Sims 3 store content won't stay installed [ Edited ]

[Sylmos]

@puzzlezaddict

EA-created store content is uninstalling. I didn't try to install from Exchange yet. I was using Origin. I don't own disks. I've been using the EA app for a while now. After I started having trouble installing kits for the Sims 4, I reinstalled Origin. Now I can't use Maxis-created store content for the Sims 3.

[puzzlezaddict]

@Tawneyy and @Sylmos  Does it make a difference if you install store content through the in-game dashboard, the one at the Main Menu?  Please test in a clean folder, to be thorough.

Also, what antivirus do you use, if any?  Is OneDrive running, whether you use it or not, and how full is it?  I'd also like to see a dxdiag, just to cover all the bases.

https://help.ea.com/en/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

[Sylmos]

@puzzlezaddict I wouldn't have installed the store content without your help.

I didn't know you could install store content using Downloads Dashboard. As you wrote, it only worked on clean The Sims 3 folder. I only installed some store content with Downloads Dashboard. Installing all my store content this way would take a long time. After restarting the game, the content remained installed. Then I installed the rest of the store content using the launcher. This content didn't uninstall either.

Thank you again for your help.

How can I send you a dxdiag file?

[puzzlezaddict]

@Sylmos  I'm glad to hear that helped.  Since it did, I don't need to see a dxdiag; that was just in case there was something else going on with your computer that was interfering with the store content.

[Sylmos]

@puzzlezaddict FYI, this workaround only worked for Origin. I still can't install The Sims 3 Store Content with the EA app. If I launch The Sims 3 using Origin the store content is installed, but if I launch the game using the EA app the store content uninstalls and thus does not appear in the game.

[Bluegayle]

@puzzlezaddictI open the dashboard and nothing is ever in it. Worked in the beginning of Sims3 but now its blank. Tells me to log in to sims3 which I am. Takes me to webpage where I will once again log in and then click on dashboard which then tells me to log in. LOL I have had almost all my store content installed at one time but once again it is uninstalling. I am playing on new app but Origin had started doing the same. So my vote is a launcher meltdown. I have onedrive off so no longer get error 16 (when I can actually play that is).

edit:  Meant to say also that now my launcher Welcome is now blank. 

[puzzlezaddict]

@Bluegayle  Wow, this really is such a mess (not your fault, of course).  The usual fix for the blank launcher is to clear Internet Explorer's cache, or these days, Edge's IE mode data.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/view-and-delete-browser-history-in-microsoft-edge...

I don't know whether this will help with the missing content, but it's simple enough to check.

If that doesn't make a difference, I'm wondering whether a new admin Windows account would help.  Make it a local account, as in, don't sign into Microsoft, which will also keep OneDrive out of the picture.  Just open the launcher and try to install a few store items, then test the Downloads Dashboard in-game.  I don't know whether this will have any effect either, but it's certainly a useful way to distinguish between issues with the user account and other kinds of problems.

[Bluegayle]

@puzzlezaddict I've cleared cache incl IE before but did again tonight. Will check out game tomorrow again. Then if need be will try the local account.
I remember the launcher w/blank years ago and clearing cache always worked but hasn't, so far, for me this time round. Mind even when i get stuff installed it just won't stay there. Dang it. LOL Its been years since i used the DD ingame as well because I had everything installed prior to this mess. Anyways thanks for the advice I will check out more in the morning. Have a good night or day.

[roberta591]

@Bluegayle  To fix the blank welcome screen you have to clear the browsing history in Edge.

- open Edge

- in the upper right click the 3 dots (...)

- click settings

- click privacy, search and services

- click clear browser data - choose what to clear

- click delete

OR

- it might say clear browsing data for Internet Explorer mode.

This game uses the API's in Internet Explorer (yes IE 11 is still in Windows 10) to communicate. Many programs use this. This is why IE should not be uninstalled. There is (was?) a data sheet on how to use the APIs.

add: first - if you already installed the EA app - uninstall and download and install the EA app. I think there is a change in the code.

If you installed the game through Origin when you open the game in EA app the game should update You might have to manually  update and/or repair game. If you installed the game through the EA app you may notice the launcher wants Origin to be able to install the expansions and stuff packs. I don't know if this is fixed yet. If you get this notice just reinstall Origin BUT DO NOT OPEN ORIGIN. If the packs are already installed you don't need Origin. You can finish installing the store items in the EA app.. Installing the store items I got some errors messages and got disconnected but restarting the game I was able to finish. This works. I had the same issues when I was using the store purchase history. This method has worked on 2 new gaming computers. Wife is now recovering .from Sims 3 withdrawal. To paraphrase Doug  Marcaida "this will work".. 

For those users having issues with OneDrive, I recommend excluding just the Electronic Arts folder in the user Documents folder. I haven't found any other way to make OneDrive happy (yet). You can do this in the OneDrive settings. If you unlink the computer Microsoft gets upset and nags you just like if you didn't log in to OneDrive in Windows 7. If OneDrive is syncing files you may not be able to change setting until it is done doing what ever it is doing. I then set keep files on this computer and uncheck the Electronics folder and the files were restored.

OneDrive can be uninstalled but I thought Microsoft worked so hard to almost make you use OneDrive that my computer might burst into flames. OneDrive can be reinstalled from the Microsoft store (been there - done that).

hth.

[Bluegayle]

@roberta591 Good morning. I am using Windows 11 and have one drive off. I did that because of error 16 . I have doneall what you have listed but will try again in your exact order (you never know your luck right?) 3 times (or 10) the charm. Also note I have had everything dloaded and installed previously. It just all stopped working. When I start game there is no consistency in when its going to load my items or not. Thanks for response.