Forum Discussion

Drensos2020's avatar
Drensos2020
New Novice
3 months ago
Solved

Sims3 Game launcher doesn't work after deleting Userdata folder

Hello, I accidentally deleted the Userdata folder on steam, and when I try to open the launcher, I get a message on the launcher that there was an error during startup. please see the log more details.

After I verified the files on steam, there was message that 4 files failed to validate and will be reacquired, so I uninstalled and reinstalled and backed up files on Windows 10. and I deleted all downloaded caches. but there's the same launcher error.

I received an answer from steam that they said The Sims™ 3 support by using the information. How should I do? Help me Please

  • Drensos2020​  When you verify the game files on Steam again, do you get the same error?  If so, does Steam list the files that need to be reacquired, and does a subsequent repair flag the same files?

    Please also list the location of the Userdata folder you deleted, and let me know what's currenly inside.  I can compare it to my own Steam install.

    As a side note, if you've tried to reinstall without certain packs present, please install all of them too and see whether the game launches.  This is one of the causes of the "error during startup" message.

3 Replies

  • Drensos2020​  When you verify the game files on Steam again, do you get the same error?  If so, does Steam list the files that need to be reacquired, and does a subsequent repair flag the same files?

    Please also list the location of the Userdata folder you deleted, and let me know what's currenly inside.  I can compare it to my own Steam install.

    As a side note, if you've tried to reinstall without certain packs present, please install all of them too and see whether the game launches.  This is one of the causes of the "error during startup" message.

  • Drensos2020's avatar
    Drensos2020
    New Novice
    3 months ago

    Yes, just in case, I deleted and reinstalled the Steam first, then reinstalled the Sims 3 including all the packs. And now the launcher runs great! The game works for me. When I verifed the game files again on Steam, none of them was missing. Interestingly, I only have 3 folders in the Userdata folder right now, maybe because I haven't saved the Sims 3 game yet(No sims 3 game number there).

    Thanks for the detailed and kind reply!

    D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\my Steam ID number\3 folders

    folder named bewlow

    1. 7(remote folder has sharedconfig.vdf and remotecache.vdf)
    2. config(librarycache folder has 7{all my steam game's code} json file, licensecache file,  and localconfig.vdf)
    3. gamerecordings(timelines folder has nothing and gamerecording.pb)

     

    P.S. If I install two Sims 3s in different folders on Steam and Origin, does it work in different launchers? I was just wondering

  • Drensos2020​  If your game is working fine, I wouldn't worry about what's in the Userdata folder.

    I would suggest not trying to manage competing Steam and EA App installs of Sims 3 unless you're good with details AND you don't mind doing some tinkering.  The distinct registry entries may break one copy or the other of the game, or the EA App may try to mess with your Steam install.  However, it's certainly possible that this would work, at least in theory.  So if you don't mind uninstalling and reinstalling again, there's no harm in experimenting.

    The one other point to make is that if one install includes packs that the other does not, you'll need to keep two separate Sims 3 user folders (in Documents > Electronic Arts).  This is mainly because trying to play a save that has been exposed to an expansion pack without that EP present can easily break the save.  But certain other files in the user folder are sensitive to removed packs as well, although not necessarily to the same degree.  It's simple enough to rename one user folder and let the game generate another one; just make sure to always switch back and forth when you're switching between install types.

About The Sims 3 Technical Issues

Get help with issues in The Sims 3 from fellow Simmers.83,435 PostsLatest Activity: 3 hours ago