Resolved: Can't successfully install purchased store content

[GlazeyLady]

I recently switched computers with my husband.  Prior to the switch, I was playing Sims with all the game extensions (not the stuff packs) and had purchased some store content which was installed and working fine.  Before giving him my Dell, I cleaned it off for him - which included uninstalling Sims completely.  Then I installed Sims on his HP.  The game is working fine, but I can't successfully install any of my purchased store content. I downloaded it successfully, I went through the install process, I got the "Success" message, and it showed up on the Installed Content tab in the launcher.  But it was not in the game.  When I ended and restarted the game, it was showing up  on the download tab again, and not on the installed content tab. 

I've tried removing it and re-downloading it; I've tried uninstalling everything and reinstalling, I've made sure I'm at the latest patch.  I spent over 2 hours on chat with EA support trying things from his list of stuff to try (that he clearly didn't really understand) and ultimately asked him questions (like where should the content be - i.e. what folder) when it's downloaded vs. when it's installed - trying to follow the process and find the point of breakdown) he couldn't answer the questions and he bailed - said he was escalating my issues and I'd get an email about it, which I never did.

There are two things that changed between the time my purchased content worked and the time it didn't - One is that I changed computers, and the other is that my son loaded by base Sims game on his laptop and either lost the cd or "loaned" it to one of his friends (on an apparently permanent basis) because it was missing - I purchased a new one, so the game registration number that I used on the HP is not the same registration number I initially registered and purchased content under. 

Anyone have any ideas how to get my purchased content to install properly?

Thanks for any help!

[wednesday21]

Hi,

If I remember correctly, I've read on the official forums that you either have to have the game you are trying to install store content into registered on the account or you should have no base games registered on this account at all. It's quite complicated but apparently Electronic Arts has designed the system this way to prevent possible benefit gained from hacking other people's accounts. You might want to do a little research on this; there's probably some way to remove the registration of your "lost" base game and replace it with your new base game's.

This is probably not of much use since you say you've reinstalled your game a few times, but have you tried moving out the contents of your My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/DCCache folder and then trying to install your store items, one by one? Maybe doing this can lead to an easier & quicker solution to your problem.

I hope this post was of some help. Good luck.

[Teacup Chihuahua]

Hi  GlazeyLady I had a problem with my computer and had to re-install all my sims eps and base game .My store content no longer showed either (I googled it) the answer told me : to go to my page on Sims 3  , ,then go to my account,from there,to  My Purchases I then could see what I had bought from the store then I downloaded it again(I did not have to buy it again) that solved the problem Hope this helps

[Figwit]

You could try deleting the missingdeps.idx file from your DCcache folder (in Documents/EA/The Sims 3).  This will regenerate when you load again and just might give the Launcher a bit of a kick start.

I should also have said to make sure you are fully patched as well.

[GlazeyLady]

Thank you all for your help. 

I did delete and re-download/re-install the content, and it says it was successful, but it still isn't there.
I am fully patched.  I tried deleting the cache file - didn't help.
I tried to register my new base game but couldn't - said the code was invalid.

I chatted with an ea support person, who generated me a new base game code and I entered that, then deleted the content, re-downloaded it and re-installed.  Still didn't work.

I also tried purchasing new content after installing the code the rep generated.  I downloaded it and installed it.  It said it installed successfully, and showed up on the installed tab, but when I went into the game it wasn't there.  And when I ended the game and restarted, it's on the download tab as not installed and is not on the installed tab.

If anyone has any more ideas, please let me know.

Thanks!

[GlazeyLady]

I searached again and found something I didn't see before - it got me to the Factory Reset post by MoonsAreBlue (found here: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,7507.0.html).
 
AND IT WORKDED!
 
SO glad to have my content back!

[Teacup Chihuahua]

Excellent I'm so pleased

[octavian2]

I think you'll have to re-download:

I'm just having to do this after having bought a new laptop and having to reinstall everything. I'd transferred all my store content downloads from a memory stick and then installed from the launcher (always worked in the past) but then it would say my game needed updating and couldn't install the store content.

I've found that re-downloading from the Purchase History in your Sims store account helps - for example, it won't install a particular item from the launcher, but when I delete it from the launcher and then reinstall/download from the store, it installs! Still installing all my things, so not holding breath yet....

However, I did call EA and they got me to uninstall the games too - didn't work - but this method does seem to!