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BobLazarELE115's avatar
2 years ago

Re: Sims 3 cannot access saved game

I apologize for replying to this old post, I'm having the same issue after EA changed from the Origin app to the EA app, I followed the previous steps, and they worked a bit but once I click on the blue outlined house, it gives me the same error, I can't access my other files anymore through the launcher. The error is " Cannot load this save game. It may have been saved with expansion pack data that is no longer present in this system. " So now I'm stuck, this all happened because of the migration.

9 Replies

  • @BobLazarELE115  Please open the launcher's Expansions & Stuff tab and uncheck every pack, then check all the boxes again, and try to load your save.

    If that doesn't work, please load a new save and see which packs are loading in-game.  If any of them don't show up, please list them for me, and let me know whether they show as installed in the EA App and in the launcher.  The easiest way to see which packs are loading is to open Buy Mode and look at the filter by pack tool: click the little arrow on the far right of the user interface, then look at the list of packs.

    Additionally, please let me know what world your existing save takes place in, particularly if it's a Store world.  That may be the issue: store content needs to be reinstalled once the player switches to the App.  Please see this post for more information:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-3-Store-content-uninstalls-won-t-reinstall-EA/m-p/12331823#M256318

  • BobLazarELE115's avatar
    BobLazarELE115
    2 years ago

    After following the steps, it didn't work, I opened a new game because it wasn't letting me open my saved files (main issue) I'm trying to get back to, and my sims and lots are still in the library surprisingly... so the game can read them and I placed them into the world everything seems working fine, the only difference is I can't open the save files... I don't understand. I'm happy I'm able to use them, do you think there's a solution? These saves are in Riverview and my store content is showing up. I attached screenshots

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @BobLazarELE115  Are all your expansions and stuff packs loading?  I don't mean the Store content, although it's good to know that that's showing up too.  I mean that for example, if you played the old save with Pets present and Pets isn't loading in-game anymore, it makes sense that the old save wouldn't load either.

  • BobLazarELE115's avatar
    BobLazarELE115
    2 years ago

    Yes, all of my expansions, stuff packs and store content is loading. Riverview and the packs I played with all load, I think I won't get past this point, fortunately, I saved my sims and lots in the library, I'll just start all over at this point. It won't let me access the saves. If you have a possible fix or if anyone does I would highly appreciate it, thank you very much. 🤞🤞

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @BobLazarELE115  Try loading a backup copy of your save.  Even if you never created one, the game keeps the files from the second-to-last time you saved.  Open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Saves, and you'll see a folder for your save plus another folder with the same name and a .backup extension.  Rename the save and delete the .backup extension, and that save should be available to load at the Main Menu.

    If this doesn't help, you can send me a copy of your save, and I can try poking at it.  You can upload it to the free filehosting site of your choice (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) and either link it here or send me a PM.  Just let me know which packs you have installed and which Store worlds so I can replicate the environment.

  • Mayoucool18's avatar
    Mayoucool18
    Seasoned Newcomer
    11 months ago

    Hi!

    I'm struggling with the issue of my game being unable to load. It had been crashing regularly each time I tried to do a specific action, and I believe that this time while trying, the save point and the issue were too close, causing it to not be able to open anymore. I loved this game and made sims that were not all saved, and I would really appreciate getting help to retrieve them at least. 

    I tried the backup method, and sadly it seems the backup is affected as well. I wouldn't mind resetting the whole save aside from my household just to get the sims again. 

    If you're still willing to help a fellow simmer in need of some help, I would greatly appreciate it! Otherwise it really seems I must bid my sims goodbye 😳 

  • mightyma's avatar
    mightyma
    2 months ago

    So renaming my saves and deleting the backups just completely deleted all of my saves. Is there anything else I can do for future saves? I've already tried repairing the game through EA and reactivating all of my expansion packs in the Sims 3 Launcher. I have done both of these several times and nothing works. EA Support is no help either, they just point me right to this forum and shrug their shoulders when I tell them it didn't work.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 months ago

    @mightyma  My advice was to delete the .backup file extension, as in, the text, not the folders.  So if you had a save called SunsetValley, you'd have a SunsetValley.sims3 folder and a SunsetValley.sims3.backup folder.  If you followed my suggestion, the latter would become something like SunsetValley1.sims3 , which you could load from the Main Menu.

    Please try to restore any saves you deleted if you can find them in the recycle bin.  And if you've renamed your main saves, make sure the folder names still end in .sims3 and the names don't contain any special characters.

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