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    (SOLVED) Moving entire game to a different location

    SummerRoxySummerRoxy Posts: 93 Member
    edited June 2019 in The Sims 3 Help & Technical Discussion
    My game is currently located at Windows C: but its storage only has 35 GB left. While I'm not having any problems with my game right now, I sometimes read that it's important to leave a big amount of storage if possible, so I delete save backups that become unneeded after a while and also clean up the trash folder of my PC often so the free storage stays up at 35 GB. Meanwhile, my Local Disk E: has 899 GB of storage left and I was wondering if it was possible to move the game there? Would a total uninstall and install be needed? Or is there an easier way to do it that's not time-consuming? I'm on patch 1.67 by the way. Thanks in advance! :)
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    Post edited by SummerRoxy on

    Comments

    • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
      edited June 2019
      On an Origin controlled Patch 1.69 game, there is supposed to be a way to move the install from within Origin. It reportedly works around half the time for TS3 games. On a 1.67 disc or I think Steam install, the only way is to uninstall, clean the Windows registry, and reinstall onto a user defined sub-folder on E.

      Independent of the program install is the TS3 user game folder in Documents. One way to shift that to another drive doesn't involve re-installs, but rather instructing Windows to redirect the Documents (or My Documents) library entirely to E. This is for Win 10, but the procedure is about the same for other versions.
      https://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-10/how-to-change-the-location-of-user-folders-in-windows-10

      If one wants to keep Documents itself on C but shift the TS3 user game folder only, then what we call symbolic links or junction points would be required.

      Is your C drive an SSD and how large is it overall? While one generally does need more than 35 GB of free space for Windows and the game to manuever properly and for sanity's sake, the benefits of running off of an SSD get lost if either portion of the game is moved to a regular, slower HDD. The game itself will play about the same either way, but on an SSD startups, saves, travel transitions, caching, catalog building in Build/Buy, CAS, and CASt patterns will go very much faster. If C is indeed an SSD and happens to be larger than 256 GB, perhaps there is another way to free up some space and keep it that way. But if this is the PC you posted about here last year, then it has a 128 GB (showing up as 120 GB) C drive that is indeed far too small to be running games like this one alongside of Windows. SSDs that small are intended for the operating system and related processes only, and are not really for other program installs.
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    • SummerRoxySummerRoxy Posts: 93 Member
      @igazor
      Thanks for the reply! I'm sorry, I should've linked my previous thread to save you some hassle! :'( Yes, that PC at the last post is the PC I bought. The SSD is indeed stated as 120 GB but I can only use 110 GB, of which the remaining space is only 35 GB now. I looked at the folders to try to free up some space but the remaining ones are really just PC-related. I have a laptop that I use for necessary stuff while this new PC is just solely for playing Sims 3, so I only have the PC-related stuff, Sims 3 and Chrome on it. xD But in the near future, I might move with my boyfriend and he might download some games in this PC so I thought it might be better to move Sims 3 to the bigger drive. I initially thought of just letting him install games straight to the bigger drive and keep Sims 3 where it is but it might not be possible?

      So...a complete uninstall and install it is, I guess? :(
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      Main Sims 3 blog: currently playing the Knight Legacy
    • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
      The computer manufacturers design systems that way to cut down on costs while still giving users the SSD benefits for the startup, shutdown, and running of Windows itself. SSDs that small are not meant to be carrying games like TS3 and most users who make heavy use of their Documents folder, even those who are not playing games, should be doing the folder redirection thing. Larger SSDs will drive the price of the system up, not as astronomically as they once did but still significantly.

      We did point this out when you acquired that system and we saw how small the C drive was. Yes, I would strongly recommend both the reinstall and the folder redirection. You could try doing the folder redirection thing only and reinstall Chrome on E, but my prediction is that won't reclaim enough space ongoing and the constant checking for free space and having to shift things over to save every GB you can over time will drive you crazy when you could be spending your time doing more productive or fun things with this computer.

      Your alternatives are to look into having the C drive replaced with a larger one or having the E drive replaced with a second SSD. Either way would still require a reinstall of the game in the end, though.
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    • SummerRoxySummerRoxy Posts: 93 Member
      Yes, we did discuss it but I was so excited that I only noticed the location after installing, then I still went with it for a while. I'm sorry. :'(

      I have a lot of free time next week so I'm doing the reinstall and redirection. I might post in this thread again if I have trouble. Thank you so much for the help!
      hFiDkFM.png
      Main Sims 3 blog: currently playing the Knight Legacy
    • SummerRoxySummerRoxy Posts: 93 Member
      edited June 2019
      I'm having reinstalling problems now...
      I've uninstalled, cleaned the registry with CCleaner and I started reinstalling. I installed the base game, WA, Ambition, then halfway through installing LN I fell asleep for 2 hours. After waking up and checking the screen, it was on the "do you want to install EADM?" part and I unticked the box and that finished the installation. Next I move on to install Generations but it gave me an error like "The setup found The Sims 3 has data damage or not properly installed. The setup can't continue" (it's in Japanese) and it closes by itself and doesn't install.

      ...Do I start over with cleaning and reinstalling again or should I just redo LN since that's where I think it went wrong? :'( Please help!

      EDIT: I just decided to start from scratch again...
      hFiDkFM.png
      Main Sims 3 blog: currently playing the Knight Legacy
    • SummerRoxySummerRoxy Posts: 93 Member
      Update: I was able to properly reinstall and redirect. My saves, mods, CCs etc are working as intended as well. No problems and the game's loading speed etc haven't changed, it's still smooth. Thanks again to @igazor. :)
      hFiDkFM.png
      Main Sims 3 blog: currently playing the Knight Legacy
    • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
      Glad to hear you ultimately had success with that. :)
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    • danislilstardanislilstar Posts: 9 New Member
      I'm having a similar issue. I have installed a ssd and a second hard drive in my desktop and I have all my games installed on my ssd but wanted to put the game saves, mods and downloaded content on the second hard drive. I attempted to fallow the instructions in the link that was previously provided but ran into the issue that when I go to properties it does not give me the option for location but I did try and change it under the "move" option and I had also changed where all my new files get saved to in windows. However when I launched the game it just recreated the folder on the ssd. Any other suggestions on how to fix the issue?
    • danislilstardanislilstar Posts: 9 New Member
      Never mind I figured it out so ignore me. But thanks anyway.
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