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    Deleting Uneccessary Files from Sims 3 Folder

    Stephanie_Jane09Stephanie_Jane09 Posts: 124 Member
    in The Sims 3 General Discussion
    I was just wondering which files are safe to delete from my Sims 3 Folder to improve game play and such

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      DawnLBrownDawnLBrown Posts: 9,193 Member
      edited March 2013
      Some people may tell you can delete all the files except the ccmerged.package in the dcbackup folder.

      However, if you upload lots or sims to the Exchange, you really shouldn't. If you use CC or store content in the upload file, this is where it attaches the package file from.

      The content will be missing in the upload if it is missing from the dcbackup folder.
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      10eliblue10eliblue Posts: 2,280 New Member
      edited March 2013
      You can also delete some Saves in the Saves folder to free up space. Just make sure you aren't using them!
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      LaBlue0314LaBlue0314 Posts: 17,436 Member
      edited March 2013
      http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-delete-your-cache-files.html
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      ArchivistArchivist Posts: 4,375 Member
      edited March 2013
      This is my "delete stuff" routine that I do every time I back up. It's worked for me for years, but it may not work for others depending on what stuff you want to keep.


      This is the stuff I delete:

      DELETE Collections
      'cause I don't make CAS/Build mode collections.

      DELETE CurrentGame.sims3
      It's empty whenever you're not playing the game.

      DELETE Custom Music
      'cause I don't have my own songs in there, and I don't like the ones that are in there by default.

      OPEN DCBackup and delete everything EXCEPT ccmerged.package
      All of that stuff is redundant garbage, but the "ccmerged.package" file is important for your premium content.

      DELETE Downloads
      'cause I don't need the .sims3packs in here after I've installed them. In the event that I do, they're available in my purchase history on the site.

      DELETE Exports
      'cause I don't need the .sims3packs for my uploads after I've uploaded them. In the event that I do, they're in my studio on the site.

      DELETE FeaturedItems
      This is where the launcher stores the images for the Store items it advertises to you. Don't worry, the launcher will download more...

      DELETE IGACache
      Nobody seems to know what this is, but it's always empty when I see it. I delete it all the time and have never had any problems.

      OPEN Recorded Videos and delete whatever you don't want
      Those recorded videos can eat up a lot of hard drive space.

      DELETE SigsCache
      Just some reference files. They'll be regenerated if the launcher ever needs them.

      DELETE WorldCaches (PC only)
      I've read that you shouldn't delete this if you're on a Mac. But it's safe to delete on a PC. The game will spend a few minutes regenerating these files when it needs to (it will run very slow during those minutes, but it's only temporary).

      DELETE CASPartCache.package
      DELETE compositorCache.package
      DELETE scriptCache.package
      DELETE simCompositorcache.package
      DELETE socialCache.package
      Disposable cache files that regenerate if you delete them. Don't be worried if the game runs slow the next time you play. It takes a few minutes for the game to rewrite the files, then the game will run smoothly again.

      DELETE DeviceConfig.log
      DELETE Sims3LauncherLogFile.log
      DELETE Sims3Logs.xml
      DELETE Version.tag
      Just a bunch of logs and other system info that gets regenerated anyway.


      This is the stuff I keep:

      ccmerged.package in DCBackup: So that my premium content works.
      DCCache: This is where all of my installed content is.
      InstalledWorlds: This is where all of my installed worlds are.
      Library: This is where all of my Edit Town bin stuff is.
      Mods: 'cause it wouldn't even be there if I didn't put it there and I like the stuff that's in it.
      SavedSims: This is where all of my CAS bin Sims are.
      Saves: This is where all of my saved games are and those are important to me.
      Screenshots: This is where all of my screenshots are and those are important to me.
      Thumbnails: This is otherwise disposable, but I get impatient when the game has to spend a few minutes regenerating all of the thumbnails in CAS, so I just leave it alone.
      Options.ini: This is all of my settings. 'cause I don't like having to redo my settings all the time.
      9d9hOnJ.png
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      DawnLBrownDawnLBrown Posts: 9,193 Member
      edited March 2013
      If you are going to delete your Downloads, I recommend backing them up somewhere first, especially if you have CC or Exchange items. Cause you might never find your CC or Exchange items again. And downloading from your Purchase history one by one can take a long time if you have a lot of store content. The backed up folder can come in handy if you ever need to install your downloads again.
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      AMariseSAMariseS Posts: 2,458 Member
      edited March 2013
      DawnLBrown wrote:
      Some people may tell you can delete all the files except the ccmerged.package in the dcbackup folder.

      However, if you upload lots or sims to the Exchange, you really shouldn't. If you use CC or store content in the upload file, this is where it attaches the package file from.

      The content will be missing in the upload if it is missing from the dcbackup folder.

      Ohhh, that explains so much! Thank you!
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      Callum9432Callum9432 Posts: 6,462 Member
      edited March 2013
      Every time I start the game (before opening the launcher :P ) There are 7 files I delete:
        CASPartCache.package
        compositorCache.package
        scriptCache.package
        simCompositorCache.package
        Sims3LauncherLogFile(.txt)
        Sims3Logs(.xml)
        SocialCache.package
      I also clear the WorldCaches folder if there is anything in it, and I delete any ScriptError files and any xcept files
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      owenlanxe752owenlanxe752 Posts: 2 New Member
      thank you for this! this helped me clear up space for local disk c.
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      JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
      Not sure if this belongs here but I recently learned (igazor) it’s also ok to empty your Downloads folder once you’ve got everything installed. (you can store the full folder somewhere else)
      5JZ57S6.png
    • Options
      KarritzKarritz Posts: 21,923 Member
      JoAnne65 wrote: »
      Not sure if this belongs here but I recently learned (igazor) it’s also ok to empty your Downloads folder once you’ve got everything installed. (you can store the full folder somewhere else)

      If you happen to own the entire store and have a huge number of Sims3Pack files to install through the launcher - you will find they install faster and better if you only have a few files in the Downloads folder at a time. I have two other folders when I'm installing store content. One folder is named 'ToInstall' and the other folder is named 'Installed'. I move the files I'm about to install from the 'To' folder to the Downloads folder. Install the content. Then move it from the Downloads folder to the 'Installed' folder. I make sure I keep my content backed up on an external drive as well as on my hard drive.
      S.jpg

      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW44b3uCMtCSaq4gwC8EZg
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      Rflong7Rflong7 Posts: 36,588 Member
      edited November 2017
      @DawnLBrown wrote: »
      Some people may tell you can delete all the files except the ccmerged.package in the dcbackup folder.

      However, if you upload lots or sims to the Exchange, you really shouldn't. If you use CC or store content in the upload file, this is where it attaches the package file from.

      The content will be missing in the upload if it is missing from the dcbackup folder.

      That is actually not true for Store Stuff*. I have uploaded many worlds and lots with Store stuff in them and I always clean out my DCBackup folder. The Store stuff is Always there.
      I would remove it to not spread any CC that might be attached to items you didn't even use.
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      angelette1angelette1 Posts: 152 Member
      WOW!! I followed the directions on what to delete & ended up cutting my load time down by10 minutes on my laptop!! Plus there was so much lag I couldn't really play even. That was almost completely cleared up!! Thanks guys!!! This really helped!!!
      Angelette Carter
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      AftrNoonOvrRideAftrNoonOvrRide Posts: 79 Member
      I always delete the cache files. They regenerate after every game.
      My Sims 3 Wishlist
      http://store.thesims3.com/myWishlist.html?persona=AftrNoonOvrRide
    • Options
      KarritzKarritz Posts: 21,923 Member
      Rflong7 wrote: »
      @DawnLBrown wrote: »
      Some people may tell you can delete all the files except the ccmerged.package in the dcbackup folder.

      However, if you upload lots or sims to the Exchange, you really shouldn't. If you use CC or store content in the upload file, this is where it attaches the package file from.

      The content will be missing in the upload if it is missing from the dcbackup folder.

      That is actually not true for Store Stuff*. I have uploaded many worlds and lots with Store stuff in them and I always clean out my DCBackup folder. The Store stuff is Always there.
      I would remove it to not spread any CC that might be attached to items you didn't even use.

      I agree with @Rflong7

      It is CC that relies on the packages being in the DCBackup folder when loading to the exchange. It will attach and load to the exchange with or without your knowledge if the CC related files are left in the DCBackup folder
      S.jpg

      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW44b3uCMtCSaq4gwC8EZg
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