2013-03-12 02:57 AM - edited 2013-07-16 10:54 PM
All in one steps to stop your game from crashing, fix store content, and stop getting the store patch pop-up
*This guide is intended to help remove game errors that crash your game, remove all custom content, fix general launcher issues and allow your store content to patch properly.
Updated 7/16/2013
Please do not post Dxdiag here. I cannot read them. However, you can create your own thread so that someone who knows how to read them can help you. If your game is from Steam sorry, I can't help you but I am sure that someone else may be able to.
-If you can't live without your CC and mods, I strongly advise that you consult with your friends or creators of the content to find out which is safe and recent to use.
- If you are not sure if you're doing any of the steps correctly, feel free to ask. It's better than skipping a step or accidentally removing something critical.
_____________________________
First
Clean Up Your Game
Clean up your game by resetting it to factory settings without uninstalling it!
Follow crinrict's guide here: Reset Your Game to Factory Settings Without Reinstalling
Most Recent Game Patch: Game Patch 1.55
_____________________________
Next
Delete game installers
Even though you may not have Origin set to save game installers, it will continue to save them WITH your game files each time you add a new EP and SP.
1. Run Origin as administrator.
2. Click on Origin in the top left corner of the application. Click to see image
3. Click on Application Settings. Make sure that the box to Save Game Installers is not checked. Then click on Delete Game Installers. Click to see image. Sometimes you may be taken to the location of the game installers Click to see the location. Close the Origin application.
4. After following crinrict's steps to reset your game to factory settings you must delete certain files from each of your EPs and SPs. You will need to go to one or two locations for each of your games to locate and remove leftover installers.
For example:
The locations will look like the following
program files(x86)/electronic arts/the sims 3
AND/or
program files(x86)/origin games/the sims 3 ambitions
To get there you'd have to
-go to C:
-then Select program files(x86) click to see image
-then Select Origin Games click to see image
-then open which ever EP or SP you'd like. I chose Ambitions click to see image
5. Once you open your game of choice (The Sims 3 Ambitions in my case) please delete a folder with the name _installer (underscore installer).Continue to do this for each of your Expansion and Stuff packs.
Ultimately, you need to end up with ONLY these folders for each of your Expansion Packs and The Sims 3 High End Loft
click to see image
-Caches
-Game
-GameData
-Support
-Thumbnails
and ONLY these folders for each of your other Stuff Packs, The Sims 3 Generations and The Sims 3 Seasons(no cache folder)
-Game
-GameData
-Support
-Thumbnails
_____________________________
Launcher, Store Content and Store Patch
Part 1
*Prep required: Follow crinrict's guide to reset your game to factory settings and DO NOT place any of your old Saves, Saved Sims, DCCache, DCBackup nor Library back into your game folder( Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts) yet. As usual, create a backup of these files and move them to your desktop.
Delete your old and partial patching
1. Make sure that your game and launcher are not running
2. Go to your game folder Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts click to see image
3. Open Downloads click to see image and delete ALL dynamicchallenge_ files click to see image.
4. Go back to your game folder and click on the Content Patch folder if you do not see a Content Patch Folder skip to step #6.
5. Click on the Download folder inside of Content Patch Click to see image
You might see several files that end with .part. Delete all of these .part files in this particular folder only.
6. Close all folders.
7. Open the launcher and click on the button for Installed Content.
Make sure that the box to run without custom content IS checked click to see image
8. Start a brand new game and choose any of the default Expansion Pack worlds like Sunset Valley.
9. Your game is currently in Tutorial mode so your maptags and the option to select a household in the town are temporarily unavailable. Make a random household using Create-A-Sim to use as a tester household.
10. Save this game and name it Towntest and quit.
11. Open the launcher and allow the store content patch to run.
12. Start your recently saved game Towntest and save it again.
13. Quit this game.
Part 2
Do this after following directions in the above section for the store content and store patch.
1. Restart your computer
2. Open your game folder Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts click to see image
3. Go to your saves Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts/Saves and delete the recently saved game Towntest and it's copy Towntest .backup
4. Open the Launcher and make sure you're logged in.
5. Make sure that the box to run without custom content is NOT checked.
6. Start a new game in a different town.
7. Save this game and quit.
8. Reinstall your store content slowly.
9. Periodically check to see if things are working by starting your game.
10. After things seem to be running well, place your old Saves back into your game folder Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts. one by one, checking to see if each save works okay. If all is well, do not add any of your other old files back to the game to avoid corruption and old data.
Notes - I am aware of .tmp files continuously being generated in your DCCache folder. These are just copies of your store content because people have had problems with installed content being mysteriously uninstalled. These can cause a longer loading times for the launcher.
Crinrict has information regarding these .tmp files
http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2013/06/black-screen-long-loading-times-and-tmp-files-in-dccache.html
Happy Simming!
XP appreciated if you find this helpful :robotlol:
2013-03-12 03:00 AM
Perhaps you should clarify that all these things are primarily geared toward PC players and not Mac players.
2013-03-12 03:57 AM
True true.
2013-03-12 03:23 PM - edited 2013-03-12 03:46 PM
Some things could help clarify:
Right click to run Origin as an administrator.
Once taken to the Origin site, click Origin in the top left corner.
After selecting delete game installer, I was taken to Program Data > Origin > DownloadCache where I see a folder with my login email... Am I suppose to delete that folder?
edit/added:
I noticed that my Seasons folder has no cache folder. Is that why it did NOT stay registered forever? Yet now it does show the icon on myPage?!
I did the same for Sims medieval and its EP. Hopefully, that was okay.
When I look in my Origin folder, I see an EAProxyInstaller. Should that be deleted as well?
2013-03-12 04:04 PM
@iAMciane wrote:Some things could help clarify:
Right click to run Origin as an administrator.
Once taken to the Origin site, click Origin in the top left corner.
After selecting delete game installer, I was taken to Program Data > Origin > DownloadCache where I see a folder with my login email... Am I suppose to delete that folder?
edit/added:
I noticed that my Seasons folder has no cache folder. Is that why it did NOT stay registered forever? Yet now it does show the icon on myPage?!
I did the same for Sims medieval and its EP. Hopefully, that was okay.
When I look in my Origin folder, I see an EAProxyInstaller. Should that be deleted as well?
Do not delete EAProxyInstaller
You are going into the wrong folder.
There are 2 Origin Folders.
Origin
and
Origin Games
You are supposed to only go to the Origin Games folder to delete a folder named _installer . In windows 7 and windows 8 the extension is C: Programs (x86)/Origin Games
The Sims 3 Seasons does not have a cache folder. I will add that in the first post.
If you are still having problems registering your game, contact Origin customer service so that they can register the game for you.
2013-03-12 10:18 PM
@wecantpickaname wrote:
3. Go to Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts/Saves and delete your recently saved game and it's copy ending in .backup
Why should people delete their save games ?
Good Luck
Crin
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
2013-03-13 01:14 AM - edited 2013-03-13 06:51 AM
crinrict wrote:
wecantpickaname wrote:
3. Go to Libraries/Documents/Electronic Arts/Saves and delete your recently saved game and it's copy ending in .backup
Why should people delete their save games ?
I am not entirely sure why this happens, but for some people, when a saved game is in the saves folder, the store content will not patch. Since this particular save is a "tester" to see if the game is running, it is okay to delete.
2013-03-13 09:10 AM
But then their games are gone (I don't think people would appreciate their legacy games gone). They should move to the desktop and not delete.
Good Luck
Crin
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
2013-03-13 03:10 PM - edited 2013-03-13 03:42 PM
crinrict wrote:But then their games are gone (I don't think people would appreciate their legacy games gone). They should move to the desktop and not delete.
I think there is a misunderstanding. This is not a legacy game to be deleted. The steps to prep(create backups of their old files) are listed so that they don't lose their legacy games. This particular game that is to be deleted is a test run of a brand new game while in tutorial mode from a fresh clean factory reset.
There, It's been edited to be more crystal clear :robotvery-happy:
2013-03-13 06:52 PM
Also added pictures demonstrating where to go.