Problem with save files

[lxnnanden]

I recently moved my game and my save files to an external hard drive, but when I start the game my saves are gone and all of my progress is gone. If I open my Sims 4 folder, I can see all of the save files, so they're still there, but they don't seem to work. I don't know what to do to fix it.

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@lxnnanden

It sounds like your game has installed fine on the external but not your user data. This is because the game will always look in User > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 for your saves and other data to load when you launch the game. If you move the folder to another location the game cannot see it so it will just create a new one. In order to store the Sims 4 folder on the external you need to trick the game into thinking it is actually stored locally in the proper location. You have to create a symlink to do this - https://bluebellflora.com/saving-your-sims-4-folder-to-an-external-drive/

It's a fairly complex instruction and cannot just be deleted if you change your mind, the symlink has to be reversed.

@AriaMad2 - Changing the game library location in Origin moves the install location of the game, not the user data.

[AriaMad2]

@lxnnanden Have you gone into Origin and changed the location of game data? When you launch the game, it'd be searching in the Documents folder for it, so by changing the game data location through Origin, it'll know to look there.

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@lxnnanden

It sounds like your game has installed fine on the external but not your user data. This is because the game will always look in User > Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 for your saves and other data to load when you launch the game. If you move the folder to another location the game cannot see it so it will just create a new one. In order to store the Sims 4 folder on the external you need to trick the game into thinking it is actually stored locally in the proper location. You have to create a symlink to do this - https://bluebellflora.com/saving-your-sims-4-folder-to-an-external-drive/

It's a fairly complex instruction and cannot just be deleted if you change your mind, the symlink has to be reversed.

@AriaMad2 - Changing the game library location in Origin moves the install location of the game, not the user data.

[lxnnanden]

@Bluebellflora thank you so much for your help