User Info: prozac786 prozac786 6 years ago #1



For those that want to maximize performance, there are many options and topics covering the use of a Hybrid (SSHD) or a Solid State (SSD) Drive, and their benefits over a standard drive. I am not in any way criticizing those choices and I respect those decisions. This thread, however, is aimed at those that (like myself) want to maximize storage space by going for raw capacity. So it's intended as an alternative solution, based on personal preference.



I can confirm that 3.5 inch drives, in 3TB, 4TB and 6TB capacities, all successfully work with the PS4. Though they need to be hooked up externally, it's a very simple and easy process to do. This isn't by any means my own method, various users have already done this for their PS3, years ago. But on the PS4, it has only been done by 2 other users (to my knowledge) but their drive sizes weren't as large as the maximum I have tested.



So, I've followed their instructions and tested with 3TB and 6TB drives, I didn't test with a 4TB drive, but it will definitely work because I can confirm that even sizes up to 6TB are supported.



Proof below -



Quick Pic 1 - http://imgur.com/TXZB5Kf



Quick Pic 2 - http://imgur.com/yWFI1Ev



Final Setup - http://imgur.com/Vhmm9Fw







You'll need three things. The Hard Drive itself, a SATA Extension Cable and a 3.5 inch Enclosure.



______





Hard Drive Choices



If you want anything up to and including 2TB, there are standard 2.5 inch, 9.5mm drives that will provide those options. For anyone that wants above 2TB, please continue to read ahead.



I'll only be including links from Amazon for the HDDs that I suggest personally, and for simplicity. These links include Drive model number, so feel free to compare prices from other websites and/or local retailers, to ensure you get the best deal on your drive of choice. (You may choose an entirely different Brand altogether, I've just included my personal suggestions, not all of the possible options).





3TB HDD



This is a decent drive at 7200RPM, for those that want good performance above 2TB but also don't want to spend too much. After formatting and OS Reserves, you have 2.6TB of space to play with. I have provided Amazon US and Amazon UK links below, however it can also be found on the variety of Amazon EU websites as well, (DE, FR, etc).





Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST3000DM001/dp/B005T3GRLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402576851&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+3tb





Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-7200RPM-Cache-SATA3-Drive/dp/B006KCX0UE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402576860&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+3tb







4TB HDD



This is actually a 4TB SSHD, so you get the best of both worlds here, so those that justify performance, do not have to sacrifice it for space in this situation. That is why I personally think this drive is the best solution, as it will suit the largest number of users.



I'd expect the capacity, after formatting and OS reserves, to give you around 3.5TB of Total Space to play around with.





Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-Hybrid-3-5-Inch-ST4000DX001/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402575132&sr=8-1&keywords=4tb+sshd





Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Serial-Solid-State-Hybrid/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402575115&sr=8-1&keywords=4tb+sshd





Continued... PSN Prozac786

"It shows how poorly education and raised someone really are." bob15x There's a lot of people running out of space on their PS4's standard 500GB Hard Drive, that's not surprising considering the average game size is 35GB-40GB.I can confirm that 3.5 inch drives, in 3TB, 4TB and 6TB capacities, all successfully work with the PS4. Though they need to be hooked up externally, it's a very simple and easy process to do. This isn't by any means my own method, various users have already done this for their PS3, years ago. But on the PS4, it has only been done by 2 other users (to my knowledge) but their drive sizes weren't as large as the maximum I have tested.So, I've followed their instructions and tested with 3TB and 6TB drives, I didn't test with a 4TB drive, but it will definitely work becauseQuick Pic 1 - http://imgur.com/TXZB5KfQuick Pic 2 - http://imgur.com/yWFI1EvFinal Setup - http://imgur.com/Vhmm9Fw______If you want anything up to and including 2TB, there are standard 2.5 inch, 9.5mm drives that will provide those options. For anyone that wants above 2TB, please continue to read ahead.I'll only be including links from Amazon for the HDDs that I suggest personally, and for simplicity. These links include Drive model number, so feel free to compare prices from other websites and/or local retailers, to ensure you get the best deal on your drive of choice. (You may choose an entirely different Brand altogether, I've just included my personal suggestions, not all of the possible options).This is a decent drive at 7200RPM, for those that want good performance above 2TB but also don't want to spend too much. After formatting and OS Reserves, you have 2.6TB of space to play with. I have provided Amazon US and Amazon UK links below, however it can also be found on the variety of Amazon EU websites as well, (DE, FR, etc).Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST3000DM001/dp/B005T3GRLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402576851&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+3tbAmazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-7200RPM-Cache-SATA3-Drive/dp/B006KCX0UE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402576860&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+3tbThis is actually a 4TB SSHD, so you get the best of both worlds here, so those that justify performance, do not have to sacrifice it for space in this situation. That is why I personally think this drive is the best solution, as it will suit the largest number of users.I'd expect the capacity, after formatting and OS reserves, to give you around 3.5TB of Total Space to play around with.Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-Hybrid-3-5-Inch-ST4000DX001/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402575132&sr=8-1&keywords=4tb+sshdAmazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Serial-Solid-State-Hybrid/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402575115&sr=8-1&keywords=4tb+sshd

User Info: prozac786 prozac786 (Topic Creator) 6 years ago #2 6TB HDD



There's only one choice here that is within a reasonable cost. That is the Seagate 6TB 7200RPM HDD and it is only sold from Amazon US at an affordable price. Everywhere else, it's more or less a rip off I think. But Amazon US do export this drive to the UK and almost all relevant parts of the EU. Importing will have slightly extra charges, depending on your location, but it's not too bad at all, again within a reasonable amount. (New egg also sell this for the same price as Amazon, but their importing fees are ridiculous).



After formatting, you have 5.4TB of space to play with!



This is the drive I have used and it's perfect for my personal choice. However there is one issue with this drive. The drive takes longer than all of the others for it's initial boot up, so to start the PS4 with this drive successfully, you will need to manually do it, by holding the PS4's power button for 5-6 seconds. (Make sure to let go before the 2nd beep, before 7 seconds, otherwise you will enter safe mod). So yeh, with this drive, you'll have to do this every time to start the PS4, for this reason, it is probably not the ideal solution for most users. (That is also another reason why I suggest the 4TB SSHD). But if you want maximum capacity, like me, then this is the drive to go for.





Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-7200RPM-128MB-Cache/dp/B00JBJ34WC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402577627&sr=8-1&keywords=6tb+Seagate



_______





SATA Extension Cable



Note, you'll need a SATA Extension Cable, also known as a SATA Male to Female Cable. This is NOT a standard SATA Cable.



It is still in dispute whether the PS4 supports SATA III or just SATA II. I went with a SATA III cable just in case, as they're still very cheap. The one I used is provided below, it is manufactured by Delock. I strongly recommend it, but feel free to use an alternative if you prefer. Make sure the cable is at least 1 meter in length. This is crucial.





Delock Cable - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SATA-7pin-Male-to-S-ATA-7-pin-Female-extension-cable-speed-up-to-3Gbps-1m-lead-/291123452614?pt=UK_Computing_Drive_Cables_Adapters&hash=item43c84f5ac6



Various sellers from eBay UK and eBay US, will sell this exact cable and ship it internationally. I'll let you do the searching for your specific shipped location of choice. Make sure to check both eBay UK and US sites, regardless of where you live. The cables are very cheap and often include free international shipping.



______





3.5 inch HDD Enclosure



An enclosure is needed not only to protect and house the 3.5 inch Drive, but also to power it. The enclosure that I've used is very old, so I cannot find it online, but any standard 3.5 inch HDD USB enclosure will work. Obviously we won't be connecting through USB, but we need that enclosure as it comes with it's own power source, that's the crucial part. I've given some suggestions below to suitable enclosures, feel free to check on other websites, depending on your location, for suitable enclosures. Most will have a separate power source/power port, visible in pictures, those are the ones you want.





Possible Enclosures - http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=3.5%20inch%20enclosure&sprefix=3.5+inch+en%2Caps%2C178&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A3.5%20inch%20enclosure





Possible Enclosures - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=3.5%20inch%20enclosure&sprefix=3.5+inch+en%2Caps%2C294&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A3.5%20inch%20enclosure

PSN Prozac786

"It shows how poorly education and raised someone really are." bob15x There's only one choice here that is within a reasonable cost. That is the Seagate 6TB 7200RPM HDD and it is only sold from Amazon US at an affordable price. Everywhere else, it's more or less a rip off I think. But Amazon US do export this drive to the UK and almost all relevant parts of the EU. Importing will have slightly extra charges, depending on your location, but it's not too bad at all, again within a reasonable amount. (New egg also sell this for the same price as Amazon, but their importing fees are ridiculous).This is the drive I have used and it's perfect for my personal choice.So yeh, with this drive, you'll have to do this every time to start the PS4, for this reason, it is probably not the ideal solution for most users. (That is also another reason why I suggest the 4TB SSHD). But if you want maximum capacity, like me, then this is the drive to go for.Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-7200RPM-128MB-Cache/dp/B00JBJ34WC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402577627&sr=8-1&keywords=6tb+Seagate_______Note, you'll need a, also known as a. This isa standard SATA Cable.It is still in dispute whether the PS4 supports SATA III or just SATA II. I went with a SATA III cable just in case, as they're still very cheap. The one I used is provided below, it is manufactured by Delock. I strongly recommend it, but feel free to use an alternative if you prefer.Delock Cable - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SATA-7pin-Male-to-S-ATA-7-pin-Female-extension-cable-speed-up-to-3Gbps-1m-lead-/291123452614?pt=UK_Computing_Drive_Cables_Adapters&hash=item43c84f5ac6Various sellers from eBay UK and eBay US, will sell this exact cable and ship it internationally. I'll let you do the searching for your specific shipped location of choice. Make sure to check both eBay UK and US sites, regardless of where you live. The cables are very cheap and often include free international shipping.______An enclosure is needed not only to protect and house the 3.5 inch Drive, but also to power it. The enclosure that I've used is very old, so I cannot find it online, but any standard 3.5 inch HDD USB enclosure will work. Obviously we won't be connecting through USB, but we need that enclosure as it comes with it's own power source, that's the crucial part. I've given some suggestions below to suitable enclosures, feel free to check on other websites, depending on your location, for suitable enclosures.- http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=3.5%20inch%20enclosure&sprefix=3.5+inch+en%2Caps%2C178&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A3.5%20inch%20enclosure- http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=3.5%20inch%20enclosure&sprefix=3.5+inch+en%2Caps%2C294&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A3.5%20inch%20enclosure

User Info: prozac786 prozac786 (Topic Creator) 6 years ago #3 Instructions



Now for the actual instructions on how to do this setup, it is very simple and can be done in 3 easy steps.



Step 1 - You take off the Hard Drive cover and remove the standard Hard Drive, as you would in any normal PS4 HDD upgrade.



Step 2 - You connect the SATA Extension cable, into the port where the standard Hard Drive was previously and then close the PS4 Cover.



(This can be a little tricky, carefully connect the Cable and once it's in place, close the cover to secure it. Until the cover isn't closed, the cable will appear loose. Connecting the cable and then closing the HDD Cover, secures it in place)



Step 3 - Place your HDD in the enclosure and connect the power cable to the HDD, attach the other end of the SATA Extension Cable to the HDD and power it on.



That's it, you're done. Then it's simply a matter of installing the firmware, again as you normally would have done, in any normal PS4 HDD upgrade.





Below is a tutorial (done by another user) on how to remove the PS4 HDD Cover and Drive, as well as how to re-install the firmware -



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FJHYAfiYRs





I am also including the links to the previous two users, (Calibuur and Placebo) who have done this setup before me, and whose instructions I have followed. Note: One of the users, suggests using a SATA Extension Adapter for further security, you may do this if you wish, but it is not necessary and limits the speed of the PS4 to the speed of this adapter, so I strongly advise against it.



One user also advises against Enclosures, and suggests to use a Molex Power Supply instead. This works too, but is more complicated. Stick with 3.5 Inch HDD Enclosures, they are simple and easy to use, as per my instructions.





Calibuur - On page 3, scroll down to see his setup, also read posts by Calibuur on pages 2, 3 and 4 of the thread.



http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-General/Maximum-PS4-Hard-Drive-Capacity/td-p/42466095/page/3







Placebo Visit both links to see his setup and instructions.



http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/01/14/crafty-gamer-modifies-ps4-to-run-with-2-tb-external-sshd-drive-claims-better-and-cooler-performance/



http://forums.evo-web.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2842843&postcount=438





______





I think that about covers everything, I'll upload a YouTube Video showing you a demo of the 6TB drive in action, giving you a good idea of what sort of performance to expect with a dive of that size. To put it simply. I was very impressed!



Any questions? Feel free to ask

PSN Prozac786

"It shows how poorly education and raised someone really are." bob15x Now for the actual instructions on how to do this setup, it is very simple and can be done in 3 easy steps.You take off the Hard Drive cover and remove the standard Hard Drive, as you would in any normal PS4 HDD upgrade.You connect the SATA Extension cable, into the port where the standard Hard Drive was previously and then close the PS4 Cover.Place your HDD in the enclosure and connect the power cable to the HDD, attach the other end of the SATA Extension Cable to the HDD and power it on.That's it, you're done. Then it's simply a matter of installing the firmware, again as you normally would have done, in any normal PS4 HDD upgrade.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FJHYAfiYRsI am also including the links to the previous two users, (Calibuur and Placebo) who have done this setup before me, and whose instructions I have followed.- On page 3, scroll down to see his setup, also read posts by Calibuur on pages 2, 3 and 4 of the thread.http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-General/Maximum-PS4-Hard-Drive-Capacity/td-p/42466095/page/3Visit both links to see his setup and instructions.http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/01/14/crafty-gamer-modifies-ps4-to-run-with-2-tb-external-sshd-drive-claims-better-and-cooler-performance/http://forums.evo-web.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2842843&postcount=438______

User Info: z_cherub z_cherub 6 years ago #4 PSN: ZCherub Nice. Good work. I'd be interested in seeing a loading speed comparison between these options as well.

User Info: Abyss89 Abyss89 6 years ago #5 Sticky requested

User Info: z_cherub z_cherub 6 years ago #6 Abyss89 posted...

Sticky requested PSN: ZCherub

User Info: calhoun1389 calhoun1389 6 years ago #7 The series finale to HIMYM was one of the most BS endings I've ever seen on TV.

http://backloggery.com/calhoun1389 If I were to get a higher 2.5 inch SATA II drive, would I still need the cable, or no? I'm not too big a fan of having a part of my new system hanging out of the casing, especially since I have a 2 year old that likes pulling on cables and would have no where to hide the system.

User Info: EvilResident EvilResident 6 years ago #8 .The One ... [ este914 ] ... The Only.

Knowledge Speaks. Wisdom Listens. Can someone remind me as to why you can't hook up a bigger internal drive?

User Info: Anodyne11 Anodyne11 6 years ago #9 este914 posted...

Can someone remind me as to why you can't hook up a bigger internal drive?



Hook up a bigger drive internally? As in size? Because it simply won't fit in. It physically won't fit in, there isn't enough space in there.

Also the upside with having the drive outside like this means that the system won't heat up as much. Valkyria Chronicles is the best RPG last gen!

Matt-Moores - Taking awesome to a whole new level. Enjoy the PS4! Hook up a bigger drive internally? As in size? Because it simply won't fit in. It physically won't fit in, there isn't enough space in there.Also the upside with having the drive outside like this means that the system won't heat up as much.