Store Content Errors and Failed Installation

minosimu_nz​  How many items or sets did you install at a time when you were rebuilding your user folder?  The launcher doesn't handle large amounts of data well, and trying to install too much at once can corrupt the files the content is bundled into, preventing the game from reading them or any higher-numbered files.  I'm not saying this definitely happened, only that it's possible.

If you don't think this is the issue, or you want to try something simple first, try deleting the SigsCache folder inside Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  It only helps some of the time, but it's easy enough.

I'm have the same issue as you! Have browsed the previous thread, tried everything people suggested. Doesn't matter how many sets, etc I install at a time, always uninstalls, which is messing up my save files (CAS, build/buy items are replaced). It's really annoying. 

between 1 and 5 files at a time. I would suspect corruption at installation to be a problem if my content didn't work the first time after regenerating a Sims 3 folder and redownloading from the store again, but it did work for two (correction from one in my OP) play sessions.

I've tried deleting SigsCache and nothing changed.

An update...

I opened the game yesterday, and my store content was working again. Played for a couple of hours just fine.

Opened up my game today and store content isn't working anymore with the same issue I originally described.

This is so confusing!

minosimu_nz​  Store content often works once and then not again when the files are corrupted.  I'm not sure why, except that perhaps the launcher retains some data from the install process that helps, but only until you close the launcher and try to play again later.

Does this happen in a new admin Windows account as well?  I'm not saying you necessarily need to switch to playing in that account long-term, only that it would be an interesting test.  Make the account local, as in, don't link it to your Microsoft account or any email address.

However, since it would take a long time to reinstall everything only for the purpose of testing, and only installing a fraction of your content isn't a valid comparison, I would suggest first only installing a fraction of your content in your main Windows account first.  If that doesn't work, then try the new account.

If the fraction of the content does work in your main account, please let me know how many .ebc files in DCCache were created with this smaller amount of content, and how many you have when you've installed everything you own.  The .dbc files are irrelevant here; they're bundled custom content installed through the launcher, nothing to do with the Store.

grungedsimmer​  The same applies to you as well as long as this isn't an issue of installing too much at once, or installing without removing the previously-installed content.

Sadly did not work for me :( 

grungedsimmer​  To be clear, you tried installing only a few items while using a new, local admin Windows account, and they were uninstalled after you quit the game and restarted your computer, still while in that Windows account?  If this isn't exactly how you tested, please describe what you did.

Either way, please let me know what antivirus you use and whether you have a cleaner app running.  I'd also like to know how you got this copy of Sims 3: did you originally buy it directly from EA, or did you register a disc or Steam code?  Did you install the game only through the EA App, or did you start with a disc, and did you have a previous install of the game that you removed?

Hi!

A further update. I've managed my own workaround. puzzlezaddict​ thanks for the suggestion, but it sounded quite time consuming, so I thought about finding something a little more efficient.

This is a very strange issue because some days my store content would work and other days it wouldn't. Sometimes every second day it was working.

I got tired of this and decided to delete all my store content and download it again from the store site. After I did that, my store content worked fine, so I made a backup of my Sims 3 folder.

The next time my content stopped working, which was about three days later, I tried swapping my new Sims 3 folder with the backup. That didn't work.

I then deleted all my store content from my new Sims 3 folder and transferred the store downloads to it from my backup folder. I then reinstalled all 164 items at once 😋

That worked and I'm now able to use my store content again. I did this yesterday and the content is still working today. Though, I have no idea if the issue is going to happen again. If it does, I'll just repeat the delete and reinstall from backup process again. Honestly, it only took about 10 minutes, which is how long some peoples' game takes to load, so I'm willing to rinse and repeat if necessary.

Doesn't stop the issue from being irritating to say the least.

Yes. And to be clear I didn't restart my computer, just put it to sleep instead of restarting or shutting it down. 

I own a majority of The Sims 3 expansion and stuff packs and registered the codes for those I had on the Sims 3 Store at the time I had initially bought them (which I think links to the EA app or Origin when it was Origin). I then purchased the remainder of packs I didn't have on the EA app on my older laptop. I have McAfee antivirus installed but I believe the free trial is up and I have no cleaner app at all. I never had this issue with store content on my older laptop. Just my new one for some reason (which really sucks because it runs TS3 so smoothly).

minosimu_nz

Has this kept your content from being removed. Would love to hear how it's been for your game since you posted!