[FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

by crinrict
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Original Post

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★ Novice

Hi all,

 

So I have the box from The Sims3 here before me along with the serial number since I bought it when it came out, but I can't seem to find my DVD anymore and I don't have it installed on my PC anymore.
 I found this help page here https://help.ea.com/article/redeem-your-serial-code-in-origin where it read that the game must be registered via https://www.thesims3.com/registeragame.html. Problem is: I can't for the life of me stay logged in at that site. I go there, log in, go to "register a game" at the bottom of the page, and it'd always ask me to login once again. If I just go to the normal "login" link at the top of the page, it asks me to enter a serial number, a persona and what not. I enter the serial number from the game box, and oh surprise, it tells me the number is invalid. Clicking on the correspondent explanation link I see this error message also applies to serial codes that have already been used. Well of course I've already used that code. So, the question is: Is it actually still possible to get a digital copy of the very game I bought  back then? Or am I forced by this godforsaken DRM-devil named Origin to resort to downloading a pirated copy - which btw would actually be my legal right here since I can prove I already purchased the original game!

 

Any help would still be gladly appreciated here.

 

Thank you,

Maylle

Message 11 of 98 (5,974 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

Hero

You can download the game throught the Origin Client which you can download here: http://origin.com/download. Log in the client, if you've registered the games at thesims3.com, the games should already be availble for download.

If you didn't, you should be able to redeem the codes there

 

If that does not work, contact Customer Support so they can take a look at your account to find out what's going on

They can be found here: https://help.ea.com/contact-us

Choose a category, a game and a platform for the option so show up.

If live chat is gray, change your country to US and make sure you're on US Business hours. It might also gray because they're very busy. Try later.

See this post if you have trouble with the site: http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2012/10/how-to-contact-ea.html

Good Luck
Crin

Trennlinie

I don't work or have any association with EA. I give advice to the best of my knowledge and cannot be held responsible for any damage done to your computer/game.
Please only contact me via PM when asked to do so.



Important Threads


Message 12 of 98 (5,969 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVD's and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★★ Newbie

EA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES! I live in NJ and I completely lost my home and most of everything in it. After recovering what I could I was happy that my sims cd's were fine. However, the codes for them were not since they had been in a filing cabinet on the first floor and were destroyed by the flooding. I was able to read the number for my ambitions game, which i then wrote on the cd, but the sims 3 base code was completely destroyed. So a friend of mine suggested grabbing one off the internet since I don't normally register my games (Never felt a need to or saw a reason to since normally I never really had internet) So I did, and my games worked just fine. I went out yesterday and decided to treat myself to a new game while I was christmas shopping and bought hidden springs. I spent hours trying to install this thing. Finally I started having some success. But now this game wants me to activate it online for t to work and I must have the sims 3 base game registered online. So I start trying to find a way to register my game, I look in my registery, all my files and properties and everything else. I was so tired of trying all these thngs that I figured that EA would deffineatley help me out with a new code, I mean its a 16 digit code, how hard could that be? So I started a chat with them, and after waiting  an hour I finally got to talk to someone. I explained my whole situation, and I recieved an answer of " Sorry, we can only give new codes if the are invalid or do not work" So I tried a new approach and said well what if i give you a code thast dosnt work? The representive says ok, and I give her the code I have been using since mine has been destroyed, they reply "This is an invalid code" So I said Thats probally why its not working, now can I have a replacement code, you did say you give them when they dont work or are invalid, They then tell me I need a reciept so they can track my purchase and what not, which then I have to explain again that I dont have one, it was lost in hurricane sandy. She says well theres nothing I can do for you, sorry. So, one last attempt on my part, thinking someone in ea has to have somed kind of compassion, I asked if maybe she could talk to her manager and explain the situation and make an exception, Id have understood if I had just lost the code myself, but I didn't, NJ was stuck with a storm that left thousands homeless and without power, Floods everywhere, and everyone tossed everywhere. I have had to spend so much money replacing the essentials such as food, clothing, and a roof over my head, I redally dont want to have to buy anohter copy of the sims 3 just to get a stupid 16 digit code! So she asks her manager and comes back and tells me the best things we can to for you is give you a 15% discount.. Wow EA you really care about your customers! You can take the 15% and stick it where the sun don't shine! I love playing the sims, its one of my favorite games and it gives me an escape from my life for a while, but after seeing how you treat people EA, especially ones who have suffered a deep loss, I will never buy another EA product again! I shared this as a warning to others so they will know what to expect out of EA.

Message 13 of 98 (5,971 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★★ Newbie

We got our computer fixed so i dont have the sims 3 installed i got a code off the internet it worked but when it was installing a error came up so I need to get my old serial number because i lost it.Is there a way to get my serial number without the sims 3 being installed

Message 14 of 98 (5,804 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

Hero

Giving this a bump cause the AnswerHQ is flooded with Serial code issues threads yet again.

Good Luck
Crin

Trennlinie

I don't work or have any association with EA. I give advice to the best of my knowledge and cannot be held responsible for any damage done to your computer/game.
Please only contact me via PM when asked to do so.



Important Threads


Message 15 of 98 (5,789 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★★ Newbie

Went onto Regedit on my computer and realised I couldnt find an EA folder? Help!

Message 16 of 98 (5,773 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★ Novice

I have my key and i know it works because i used it to setup the game yet when i try and register it on the sims 3 exchange it says its an invalid code. what do i do?

ps. i have typed it in correctly

Message 17 of 98 (5,753 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★★ Newbie

I tried this but the only problem I am having is that I no longer have my old computer, just the hard drive. I've connected it to my new computer but the registry editor only allows access to the primary hard drive and not the external one, I have to search the old drive and load the file manually and this is where I am having trouble. I don't know which file has the registry key.

Message 18 of 98 (5,590 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

Hero

Did you register at thesims3.com ? If so, you can try to look them up on there. Product code = Serial Code.

 

Here's a link: http://club.myce.com/f3/reading-windows-registry-external-hdd-126488/ but it sounds like yo need to be a bit of an advanced user so you don't mess stuff up (or here: http://www.alanhart.co.uk/archives/2011/01/31/access-registry-on-another-external-hard-drive/ )

 

 

Good Luck
Crin

Trennlinie

I don't work or have any association with EA. I give advice to the best of my knowledge and cannot be held responsible for any damage done to your computer/game.
Please only contact me via PM when asked to do so.



Important Threads


Message 19 of 98 (5,587 Views)

Re: [FAQ] Lost and broken DVDs and missing serial codes - What to do ?

★★★ Newbie

What about older Sims games? I have the Complete Collection of The Sims and one disc has a little scratch so it won't install any of them anymore.

Message 20 of 98 (5,585 Views)