Is it possible to restore my data after removing it ?

I own PS3 60 GB (3),

My PS3 got YLOD, anyway...Trying to save my data I removed the hard drive, and hooked it with my PC and it didn't read it, I took it off to put into another WORKING PS3 and it's asked me to format it to get working if not then the system won't start.

at the end of the day I fixed my PS3 with my hard drive and *AGAIN* it's asked me to format if I want to start.

the question is...can I recover at least my saved data on that drive ? or it's gone forever ?

I don't realy know the answer to that myself but I've just been told (here on gamespot forum) that when you remove the HD from your PS3 and put it into a different PS3 the HD formats itself (or atleast has to be formatted in order to work), accordingly when you put a different HD in your PS3, it wont be able to read your original HD either...

So if you want to use your original HD in your current console it has to be formatted in order for the PS3 to read it, because you have taken it out... so in that way yes, your data is lost. BUT, I do believe though, that it is possible to copy the data that is on your original HD (as long as you havent formatted it yet) onto a different HD. I'm pretty sure your local computer / electronics store can do that for you because the Hard Drives that the PS3 uses are FAT32, not NTFS which is standard for PC's...

But once again, I'm not entirely sure about this... I could be wrong.

For more info check this topic (that I created a few hours ago) and read what Halogenic_Sky replied to my questions regarding this subject. Very helpfull:

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=27489074&tag=topics%3Btitle

Good luck.

Actually I took it to the shop after all, he fixed the YLOD and then he called me complaining about the HDD saying "is this new hard drive ? 'cos it's asked to be formated" I said No this the original one. I told him not to do anything with it so I can pick it up later.

now I can say that I am 90% secrewd and won't be able to restore my data, and I'am just worried about my SAVEDATA it's 3 years and over 30 games completed :(

I understand what you showed me about YLOD, but couldn't find something usefull to read PS3 HDD, I think I secrewd it off when I removed it that was a bad move, and I call my self IT technicion :p

again the shop said he will try to find something to fix it, but with no formats for sure.

thanks a lot for ur help

Ah I see... that sucks man :S I'm sorry to hear that.

I don't know much about this but it seems like your HD just becomes useless once you have taken it out of your PS3... thats why I quickly copied all my savegame files onto a seperate USB stick today and just finished making a full system backup on my external HD. I think thats just the only thing you can do to protect your data from a YLOD...

I realy hope for you that the guy from the shop finds something to recover your data man... I can't realy think of anything tbh. Cuz I just looked at how my PS3 backed up its data and its not like it just copies everything over to the external HD, but all the data is packed into 6 seperate special files, and now when I connect the HD to my ps3 the console recognises it as a backup, so I'm not sure if somehow copying your data onto a seperate HD would work...

Good luck with it mate, let us know if it gets fixed alright?

Since I am screwd anyways let me count my losts

Bayonetta = 50 hours Gameplay everything unlocked (Platinum)

GOD OF WAR ||| = 25 hoursGameplay everything unlocked (Platinum)

Resident Evil 5 = 40 hours all weapons unlocked

GTA IV: over 80 hours of gameplay + 2 ends on story mode

METAL GEAR SOILD: too much to count

Ninja Gaiden 1,2 Assassins Creed 1,2 Uncharted 1,2 infamous, Dead Space, Street Fighter IV, Heavy Rain :( , Tomb Raider, Devil May Cry 4 ( he is right now ) Prince of Perisa 4,5 Dark Sector, Resistance 2, LBP, Bad Company 2,Spider Man RED DEAD, Blazeblue, Sonic, Tekken, Heavenly Sword,PES 08, FIFA 09,10,WC,11, etc....

call me whatever you want, this is all i have + my gf :p