Instructions
Attach the external hard drive to your computer via any available USB port.
Click "Show Files" when prompted, which will cause an error to appear, asking whether or not to format. Click "Format."
Select "FAT32" from the drop-down menu and click "Format." Wait for the hard drive to format before removing it from your computer.
Insert the external HDD into the USB port of your PlayStation 3, located on the front of the console. It will begin working automatically.