Re: Sims 3 - Packs missing from EA app

Hey guys,

Not really a technical issue per se... I have a Monte Vista DVD that I bought about 10 years ago. I tried to install it on my Mac, but found out I couldn’t because it uses a 32-bit installer. When I tried to register the code on thesims3.com, I got an “invalid keycode” message — which probably means it’s already been redeemed.

I don’t remember ever installing it before, and if I did, it would’ve been under my current account, which is not. I recently learned that worlds work differently from expansion or stuff packs — you can only redeem their code once to a single account, instead of just installing them freely on any computer. So I probably lended it to someone and they redeemed the code.

I contacted EA Support via live chat, but they couldn’t help. They said they weren’t able to validate the purchase, even though I never sent them a photo of the DVD and the code. They suggested I contact the original retailer from 10 years ago, which doesn’t make much sense.

So before I move on, I wanted to ask here for advice. I was thinking of:

• Trying to email EA Support instead of using live chat and attaching the photo for proof, asking if they could unlink the code or link the world to my account;
• Installing it on an old Windows laptop, updating the game to 1.67 with the super patcher, then copying the installed world files to my Mac;
• Or using an older Mac that still supports 32-bit apps to install it.

Worst case, I could just buy Monte Vista again someday, but I wanted to check here first to see if there’s any way to recover access to it without repurchasing.

Thanks in advance for any help!