the big PlayStation screw.
Clip the lid or flap again into place and that a part of the job is finished.
Reinstalling the system software program
Because the console now has a model new drive with not one of the system software program put in, you may have to reinstall it manually. You may positively want an exterior USB drive (or reminiscence stick) on not less than 1GB in capability for this a part of the set-up, even if you happen to saved all your saved video games within the cloud.
Create a folder known as “PS4” on the drive utilizing a pc, then a folder inside that known as “UPDATE”. You then have to obtain the newest system software program file from Sony and be cautious of following some hyperlinks on the PlayStation website as they’ll ship you to earlier variations that will not work (you may simply get an error message when making an attempt to put in).
Transfer the downloaded file (named PS4UPDATE.PUP) to the UPDATE folder on the drive and also you’re prepared to put in it on the console.
Reattach all the leads into the rear of the PS4, plug your USB drive into the entrance and fix a DualShock 4 controller by way of its personal USB cable. Then press the on swap on the entrance of the machine for seven seconds or longer. It will boot up the console into Protected Mode and provide you with some choices. Select “Initialise PS4 (Reinstall System Software program)” and the PS4 will discover the replace (if the right one) and set up it. It solely takes round 5 minutes in complete after which your PS4 will reboot and begin up as if it has simply been unboxed and arrange for the very first time.
Efficiency
After all, you may then should reinstall all the pieces once more and signal into your PlayStation Community profile, however not less than you may have way more space for storing than while you began.
As we opted for a 5400RPM drive very similar to the one which got here with the machine within the first place we have not likely seen a lot of a efficiency improve on the inner drive.
We weren’t aiming for velocity although (for which you can go for a 7200RPM drive as an alternative if you happen to’re prepared to splash just a little additional cash) and simply having that additional space for storing is making an enormous distinction to our gaming lives.
If we’re being trustworthy, you are finest suggested to go down the exterior drive route, contemplating that is lifeless easy and comparatively low-cost today. However if you happen to actually need to beef up your system, you would possibly need to add a brand new, quicker inside drive too sooner or later.
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