Re: save folder not in the sims 4 file!

thank you for your answer! repairing the game did not fix the DLC issue nor did clearing the cache - i tried twice. searching for Slot_  in My PC turned up only stuff from other games (all PNG files). so does this mean my save is just gone? any idea why lol?

@76opyhu1tx9v  For the missing packs, try reinstalling Origin:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Downloading-and-installing-Origin-Windows-and-Mac/m-p/11915666

You may need to repair within Origin as well: open your game library, right-click on the Sims 4 icon, and select repair.

For the missing saves, I could speculate if you want.  The simplest explanation is that you deleted the wrong folder.

Alternately, if you started the game once before trying to put the old Sims 4 folder back, you would have had a new Sims 4 folder in Documents\Electronic Arts.  When you tried to move the old folder back, Windows would have notified you that there was already a folder with the same name and asked what you wanted to do.  Choosing to keep the existing folder would have erased the folder you were moving (the one with your saves) in favor of the newer one already in place (with no saves).

I can't really tell you what happened, not having been there to watch you do it.  But this does underscore the need to keep backups—you never know when you'll need one.

By the way, if you've ever used OneDrive, or even just let it run, you might get lucky and find a copy of the Sims 4 folder there, either in its version of Documents or in the trash.  Even if it's not running now, you can sign into onedrive.com with the email address and password linked to your Microsoft account and take a look.

a few things - thank you for being so helpful btw! i don't play through the origin app, i play through the EA app. now that i know the save is gone, i'm not really concerned with why. i did try to look for a tutorial on how to make a backup, but it just told me to copy the entire sims 4 folder (which, evidently, didn't work). plus, the original the sims 4 folder didn't even have a save file in there for some reason. could you direct me to where to learn how to properly make a backup? thanks!

@76opyhu1tx9v  I understand you're using the EA App, but the App is still not working as well as it should, which is why I suggested trying Origin instead.  If Origin verifies all your content and it loads in-game, you can go back to the App and see whether your packs load properly there too.

As for making a backup, it really is as simple as copying the folder.  This wasn't the issue; where you (probably) ran into a problem was in putting the backup folder back.  You just need to pay close attention to what you're doing with the various files and any error messages you get.  And when restoring a backup, copy the files back over, don't just move them.  That way, even if the files disappear or otherwise don't load properly, you'll still have the backup itself intact and can try again.

Ideally, you'd store your backups on an external drive or upload them to a free filesharing service like Google Drive or Dropbox.  The idea is to have a backup separate from your computer so that nothing that happens on or to the computer itself will erase all your data.

haha i'm so sorry for bugging you again, and ty for being so patient with me, but i downloaded origin and loaded the game up! DLCs still broken. repaired the game on origin, DLCs still broken. is there another forum where this problem has been solved, because i havent been able to find one

@76opyhu1tx9v  You don't need to apologize; we do this because we enjoy it.

Please create a new folder on your computer for the game.  Don't put it in Documents or Downloads, but pretty much anything else is fine, or you can create it on the root level (as in, C:\New Folder) of the drive of your choice.  Open your Origin game library, right-click on the Sims 4 icon, select Move Game, and choose the new folder.  Once Origin has finished the process, run another repair.