The Sims 4 not recognizing save files in save folder
So, I've made a major mistake. Earlier, I moved my Sims 4 folder to my external drive in an attempt to move the files as I was running out of space on OneDrive & some of the files were stored in there despite me choosing not to back up my files for TS4 through OneDrive. It all went downhill from here when I also uninstalled the game to place it onto my external drive. I placed all of my mods and saves into the appropriate folders and they were not being recognized, I then uninstalled the game and reinstalled it back to my main drive in the hopes that this would cause my saves to be recognized. Now I am left with the dilemma of my saves not loading in my game and every time I boot up the game, it acts as if I have no saves. I think the issue is that the save files have a file path from OneDrive and the game presently is not using a file path from OneDrive. I have spent three years on those save files and I do not want to lose them as I would be losing so much work and it would be nearly impossible for me to start all over again. Is there any way to make the game recognize the files in the folder? I've seen a symbolic link discussed as a way to help the game find the saves but I don't know if this is the right solution and I don't want to do anything without first knowing what I should do because its what got me into this mess. Is there anyone that can help me fix this? I really don't want to lose all of my hard work over the past three years as the content in those save files means the world to me. I still have the backup of my Sims 4 documents folder that I backed up onto my external drive before I attempted to convert everything else over but the original folder itself has been deleted and is no longer in the recycling bin.
If there's anyone who can help, I will take any advice that I can because I'm very upset over this and all I want is to get my saves back. I've attached pictures of the latest save and it's file path as well as the current file path my game is saving to. Thank you to whoever reads this!
@castilones488 The second screenshot shows a saves folder within another saves folder, which will never work. Any saves need to be directly within ...The Sims 4 > saves.
I'm not sure which screenshot is which here, but the concept is the same either way: whatever file path you see in-game, that's the location where you need to place your saves. If the game says OneDrive, as in your first screenshot, your saves need to go there. If it doesn't say OneDrive, as in your second screenshot, then you need to move your saves out of OneDrive.
If you'd like to get rid of OneDrive entirely, or simply keep it from syncing your Sims 4 data, that's easy enough. Just follow the instructions in the corresponding section of this guide:
Make sure to create a backup of your saves first, as described.
If you'd like to store your saves externally, that's easy too, and yes, the solution is symbolic link. But the first step there is figuring out what file path Sims 4 is using and moving it out of OneDrive if necessary.
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}