Sims 3 creates a new folder every time I launch it

[heather2131]

I had a problem with onedrive where it synced my electronic arts folder to the cloud, I've finally managed to get rid of one drive and keep all my files and photos. (I think this might be relevant) 

However every time I launch the sims 3 it's a new game and in my documents is a new Electronic Arts folder. I ended up with 3 of these as I kept closing the game and relaunching it to retrieve my saved game.

My saved game is there under saves in one of the folders (I've deleted the others)

It's called Appaloosa Plains.sims3

And Appaloosa Plains.sims.backup

What can I do? How can I get the game to launch using this electronic arts folder instead of creating a new one every time? 

Thank you, any help is appreciated! 

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@heather2131  Rather than forcing the game to use the folder you want, how about moving the contents of that folder to the new folder the game is using already?  At the very least, try moving the Sims 3 folder that has your saves in it to the Electronic Arts folder where the game keeps creating new Sims 3 folders.  It's a lot simpler than trying to redirect the game to wherever you currently have the folder you want it to use.

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@heather2131  Rather than forcing the game to use the folder you want, how about moving the contents of that folder to the new folder the game is using already?  At the very least, try moving the Sims 3 folder that has your saves in it to the Electronic Arts folder where the game keeps creating new Sims 3 folders.  It's a lot simpler than trying to redirect the game to wherever you currently have the folder you want it to use.

[heather2131]

It's such an obvious solution and I thought I had tried it but I must have mixed the folders up!

I was definitely copying and pasting my save files somewhere

Thank you so much for your reply, it has worked and its loaded up my save game now! 

[heather2131]

Bonus question... Is there any other files I should move over to the new folder as well as the save files? 

[puzzlezaddict]

@heather2131  That depends on what other content you'd like to preserve from your old folder.  A few highlights:

• Saved households and lots are stored in Library
• Sim templates saved in CAS are in SavedSims
• Worlds you've installed will land in InstalledWorlds
• Mods are in the Mods folder, as is .package-based custom content
• Custom content installed in .Sims3Pack form is bundled into .dbc files in DCCache, with any sims, households, or lots also having entries in SavedSims or Library
• Store content is in .ebc files in DCCache, with lots also in Library and worlds in InstalledWorlds; premium store content also needs the presence of ccmerged.package in DCBackup

If you don't have any of this, or don't care about it, you can just move your saves and be done.  If you'd like a more thorough explanation of each of the files and subfolders within the Sims 3 folder, check out this post:

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

You can also move over content after the fact, if you find something you wanted to keep is missing.  Store or custom content items will need to be replaced or reapplied to sims' outfits, but the contents of Library and SavedSims can be moved around freely.