Forum Discussion

FBGSFM4's avatar
FBGSFM4
Rising Novice
3 years ago
Solved

Sims 4 Not Reading Game Files

Okay so I'm not very computer smart and I think I've officially messed my game up. I'm on the EA app and I wasn't aware that to fix the "Sims 4 Is Already Running" thing was to log out of the EA app and log back in. But by that point I've already tried to reset my game. I followed the instructions step by step on how to reset my game and somehow my game is refusing to read the files I have in the The Sims 4 folder (C:\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 Backup 1-11-2023) Thats what it looks like on my computer. When I open TS4 a test file (I made it after resetting the game) is loaded, but my other saves aren't there, and I don't see that test file in my saves folder strangely. My Mods and tray files won't load in game either. So, it might be reading a different save folder, but I don't know where it would be reading it from my back up is on an external hard drive. I don't know what I did wrong, everyone in the comments was saying that the reset worked. 

Another problem I had was that my sims 4 wouldn't regenerate any new folders or game files. So, I just deleted the whole sims 4 folder but even that won't regenerate after I open the game and close it. I think I'm going to uninstall TS4 and reinstall it. I have my game backed up from before I tried to reset the game so hopefully, I really don't lose anything. If anyone is able to help, please let me know what to do I'm clueless, frustrated, and desperate.  

pc
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  Here's how to create a new Windows account:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-a-local-user-or-administrator-account-in-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d

    To be clear, you want it local (no attached Microsoft account) and admin (full rights).  Once you've created it, launch Sims 4 once and confirm it's reading the correct user folder.  If not, stop there.

    Otherwise, go back to your current account, which will still be intact and usable, and move any files you want to transfer into C:\Users\Public.  You can copy or just drag and drop; it doesn't matter as long as you don't delete anything.  This folder is accessible from your old and new Windows accounts.  So you just need to go back to the new account and grab the files from Public, then place them in the appropriate locations within the new account.

    Since you only just bought this computer, it's possible there was something wrong with how it was initially set up, whether when you did it or how the setup process was configured.  In cases like this, it's definitely better to just start with a new Windows account you make yourself because you never know what other problems might be lurking.

20 Replies

Show More
  • FBGSFM4's avatar
    FBGSFM4
    Rising Novice
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict Hey so I deleted the folder and now my game is back to saying "the Sims 4 is already running" and I've logged out of EA app and logged back in but it still won't open. So, I don't know if my game is using the original Electronic Arts folder.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  Just so we're on the same page, please list the current full file path to your Documents directory, as seen when you right-click the Documents icon in the left panel of a File Explorer window and select Properties > General.

    Deleting the Sims 4 folder alone shouldn't cause the "already running" issue since the game is perfectly capable of creating a new user folder when it doesn't find one already present.  It's more likely that the immediate cause is disabling sharing, but that should be irrelevant when the game is placing the user folder in the correct location in the first place.

  • FBGSFM4's avatar
    FBGSFM4
    Rising Novice
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict the location is still C:\
    sorry for not responding for a while, I wasn't able to get on my computer.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  Then we're back to your needing to move the location of Documents to C:\Users\your username\Documents.  As long as that isn't addressed, the underlying Sims 4 issue can't be fixed either.  Like I said though, if you want to get around it, just create a new, local Windows account, which will use the correct location for Documents, and play there.

  • FBGSFM4's avatar
    FBGSFM4
    Rising Novice
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict there's a document folder with the same icon under C:\Users\neema\Documents but there's also the one that's pinned in my quick access. It looks like I have two different documents folders. Also, I don't know if this helps with the problem, but my desktop folder is located C:\Users\neema\Downloads and I don't know how to get it to return to its original location.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  You can use the same technique for moving the Desktop folder as anything else.  But honestly, I think it might be better to just start with a new Windows account.  This account might have some other borked user settings that you just haven't found yet, and the new account will wipe all that away.  You can also transfer your user content from one account to another easily enough: drop whatever you want to share into Public and retrieve it from there.

  • FBGSFM4's avatar
    FBGSFM4
    Rising Novice
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict okay so I have to make a new account but how do I do that? and I'm not entirely sure what you mean by moving things i want into the public folder. Do I copy my old documents files into the public document folder? How do i access my old account to get in the files in the new account? I just bought this computer and I'm afraid to mess it up anymore.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  Here's how to create a new Windows account:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-a-local-user-or-administrator-account-in-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d

    To be clear, you want it local (no attached Microsoft account) and admin (full rights).  Once you've created it, launch Sims 4 once and confirm it's reading the correct user folder.  If not, stop there.

    Otherwise, go back to your current account, which will still be intact and usable, and move any files you want to transfer into C:\Users\Public.  You can copy or just drag and drop; it doesn't matter as long as you don't delete anything.  This folder is accessible from your old and new Windows accounts.  So you just need to go back to the new account and grab the files from Public, then place them in the appropriate locations within the new account.

    Since you only just bought this computer, it's possible there was something wrong with how it was initially set up, whether when you did it or how the setup process was configured.  In cases like this, it's definitely better to just start with a new Windows account you make yourself because you never know what other problems might be lurking.

  • FBGSFM4's avatar
    FBGSFM4
    Rising Novice
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict So I made the account and opened the game and its opening everything up in the right place. One question thought, what do I move to the public files to get my game back to how it was before this problem occurred? My mods saves and tray folder, right? Is there anything else I should be moving over?
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @FBGSFM4  You don't need to move anything else to the new user account.  But if you're curious what the other files and folders are for, have a look at this guide:

    https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2014/09/user-files-explained/

    It's always best to let the game regenerate a file or folder if the old one doesn't have any critical data.  But perhaps you want to preserve your screenshots or some file you've edited, and in that case, go ahead and bring it over too.

Recent Discussions