Sims 4 Save File Corrupted

[confinedexpert]

Hello.

I have been playing on the Sims 4 before I reset my PC. When I say that, I mean factory reset, all files deleted, apps gone, and everything. Reset back to like when I first got the PC brand new. I started to install the Sims 4 again because I actually miss the good old days but I realized that I literally didn't back up any of my files, which includes saving games. So I'm sad now, but I figured out a solution. I installed this software where it can recover the files. I remember that I put all the saves in the folder which was in my desktop. As I use that software to scan, it actually found the file. The exact same name which was "My Sims 4 Save File." 

I looked inside and there were all of the same files. The notepad with all of the 3 system files. So, I dragged everything into my saves folder of my Sims 4. I boot up the game, and I was excited but it turns out that the save files were corrupted. There was like 20 saves but each single one corrupted. Is there a solution? Please tell me if there is, or if the save files are gone forever.

Thanks!

[crinrict · Accepted solution]

@confinedexpert Those files that don't have a .save behind the name won't show up.

Names need to follow these conventions

Slot_xxxxxxxx.save

x being a hex-decimal number from 00000002 to ffffffff

the ones with verX in the back are backups, they also don't show up

[splizzmoch]

@confinedexpert You're probably missing the rest of the save data.
In the "saves" folder, you should have 2 more folders, "scratch" and "SerialGUID" within that "saves" folder, both containing files related to the save slots. Also, you should have all the contents of the "Tray" and "lotcacheddata" folders too, since they contain data defining your Sims and the lots and households they occupy.

If you have all those files in their proper folders, and your saves are still corrupt, I would assume there is an issue with the recovered files having been overwritten or munged at some point after resetting your system. Just because filenames are available using forensic tools doesn't necessarily mean the files are intact. (I've recently gone through a similar thing, it really bites, I know!)

[crinrict]

@confinedexpert Could you post a screenshot of your doc saves folder to see if you put them in the right place ?

It is possible that they couldn't be restored properly

@splizzmoch SerialGUID is an older folder that is no longer needed. You can delete it if you still have that. Scratch should only exist while you play the game. It gets left behind if the game crashes but it's not a permanent folder anymore.

Tray folder is the content of your library, that has no influence on saves. Lotcacheddata is a cache file.

[confinedexpert]

Thank you for your response!

Here is the screenshot of my saves folder.

Thanks!

[splizzmoch]

@crinrict Oh wow, thanks for the corrective info :D
Been years since I played and modded, I guess a lot has changed, in-game and in-memory

[crinrict · Accepted solution]

@confinedexpert Those files that don't have a .save behind the name won't show up.

Names need to follow these conventions

Slot_xxxxxxxx.save

x being a hex-decimal number from 00000002 to ffffffff

the ones with verX in the back are backups, they also don't show up

[confinedexpert]

@crinrict Amazing! Thanks!

[simppley_S]

How can I get saves with ver to show up in my game ?

[puzzlezaddict]

@simppley_S  Rename the save and delete the .verx extension.  A more thorough explanation is here, under the "Manually" header:

https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2014/09/recover-backup-save-game/

[09271974]

hello the same thing happened to me what software did you use to get the files back?