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the_ultimate_je's avatar
the_ultimate_je
3 years ago
Solved

Sims 3 expansion pack not downloading from EA app

Hello,  I recently purchased a Sims 3 expansion pack (ambitions) through the EA app. I received a receipt and the app says I own the expansion, but it won't let me download it. When I bring up my a...
pc
technical issues
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    3 years ago

    Update 2:  For anyone currently seeing this issue—some packs installing but others not—please create an EA App error report, as described here:

    https://help.ea.com/en/help/ea/ea-app/run-ea-error-report/

    and post the report ID in this thread along with a list of packs that won't download properly.

    If you can't install any packs, please use this thread, and post an error report ID there instead:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports-Technical-Issues/Sims-3-DLC-download-error-quot-Something-went-wrong-quot/td-p/12887115

    Update:  Origin can no longer be installed in Windows, so the original workaround (now under a spoiler) no longer applies.  That means there is no viable workaround for this issue.

    This has been reported to EA, and hopefully it'll be fixed soon, but I don't know when.  I will keep updating this thread with more information.

    A few players have reported that different packs get stuck reinstalling each time.  If that applies to you, it's worth saving the game's current program files under a different name and reinstalling—this should hopefully give you at least one copy of each pack you own.  First, open the EA App, select Sims 3, then Manage > View properties, and you'll see the install location.  This is for Sims 4, but you get the idea:

    Close the EA App and kill the EABackgroundService in the Task Manager.  Open that file path and rename the Sims 3 folder.  Then restart your computer, open the App, and download Sims 3 again.  If everything installs correctly, you can delete the old Sims 3 folder you renamed.  You'll need to shut down the App and the background service again.

    If one or more packs don't install correctly, close the App and kill the background service, then copy the folders for those packs from the old Sims 3 folder you renamed to the new one.  (Pack folders are labeled by pack type and release order, e.g. Seasons was the eighth expansion, so its folder is EP08.)  Open the App and try again to download those packs.  The App should verify their presence and finalize the install rather than redownloading the content.  When you're done, you can delete the old Sims 3 folder.

    Spoiler

    @the_ultimate_jed  Please clear the EA App's cache:

    https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/

    and restart your computer.

    If this doesn't help, you're seeing the same EA App issue that a lot of other Sims 3 players have: one or two packs don't download properly while the others do.  There's probably nothing you can do about it from the user side, although a few players seem to be able to install Origin and get it to download the missing pack(s).  Origin isn't actually usable—it just gives you a prompt to update to the EA App—but a missing pack might download in the background while you're staring at that prompt.

    https://www.dm.origin.com/download

    If you do try this, make sure to leave automatic game updates enabled in Origin.

    Other than that, all you can do is wait for EA to fix the issue.  It's been reported, so that should happen eventually, but I don't know when that will be.

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
3 years ago

Update 2:  For anyone currently seeing this issue—some packs installing but others not—please create an EA App error report, as described here:

https://help.ea.com/en/help/ea/ea-app/run-ea-error-report/

and post the report ID in this thread along with a list of packs that won't download properly.

If you can't install any packs, please use this thread, and post an error report ID there instead:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports-Technical-Issues/Sims-3-DLC-download-error-quot-Something-went-wrong-quot/td-p/12887115

Update:  Origin can no longer be installed in Windows, so the original workaround (now under a spoiler) no longer applies.  That means there is no viable workaround for this issue.

This has been reported to EA, and hopefully it'll be fixed soon, but I don't know when.  I will keep updating this thread with more information.

A few players have reported that different packs get stuck reinstalling each time.  If that applies to you, it's worth saving the game's current program files under a different name and reinstalling—this should hopefully give you at least one copy of each pack you own.  First, open the EA App, select Sims 3, then Manage > View properties, and you'll see the install location.  This is for Sims 4, but you get the idea:

Close the EA App and kill the EABackgroundService in the Task Manager.  Open that file path and rename the Sims 3 folder.  Then restart your computer, open the App, and download Sims 3 again.  If everything installs correctly, you can delete the old Sims 3 folder you renamed.  You'll need to shut down the App and the background service again.

If one or more packs don't install correctly, close the App and kill the background service, then copy the folders for those packs from the old Sims 3 folder you renamed to the new one.  (Pack folders are labeled by pack type and release order, e.g. Seasons was the eighth expansion, so its folder is EP08.)  Open the App and try again to download those packs.  The App should verify their presence and finalize the install rather than redownloading the content.  When you're done, you can delete the old Sims 3 folder.

Spoiler

@the_ultimate_jed  Please clear the EA App's cache:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/

and restart your computer.

If this doesn't help, you're seeing the same EA App issue that a lot of other Sims 3 players have: one or two packs don't download properly while the others do.  There's probably nothing you can do about it from the user side, although a few players seem to be able to install Origin and get it to download the missing pack(s).  Origin isn't actually usable—it just gives you a prompt to update to the EA App—but a missing pack might download in the background while you're staring at that prompt.

https://www.dm.origin.com/download

If you do try this, make sure to leave automatic game updates enabled in Origin.

Other than that, all you can do is wait for EA to fix the issue.  It's been reported, so that should happen eventually, but I don't know when that will be.

  • the_ultimate_je's avatar
    the_ultimate_je
    3 years ago

    Thanks! I redownloaded Origin and it installed the pack in the background. 

    • bev6usa's avatar
      bev6usa
      New Hotshot
      3 years ago

      I like Origin better too. It won't let me re-download Origin.  How do you get Origin back?

      • puzzlezaddict's avatar
        puzzlezaddict
        Hero+
        3 years ago

        @bev6usa  We can't use Origin anymore, at least not in Windows.  The idea is to install it and let it download your packs in the background even as it tells you to update to the EA App.  But if you can't download the Origin installer, then there's nothing else to do.

    • YellowDaisies1's avatar
      YellowDaisies1
      2 years ago

      Hi. I'm having the same issue. How did you redownload Origin? It looks like EA Games and Origin have merged and they've gotten rid of Origin. I can't even find it online anymore to download independently. 

  • yukee1127's avatar
    yukee1127
    2 years ago

    1. I tried to download back Origin with the link and it failed.  I tried it agian with another browser and it wroked. 

    2. Close EA App in tray. Open Origin

    3. Origin started to auto download all my sims3 in the back with a POPOUT saying updataing to EA App. (Don't click on the popout. )

    4. I can see the one expansion that wouldn't download on EA App is now on my PC now

  • PIPPOMKY75's avatar
    PIPPOMKY75
    2 years ago

    I am unable to reinstall Origin- why did they take it away in the first place?  This EA app is horrible- not user friendly and consistently glitchy.  It has been months now, are they able to fix this download issue or not? A little communication from their end would go a long way here.

  • ramizasskp's avatar
    ramizasskp
    2 years ago
    I downloaded Origin then let it runing for download missing expansion. The app shown that you need to switch to EA play but we don't need to click that button. Just let download status finish on left bottom corner then close app and open EA play for run game.
  • julienjones's avatar
    julienjones
    2 years ago

    I was having the exact same issue. This solution worked for me. Even though I wasn't able to finalize the Origin download, the sims expansion pack I had bought downloaded to my computer in the background. I kept the screen up that asked me to update the EA App and didn't click anything until Origin had finished downloading/ updating my games. It took about 1 min.

  • AyaMcD's avatar
    AyaMcD
    2 years ago

    DUDE! Thank you a million times. I've been trying to get my showtime, university, and into the future to install for over two weeks and this is the only thing that worked. I had to try a couple of times before it actually worked, but origin really is the only thing that actually worked. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.

  • ButterballBooge's avatar
    ButterballBooge
    2 years ago

    My packs are Ambitions and Generations that are missing. 

  • Qtlexigirl's avatar
    Qtlexigirl
    2 years ago

    I have made another report about this among my other 5 plus attempts. The expansion that wont download for me is the Sims 3 Into the Future and I've been having this problem since February.

    Here is my report ID:  b35c89f3-905a-433d-989c-48035f99b2a2

  • HGGal978's avatar
    HGGal978
    2 years ago

    My Sims 3 packs won't download. When I hit download they are stuck in preparing. The packs are Showtime, Pets, University Life, Into the Future, and Island Paradise. All of my other packs were able to download. My Report ID is ed238fde-d63e-4b18-97bc-a7f2b7ebfa56. Thank you in advance for any help!

    • Nerdrager's avatar
      Nerdrager
      2 years ago

      I have the exact same issue with the exact same expansions. This is totally unacceptable. I haven't been able to play Sims 3 for over 8 months since the EA app came out, it wouldn't even launch until the latest EA app update. I paid full price for these expansions at their release, so that's over $300. I do not expect EA to take a year to fix their bugs in an app they forced users to use. This is beyond frustrating. This is getting into Consumer Protection Agency territory.

      • GubbL007's avatar
        GubbL007
        2 years ago

        Same Issues here.

        60017e88-1406-4c80-bc40-61d51f6c5fc5

  • crixon147's avatar
    crixon147
    2 years ago

    Also happening to me too! :-(

    Suddenly out of nowhere a few weeks ago, downloaded content started being randomly uninstalled and wouldn't stay reinstalled, which I fixed by factory resetting my laptop. Then when it happened again, I tried reinstalling the games a few times, which worked a few times, etc and repeat... then after the last time, trying to reinstall the game suddenly stopped working (no expansion packs will download. I have all of them). Follows the same story as everyone else (starts "preparing" the download, then error). Can't get anything to work to try and get around it.

    Report ID: 

    29ce76d8-7190-46ab-997b-900f830a9355

About The Sims 3 Technical Issues

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