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MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
Seasoned Rookie
2 years ago
Solved

Re: The Sims 3 won't launch

@puzzlezaddict  I now have this problem.  It's been going on since Thanksgiving.  I've attempted every single fix listed in this thread; a couple of them worked once, but stopped working the next tim...
pc
technical issues
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    2 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl  This probably is a OneDrive error.  And yes, I would definitely get rid of OneDrive, but that's in part because I personally have no use for it, so all it does is potentially mess with my files.  If you have a reason to keep it around, there are other options, all covered here:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-saves-user-content-disappearing-PC/m-p/12475370#M249772

    The guide was written for Sims 4, but the OneDrive information applies equally here.  So pick the option that works for you and change the relevant settings.

    Before you do anything with OneDrive though, it would be best to confirm that getting it out of the way fixes the problem.  The quickest way to do that is to pause syncing before you play, which you can do by right-clicking the cloud icon in the lower-right corner of the screen.  Then move the Sims 3 folder, as you wanted to do, and proceed from there.

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
2 years ago

@MAWriterGirl  Patch 1.69 is the only version you'd get when installing the game through the EA App, or when installing from a disc and allowing the App to update your game.  Patch 1.67 is for disc-only installs that don't require the App in order to run; and for Steam installs, where neither the EA App nor Steam needs to be open at all.

For your expansions not loading in-game, you did the right thing by selecting all the packs again.  This is a relatively common issue with the pack selector and has been since its introduction: it can "forget" which packs you've chosen and load none of them at all.  If this gets to be too much of a problem, look into Lazy Duchess's custom launcher, which is designed to avoid these issues and others.

The "no packages to install" error has a known workaround:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-Launcher-quot-There-are-no-packages-to-install-quot/m-p/11946593#M252702

I'd get rid of OneDrive too, especially if you're not going to use it for anything.  Just make absolutely sure your Documents directory isn't inside OneDrive, as the guide describes.  In case you don't want to go digging, the way to confirm is to open Command Prompt (you can search Windows for it) and enter this command:

reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Personal"

You should see C:\Users\[your username]\Documents.  If you do, you're fine, and you can deal with OneDrive however you want.  I haven't actually uninstalled it; I'm simply using a local Windows account, not linked with my Microsoft account, so OneDrive couldn't sync even if it wanted to do so.  The only reminders I get are after a Windows feature update, once a year, when Windows asks if I might want to reconsider my choices.

MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
Seasoned Rookie
2 years ago

@puzzlezaddict  I'm a little ahead of you with the CC problem 🙂  ...that's the thread I was checking out.  I started following the instructions, but discovered that my applications page looks different from the one in the OP's screenshot (I've attached a screenshot of mine).  So I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.  Whether it was because I didn't do it the right way or because I was among the group for whom this solution didn't work, I figured it was better to see if someone could tell me what settings I should use on this version of the applications page.

If it turns out this doesn't work for me even after I find out whether my settings are right or not, I had a thought, to try to install my CC in package form.  A lot of it is in Sims3Packs, but I remember a post on crinrict's blog explaining how to convert a Sims3Pack into a .package file.  Would this be feasible at all?

I also took care that my Documents folder isn't in OneDrive anymore, and it's not, so that's all settled too.  Once I manage to solve the CC problem I think I'll be in business.  Thanks again!

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl  The EA App's layout has changed a bit since that post was created, but the concept is the same.  Since the first attempt didn't help you, I'd suggest disabling everything you can find, notifications included, and testing again, this time in a(nother) clean user folder.

    You can certainly convert custom content from .Sims3Pack to .package format, and there are tools that do it for you.  Google "Delphy multi-extractor" if you want to pursue it.  But Store content cannot be handled this way due to its encryption.

  • MAWriterGirl's avatar
    MAWriterGirl
    Seasoned Rookie
    2 years ago

    @puzzlezaddict  I knew store content would be a whole different thing, so I'm not too worried about that; I was able to reinstall stuff through the download dashboard, though it remains to be seen if it will stay reinstalled.  My main concern is the third-party CC I've downloaded from The Sims Resource and Mod the Sims.  I'll play around with it for a while and see what I can do, and I'll also look into the Delphy multi-extractor.  Thanks for the tip!  If and when something comes up that I can't figure my way out of, I'll post again.

  • MAWriterGirl's avatar
    MAWriterGirl
    Seasoned Rookie
    2 years ago

    @puzzlezaddictThe workaround you provided the link to did the trick for me, and I'm able to run the game without trouble.  Since then, a smaller issue has come up.  I've been able to reinstall the CC that I most wanted; I could live without the rest and got rid of it.  But now I have a problem with installing my own house builds into the game.  In the last few months I created a number of houses and uploaded them to the Exchange, and when I did, I saved the Sims3Pack files from the Export folder into a separate desktop folder.  So when I got my game back up and running earlier this month, I thought it would be a simple matter to place these files into the Downloads folder and reinstall them.

    Unfortunately, they don't stay installed.  The launcher installs them, and they look fine; but when I go into the game, they don't show up in the saved-houses bin.  If I leave the files in the Downloads folder, the next time I bring up the launcher, they show as not installed.  I tried redownloading four of these builds (all without any third-party CC at all) from the Exchange, but that makes no difference.  I didn't even have to go into the game; I installed them, exited the launcher to delete cache files, restarted the launcher, and saw those four builds showing up as not installed.  This happens only with my builds, no others.  The only way I've been able to save these houses into game memory is to do it from save games in which I placed them on lots.  I haven't used all my builds in saves, so I've been able to save only about half my builds like this.  Is there a fix to the installation problem, or will I need to find another workaround?  It's just occurred to me that it might work if I try extracting the package files and putting them in that way, but I haven't had a chance to try this out.  But this problem is weird enough to make me curious as to what might be the cause.  Thank you again for your time!

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl  I'd just try extracting the .package files, which is simpler than it sounds.  Move or rename the existing Sims 3 folder, open the launcher to spawn a clean folder, install your houses there, and grab the .package files from Library.  You can put these into Library inside your old Sims 3 folder, trash the new folder, and restore the old one.

    I save the .package files of my builds and move them from one user folder to another without any trouble.  The only complication would be if the builds used custom content that you hadn't reinstalled yet, but it sounds like that's not the case here.

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