Using a 1Terabyte USB Harddrive

[sdhoey]

I am looking at these, I would like to move all my Sims to this, as to free up my computers hard drive and have room to save and add without to much worry. Will it be easy to move these files and folders from the Cdrive to the External?? 

[Lilygirl]

My husband suggests Copy/Paste commands instead of Move because if you Move the files over then it is gone from the original location and the game might not work, also you won't have the original files as backup. You could try Move and see if the game works but he says most likely it won't. If the game runs off the USB after Copy/Pasting everything than feel free to delete the files on your C-drive.

If the game doesn't work, then you'll have to delete everything from the USB (here is where having the backup will save headaches!) and install the game CDs, in order, to the USB. My husband says this may or may not work while the game in installed on your computer. If it does, you just need to change the location to which the game installs on that page of the installer. If it doesn't work you could try the EA Download Manager or uninstall the game from the computer (backup your saved game, downloads, exports, screenshots, vidoes folders) and then install it to the USB.

Let me know if this helps.

[sdhoey]

Thanks, this helps alot. Hopefully this week I can figure this all out. I don't mind having to start from scratch if I have too. I can say all my mods and stuff and move them back in afterwards!! 

[sdhoey]

My husband suggests Copy/Paste commands instead of Move because if you Move the files over then it is gone from the original location and the game might not work, also you won't have the original files as backup. You could try Move and see if the game works but he says most likely it won't. If the game runs off the USB after Copy/Pasting everything than feel free to delete the files on your C-drive.

If the game doesn't work, then you'll have to delete everything from the USB (here is where having the backup will save headaches!) and install the game CDs, in order, to the USB. My husband says this may or may not work while the game in installed on your computer. If it does, you just need to change the location to which the game installs on that page of the installer. If it doesn't work you could try the EA Download Manager or uninstall the game from the computer (backup your saved game, downloads, exports, screenshots, vidoes folders) and then install it to the USB.

Let me know if this helps.

Lilygirl, I'm going to get a Seagate 1.5 tb this afternoon, I have to go to "doggy school" LOL for  my shih-tzu!! LOL she is hardheaded!! she knows how to use the pads but she only does it half the time!! So I am gonna get the secrets on how to stop this now!! LOL I'll let you know how it goes with the transfer when I get it done! Thanks

[Lilygirl]

I'll be sure to check in later today then.

[sdhoey]

Lilygirl, I made a copy of my sims3 folder and saved it to my desktop, then I did a "send to" the external drive, since I made a copy of the folder to my desktop, I can delete the folder from my c drive right?

[Lilygirl]

Before you delete anything you should make sure the game runs off the USB drive. If you start the game through the launcher it will pull the information from your C-drive. So you need to go into your USB and find the most recent game launcher (head into the folder of your most recent EP/SP on the USB), it will be under Game/Bin/S3Launcher. Double click that. If it runs, you're golden! And if not, let me know.

[sdhoey]

Before you delete anything you should make sure the game runs off the USB drive. If you start the game through the launcher it will pull the information from your C-drive. So you need to go into your USB and find the most recent game launcher (head into the folder of your most recent EP/SP on the USB), it will be under Game/Bin/S3Launcher. Double click that. If it runs, you're golden! And if not, let me know.

I can launch from the USB, but it's as if it's new never played, so I created a new game, when it went to the actions, it crashed to desktop.. hmmmm??

[Lilygirl]

Husband says you'll need to do an install to the USB, instead of Copy/Paste. So, if you haven't deleted the files on your C-drive, delete everything off the USB. If you did delete your C-drive files, Copy/Paste them back from the USB. FYI: your saved games and store content are found in another Sims 3 folder under C-drive/Users/your name/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3. Ten just copy the stuff inside the folders you want to keep.

Anyway, clear off the USB and then install the game from your CDs onto it. As mentioned in a previous post this may or may not work while the game is installed on that computer already, but give it a try. My husband says you'll know right away if it won't work because the installer program won't let you continue.

Let me know.

[sdhoey]

I could just save my mods folder to my desktop and uninstall everything from the c drive and reinstall fresh to the external drive and go from there

[Lilygirl]

Sure, just move everything you want to save to the desktop and then completely uninstall the game from the C-drive. Makes sense that it should work. Good luck.

[Lilygirl]

Hey sdhoey, just wondering if you got the game to work off the USB.

[sdhoey]

right now I'm running off the cdrive. I have to be in the mood to uninstall and reinstall and it aint happening right now.. maybe in a couple of days.. thanks