Folder structure

Reference for the folder structure used on a removable USB storage device (flash drive, external hard-drive). The correct structure is essential when copying certain files to the PS3.

  • MUSIC
    • Album Name (when copying whole album to drive)
      • Song title 01.mp3
      • Song title 02.mp3
    • Song from another album.mp3 (when copy individual songs)
  • PICTURE
    • CIMG1387.JPG
  • PS3
    • EXPORT
      • BACKUP (created via PS3 backup feature)
        • 200911131808 (date backup was performed, format=YYYYMMDDHHMM)
          • archive.dat
          • archive_00.dat
          • archive_[XX].dat
          • archive2.dat
          • archive2_00.dat
          • archive2_[XX].dat
      • PSV (PS1/PS2 game saves)
        • BESLES-544543032.PSV
    • SAVEDATA (PS3 game saves)
      • BCES00001_PROFILE
        • ICON0.PNG
        • PARAM.PFD
        • PARAM.SFO
        • PROFILE.SAV
      • BCES00078-GAMEAUTOSAVE
        • ICON0.PNG
        • ICON1.PAM
        • PARAM.PFD
        • PARAM.SFO
        • PIC1.PNG
        • SND0.AT3
        • USERDATA.DAT
    • THEME (new in firmware 2.0)
      • themename.p3t
    • UPDATE (firmware update file)
      • PS3UPDAT.PUP
  • VIDEO
    • Name_of_video.mp4
  • Dsaa

    what is folders tructure

  • *Sexy_Girl*

    what about the add-ons
    were would they be?
    if they were in these folders

    • zapzpter

      game data not game save

  • Billylong23

    yea what folder do i put my dopwnloaded games in o play on ps3 plese email me at billylong23@gmail.com

  • Gamecraz

    does your ps3 save your internet code that you put in when you disable it so then you can reconnect it no problem?

  • Soupdip

    Silly question I’ve created the hard drive and my ps3 sees all the folders, but I’m not sure why when loading a new game it says I’m out of disk space.  Any thoughts are welcomed.  Thanks!

  • Malecki John

    Hi, here’s the deal i know how to hook up the psp to the os3 and copy saved games but i can not get the saved ps3 games to work on the psp or even show up in the right place what am i missing? what do i have to do to use say a madden 12 save data from my ps3 on my psp?

  • doc10

    I’m trying to get some of my old game saves off gamefaqs and put them on the internal memory card of my ps3 , but my ps3 won’t read my flash drive. its formatted in FAT32 and i follow the folder structure….any ideas?

    • Bwatson151

      try FAT not fat32 , thats the format ps3 uses cause fat32 won’t read any file bigger then 4gb

  • All

    fat32, i have it on a 3tb hard drive no probs at all…

    • Soupdip

      If I may ask was your PS3 out of space?  Mine is out of space, however the external hard drive, which is FAT32 format and my ps3 reads, still doesn’t let me play new games until i delete items to free up space.  Might you know if I am doing something wrong, or is the external hard drive just good for storing photos, videos and stuff like that?  Thanks!

  • Johnsmith

    i got a ps3 game on my mac and i’m trying to play it on my ps3–does anybody know the procedure on how to run it on the ps3? thanks

  • Davidbracken

    any one know to to solve the 80710D36 error playstationnetwork

  • Aman Jhawar

    THANK U !
    i was searching for this for a long time !!!!!!!
    thnx

    • zapzpter

      fat32 won’t take bigger then 4gb so you have to use FAT

      • Anonymous

        Other way around :)

  • Dennyedunn

    Format you hard drives in FAT format not FAT32. I did this with my Mac. I have a 2 TB hard drive that my Mac, PC, and PS3 can all three read and write.

  • Starscream2014

    im sorry but how do u put games on a ps3 di=o uu have 2 jailbreak or what email me at starscream2014@gmail.com

    • http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

      What do you mean? You buy games from your local shop or from the Playstation Store.

    • zapzpter

      no its easy as , you just need homebrew and and a another drive , but just get them from psn you don’t use a disc

  • Tonimatthew07

    im sorry  but what should i do?i follow all the format needed to put videos on my ps3 but i doesn’t seem to be working.

    • Robert654a

       if you formatted the drive for FAT32 , rename the drive (fat32 HD) to -> (PS3) and then this artical for folder naming.

  • Lyulyu

    informasi iki bener-bener ono manfaate yakin sung, matur nuwun [speak javanese]

    • Wongjowoedan

      haha wong jowo ko nimbrung2 rene, haha (javanese)

  • Dporter21

    What is the best Game on PS3 now 

  • Northwesternballers

    If I make a HD file with h.264 avc1 mp4 vid codec, how do I get closed captioning CC? Any help would be appreciated!

    • Northwesternballers

      I knows this is a difficult question since I want to use an external SSD, but I have files over 4GB and and thats why i need to use NTSC (NTSC for mac) format for large high definition video s. I found a player that can accept ntfs but it is only a player not q game console! If anyone knows abot diferent video codecs and specs for hd videos ands this, then I could really use some advice on some other things and in may b able to help u.

  • pulchritude

    how would you save a game? which folder should it be saved?

    • http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

      Are you asking about PS3 games? You don’t need to worry about folders – the games just save in a special Save Data location.

  • Dave Bell

    This is just the detail I needed.

    The allowed video filenames include .divx and .avi for DivX format

    The 4GB limit on individual files would be a long video with MP4-level compression.

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  • Jonathan

    I have 2 questions: 1) I have a lot of pictures and videos on my PS3 and want to structure them into folders from each event they were from, how do I create the folders? 2) I do not have wifi so I have not set up a PS3 account yet BUT my mate who has, logged into his account on my PS3 and now I cannot create an account?? how do I fix this?

    • http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

      1) There is some automatic grouping if you go to the Video menu and press Square I think it is – repeatedly pressing will cycle through the different group modes. If you want to make your own folders… you won’t like it – you have to go to each photo/video, press Triangle to bring up options, choose Information, then enter the “Album”.

      2) You’re stuffed. Lots of people complain about this. Once a PSN account is associated with your PS3 User they can’t be separated. The only way you can make an account is by first creating a new User. But then of course you lose you trophies etc.

  • Paulupiny

    can you transfer music from ps3 to ipod shuffle 1st gen everytime i try the files wont play

  • Joshua

    I’ve downloaded PS3 game and i don’t know the steps to copy it in my PS3 .. can anyone help please ?? thanks

    • http://ps3explained.com/ Flame

      If you’re trying to pirate games we can’t help you.