I had the *EXACT* same issues this weekend as outlined by this brilliant other user below. I had purchased a 40GB PS3 about a year or so ago, I guess. Anyway, with the huge PS3 updates and game data getting larger every game release, I was fortunate enough to start running out of space. So much that I had actually purchased 3 movies and had to delete them all.
Anyway, so I ordered a new hard drive from Newegg and the drive came in the next day! *SWEET* Now six hours in, by sheer luck, I found the post below and thankfully this guy/girl posted this because I had downloaded the update from Sony’s site 3 times. I had tried a CD-ROM/USB Stick x3/External Harddrive x2 and no luck. I had everything at FAT32 and even did a CRC verify on the downloads… Anyway, here is the info below and if you have this same problem, don’t fret. In case the link goes away, I have provided a local download link as well.
VERSION 3.15 – PS3UPDAT.PUP – DOWNLOAD HERE
Yesterday, I finally got my 500G hard drive for my PS3. I used an external hard drive to back up all my data. No problems there.
I remove the 80G drive and replace it with the 500G drive. So far, so good.
I turn the system on and see this:
“The system software cannot be run correctly. Press the PS button to try to restart the system.
If the system cannot be restarted, the system portion of the hard disk must be reformatted and you must reinstall the sysytem software. Connect storage media that contains update data of version 3.15 or later, and then press the START and SELECT buttons at the same time. For information on how to obtain update data, refer to the SCE website for your region.”
Ugh… Okay. So I check the manual and verify that I have to download the update data. Here is what it said, and exactly what I did:
Step 1: Download the system software update data by going to http://www.us.playstation.com/ps3 –> No problem.
Step 2: Save the update data on storage media. Use CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, BD-RE, USB Flash Drive (Must be FAT32 format) or Memory Stick Duo. Using a PC, open your storage media and create a folder titled “PS3″. (Note below that step says “folder name must be in all uppercase letters.”) Open the “PS3″ folder and create a folder titled “UPDATE”. Save the update data download into that UPDATE folder with the path reading *:PS3/UPDATE/PS3UPDAT.PUP. –> No problem there. Followed instructions to the letter.
Step 3: Install the system software. –> PROBLEM!
I got the following message instead:
“No applicable update data was found. Connect storage media that contains update data of version 3.15 or later, and then press the START and SELECT buttons at the same time.”
I called Tech Support. Went through it with them step by step. Still the same message.
I tried another flash drive.
I tried a CD-R.
I tried a DVD-RW.
I tried a FAT32 external USB hard drive.
Nothing worked. Over and over, it was 159MB of useless. After checking the net for 3 hours for something, anything that could help. I was about ready to give up. Then, I found a forum thread full of people having the same issue I was having. Luckily, one of the replies held the answer. It read:
“k guys when i went to download the firmware from here [url]http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/SystemUpdates/PS3/pc_update.html i guess the firmware is wrong or something cuz i couldnt get it to work
so i went to http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=ps3updates&thread.id=85 and downloaded the 3.15 firmware from there and now i got it to work!!!!!! thank god”
So I clicked on the link. At the top of that page was a link to download the 3.15 update data. So I figured I’d try it. I click on the link and it began to download onto my flash drive in the UPDATE folder, inside the PS3 folder. The first thing I noticed was the download file size. Not 159MB, as in all my previous attempts. It was 163MB.
It finishes downloading, and I plug the flash drive into my PS3 and press the START and SELECT buttons. After about 10 seconds of “Checking…” BAAAMMM!
It worked! The system updated and formatted my new hard drive without another delay. It was awesome! Apparently, the missing 4MB of data were critical, because the update data won’t work without it. Now I have a perfectly working 500G PS3 with plenty of memory, and I no longer feel the need to break something electronic with something heavy.
Anyway, here’s the link for the useful update data: