What Causes External Hard Drive Corruption on PS5?
There are a few common causes of external hard drive corruption on the PS5 console:
Issues during firmware updates – If the PS5 loses power or is improperly shut down during a system update, this can cause corruption of data on external drives (source).
Improper ejection – Not properly ejecting the external drive before unplugging it can lead to corruption. Always use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option (source).
Power outages – If the PS5 suddenly loses power while writing data to the external drive, this can cause file system corruption.
Bad sectors – If the external drive has bad sectors or is failing, dataerrors and corruption can occur.
Drive formatting issues – Incorrect formatting of the external drive or errors during formatting can lead to corruption.
Symptoms of a Corrupted External Hard Drive
There are several symptoms that can indicate the external hard drive connected to your PS5 has become corrupted:
You may see error codes when trying to access games or save data on the external drive. These could include errors like “CE-300005-8,” “CE-30006-5,” or “CE-30008-1” which all relate to data corruption.
Games are likely to freeze or crash when played from the external drive if it has become corrupted. The game may abruptly stop and you’ll have to close and restart it.
Another sign of corruption is being unable to properly save your game progress. The game won’t save or updates to save files become corrupted.
Saved game data can go missing or become corrupted on a failing external drive. You may find your save files are gone or can’t be loaded.
According to users on Reddit (source), these types of issues are commonly seen when an external hard drive starts failing.
First Steps to Try
Before diving into more complex troubleshooting, try some basic first steps to see if they resolve the external hard drive corruption issue:
– Reboot the PS5 by holding the power button for 3 seconds and selecting “Power” then “Restart PS5” (https://4ddig.tenorshare.com/usb-recovery/ps5-not-recognizing-external-hard-drive.html). This may clear up any software bugs causing the problem.
– Try connecting the external hard drive to a different USB port on the PS5. The original port may have connectivity issues.
– Disconnect and reconnect the external hard drive’s cables to ensure there are no loose connections. Loose cables can interrupt the data transfer and corrupt files.
– Inspect the USB cable for damage. A faulty or worn cable could cause connectivity problems and data corruption. Replace the cable if necessary.
Trying these basic steps may restore proper connectivity and access to your external hard drive before attempting more complicated solutions.
Enter Safe Mode and Rebuild Database
One option to try and fix an external hard drive corruption issue is to enter Safe Mode on the PS5 and rebuild the database. Safe Mode allows you to access recovery and diagnostic tools on the PS5.
To enter Safe Mode, first turn off your PS5 completely. Then, press and hold the power button on the front of the console until you hear two beeps – one immediately and one after about 7 seconds. This will boot the PS5 into Safe Mode.
You can then use your controller to navigate and select the “Rebuild Database” option. Rebuilding the database scans the drive and creates a new database of all content, which can potentially fix issues caused by data corruption or conflicts. Source
Rebuilding the database does not delete or modify your data – your games, saved data, screenshots and video clips will remain intact. However, if you have an external hard drive connected, it may become unrecognized until you format it after the rebuild. Source
Overall, rebuilding the database in Safe Mode is a useful troubleshooting step that often resolves external hard drive corruption and conflicts. Just be cautious if you have an external drive connected.
Initialize PS5 System Storage
Initializing the PS5 system storage will wipe all data on the internal SSD and settings, restoring it to factory default state. So before initializing, be sure to backup any game data, screenshots, video clips, and saves you want to keep either to the external drive or cloud storage.
To initialize the PS5 system storage:
- Go to Settings > System > System Software > Initialize PS5
- Select Initialize PS5 > Full
- This will begin the initialization process, which will take some time to fully wipe and restore the internal SSD.
Note that initializing PS5 system storage only affects the internal SSD, not any connected external USB drives. So if your external drive is corrupted, you will still need to separately reformat or replace that drive.
While initializing the PS5 can potentially help resolve software-related corruption issues, it will delete all your data. So first try other options like rebuilding the database or formatting the external drive before initializing your system storage.
Format the External Hard Drive
Formatting the external hard drive will erase all data and return it to a blank state, so make sure to back up any important files first. To format the drive on your PS5:
- Go to Settings > Storage.
- Select your external drive.
- Choose Format as Extended Storage.
This will format the drive to the exFAT file system, which is optimized for PS5 game storage. Other formats like FAT32 have a maximum 4GB file size limit, which isn’t ideal for large game files. exFAT removes this limitation while still being compatible with both Windows and Mac. Just keep in mind, formatting erases everything on the drive.1
After formatting, if your external hard drive still seems corrupted or games won’t copy to it, try the advanced troubleshooting steps below.
Test the Drive After Formatting
After formatting the external hard drive, the next step is to reconnect it to your PS5 and test it to see if the issues have been resolved. Here are some things you can try:
First, simply reconnect the external hard drive to your PS5. Go to Settings > Storage and make sure the drive is now showing up properly. If it is still not appearing, the drive may need to be replaced (more on that later).
Assuming the drive shows up, try loading some games or saved data onto it from your PS5 storage to ensure read/write functionality. If you encounter errors moving data to the external drive, it likely still has underlying corruption problems.
You can also test the drive’s read and write speeds. Go to Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Transfer Game Content. Try transferring a large game between your internal and external storage. The transfer should happen smoothly and at fast speeds for a properly functioning external drive.[1]
If you notice lag, freezing, or slow speeds, the external drive may still have corruption issues and other steps should be taken to fix or replace the drive.
Advanced Recovery Options
If the basic troubleshooting steps don’t resolve the corruption, advanced options may be necessary. Some advanced recovery options include:
Using data recovery software: Specialized data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery or Disk Drill can help recover lost or corrupted files from external hard drives. These tools scan the drive and reconstruct damaged file systems and directories. They may be able to recover data even after formatting the drive. However, this depends on if the original files were overwritten. These paid software solutions offer more features than free options like Recuva.
Sending to a professional data recovery service: For extensive corruption that DIY software can’t fix, a professional data recovery lab may be able to repair the drive hardware itself and recover the data. This involves opening the external enclosure and working with the internal components. The drive is then scanned with advanced forensic tools. However, professional services tend to be very expensive, costing hundreds to thousands of dollars. They should only be used for critical, irreplaceable data.
Replacing drive components: In some cases of physical damage, components like the PCB (printed circuit board) or internal chips may be malfunctioning. IT professionals can replace these parts to potentially get the drive functioning again. However, this requires very specialized skills and tools. Attempting drive repairs without proper experience could further damage the unit.
Preventing Corruption in the Future
To help avoid external hard drive corruption on your PS5 in the future, follow these tips:
Properly eject the external hard drive – Always safely eject the external drive before unplugging it from your PS5. Go to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage and select “Safely Remove.” Wait for the “Safe to Remove Hardware” message before disconnecting.
Avoid overfilling the drive – Don’t max out the storage capacity of your external hard drive. Leave at least 10-20% free space for optimal performance.
Maintain stable power – Use a surge protector and avoid disconnecting the external drive during gameplay or rest mode. Sudden loss of power can lead to file corruption.
These precautions will help prevent file corruption by ensuring the external drive is correctly disconnected from the PS5 and has room for temporary files during operation. Following Sony’s guidance on USB extended storage is also advised.
When to Replace an External Hard Drive
There comes a point when it’s time to replace an external hard drive rather than keep troubleshooting and repairing it. Some signs it may be time for a new drive include:
Age and heavy usage – Most hard drives last 3-5 years with regular use before developing issues. If your external drive is over 5 years old and used frequently, replacement may be worthwhile.
Frequent corruption or disconnects – If you find yourself needing to reformat or rebuild the database on your PS5 external drive more than once or twice a year, it likely has underlying issues that won’t be resolved.
Cost of repairs vs replacement – Data recovery or external drive repairs can quickly run over $100. At that point, you may want to invest in a new, reliable drive instead.
Reputable brand recommendations when replacing an external drive include Western Digital, Seagate, and Samsung. Look for a drive designed for gaming and PS5 compatibility. Models like the Seagate Game Drive or WD Black P50 offer reliable performance.
Ultimately, if your external drive is causing frequent issues and you’ve tried troubleshooting, replacing it with a new model may be the most cost-effective solution.
