If you want more storage space on your Xbox 360 or need a way to access the media on your computer through your console, hooking up an external hard drive makes both of these things possible. Though the Xbox 360 does include USB ports, setting up your drive takes a little more preparation than just plugging it in.
Why Use An External Drive?
Xbox 360 owners often use their console for much more than just gaming. The Xbox 360 is capable of playing videos and music as well. Though the console does come with internal memory, some users need more space. Hooking up an external drive also gives you the freedom to access media through different devices, such as on both your Xbox 360 and your PC.
[Tech] Xbox One will not format external hard drive for game storage. (self.xboxone) submitted 4 years ago by shadow97. I just bought a 3TB external hard drive for my Xbox One since I was running out of space. I have tried everything I could think of (formatting, re-partitioning, different USB ports, etc.) to get the Xbox to format the hard.
Formatting
The Xbox 360 is compatible with most external hard drives but only allows you to use a maximum of 16 gigabytes regardless of the size of the hard drive. External hard drives also cannot be used until they have been properly formatted. To format your hard drive, connect the device to your PC. You will need to note the drive letter assigned to the device. Then open a command prompt window by typing 'Cmd' within the search bar in the Start menu. Enter the following command: format/FS:FAT32 F: You will need to replace 'F' with whatever the drive letter is. Formatting your drive may take a few moments. Once the process is complete, your drive is ready to hook up to your Xbox 360.
Setup
Attaching external devices to an Xbox 360 is a piece of cake: Simply plug the USB interface on the hard drive into an empty USB port on the console. Next, turn on the Xbox 360, and navigate to the 'System Settings' menu under 'My Xbox.' From there, you need to select the appropriate configuration option for your drive. One option erases all data on the drive before formatting it. The other option configures only a limited amount of space for Xbox 360 use, leaving any data on the drive untouched.
Accessing the Drive
Once your drive is hooked up, use your controller to navigate to the 'Media' menu. Scroll down to find the 'Portable Device' listing. Opening the device will reveal all files and folders on the hard drive. Though you will not be able to move old saved games to your external hard drive, you will have the option of choosing which location to save to when saving a new game.
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If you have an old PC drive laying around, don't throw it away! Your Xbox One can make good use of it as a storage device. And the process of getting the drive up and running on your Xbox is easy.
Products used in this guide
- Desktop enclosure: Inateck Aluminum USB 3.0 Hard Disk Drive Enclosure ($28 at Amazon)
- Portable enclosure: Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure ($10 at Amazon)
How to install and format a drive for use with Xbox One
Whether you're using a 2.5-inch drive or 3.5-inch drive, the enclosure you purchase will include everything you need to get going, but there are a couple of important differences.
A 2.5-inch drive enclosure will likely not need any external power, so the included cable is all you'll need to connect it to your Xbox One. A 3.5-inch drive enclosure will require external power (and will probably also support 2.5-inch drives, too), so you'll need to be aware of this before taking the plunge. The power supply will be included, but you'll need to have a spare outlet.
In both cases, installing the drive is a simple process. The enclosure will have a SATA connection for power and data installed on its circuit board, so all you have to do is connect the drive and fix the enclosure closed.
From there on it's over to the Xbox One to get it set up for use. Just follow these steps:
- Connect the drive to a vacant USB port on your Xbox One.
- Select Yes when asked how to configure the drive.
- Enter the name you want for your drive.
- If you want to install games on it by default, select Yes when prompted.
Once you complete these steps your drive will be formatted and ready to install Xbox One games on. As with any other external drive, you can move these games between consoles you own, and you'll now have a lot more space to install your favorite titles on.
Our top equipment picks
Here's the gear you need to complete the steps in this guide. It's worth noting that if you don't have an old drive to reuse, then you're better just buying a USB 3.0 external hard drive such as the 2TB Seagate Game Drive as this method won't really save you any money and is a little less convenient.
Our Pick
Inateck Aluminum USB 3.0 Hard Disk Drive Enclosure
An affordable way to add more storage to your Xbox One.
This enclosure is solid, offers great performance, an affordable price and supports up to 10TB drives to maximize your Xbox One game storage.
Reusing an old PC drive is a great way to save money and get more space to install games on your Xbox One. Your PC might be better suited with faster solid-state drives (SSDs), but that old HDD can still have a purpose, whether it's a 3.5-inch or a 2.5-inch drive.
Additional equipment
If you're reusing a smaller 2.5-inch HDD, perhaps from a laptop, you can spend even less and forego the need for external power.
Sabrent Ultra Slim USB 3.0 to 2.5-Inch SATA External Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure($10 at Amazon)
Well built, portable, self-powered and easy to use to expand your Xbox One storage at low cost.
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