HI all,I hope creating a new topic is fine, but please move if not!I was playing Sims 4 today for a couple of hours, no issues whatsoever. I wanted to play some more tonight and suddenly, it's not installed on my laptop anymore. But all the files are still there on C-Drive and in my documents folder. Whenever I try to start the download via Origin, it gives me an error message, that I should check my internet connection or try again later. I already de-installed origin and installed it again. the EA Play app won't open for me (another error about it not working currently and try again in a minute...). I tried running as administrator and many other "fixes" I found via google search.Any ideas as to why my game just de-installed itself and now doesn't want to work anymore? I deleted all my mods from the mods folder, just in case that might be the issue, but alas, no change. Further, Origin now states I last played the game in 2014 and not today and all my played hours are gone as well (not that it matters, just a detail I came across).well, many thanks in advance!

@hsthug143 Switching to the EA App shouldn't have deleted your saves, and it's possible they're still accessible. If OneDrive is running, whether you use it or not, please check its Documents folder for any stray Sims 4 data. You can also search your computer for saves. Open a File Explorer window, click This PC in the left panel, and enter Slot_ in the upper-right corner of the screen. If the search finds saves, select one and click the "Open file location" menu button, and you'll jump to where the saves are, which will hopefully also be where your other data is. In either case, if you move the content back to the relevant subfolders within Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4, the game should read it again.

@puzzlezaddict you are AMAZING!!! That did the trick and got me back all my files. Truly I can't thank you enough, I appreciate you! Thank you so much for your help you really are a hero 😁

@Fesja Thanks for letting us know. There was actually a brief issue with downloading Sims 4 that affected a number of people, but it's since been resolved. I don't know whether you were seeing the same issue or the timing was a coincidence, but the important thing is it's resolved for you. Since this became something of a collection thread for that particular downloading issue, which is now resolved, I'll lock the thread here. For anyone else having download issues, please create your own thread.

@Fesja When Sims 4 is still installed on a computer but Origin thinks it's not, the most common reason is that an antivirus quarantined TS4_x64.exe, which runs the game. So please check your antivirus settings and add any exceptions necessary. If this doesn't help, please let me know what antivirus you use. For the last played date changing, it sounds like you may not be signed into a different Origin account than before. Please double-check your purchase history on ea.com to ensure you're loading the correct account.

@Fesja @breezytalbott @notetoself00x @karen65p Just happened to me just now. But the solution is simple. You have to log out of Origin and download EA ap. The problem will disappear. https://www.ea.com/ea-app

Sims 4 suddenly needs to be downloaded again - but won't

16 Replies

puzzlezaddict
Hero+
3 years ago
@Fesja When Sims 4 is still installed on a computer but Origin thinks it's not, the most common reason is that an antivirus quarantined TS4_x64.exe, which runs the game. So please check your antivirus settings and add any exceptions necessary. If this doesn't help, please let me know what antivirus you use.

For the last played date changing, it sounds like you may not be signed into a different Origin account than before. Please double-check your purchase history on ea.com to ensure you're loading the correct account.
tanguay29
3 years ago
I am having the same problem. I don't know how to create an exemption with my antivirus. I am using Kaspersky with windows 10. If you could help me out it would be much appreciated...
josiefrodo
3 years ago
@puzzlezaddict Such an easy fix, glad I found this before I went mad and deleted Origin, the Sims 4, everything lol
karen65p
3 years ago
so im not the only one , I have same problem , I use Mcafee and I cant see where to add exceptions , its mcafee total .I want to know how to add exception if I have uninstalled and reinstalled origin . I uninstalled the sims 4 from control panel and also uninstalled origin when I discovered I was having this problem. I reinstalled origin and my sims 4 shows up in game library but I cannot download therefore myself trying to start over still has not helped and I also have the date on played as earlier date yet I am logged to right account,although I did change my email via EA support about 2 years ago but my account still has all my purchases
breezytalbott
3 years ago
I am also having this issue. Closed my game a couple days ago, went to load it. Nothing. Says to download. When I try to download, which I don’t understand why, as I’ve had it for years and years now. I get the same error message.

I’ve done the admin thing. Closed and restarted. Went offline and online. Changed my ea password. Nothing. Doesn’t give options to repair. I don’t have any firewall security issues.
notetoself00x
3 years ago
Same here. Played last night with no issues and today I'm getting the same exact pop-ups as you. Going to try the virus thing and any other fixes I find...
Is this part of them switching from the origin app to the EA app?
breezytalbott
3 years ago
So I called ea help, and they told me it’s a known issue and are currently trying to resolve. Praying. It shows all my purchases etc. and yes. I’m logged into my account. As I only have one. Fingers crossed.
8ee52106679dbef
3 years ago
Same thing happened to me today. I had already played for a couple hours, turned it off to do some other stuff, then tried to turn it back on later and Origin is telling me to download it again, but it won't download no matter how many "fixes" I try.
This is SO BAD. Like c'mon EA please fix this.
breezytalbott
3 years ago
@8ee52106679dbeff Yeah. I’ve tried all the fixes. Nada.
kreatora
Hero (Retired)
3 years ago
@Fesja

@breezytalbott

@notetoself00x

@karen65p

Just happened to me just now. But the solution is simple. You have to log out of Origin and download EA ap. The problem will disappear.

https://www.ea.com/ea-app