Re: Sims 3 64-bit: problems installing store/custom content

Hi @puzzlezaddict, thank you for your help! I reviewed what you suggested. It doesn't look like I have a "mods" folder in my "Sims3" folder. Should I just create a new folder and name it mods? Or how would that work?

@UncannnyAnnie  You don't need a Mods folder unless you're installing files with the .package extension.  Files that end in .Sims3Pack don't have anything to do with the Mods folder, so that includes all your Store content and any cc you'd install through the launcher.

@puzzlezaddict, are these the directions I should be following?

@UncannnyAnnie  No.  Again, the Mods folder is only for files that end in .package.  Items that end in .Sims3Pack, like some cc and all Store content, are installed through the launcher.  Specifically, they must be in Downloads (this happens automatically for Store items you download) in order for the launcher to read them, and then you install through the launcher's Downloads tab.

@puzzlezaddict, I am sorry for the confusion. I am not a techy person and am just trying to figure out how to get my custom content to show up. Which directions am I supposed to be following on page one? I am not having any issues, DL cc from the exchange. When I try to install it I get the error message I mentioned in my initial post and it does appear to install but then when I go play the game the CC is missing. Some of the lots I have DL and then installed show that they have been installed but don't actually appear in the game. Does this sound like something that can be fixed? Thank you for your time and patience, I really appreciate your help 🙂. 

@UncannnyAnnie  Alright, let's start from the beginning and do everything together.  First, run the Origin reset tool:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/how-to-reset-origin-on-mac/

You need to expand the spoiler to see it; the reset tool is NOT the diagnostic tool on the same page.  Once you've reset Origin, open it again, and if it doesn't do so on its own, repair Sims 3: open your game library, right-click the game icon, and select Repair.

Don't try to open the game yet.  Instead, go into Documents > Electronic Arts and move the Sims 3 folder to the desktop.  If it copies instead of moving, rename it to whatever you want.  This will remove your saves and other content, but it won't delete the files—they'll be intact but unusable in the folder you moved or renamed.  That can be addressed later.

Open the launcher to spawn a clean folder.  Download one item from the Store, something simple like a hair or outfit, and try to install it.  If nothing happens when you click Install, close the launcher and Origin and reopen them, then try to install that same item.  Let me know what happens, and we'll go from there.

Hello again @puzzlezaddict! Thank you for your instructions...I haven't had the chance to go through them yet, but will asap. In the meantime, what is spawning a folder?  How do I go about doing so? I tried googling it but didn't find anything straightforward. Thank you for helping not only me but everyone out there...you should really be on EA games payroll! 

@UncannnyAnnie  The launcher will spawn (create) the new folder when you open it.  There's no need for you to do anything else.

@puzzlezaddict, I followed your instructions, and the item I downloaded from the store installed just fine. What are the next steps? Thank you for your help 🙂 

@UncannnyAnnie  The next step is to move the rest of your content from the old Sims 3 folder to the new one.  You don't need or want to move everything, for example there's no reason to restore cache files or anything else the game recreates on its own.  I listed everything you might want to restore here, in the bullet points:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Store-Issues/Read-First-Sims-3-Store-guide/m-p/13479922#Clean

Don't transfer the contents of DCCache or InstalledWorlds, since you've just rebuilt these folders.  And for anything in Library, if the OS tells you something is a duplicate, don't transfer the old file; keep the new one instead.  These files also represent content you've created yourself, so you'll want to preserve some of it if you have saved households or builds you'd like to keep.

@puzzlezaddict, I may just need to install the game and reinstall everything. Do you think doing so would resolve the issue? The only file I have that is listed in the link you provided is the "Options.ini" folder. I have no idea why none of the other ones are not in my Sims 3 folder. When I moved my Sims 3 folder to my desktop and renamed it it just copied exactly what was in the original folder. 

@UncannnyAnnie  Reinstalling the game won't fix anything because this is about user data, not the game files.

When you say "t just copied exactly what was in the original folder," what exactly do you mean?  Moving the folder to the desktop shouldn't duplicate anything, and the folder's contents should be exactly the same as they were before you moved it.  You shouldn't get a new "The Sims 3" folder in Documents > Electronic Arts until you open the launcher, and then you should start to see the files described in my guide, although most of them wouldn't exist until you created content for them.  For example, Library wouldn't exist until you'd created or installed a household or lot.

At any rate, a screenshot or two would be helpful, and please also let me know whether the Store or custom content you try to install shows up in-game now.

hi there, i am having the issue where nothing happens when I press install. i have tried everything: creating a new sims 3 folder, repairing my game, reinstalling the ea app, replacing my downloads folder, only having one file in the folder. i even just finished up with someone from the ea help chat but they had no idea what i was talking about. any other suggestions? thanks!

@15mbf  Have you tried closing the launcher and opening it again?  Sometimes the installer doesn't open on the first try.  And do you see a second plumbob in your Dock?  The installer itself is typically hidden behind the launcher, but it does generate its own icon when open; clicking on that second plumbob would make the installer the active window.

yes, i’ve tried all of that and it just doesn’t work. it was working fine before and then just randomly decided it didn’t want to anymore the other day.

@15mbf  Try a new admin account on your Mac, one that is NOT tied to your Apple ID.  (You should be able to skip that step.)  Even if this isn't an acceptable workaround, it's a useful test.

If this doesn't help, let me know whether you use a third-party antivirus or a cleaner app, either of which could interfere with the installer.