Deleting Uneccessary Files from Sims 3 Folder
I was just wondering which files are safe to delete from my Sims 3 Folder to improve game play and such
Forum Discussion
This is my "delete stuff" routine that I do every time I back up. It's worked for me for years, but it may not work for others depending on what stuff you want to keep.
This is the stuff I delete:
DELETE Collections
'cause I don't make CAS/Build mode collections.
DELETE CurrentGame.sims3
It's empty whenever you're not playing the game.
DELETE Custom Music
'cause I don't have my own songs in there, and I don't like the ones that are in there by default.
OPEN DCBackup and delete everything EXCEPT ccmerged.package
All of that stuff is redundant garbage, but the "ccmerged.package" file is important for your premium content.
DELETE Downloads
'cause I don't need the .sims3packs in here after I've installed them. In the event that I do, they're available in my purchase history on the site.
DELETE Exports
'cause I don't need the .sims3packs for my uploads after I've uploaded them. In the event that I do, they're in my studio on the site.
DELETE FeaturedItems
This is where the launcher stores the images for the Store items it advertises to you. Don't worry, the launcher will download more...
DELETE IGACache
Nobody seems to know what this is, but it's always empty when I see it. I delete it all the time and have never had any problems.
OPEN Recorded Videos and delete whatever you don't want
Those recorded videos can eat up a lot of hard drive space.
DELETE SigsCache
Just some reference files. They'll be regenerated if the launcher ever needs them.
DELETE WorldCaches (PC only)
I've read that you shouldn't delete this if you're on a Mac. But it's safe to delete on a PC. The game will spend a few minutes regenerating these files when it needs to (it will run very slow during those minutes, but it's only temporary).
DELETE CASPartCache.package
DELETE compositorCache.package
DELETE scriptCache.package
DELETE simCompositorcache.package
DELETE socialCache.package
Disposable cache files that regenerate if you delete them. Don't be worried if the game runs slow the next time you play. It takes a few minutes for the game to rewrite the files, then the game will run smoothly again.
DELETE DeviceConfig.log
DELETE Sims3LauncherLogFile.log
DELETE Sims3Logs.xml
DELETE Version.tag
Just a bunch of logs and other system info that gets regenerated anyway.
This is the stuff I keep:
ccmerged.package in DCBackup: So that my premium content works.
DCCache: This is where all of my installed content is.
InstalledWorlds: This is where all of my installed worlds are.
Library: This is where all of my Edit Town bin stuff is.
Mods: 'cause it wouldn't even be there if I didn't put it there and I like the stuff that's in it.
SavedSims: This is where all of my CAS bin Sims are.
Saves: This is where all of my saved games are and those are important to me.
Screenshots: This is where all of my screenshots are and those are important to me.
Thumbnails: This is otherwise disposable, but I get impatient when the game has to spend a few minutes regenerating all of the thumbnails in CAS, so I just leave it alone.
Options.ini: This is all of my settings. 'cause I don't like having to redo my settings all the time.
This is the stuff I delete:
DELETE Collections
'cause I don't make CAS/Build mode collections.
DELETE CurrentGame.sims3
It's empty whenever you're not playing the game.
DELETE Custom Music
'cause I don't have my own songs in there, and I don't like the ones that are in there by default.
OPEN DCBackup and delete everything EXCEPT ccmerged.package
All of that stuff is redundant garbage, but the "ccmerged.package" file is important for your premium content.
DELETE Downloads
'cause I don't need the .sims3packs in here after I've installed them. In the event that I do, they're available in my purchase history on the site.
DELETE Exports
'cause I don't need the .sims3packs for my uploads after I've uploaded them. In the event that I do, they're in my studio on the site.
DELETE FeaturedItems
This is where the launcher stores the images for the Store items it advertises to you. Don't worry, the launcher will download more...
DELETE IGACache
Nobody seems to know what this is, but it's always empty when I see it. I delete it all the time and have never had any problems.
OPEN Recorded Videos and delete whatever you don't want
Those recorded videos can eat up a lot of hard drive space.
DELETE SigsCache
Just some reference files. They'll be regenerated if the launcher ever needs them.
DELETE WorldCaches (PC only)
I've read that you shouldn't delete this if you're on a Mac. But it's safe to delete on a PC. The game will spend a few minutes regenerating these files when it needs to (it will run very slow during those minutes, but it's only temporary).
DELETE CASPartCache.package
DELETE compositorCache.package
DELETE scriptCache.package
DELETE simCompositorcache.package
DELETE socialCache.package
Disposable cache files that regenerate if you delete them. Don't be worried if the game runs slow the next time you play. It takes a few minutes for the game to rewrite the files, then the game will run smoothly again.
DELETE DeviceConfig.log
DELETE Sims3LauncherLogFile.log
DELETE Sims3Logs.xml
DELETE Version.tag
Just a bunch of logs and other system info that gets regenerated anyway.
This is the stuff I keep:
ccmerged.package in DCBackup: So that my premium content works.
DCCache: This is where all of my installed content is.
InstalledWorlds: This is where all of my installed worlds are.
Library: This is where all of my Edit Town bin stuff is.
Mods: 'cause it wouldn't even be there if I didn't put it there and I like the stuff that's in it.
SavedSims: This is where all of my CAS bin Sims are.
Saves: This is where all of my saved games are and those are important to me.
Screenshots: This is where all of my screenshots are and those are important to me.
Thumbnails: This is otherwise disposable, but I get impatient when the game has to spend a few minutes regenerating all of the thumbnails in CAS, so I just leave it alone.
Options.ini: This is all of my settings. 'cause I don't like having to redo my settings all the time.
