problem with swapping hard drives between two different models of PS3s

[mstenger404]

Hi all, Me and my older brother are both PS3 owners, he lives in a different state and owns the launch model while I have the model that came out before the slims were released. He already got rid of all of his PS2 games while I still have some and want to keep playing them. He agreed to let me swap our hard drives so I could have the backwards compatibility.

I know how to swap the hard drives its just that now I'm at a little rut in the road. I take his HDD and stick it into my PS3, turn it on and it gives me an error, so I turn it off and hold the power button for 10 seconds to get the two beeps to open up a menu. I go to reset PS3 settings and it keeps asking for an update, which could potentially reformat the hard drive which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

What am I doing wrong? What could I do to succeed?
thanks in advance

[Trumple]

Backwards compatibility doesn't work like that (I'm pretty sure)
It is a feature that resides in the actual console, not on the harddrive. (it requires a special laser with the capability to read PS2 disks)

So even if you did get the HD working, it wouldn't work. Why not just swap PS3s??

[oldage]

BC doesn't work like that, otherwise everyone would just buy the HDD's for it.
+ you can't swap HDD's without reformatting them, they're "tied" to the PS3 afaik.

[mstenger404]

I know BC doesn't reside on the HDDs, I'm swapping the hard drives so me and my brother can keep our respective save games. I will take my hard drive, put it in his PS3 and then take his PS3 home while he keeps his hard drive but in my PS3 and he keeps mine.

[oldage]

ah, well that will not work, as I said, when you swap PS3 HDD's you have to reformat them before they can be used.

can't you both copy your "important" savegames (from the games you play most) to a USB stick, make new account on the PS3 (you make new one on your brothers PS3 and vice versa) and just put back on? Unless the gamesave has copy protection it's your only chance to do what you want to do and keep your savegames.

[mstenger404]

I don't know, is there a back up utility?

[.Lain]

Now i wish i didnt give my launch day 6oGB to my bro,but after all, he is my bro.
I wanna play some ps2 games =[
Also the backwards compatability and the XMB os is built into your ps3

[mstenger404]

I know that already, He's concerned about his save data.