I am so distraught that I started playing sims 4 two weeks ago trying mods and cc for the first time just to lose everything! I ran out of space in my internal (MAC) bought an external and followed everything step by step (disk utility, time machine, followed each step from bluebellflora) everything is there but when I load my game my mods and cc do not pop up and the game wants me to start a new game. The load game option is none existing. I’ve tried over and over with no luck. My saves are in my saves folder in the external so I’m so confused. I did the (install/saves) in Origin to find the game but still nothing.
For some reason I have two electronic arts folders. I have attempted the symlink.
Your folders are a mess ☹️ Why is the game library location, where the game installs to, in a folder called saves on the external drive? If you want the game installation on your external drive, change the location to /Volumes/SIMS4HDD and leave it at that. The game installation location and the Sims 4 folder which contains your saves, mods etc. location are completely separate entities and should not be thought of as the same thing.
The game installation (base game + packs) location is changed in Origin > Installs & Saves > Game library location.
The Electronic Arts/The Sims 4 folder can be stored on an external drive but requires a symlink so the game still thinks it is installed locally.
For some reason you have an Electronic Arts folder within an Electronic Arts folder. Your game will not load any of your user data from this. The Sims 4 folder must be directly in the Electronic Arts folder which must be directly in your Documents folder. This is why, when the symlink is correctly created, the little shortcut arrow appears in the folder icon in the local Documents folder. All of the instructions are clearly written in the guide and accompanying video.
No idea why you have a saves folder within a saves folder...
I would firstly get the game properly installed in the correct location. Next, I would reverse any successful symlinks I had created, then make sure the Sims 4 folder I want to load user data from is in the correct location, [your user account] > Documents > The Sims 4. I would then load up the game to makes sure everything was successfully loading and only then would I attempt the symlink again.
Also, you can take screenshots on your Mac, no need to use a phone - https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201361
