This recipe explains how to backup your PS3 game saves to a memory stick (MS Duo, CF, SD, MMC). Note, some game save files are copy protected (ie NDFS: Carbon); you can backup these a different (but LONGER!) way which will be briefly touched on.
Even though the PS3 failure rates are very low vs the Xbox 360 (red ring of death), its never a bad idea to have a backup of your game save file to a memory stick. This recipe will walk you through this and explain briefly how to backup game saves that are copy protected.
Backing Up Game Saves to Memory Stick
1. On the XMB (cross media bar), go to the Game section.
2. Go to Game Saves
3. Put in your memory stick (cf, ms duo, sd)
4. Find the game save you want to copy/backup, highlight it and hit the Triangle button.
5. Choose the menu option to Copy
6. Hit the X button on the memory stick and let it copy.
Voila, easy backup of your game save file you prob put hours of playing into!
A few games have copy protected game save files. To backup these files you can’t just copy them to a memory stick, you will need to do an actual system backup.
To do a full system backup (this will basically copy ALL of the photos, music, videos and game save files and settings on the PS3 to a backup folder; you will need to have an external usb harddrive or thumbdrive w/enough space on it).
In the XMB, go to System
Go to Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility
Then choose Back Up
Finally, pick the device to backup too (memory stick, usb harddrive, etc).
To help save space on the full system backups, I usually will backup all of my photos, music, videos to a seperate harddrive and then delete them from the PS3 harddrive prior to a backup.