Have just bought a new gaming laptop which is capable of running sims 3. My question is on my old laptop I bought the sims 3 bundle through origin but now I have been given most of the expansions on discs, I know I'm going to need a separate disc drive but can I use the discs if I have the origin version. Although I have sims 3 in my origin account I haven't installed yet.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "use" the discs? Are you wondering whether you can install the expansions you own physically despite having the rest of the game digitally on Origin?If that is what you're asking, you can. I'd recommend registering your physical copies through Origin. Doing this will give you digital copies of all the physical expansions you add. So they'll all be on Origin and easy to install all at once. To add them, you open Origin and go to your game library. There, you'll see in the upper right corner "(+) Add A Game," then "Redeem Product Code." A dialogue box should open with a spot to type the CD Key. Put the CD Key in, add it, and repeat this for all of your physical copies.

"Emily4331;c-17083351" wrote:I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "use" the discs? Are you wondering whether you can install the expansions you own physically despite having the rest of the game digitally on Origin?If that is what you're asking, you can. I'd recommend registering your physical copies through Origin. Doing this will give you digital copies of all the physical expansions you add. So they'll all be on Origin and easy to install all at once. To add them, you open Origin and go to your game library. There, you'll see in the upper right corner "(+) Add A Game," then "Redeem Product Code." A dialogue box should open with a spot to type the CD Key. Put the CD Key in, add it, and repeat this for all of your physical copies. Yes that's what I meant. Thats great so pleased i can use them. Thank you for the advice.

I have a mix of digital and disk registered.When Sims 3 was ending the local stores were selling disks cheaply so I purchased all of the expansions and stuff packs I had originally bought digitally with new disks.When I got my new laptop in early 2014, pre patch 1.69, I installed Origin and installed my game using mostly the disks as it was faster that way.I did not register any of the disks. So I still have the unused codes for all of the disks I purchased.Later on we got patch 1.69 and I didn't want to be forced to patch to that level so I lived in constant fear that Origin would one day just do the update for me without my knowledge.When I got my new computer in 2017 I did not install Origin. I did install all of my Sims 3 game using my disks.The game works perfectly. Everything is just as it was previously on older computers.

"Karritz;c-17083598" wrote:I have a mix of digital and disk registered.When Sims 3 was ending the local stores were selling disks cheaply so I purchased all of the expansions and stuff packs I had originally bought digitally with new disks.When I got my new laptop in early 2014, pre patch 1.69, I installed Origin and installed my game using mostly the disks as it was faster that way.I did not register any of the disks. So I still have the unused codes for all of the disks I purchased.Later on we got patch 1.69 and I didn't want to be forced to patch to that level so I lived in constant fear that Origin would one day just do the update for me without my knowledge.When I got my new computer in 2017 I did not install Origin. I did install all of my Sims 3 game using my disks.The game works perfectly. Everything is just as it was previously on older computers.Thank you for the advice. I have read about a lot of people trying to avoid the 1.69 patch, what does it do to the game?

If you decide to use Origin and version 1.69 then it does nothing to the game other than make it an all digital installation. If you have disks registered at the point you will not need them again and you will be unable to do a disk installation again using Origin should you ever want to use version 1.67.The advantage of 1.69 is it still maintained and supported by EA. Instead of the launcher you will get a screen which allows you to pick and choose which of your EPs and SPs you want to load. Although it says you should load only a couple of EPs at a time loading all of them will still work. However you should be aware, because Origin is a digital service there is a possibility EA could really restrict the number of packs you can play with.Version 1.67 is not maintained or supported by EA. Steam users and all disk players are on 1.67. Certainly with an all disk installation you have ready access to your game at all times, even offline and there are no limits on what you can have installed. As someone who enjoys building I wanted to stay with an all disk installation to have the freedom to use whatever I wanted from my packs. I am not a Steam user so can't comment on that digital service.

Origin and discs | EA Forums

14 Replies

ZeeGee1
Seasoned Ace
7 years ago
@Bessieboo You don't have to do anything with it. You will have two separate codes in your Origin account, your original digital copies and your new disc copies. That is, if the codes for the discs you were given have not been used yet. If those codes have been used, you won't be able to register them to your Origin account. That is only a problem if you have store content. Just make sure when you are installing to not allow the EA download manager or Origin to install. It will give you a choice and you have to select not to install it with each disc.
JaneScanes
7 years ago
"ZeeGee;c-17086927" wrote:
@Bessieboo You don't have to do anything with it. You will have two separate codes in your Origin account, your original digital copies and your new disc copies. That is, if the codes for the discs you were given have not been used yet. If those codes have been used, you won't be able to register them to your Origin account. That is only a problem if you have store content. Just make sure when you are installing to not allow the EA download manager or Origin to install. It will give you a choice and you have to select not to install it with each disc.

Thank you for the advice.
ZeeGee1
Seasoned Ace
7 years ago
You're welcome. And just to add to what's already been said, there are two reasons I stay away from 1.69.

When you open your game through the launcher and have store content installed, the launcher creates 'tmp' files. This effectively DOUBLES the amount of your store content, thus causing a bigger strain on your game if you have a lot of store content. If I notice my game lagging, I check EA folder, usually I've opened the launcher for something (which created those tmp files) then forgot to delete them. :angry:

The other issue is that playing through Origin made my computer run hot. My fans were running on high speed constantly. I read something at the time about that being an issue with having Origin running in the background but that was a long time ago so may have been fixed by now.

Anyway, have fun with your new install!
JaneScanes
7 years ago
"ZeeGee;c-17086958" wrote:
You're welcome. And just to add to what's already been said, there are two reasons I stay away from 1.69.

When you open your game through the launcher and have store content installed, the launcher creates 'tmp' files. This effectively DOUBLES the amount of your store content, thus causing a bigger strain on your game if you have a lot of store content. If I notice my game lagging, I check EA folder, usually I've opened the launcher for something (which created those tmp files) then forgot to delete them. :angry:

The other issue is that playing through Origin made my computer run hot. My fans were running on high speed constantly. I read something at the time about that being an issue with having Origin running in the background but that was a long time ago so may have been fixed by now.

Anyway, have fun with your new install!

Thank you, I have noticed when I play sims 4 that the fan is running high on a brand new laptop so definitely want to avoid origin with sims 3.

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Origin and discs

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