PS3 Run PKG games on CFW/HAN from an external Hard Drive.

Why are they split? That's only necessary as a workaround for the 4GB file limit when storing on a FAT32 external HDD. With a 1TB HDD formatted with the PS3, that 4GB file limit does not apply (only applies for external USB drives, however most CFW file managers support NTFS anyway) and so you'll have plenty of storage space for games backed up in ISO format.

 

For external drives, ISO format is recommended.

You can create the folder /GAMEI in the root of USB drive formatted in FAT32, press SELECT+SQUARE in webMAN MOD and install the PKG.

On the PC you can extract the PKG to /GAMEI so you will have the a path like x:/GAMEI/NPUBxxxxx/USRDIR/EBOOT.BIN
Also you can copy the games from /dev_hdd0/game/NPUBxxxxx to /dev_usb000/GAMEI/NPUBxxxxx

After copy the game from hdd0 to GAMEI, you can delete USRDIR of the game in hdd0/game/NPUBxxxxx, but don't delete the PARAM.SFO or ICON0.PNG or you will get a broken icon on XMB.

If the game is not already installed, it is recommended that you first install the game on HDD0 to create the icon on XMB, then reinstall it on USB. It doesn't need to be the full game, only the PARAM.SFO, ICON0.PNG and EBOOT.BIN are necessary in HDD0. The "FIX" packages can be used to create the icon on XMB.

Games with files larger than 4GB are not compatible. I'm talking of the game files inside the PKG that are extracted to FAT32, the PKG file can be any size.

 

If you use webMAN MOD, connect an external USB on /dev_usb00 and press SELECT+SQUARE to enable the external gameDATA.
Then install the game as you normally do. The files will be stored on /dev_usb000/GAMEI and the icon will appear on XMB as usual.
Before launch the installed game you will need to press SELECT+SQUARE

Alternatively you can extract the package on the PC to X:\GAMEI\<content-id>
Then use webMAN MOD to scan the content to mount the game through /app_home/PS3_GAME

The GAMEI option must be checked in /setup.ps3

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The "use double space" on hard drive happens with ISO and folder formats.
However, with games in folder format stored in /dev_hdd0/GAMES you can save recover some disc space using this web command:

/stat.ps3/dev_hdd0/GAMES/<name>&id=<title_id>

The command compares the files in /dev_hdd0/game<title_id> with the files in the folder /dev_hdd0/GAMES/<name> and if the files are identical, one of the files will be replaced with a symlink; reducing the disk space usage.

 

The entry always appear on XMB, because it is in the internal database. However, the ICON may appear as a broken image until you press SELECT+SQUARE to redirect /dev_hdd0/game to /dev_usb000/GAMEI. If there is an icon installed in the game folder of hdd0 the icon will show properly but the game will not launch (unless it is also fully installed in hdd0 too) until you press SELECT+SQUARE.

The web command must be performed a web browser like the PS3 Internet Browser or from a PC, smartphone or tablet.

Example:
http://192.168.1.123/stat.ps3/dev_hdd0/GAMES/GTAIV [BLUS30127]&id=BLUS30127

Where the IP address must be the correct one for your console.
The path between start.ps3 and & is the path of game folder. And the id at the end is to compare it with /dev_hdd0/game/BLUS30127

If there is enough free space in the internal HDD, I prefer the JB games.
The games on USB are convenient when you don't have much enough free space in the internal HDD.
Also, some games run better as ISO. So the /stat.ps3 command will not help for those games.

Tips to save additional hdd space:
1- Remove the PS3_UPDATE from all your games. It's useless on CFW.
2- Truncate the files used for foreign languages that you don't use. Do not delete the files, only truncate them (replace with a file of 0 byte ). webMAN MOD has a truncate function if you right click on a file using Chrome or Edge on a PC. Or use PS3RIP from PS3 Tools Collection.
3- Run PS3 Unlock HDD Space if you haven't done it.
4- Clean the cache folder in multiMAN or IRISMAN
5- Delete the game data of the games that you don't play
6- Run the web command above for the JB games that you have in /dev_hdd0/GAMES
7- Zip the PSX or PSP games that you don't use frequently. Mount these games with IRISMAN.
8- Delete the internal HDD the games that you don't really use. Anyway you can re-install them if you change your mind.

 

The PKG games have the advantage that don't require a backup manager and can run on OFW so they are convenient for online play.
Also have disadvantages like only can be installed on internal HDD (or external FAT32 with GAMEI). license, installation time, etc.

About Dante's Inferno, it's not "normal" that the game disappear. Maybe you did something wrong executing the web command, or it could be a bug that I haven't caught yet.

 

@Nell_Bassanelo Check if the game was moved to the root of /dev_hdd0 (or /dev_usb000 if it was on an external disk)

Backup managers like multiMAN or IRISMAN can move the PS3_GAME to the root of the disk if the option "BD mirror" is enabled for that game. Normally the folder is restored to the original location when you run the backup manager again.

If you run multiple backup managers and mount another game with the "BD mirror" it could mess both games.

That "BD mirror" was the workaround used before Cobra to prevent the black screen issue on certain games.