Sims 3 Launcher won't install content [ Edited ]

[Channyskittles1]

I have one Sims 3 content download but the rest won't install or uninstall. I have downloaded content before and it was fine. I downloads a few new things and my launcher wouldn't open at first. Now it opens but won't download anything. I select an item, download and it co.es up with a black box like its going to install and the it goes away just leaving the item I selected not installed. Can someone please help? I don't know what I have done. I tried repairing the game using origin and it didn't help. My game is patched at 1.69. Please help me. I think I broke my game

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@Channyskittles1  I split your comments into their own thread because the approach is a bit different.  First, unless you deleted the downloaded files yourself, i.e. the originals before they were installed, those Sims3Packs should still be in Downloads, inside your TS3 game folder in Documents.  So there's no need to track them down again, now or later.

Since some of your installed content has disappeared though, it might be better to install from scratch.  Disappearing cc usually indicates that the file it was installed into is corrupt, and it may cause more issues going forward.  For example, the cc it contains that works now could stop working later.  Or you might have a bad cc item in that file, in which case it's best to get rid of the file.

So, pull your entire game folder out of Documents, and open the launcher to spawn a new one.  Copy one file from Downloads inside the old folder to Downloads inside the new folder, and install it.  Check the launcher to make sure you didn't get any content other than what was advertised.  If you did, it's bad cc.  Sometimes it can be uninstalled through the launcher, just by checking the box next to it and selecting "Uninstall," but if you can't do that, or if the launcher crashes, you'll need to forego that cc entirely.

You can install each cc file (leave the store stuff for later) one at a time, and keep checking to make sure nothing else gets installed besides what you want.  If at any point, the launcher crashes, or shows that same black screen, trash the clean game folder you created and start over.  Obviously, any content you've already confirmed is clean can just be reinstalled; you may want to create another folder on your desktop for this cc so you can keep it straight.  (Copy everything instead of dragging it, so you always have multiple copies when you need them.)  The point is, you need to make sure that everything you're installing works, with no hidden items and no launcher weirdness, or you may wind up in the same place you are now.

Once all the cc appears to be installed correctly, launch the game and test out the items.  Again, if something is off, like an outfit glitches a sim, you'll need to uninstall that item.  You can just go into CAS, create a few sims of different ages, and assign them the cc clothing to check.  Most of the glitches are quite obvious: skin that turns black, outfits that turn skin toned, toddlers with freakishly elongated and bend arms and legs, etc.  If everything looks fine, you're good.

Once you've sorted though your cc, you can install your store stuff.  It's easy enough to redownload it from your purchase history, but you can also copy the downloaded packs from Downloads, just as you did with your cc files.  One thing to keep in mind when installing, whether it's store content or cc, is that the launcher can't handle more than a few items at a time.  Large batches of files may not install properly, corrupting the bundles into which they're supposed to be installed.  Worlds, whether from the store or a third party, should be handled separately, not installed in a batch with anything else.

Once your store content and cc is installed, you can copy your saves and other content into the new folder from the old one.  Don't copy over anything in DCCache or DCBackup; those are what you just rebuilt, and the versions in the old folder are where your corrupt files or bad cc would be.  Here's a list of everything you'll find in that folder, along with explanations of what the files are and whether you need them:

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-user-files.html

I know it's a lot, but this is how you protect your game going forward.  Bad cc can cause all kinds of problems down the road, including some bad enough that you'd need to rebuild your game folder yet again, and you might even lose a save.  So it's much better to put in a little bit of work towards prevention now.

In the future, any time you want to add cc, you can test it in a clean game folder first.  Temporarily pull your existing game folder out of Documents, install the new cc in the clean folder, check it out in-game, ditch the clean folder and put your old one back, and then install the new cc into that folder.

And, of course, if you have any questions, or want me to explain something more fully, please feel free to ask.  I'm going to bed now, but I'll check on this thread in the morning.

[puzzlezaddict]

@Channyskittles1  Are you trying to install store stuff or third-party custom content?  (Items from the Exchange also count as cc.)  This issue is usually fixable, so don't worry that you've broken your game entirely.  At worst, you'll need to rebuild your game folder, but you can always transfer over your saves when you're done.

At any rate, let me know what kind of content you can't install, and I'll write out instructions for fixing the issue.  Please also tell me how much content you alreaady have installed, so I know whether it's worth trying to preserve your already installed content rather than reinstalling it.  This isn't always possible, but it doesn't hurt to try.

[Channyskittles1]

@puzzlezaddict Thank you for getting back to me

I am trying to install both store content and 3rd party content, mainly 3rd party though. As of the moment I have about 12 or so items already installed and a good 40 or more to try and reinstall, unfortunately. They were installed before but I don't know what happened. It all started after I downloaded a couple of cc and package mods. Thank you for helping. Some of the stuff I have I haven't been able to find again so I hope they haven't been somehow corrupted.

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@Channyskittles1  I split your comments into their own thread because the approach is a bit different.  First, unless you deleted the downloaded files yourself, i.e. the originals before they were installed, those Sims3Packs should still be in Downloads, inside your TS3 game folder in Documents.  So there's no need to track them down again, now or later.

Since some of your installed content has disappeared though, it might be better to install from scratch.  Disappearing cc usually indicates that the file it was installed into is corrupt, and it may cause more issues going forward.  For example, the cc it contains that works now could stop working later.  Or you might have a bad cc item in that file, in which case it's best to get rid of the file.

So, pull your entire game folder out of Documents, and open the launcher to spawn a new one.  Copy one file from Downloads inside the old folder to Downloads inside the new folder, and install it.  Check the launcher to make sure you didn't get any content other than what was advertised.  If you did, it's bad cc.  Sometimes it can be uninstalled through the launcher, just by checking the box next to it and selecting "Uninstall," but if you can't do that, or if the launcher crashes, you'll need to forego that cc entirely.

You can install each cc file (leave the store stuff for later) one at a time, and keep checking to make sure nothing else gets installed besides what you want.  If at any point, the launcher crashes, or shows that same black screen, trash the clean game folder you created and start over.  Obviously, any content you've already confirmed is clean can just be reinstalled; you may want to create another folder on your desktop for this cc so you can keep it straight.  (Copy everything instead of dragging it, so you always have multiple copies when you need them.)  The point is, you need to make sure that everything you're installing works, with no hidden items and no launcher weirdness, or you may wind up in the same place you are now.

Once all the cc appears to be installed correctly, launch the game and test out the items.  Again, if something is off, like an outfit glitches a sim, you'll need to uninstall that item.  You can just go into CAS, create a few sims of different ages, and assign them the cc clothing to check.  Most of the glitches are quite obvious: skin that turns black, outfits that turn skin toned, toddlers with freakishly elongated and bend arms and legs, etc.  If everything looks fine, you're good.

Once you've sorted though your cc, you can install your store stuff.  It's easy enough to redownload it from your purchase history, but you can also copy the downloaded packs from Downloads, just as you did with your cc files.  One thing to keep in mind when installing, whether it's store content or cc, is that the launcher can't handle more than a few items at a time.  Large batches of files may not install properly, corrupting the bundles into which they're supposed to be installed.  Worlds, whether from the store or a third party, should be handled separately, not installed in a batch with anything else.

Once your store content and cc is installed, you can copy your saves and other content into the new folder from the old one.  Don't copy over anything in DCCache or DCBackup; those are what you just rebuilt, and the versions in the old folder are where your corrupt files or bad cc would be.  Here's a list of everything you'll find in that folder, along with explanations of what the files are and whether you need them:

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-user-files.html

I know it's a lot, but this is how you protect your game going forward.  Bad cc can cause all kinds of problems down the road, including some bad enough that you'd need to rebuild your game folder yet again, and you might even lose a save.  So it's much better to put in a little bit of work towards prevention now.

In the future, any time you want to add cc, you can test it in a clean game folder first.  Temporarily pull your existing game folder out of Documents, install the new cc in the clean folder, check it out in-game, ditch the clean folder and put your old one back, and then install the new cc into that folder.

And, of course, if you have any questions, or want me to explain something more fully, please feel free to ask.  I'm going to bed now, but I'll check on this thread in the morning.