How to Clean the Hard Drive on a PS3

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) hard drive stores all data saved by the user. This includes downloaded content (e.g. movies or premium game content), game saves and system settings. Cleaning (or "formatting") the PS3 hard drive will permanently delete this information, although you can re-download premium content using the same PSN account. This is often used as a last resort to fix a hard drive-related problem.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Turn the PS3 on. After the PS3 menu (XMB bar) loads, select the "Settings." menu.

   • 2

     Select "System Settings."

   • 3

     Select "Restore PS3 System." When asked to confirm that this is what you want to do, select "Yes." Depending on how much information is stored on the hard drive, this can take a few minutes. The PS3 will reset once the process is complete.