Using an External Hard Drive for PS3 Games

Officially: No. PS3 games must be installed on the internal HDD (encrypted per-console filesystem). External USB drives cannot run games directly.

What External USB Drives Can Do (Official)

• Backup Utility: Settings → System Settings → Backup Utility → Full backup (saves, trophies, downloaded games, encrypted) to FAT32 USB. Restore to same/new PS3.
• Media Playback: Music, Photos, Video (AVI, MP4, MKV via Media Player).
• PKG Install Source: Store `.pkg` files on USB → Install to internal HDD via "Install Package Files" (requires HEN/CFW).

Expanding Game Storage

1. Upgrade Internal HDD: 2.5" SATA, 9.5mm height. Up to 2 TB (1.5 TB safe for older firmware). Clone via Backup Utility or fresh install + restore.
2. CFW/HEN (Jailbreak): Enables running games from external USB via webMAN MOD, multiMAN, IRISMAN (ISO/Folder format). **Not official.** Requires PS3HEN (HAN) or CFW (Rebug, Evilnat).

Official path: Internal HDD only. Backup Utility is the sole USB game-data function. CFH path: External works well but voids warranty (long expired) and risks ban if online.