Sims 4 saved on hard drive but won't download

[Bellababy128]

hi,

I've had my sims 4 on my external hard drive (1TB) for around 2 years now and it's working really well. The only thing is that it's saved on the external hard drive and then when I try to download it to play (as the drive isn't always connected to my Macbook) it keeps saying my hard drive is full. I know Time Machine eats up a lot of space but Sims is already on the drive. It just won't download so I can play. I've tried:

- connecting the drive first and then opening Origin & downloading

- opening Origin first, connecting the drive and download

But it just won't work. I've had this problem before but it's way more persistent now. Does anyone know how to fix this? I'm really excited to get Island Living today. Thanks!! 

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@Bellababy128

Ok, thanks

Plug your external in and see if you can trash any files and folders, after trashing them empty the trash then eject the drive. Restart your Mac and plug the drive back in.

Keep Origin on your internal, create that new Applications folder on your external and change the installation path to that new folder. Now download the game, it should download to that Applications folder.

[Bluebellflora]

@Bellababy128

I don't understand, please can you be a little more specific?

"it's saved on the external hard drive and then when I try to download it to play (as the drive isn't always connected to my Macbook) it keeps saying my hard drive is full" - what are you trying to download? Has Origin installed the game on the hard drive or in fact on your Mac? What is the installation file path in Origin?

[Bellababy128]

I'm trying to download my sims 4 game onto my Hard Drive. It's installed and saved on there but for each play I have to download it in full again. No problem, except it's 14gb and I don't have that much space available on my  external hard drive which also functions as my time machine backup. 

I'm not sure I follow, what do you mean by the installation path?

[Bluebellflora]

@Bellababy128

Is Origin installed on your Mac internal drive or on the external too?

In Origin hover over your name in the bottom left corner and then select Application Settings from the pop up menu. Click on Installs & Saves and you will see the installation file path under Game library location.

[Bellababy128]

It used to be on my internal drive on my macbook pro as well but I changed it to only my external hard drive.

The installation file path is : /volumes/hard drive 1/sims 4 nieuw 

[Bluebellflora]

@Bellababy128

Create a new folder called Applications on the external drive and install Origin in that folder. Make sure the installation file path in Origin is pointing towards the Applications folder then install the game again. Always make sure you have the drive plugged in and mounted before attempting to launch the game from any shortcuts on your desktop or dock.

Bear in mind that your user data - saves/screenshots/CC etc. are stored locally on your Mac in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sim 4

[Bellababy128]

You mean I have to delete origin off my laptop and then re-install it on my external hard drive? 

I always just plug in my harddrive, start up Origin, download the game again off Origin and then I can start playing. It says I can't launch the game from my hard drive right now because it's incomplete.

[Bluebellflora]

@Bellababy128

You stated in your previous post that Origin was installed on your external drive - "It used to be on my internal drive on my macbook pro as well but I changed it to only my external hard drive."

Is that not the case and it is actually only installed on your Mac internal drive? I'm sorry, I'm just trying to understand your setup because Origin should not be trying to install the game again each time you want to play.

[Bellababy128]

Oh sorry for the confusion!! My apologies.

I meant the game is on only my external. Origin is actually installed on my internal drive. I just swapped Origin to the external hard drive but I still get the error that the external drive is too full. The game is on the external hard drive.

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@Bellababy128

Ok, thanks

Plug your external in and see if you can trash any files and folders, after trashing them empty the trash then eject the drive. Restart your Mac and plug the drive back in.

Keep Origin on your internal, create that new Applications folder on your external and change the installation path to that new folder. Now download the game, it should download to that Applications folder.