Does the ps3 require an hdd to boot?

[Coaxialgamer]

I'm looking at buying a broken ps3 to try and repair it. I'm bored and need a project. 

 

Anyway , the one i am buying doesn't have an hdd inside. Does it need one in order to boot? Is the os stored on it? 

[Master Disaster]

Yes it does but if you add a fresh one the system will auto add everything it needs onto the drive.

[hardtofindinthefuture]

Yes it does, to load the operating system and the UI

[demonix00]

It actually depends on what model you're getting as the original fat and the slim variants will require a HDD, but the super slim might not since there were versions that had limited on board storage which contained the OS and such which would be moved over to the hard drive if one was installed (although it might be that the OS remains on the solid state storage and the remaining files are moved over).

[Stefan Payne]

57 minutes ago, Coaxialgamer said:

I'm looking at buying a broken ps3 to try and repair it. I'm bored and need a project. 

 

Anyway , the one i am buying doesn't have an hdd inside. Does it need one in order to boot? Is the os stored on it? 

If it is the same as PS4, it might do something without a HDD.

But you can use any WORKING 2,5" HDD you have lying around. 

You just need a USB Stick with the Firmware Image.