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Can't install any of my store content any more
Timevessel
Posts: 95 Member
Here is what happened. I was very unhappy with the way my origin-based sims 3 game was functioning, so I bought a complete set of sims 3 including all expansion and stuff packs, and they are all non-Origin, disc-based software. I loaded it on my laptop which has no Internet access. I had spent a fortune buying Sims 3 store content and I figured I would transfer the download folder over to my laptop, where I could finally play the game the way I wanted to. No such luck. Unbeknownst to me, by the time I downloaded all my store content, it had been changed in its programming, and when I went to install it on my laptop, it gave me an error message saying the installation failed and I needed up-to-date software (meaning I either update to the latest version or I don't get it to work). I don't want to let that laptop Sims 3 update past 1.67 because it is finally running (more or less) the way I want it to, and with later updates on my other computer which used to have an Origin-based game, that later version of the game had so many problems it was virtually unplayable. I thought it might help if I loaded the earlier version on this computer (the one that used to have the Origin game) and I tried to download again. No such luck. When I transferred the files to the laptop, the installation still failed. I spent a fortune on store content--I own almost the entire store, and it's extremely unfair to have to do without it in order to have a game that works. Here's what I'm asking. There has to be somebody out there who is still playing the 1.67 version (because it works so much better) and who has all or almost all store content. I am scrupulously honest and would not be asking for something I had not paid for, but if someone could share those files, I would be enormously grateful. It's hard to decorate a tomb without all that stuff, at least to decorate it well. I would be happy to provide a complete list of my content that I have purchased. Someone, please take pity and help me. Thank you so much!
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But your store content should be able to install and there are solutions to get it installed. That error does not necessarily mean you need to update to 1.69. You shouldn't have to with discs except if your base game is issued after September 2012 (I believe that's the date) because that is when EA forced the game to be tied to Origin.
Some things you could try if your base game is from before that (though you may have tried them):
Repatch the game using the 1.67 Superpatch sometimes the game doesn't get patched correctly.
Delete the missingdeps file your DCCache folder (Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/DCCache) because it sometimes corrupted and can cause issues with the launcher/installing. It's safe to delete as it will regenerate itself.
Delete the Content Patch folder (Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\ContentPatch). This will force the game to redownload and patch the store content/launcher.
Start a clean sims 3 folder.
Try installing using this method. There is a helpful video on page 12.
When installing, the ebc files in the DCCache folder need to be less than ~200,000 KB. If the files are too large this can cause problems. Also, the launcher can only handle installing a few items at a time. So installing everything at one or in large batches can also cause issues.
If none of these things are a factor when you were installing or you already tried them, you can try using the Download Dashboard in game as sometimes that works better for people when installing via the launcher does not work. Just make sure to install in small batches and keep the ebc files under the ~200,000 KB limit.
You wrote:
As I mentioned above, the download dashboard would be impossible, because that computer is not online.
Thanks for your response.
Unfortunately there is no manual store patch that I know of. Download manager was replaced by Origin and is basically the same thing.
A clean folder is where you move the current Sims 3 folder to the desktop and then launch the game to regenerate a new one. But that might not be helpful since it seems like the issue might be a online or account problem. My apologies for not quite understanding that and the offline issue originally.
So to be clear there's no way to connect to the internet?
Since you are knowledgeable in the best way to install store content that's probably not the problem. So those other solutions are probably not useful.
As you mentioned you might want to contact EA via live chat or phone because it could be that since store content is linked to the old base game reigstered on your account it won't install with the new games on your offline laptop because it is a different base game and so the store content is not linked to it. What you could do is contact EA and see if there's anyway to register the new base game to your account instead of the old one or (not ideal) create a new account and register the new base game then transfer your store content to that account. EA help is very good at account problems so if this is the problem it might be worth a try.
Then you could perhaps install the new base game (if you haven't already) on the online computer and make a clean folder on it. Then install the store content, and store patch and then just transfer the DCCache, DCBackup, and Content Patch folders to the offline laptop as was your plan.
Then you could perhaps install the new base game (if you haven't already) on the online computer and make a clean folder on it. Then install the store content, and store patch and then just transfer the DCCache, DCBackup, and Content Patch folders to the offline laptop as was your plan.
How do I store patch then? (without going through Origin and without updating past 1.67)
Oh no. I wasn't saying you were pirating. I hope I didn't offend you. I am very sorry if I did. I just meant in general sharing store files with another account can be considered that. I just don't want you to get in any trouble or something for asking about it.
That's why I was asking for someone to share their 1.67 store content (only the items that I bought). I was hoping someone working for EA might do that, or someone who used to work for them who still has contact with them. Also, anyone willing to help is more than welcome to verify that I own the material with EA--whatever we would have to work out to do that. I am very poor. I had to save for a very long time to buy all that store content, and this is not fair at all. It hurts. Hundreds of dollars down the drain. I deserve my content on whatever computer I wish to run it on and with whatever version of the game I wish.
I tried EA chat. They were totally not listening and not helpful. Their solution was to go to an Origin game and update to the latest update. That person said it was related to the fact that my game has not had the latest update. That doesn't mean they were right, of course. My past experience is that the advice I have gotten from them is usually incorrect or incomplete and mostly not helpful (through the official EA Help) which is why I am here. I am asking for someone to help me with some files. This is not just a legal issue, it is a moral one, and I am in the right morally. I know that there are some good and knowledgeable people working for EA--I have talked with some of them. All it takes is one. But I am much more likely to find one here than through EA Help.
I am begging someone to help.
I'm sorry that EA was not helpful. Usually with account issues they are. I don't know if any of the Gurus can help because they usually just direct to customer service and they are the only EA representatives here.
I agree that it should work with any game version but unfortunately EA has set up a system where that's not possible.
Which is why to me it seems like your issue is account related and that's why you are getting errors. Store content is registered/linked with a specific account through a registered base game. Since you have two different base games the content is only linked with the first base game and so will not install on the other computer. This could be why it's giving you errors. You could try doubling checking with EA if this is how store content works and if so see if they have a solution to connect the second base game with your store account. They would be the only ones to link the store content and give it to you I'm afraid because it has to be linked. So the only option might be to contact them again.
I have never had good luck with EA fixing specific store errors but have had luck with them fixing account issues that could cause the error. So if you want you could try asking about the above without mentioning the specific error and see if that goes better.
As for giving the content the issue is not that you are on 1.67 it's that it is not the same registered base game as your account. Therefore you will probably run into the same error with those files as well.
I haven't tried nuking Windows 10 and reinstalling Windows 7 yet (I did redownload from the store, and all was resolved btw, so all is good). I just wanted to ask for future reference, if the store content is tied to OS/Hardware checksum, or what. I am asking this because, if the store ever goes the way of the Sims 2 Store, then I want to make sure that my purchase Sims 3 content can still be accessed. So.... is the store content tied to a sys build/checksum? And why did I get a installation failed message when I tried to install my backed up copy?
Because of how the launcher is, there are numerous reasons why store content can fail to install. So I am not sure what it would be in your case.
Just as a side note another way backup your store content is to keep the files in the DCCache folder. The ones ending in .ebc are the store content. When you reinstall or create a new folder you can just move those files over without reinstalling the store content. I would still keep a backup of the simpacks, but it's a nice secondary backup and time saver.
I have Sims 3 installed on several different computers, two are the digital download from Origin version, the rest are all from DVD, with the base game from 2011 and therefore not dependant on Origin at all. I use the same Store files to all of them, and it has worked fine so far.
When I first started using downloaded Store objects I always installed them via the Launcher, but then I tried the other much faster method, to just copy the files in the DCCache folder and transferring them to my other computer, and it worked perfectly and saved me 4-5 hours of rather tedious work.
@napoleonwrasse I had Origin digital downloads of the games and the store content. When I changed over to all discs (to avoid 1.69) I tried copying my store backup files into the new folder. The game saw the files because the name appeared in the launcher but there was no preview picture in the launcher and the content did not show up in game. I finally found a thread where Ciane explained the different versions.
So yes, I have a backup of both versions in case for whatever reason I do have to go digital some day. If you have two different computers to play with maybe give it a try and see if your different games recognize the ebc files. Mine didn't.
When you changed to the disc version, I assume that meant changing to a new base game serial code also?
Could it be that Store item files must be linked to the same base game code to work? I registered my DVD base game code on thesims3.com several years ago, and downloaded the Origin digital version to another computer a couple of months ago, linked to the same code.
There are some more about this on Simsvip, but I must admit that I find the image on that page more confusing than clarifying.
That image is confusing but if it was accurate both you and I would not have been able to put the store content on both the digital and disk installs. (Unless they mean different base game by game version) Yet we can. So I guess if it works don't mess with it.
@napoleonwrasse Well it's good you know now that your backups will work! I don't really understand why it works for some people and not for others.
Lisa, one of the commenters below the article, seems to have the same experience with this as you and me.