Sims 4 - Installation/External Harddrive

[luvalwaysteresa]

I think I screwed up. I attempted to move the Sims 4 to my external hard drive and it installed in a completely different way than I'm used to. (ex EP01 but no program files). I attempted to move it back to where it was but I couldn't move it to my EA folder, had to put in under Origin and now its installing the same way. I attempted to move my save folder back in but it won't recognize my saves. Any ideas?

[roberta591]

@luvalwaysteresa   By default when you install from Origin the game core files get created in the c:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 4 folder. The game user files that are created the first time the game is started are in C:\Users\(user name)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 folder. This could change if you activate OneDrive. When OneDrive is active the game is redirected by the operating system  to the user OneDrive folder. If you installed from disk the installation is different. Your save files go in the user files that are being used. I assume you have an USB external drive. The problem with USB drives is the operating system can change the drive designation. If this happens the game will no longer be able to find game files stored on the USB device. You can move files using symbolic link but unless you really know how symbolic link works I don't recommend using it. You can change the install location when you install the game but that only installs the game core files differnetly - the game user files are still created in the user documents folder on the system drive which is usually C. So you see the answer is not that simple. We would have to know you moved it and from where to where. Then we would have to know how you tried to move it back. At this point I can only recommend uninstalling and reinstalling the game.

[puzzlezaddict]

@luvalwaysteresa  Are you trying to move the game's program files, or your saves and other user data?  For the program files, the proper way to do so is within Origin; I'm not sure whether the EA App supports this yet or not.  In Origin at least, open your game library, right-click on the Sims 4 icon, and select Move Game.  If Sims 4 doesn't show as installed anymore, you can use the Locate Game function in either Origin or the EA App; the latter is hidden behind the View Properties option.

If you'd like to move your user data (saves, mods, etc.), you'll need to use a symbolic link:

https://crinrict.com/blog/2020/02/moving-windows-documents-folder-to-external-drive-via-symbolic-lin...

[cookiepaw]

I'm currently trying to move my save/tray files onto an external hard drive and this is the only trace of help i have seen about this topic! hoping maybe if i post, i'll get some kind of answer eventually! I believe i have successfully reinstalled the game, and i have all my packs and CC but no trace of Tray/Save files transferring over with everything else. I have a backup folder on my desktop so i have that little safety thankfully. Can anyone explain what steps i may need to take to get these missing things to move over with the rest so i can complete the move of the game and all its files to my hard drive? 

[puzzlezaddict]

@cookiepaw  First, confirm the file path to the user folder the game is reading, as described in this guide:

https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2018/07/how-to-find-your-user-folder/

Open this Sims 4 folder, and double-check that the file path is the same, which you can do by right-clicking the folder and selecting Properties > General.  Then copy over your saves and Tray files.  It's best to copy the files, not the folders they're in.

That's all you need to do.  I'd suggest keeping a copy of your saves just in case, and making a new backup periodically—you never know when you'll run into computer issues.

If the saves aren't loading in-game, please post a screenshot of the folder they're in, by which I mean the new Sims 4 folder you copied them into, not the backup on your desktop.

[cookiepaw]

Hi thank you for the advice! I followed your instructions as well as the link you attached, and I'm still not see my saves or library items in the game. Here's a screenshot of the sims 4 folder on my E drive. I hope I'm not just stupidly missing something lol, thanks again i rlly appreciate your help. 

[puzzlezaddict]

@cookiepaw  The screenshot you've posted shows the game's program files, not the user folder, although you've apparently dumped a whole bunch of Tray files directly into that folder.  Please use the link I posted to find the file path to the user folder, then post that file path for me so I can see what the game is doing.