sims 4 game data missing or damaged MAC

Hey Big problem over here

I have this message coming up on my game. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, repaired, refreshed my folders. also made a new user on my computer and re downloaded origin on it and that didnt work either. I updated my computer yesterday and everything was working fine prior so i assume it has something to do with that. Message: Cannot start because required game data is missing or damaged. Please repair or reinstall the game via Origin.

I have been trying to get help in the discord servers but so far no luck.

attached our my computer specs

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP

launching

Bluebellflora
6 years ago
@lkwr21

You updated your OS to Catalina? Or was it some kind of other update?

Is it the same error message or is it different after trying different things? Could you please post a screenshot of it?

Does Origin have Full Disk Access in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access?

Give this a try (please make sure there is no Sims 4 folder in your Documents > Electronic Arts folder):

In your Applications folder right click on the Sims 4 app and select Show Package Contents.

Navigate to Contents > Mac OS.

Right click on The Sims 4 and select Move to Trash. Don't drag the file as it will only move an alias and leave the original in place.

Now open Origin, right click on The Sims 4 in your Games Library and click Repair Game.

29 Replies

Bluebellflora
Hero+
6 years ago
@lkwr21

You updated your OS to Catalina? Or was it some kind of other update?

Is it the same error message or is it different after trying different things? Could you please post a screenshot of it?

Does Origin have Full Disk Access in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access?

Give this a try (please make sure there is no Sims 4 folder in your Documents > Electronic Arts folder):

In your Applications folder right click on the Sims 4 app and select Show Package Contents.

Navigate to Contents > Mac OS.

Right click on The Sims 4 and select Move to Trash. Don't drag the file as it will only move an alias and leave the original in place.

Now open Origin, right click on The Sims 4 in your Games Library and click Repair Game.
lkwr21
6 years ago
Same message every time, picture attached. Will try the repair you suggested. I already had catalina, just a regular update.
lkwr21
6 years ago
OMG IT WORKED I LOVE YOU!!!!!
now is it possible to move my old saves over? its okay if not i will survive.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
6 years ago
@lkwr21

The 4-step repair worked? Fantastic! You can move your saves from the old Sims 4 > saves folder into the newly created one in your Documents > Electronic Arts folder.
jeanneley54
6 years ago
I have the same problem. After following all of the steps, the Sims app creates a legacy sims edition folder in the ea folder, which only contains a empty saves folder and userdata.lock and userdata.ini files. I'm booting the sims from the origin app. My iMac is running Catalina 10.55. Any other help is greatly appreciated.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
6 years ago
@jeanneley54

Please can you provide more information about your Mac. Instructions on how to do so and what to provide here - http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612396/highlight/true#M162
jeanneley54
6 years ago
macOS Catalina
version 10.5.5
iMac 21.5-inch, late 2013
processor 2.9 ghz quad-core intel core i5
memory 8 gb 1600 MHz ddr3
startup disk os x
graphics nvdia geforce gt 750 1 gb
thank you in advance.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
6 years ago
@jeanneley54

Thanks 🙂

In your Applications folder right click on the Sims 4 app and select Show Package Contents.

Navigate to Contents > Mac OS.

Is there a file in there like this?

If there is, please right click on it and select Move to Bin. Then open Origin, right click on the game in your games library and select Repair.

If there isn't that file please repair the game.
jeanneley54
6 years ago
@Bluebellflora It didn't work. All that happened after was the same error message and the same unix executable file being reinstalled. I'm stumped.
Bluebellflora
Hero+
6 years ago
@jeanneley54

Yes, after a repair the file is recreated. I'm stumped too because the only way that I am aware of of forcing a Metal compatible Mac to run the LE is by trashing that file and then NOT repairing the game. Something else is causing the game to think you should be running the LE.

Could you attach the Config.log file from your Sims 4 folder here?