Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

by notyourwig
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The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice

Hi,
I've been having some issues with installing AND uninstalling store/exchange/custom content into (or from) the game.
I'm on Windows 10.
The issue is the install/uninstall window starts up black, goes to the regular loading, doesnt load at all and just closes.
Has anyone else had this issue? I have all the store worlds, some store cas objects and exchange stuff.

Message 1 of 10 (1,758 Views)

Accepted Solution

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

@notyourwig  Please pull your entire Sims 3 game folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts and open the launcher to create a clean folder.  Then do the following:

  • Pick a random store item and install it.
  • If it works, install a couple more store items, then install a world if you own one (Riverview is free).  Download and install the world separately, as its own step.
  • Launch the game, start a save in the downloaded world, and check to see whether the other store stuff you just downloaded appears.
  • If everything looks good, open the launcher again, just to make sure it still works too.
  • Go into the DCCache folder inside the Sims 3 folder you put on your desktop and copy (don't just move) dcdb0.dbc, with the D for custom content.  Right-click to see the Copy option.
  • Open DCCache inside the new Sims 3 folder, the one in Documents, right-click in some empty space, and select Paste to paste the copied .dbc file.
  • Open the launcher again.  Does it work?  If so, check to see what custom content is listed, so you'll know what's supposed to appear in-game.
  • Try installing another small store item.
  • Delete the cache files I previously mentioned.
  • Launch the game again, load a new save, and check to see whether all the content shows up.
  • If it does, repeat the last six steps with dcdb1.dbc.
  • If everything still works, repeat those steps with dcdb2.dbc, etc. until you've tested all of your .dbc files.

If you get an error, your content doesn't appear in-game, or the launcher stops working with any of these steps, stop there and let me know what happened, and where in the process things went wrong.

——————————————————————————————————————————

I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.

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Message 9 of 10 (1,664 Views)

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Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

@notyourwig  It sounds like you have a corrupt file in DCCache, which is where installed content lands.  Store stuff is bundled into .ebc files, and third-party custom content into .dbc files.  A bad cc item, or even just a bad install, can not only bork the bundle it's added to but also crash the launcher.

 

Just as good housekeeping, start by deleting the five cache files in your game folder in Documents.  They should be deleted regularly anyway, and certainly every time you add or remove content from your game.  Right now, delete them every time you try to install or uninstall anything.  For reference, they are:

  • CASPartCache.package
  • compositorCache.package
  • scriptCache.package
  • simCompositorCache.package
  • socialCache.package

The easiest way to test is to pull your DCCache folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 and test.  When you open the launcher again, it will spawn a clean DCCache folder.  Try installing something small, as a test.  If it works, delete the contents of the new DCCache and move over all of your .ebc files.  Test again, and if it still works, your store stuff is fine, and you can move onto your custom content.

 

The more likely issue is something in one of your .dbc files.  You can take them out one at a time to see whether you can install—leave your .ebc files out, and trash the new one when you're done testing, so you don't get any duplicates.  You'll notice that your .dbc files are numbered in ascending order, from dcdb0 (thats' a zero) upwards.  Take the highest numbered file out first, since the launcher won't read them properly if they're not in sequential order.  If you still can't install, take the next one out, and the next, and so on.

 

If the issue is in fact your .dbc files, you can try to clean them, so to speak.  This involves examining them in the launcher one at a time and uninstalling any content that looks suspicious, or that you don't want in your game.  Here's a full description; scroll down to "Method by Mell":

 

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/tutorial-how-to-get-rid-of-unwanted-custom-content.html

 

If your store content is the issue, the same principle applies; just substitute .ebc for .dbc in the above paragraphs.

 

If none of this helps, it might be time to rebuild your entire game folder.  I can write out instructions for that if you need them; just let me know.

——————————————————————————————————————————

I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 2 of 10 (1,719 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice
@puzzlezaddict I tried to fix this issue before and they told me to delete the .ebc files, so I only have one, freshly created one
Message 3 of 10 (1,705 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice
@notyourwig okay, they just appeared after I pulled them out (no idea why)
Message 4 of 10 (1,704 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice

Ive also found out that I have two dcdb1.dbc's but the second one's called dcdb1.dbc.tmp, could that be the issue?

Message 5 of 10 (1,697 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

@notyourwig  Definitely delete the tmp dbc file.  I don't know what it's doing there still (maybe an install didn't finish), but it can't be helping.  When you say your .ebc files just appeared, do you have OneDrive or iCloud enabled?  If so, the Documents folders on your hard drive and in cloud storage might be syncing.  This doesn't work well for Sims 3—files can get lost or overwritten, and if the user game folder gets moved to the cloud, the game won't be able to find it and will create a new one with no content.

 

The solution is to either turn off OneDrive or iCloud, or at least disable auto updates.  You can move any folders you find in cloud storage to your desktop and then sort through them to see what you want to keep.  And there's no reason you can't manually back up your game folder; just don't let your computer do it automatically.

——————————————————————————————————————————

I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 6 of 10 (1,679 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice

I dont have any clouds, because I dont need that. It just looks like it crashes.
Also, when I try to install something the file pops back up in the folder.

Message 7 of 10 (1,672 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice

ALSO, Ive only successfully installed the Atomic Age Pets Registration Reward set. (I still have no idea how it installed)

Message 8 of 10 (1,669 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

@notyourwig  Please pull your entire Sims 3 game folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts and open the launcher to create a clean folder.  Then do the following:

  • Pick a random store item and install it.
  • If it works, install a couple more store items, then install a world if you own one (Riverview is free).  Download and install the world separately, as its own step.
  • Launch the game, start a save in the downloaded world, and check to see whether the other store stuff you just downloaded appears.
  • If everything looks good, open the launcher again, just to make sure it still works too.
  • Go into the DCCache folder inside the Sims 3 folder you put on your desktop and copy (don't just move) dcdb0.dbc, with the D for custom content.  Right-click to see the Copy option.
  • Open DCCache inside the new Sims 3 folder, the one in Documents, right-click in some empty space, and select Paste to paste the copied .dbc file.
  • Open the launcher again.  Does it work?  If so, check to see what custom content is listed, so you'll know what's supposed to appear in-game.
  • Try installing another small store item.
  • Delete the cache files I previously mentioned.
  • Launch the game again, load a new save, and check to see whether all the content shows up.
  • If it does, repeat the last six steps with dcdb1.dbc.
  • If everything still works, repeat those steps with dcdb2.dbc, etc. until you've tested all of your .dbc files.

If you get an error, your content doesn't appear in-game, or the launcher stops working with any of these steps, stop there and let me know what happened, and where in the process things went wrong.

——————————————————————————————————————————

I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 9 of 10 (1,665 Views)

Re: The Sims 3 - can't install content

★★ Apprentice
@puzzlezaddict deleting all the files seemed to work, thank you so so much <3
Message 10 of 10 (1,653 Views)