Re: [FIXED] Save Issues after Patch 1.30.103

@NZsimm3rThat is unfortunate.

I have something of a work-around in place:

1) Make a backup copy of your -entire- Saves directory without the sub-directories before you play, and especially before you save!

2) ESC and Save As in Sims 4. Save your file under a new name, but do not exit the save menu!

3) Save As again and look to see if the correct filename saved. In my experience it usually takes two or three attempts before it actually *saves* under the name you give it - the other times it overwrites one of your old save files at random. Keep doing this until your Save As finally "takes".

4) Exit Sims 4.

5) Order the Sims 4 Saves directory by creation date and -move- (don't copy) all of the files that are time-stamped during the time you were saving the game. If you had to save three times to finally get the save file to save correctly, there should be 3 files.

6) Copy the saves from the backup you made before gameplay. When the file system asks you about duplicates, skip all of those. We just deleted the overwritten files and the one correctly saved file. We want to restore the ones that got overwritten.

7) Copy the saves from where you -moved- the recent 2 or 3 save files. Again, skip all duplicates. This should then copy the legitimate file you just made back into your Saves directory.

It's a colossal pain, but if you're careful it should work. I will be doing this on a daily basis instead of *every* time I save. So, I might make 5 incremental saves in a 3-hour gameplay period. Maybe it took 9 tries total to get the files to "stick". I will then follow my little routine but just look at the files created *today*.

Thanks for the link - I'll go take a look over there and see if there's anything I can learn or add.

Hi @JasonVega2 and @NZsimm3r

I've merged this thread with existing thread on the issue.

I've not seen any issues in my save game atm other than then the save as gets a new name but there's been plenty of reports now.

Tagging @IrishMadCat_EA to see if there's any more info needed

Ah, sorry I didn't notice the original thread!

There is absolutely NO DOUBT that "Save As" is overwriting old save files unrelated to the name you type in - at least in my game. Did some more testing to verify:

Saved file as "AW3 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_00000002, originally "02 First Day".

Re-saved file as "AW3 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly in slot_00000179.

Saved file as "AW4 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_00000005, originally "93 Lkr Rm Atndnt".

Re-saved file as "AW4 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly in slot_00000182.

Saved file as "AW5 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly in slot_000001aa.

Saved file as "AW6 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly in slot_000001ac.

Saved file as "AW7 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_000001ad, originally "AH1 Six Skulls".

Re-saved file as "AW7 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_000001af, originally "AD1 Great Party!".

Re-saved file as "AW7 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly as slot_000001b2.

Saved file as "AW8 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_000001b5, originally "AD2 Dance Party!".

Re-saved file as "AW8 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly as slot_000001c0.

Restored overwritten files and then locked all files in the Saves directory as read-only. This did not crash the game as I suspected it would - but it also did not work.

Saved file as "AW9 Climbing Wall". Overwrote slot_000001c6, originally "AH8 Pioneer Tech".

Re-saved file as "AW9 Climbing Wall". Saved correctly as slot_000001ca.

It looks to me very much like Sims4 is using an internal DB or looking at an external file that tracks which slot names have been used previously. It appears that it is losing track of which slot names are *available* and therefor overwriting live files.

One more thing: I wonder if this problem might be related to the *number* of save files. I have 533 save files, 2,196 if you count the backups also.

I should think with an 8-digit hex code for a filename you wouldn't expect overwrite problems until you get past the 65,000 save file level. Still, it might be why some people see this issue and others don't.

Do you really need all of them in your saves folder ? You could just backup them somewhere else

Sure, I've thought of moving all but the most recent saves somewhere else - and I may still do that if this issue isn't definitively solved pretty soon.That's the way I do it in Sims 3, actually.

The reason I haven't yet is because that would make it more complicated if I ever needed to restore a backup game, since Sims 4 appears to look for the first "open" slot and use that filename - I would have duplicate filenames with different backup saves.

One more thing to report also:

I read a suggestion somewhere online regarding this problem, to delete the localthumbcache.package and let the game regenerate it. I did that and I have not had this issue occur since.

6/26/17. Saved file "AX0 Current" (slot_000001d5) with no problem.

6/27/17. Saved file "AX1 Current" (slot_000001d8) with no problem.

6/28/17. Saved file "AX2 Current" (slot_000001df) with no problem.

I can't say for *certain* that solved the problem - but I think it can't hurt if anyone else is having this issue, or just good general practice to clear out accumulated junk in that file.

I will continue to watch and test! Thanks so much for everyone's help and input - especially Crinrict!

Thank you for that suggestion