How to Upgrade the PS4 Hard Drive

Your PlayStation 4 console comes with a 500GB hard drive, but that is not enough for video games on the the PS4. Most Windows laptops come with a terabyte or more now, and you can't help but feel shortchanged by just 500GB considering that most games take up around 50GB of space each. This handy guide shows you how to replace the 500GB hard drive that comes with your PS4 for something a little more substantial. And no, doing this will not void your warranty; Sony says so in the manual that comes with your console.

You could use a solid state drive (SSD) or a hybrid drive but we recommend sticking to a standard 5,400rpm laptop drive as others are not officially supported by Sony. Once you have your drive, you're good to begin.

1. First, follow the instructions on how to back up your PS4 games and data.
2. Once the data has been backed up, turn off the PS4 and unplug it from its power source.
3. The PS4 hard drive bay is located beneath the glossy section of the console. Push it up to remove it.
4. You'll notice a PlayStation branded screw (pictured below), remove it with a screw driver.
5. Pull the HDD toward the front of the system to remove it.
6. Using a phillips screwdriver, remove the screws (four places).
7. Do not remove the rubber inserts from the screw holes.
8. Place the replacement hard drive on the mounting bracket, and then attach using the screws (four places). Be careful not to make them too tight.
9. Attach the hard drive to the system using the screws, ensuring it is fully inserted in the hard drive bay.
10. Reinstall your PS4's system software (instructions are here).
11. Now you can copy the data you backed up earlier via pen drive to the PS4 after switching it on. Keep in mind that you must be signed in with the same PSN account used when you first copied the saved data:

• Connect a USB storage device to the system.
• Select Settings from screen.
• Go to Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data on USB Storage Device > Copy to System Storage.
• Select a title.
• Press X to add a checkmark in the checkbox for the saved data you want to copy, and then choose Copy.

You're good to get back to gaming on your PS4. Now with more storage space.

How to Reinstall Your PS4's System Software

While the PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a good gaming console, it isn't perfect. Sometimes you'll find yourself in a situation when you need to reinstall the system software. You need to reinstall the software if you plan to replace a hard drive, or if you're facing issues with games and menus slowing down, or if your console was on during a power outage. This is different from the usual system update procedure.

This how-to has two parts to it, the first is finding the right software update and the second needs the PS4 to boot in safe mode.

To do this to your PS4, you'll need a USB hard drive or a thumb drive (with around 1GB of free space) and a computer with Internet access.

Obtain the correct update

1. Download the PS4 firmware from this page on your PC, the link you're looking for is labelled as Download Now. This is not your usual system update that is around 300MB, rather, this is the entire software. To tell if you're downloading the right file, it's around 800MB. Even if you are on a fast connection, downloading it may take some time due to Sony's servers. The file name should be PS4UPDATE.PUP.
2. Plug the hard drive into your PC's USB port. Open it and create a new folder. Name it PS4. In PS4, create another folder. Name it UPDATE. Use exactly that name, in capital letters only, so it can be recognised by the PS4.
3. Copy the file to the UPDATE folder on your USB flash drive.

Put your PS4 in safe mode

1. Connect the USB to your PS4.
2. If your PS4 is on, switch it off. If the power indicator is lit up in orange (rest mode), hold the power button until you hear the system beep for a second time.
3. Your PS4 now boots up in safe mode. Select Initialize PS4(Reinstall System Software).
   
   

   
4. Just follow the screens to complete the update, there are no further settings to choose.

Please note:

1. If your PS4 does not recognise the update file, check that the folder names and file name are correct. If they are not exactly as listed above, in UPPERCASE characters, this will not work.
2. Also, all users and all data will be deleted, so back up your data before doing this