Re: 🛠️ Creating a symlink in macOS to store the Sims 4 folder on an external drive

@annakristineb97 

Sorry!

I checked it and I had still had to apply the workaround. Your screenshot threw me because it shows a normal Finder window but the window that pops up in Origin looks like this:

Edit - after a little testing with @puzzlezaddict it turns out that an older version of macOS shows the proper Finder window, not this ugly Origin version. Which macOS are you running? In the screenshot you posted it shows your external drive as the drive with the yellow icon so you should be able to choose that drive and not worry about the workaround instructions.

Thank you so much for helping me out. I'll try again later today. I'm currently using macOS Mojave 10.14.6. I'm not able to update my MacBook until I move the Sims game🙂

I'm not familiar with the term "workaround", so please explain to me what it means🙂

I also didn't quite understand if I should skip all the remaining steps of the instructions and simply change the folder to my external hard drive (the yellow icon)? I was confused about step 5 "Directory" as well. 

Sorry for asking a lot of questions. I really appreciate your help 🙂

Thank you for explaining! I managed to successfully move the Electronic Arts folder to my hard drive, but I'm now facing a new problem. When creating the symlink for the Electronic Arts folder, it doesn't say "alias" in my local documents folder as described in the tutorial. 

Sorry, it got changed to "alias" now, so I think it will be working.

I managed to do all the steps, but I'm getting a message when I try to start the game. I get this  message with a different mod every time I try to open the Sims game. Do you know what I can do about this without having to delete all of my mods?

I followed yours🙂 Yes, I'm aware, but I don't know how to reformat the hard drive? 

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to all of my newbie questions

Thank you! I have a lot of important files on my hard drive, and it seems risky to format the drive. I will not take the risk of losing all of my files. Does this mean I won't be able to launch the game at all?

Okay thank you

Hi again! I have now found a solution as to how I can install the game and the mods on my hard drive after all. I have another hard drive which I can format if necessary. My question is now how I can safely move the game and the mods to the other hard drive. Btw, I would usually try to do it all on my own, but I'm scared I will lose data or my files if I make any mistakes. Therefore, I ask you first🙂 

@annakristineb97 

To avoid any corruption of the install I would uninstall the game then change the game library location in Origin to the new drive, then re-download the game again.

For your user data (Sims 4 folder) you need to reverse the current symlink then redo it to the new drive.

There’s always a risk to lose files when moving stuff around and creating symlinks but so long as you have backups it doesn’t matter 🙂

I see! Thank you! I need to reverse the symlink even though I never created one, as you recommended me not to?

Also, I don't know if this matters, but as of now I don't have any data/active games in the Sims 4. The mods are the only thing I'm worried about losing in the moving process 🙂

I have not created a symlink for the Sims game itself, as this update didn't require it (Based on what you wrote to me here: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/Moving-mods-and-Sims-4-to-external-hard-drive-MAC/m-p/11351076#M49421).

I have indeed created a symlink for the Electronic Arts folder as showed in the instructions 🙂 

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@annakristineb97 wrote:

I have not created a symlink for the Sims game itself, as this update didn't require it (Based on what you wrote to me here: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/Moving-mods-and-Sims-4-to-external-hard-drive-MAC/m-p/11351076#M49421).

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There has never been a need for creating a symlink for storing the game externally. Please do not confuse the Origin workaround with creating a symlink.

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@annakristineb97 wrote:

I have indeed created a symlink for the Electronic Arts folder as showed in the instructions 🙂 

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Exactly, so you now need to reverse that symlink if you are going to use a different drive and then create a new symlink to the new external drive. If you don't do this your Mac will forever point towards your current drive that you don't want to reformat when the game loads your user data. This wiki page may help you better understand what a symlink is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link 

hi mines shows up like that to when i try to change the location but i dont see my external  harddrive can you help with that please?

How do you reverse the symlink?

Hi! I was reading the thread to see if I could come to my own resolution but i have to ask now bc of this comment. How did you manage to successfully move your Electronic Arts folder into your hard drive? I've done everything else but this is my current issue I'm running into. Every time I load the game, my mac creates a new electronic arts folder in "documents - local". You also had that same pop up as me that was newly updated and looks different from OP (the 4 folder: applications, library, system, users". I don't have the tab OP was referring to either, I have what you have. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you.