Sims 3 - Start From the Beginning - Uninstall and Reinstall

[RunAmokSims]

I think it would work with Windows 7.  Maybe look through the directions and see if you have the indicated files in the right spots before actually deleting any of them.  If they're all in the same places, then go for it.  

Just an update on Windows 7.

Please keep in mind this is not a tutorial or a suggestion of how to do this. I'm just telling you what I did.

Apparently with all the odd things I had to get used to in 7 it seems their uninstall is pretty good. I went to my control panel and started the uninstall. With each game I was shown the prompt that my other game packs might not work any more if I uninstalled the one I was currently working on. I uninstalled all packs and the EADM. I checked my program files and the EA file was empty. I just deleted that. The only file I had to delete myself was the EA file in my documents. I did a search on the computer and there were no results for Sims or EA. It even deleted the desk top icons. Even though I was only showing a 9% file fragmentation I did a defrag and a disc clean up.  I reinstalled everything and so far (fingers and toes crossed) it all seems to be working fine. I'll update here if any problems show up.

[Deborah]

My game ran brilliantly until I installed Outdoor living stuff. Even after uninstalling  the stuff pack,  it still ran choppy, so I am taking Pams advice. No play for me today 

[Leto85]

I'm wondering if the uninstall directions are the same for windows 7?  Anyone know?

All the instructions I've seen have stated Vista or other windows versions. I run my Sims on my laptop with 7. I've had no problems with any of Sims 3 and expansions. After  running Ambitions for a few weeks I'm starting to have problems. I don't want to save any files,just start fresh.

Yes, it works with Windows 7. I use that OS. If I need to help you with anything according to that, you can ask. But I'm not a ITC person so it might be I don't know every answer.

[SimsHelp123]

I've been trying to reinstall sims 3 late night by going to my sims 3 account, but Sims 3 and Late Night aren't there! I downloaded them from the EA site, does that change anything? Please help!

[Hosfac]

I've been trying to reinstall sims 3 late night by going to my sims 3 account, but Sims 3 and Late Night aren't there! I downloaded them from the EA site, does that change anything? Please help!

That sounds like something you will most likely have to contact EA customer support for.  Be sure to have the credit card transaction number for the purchase, as they will undoubtedly ask for that.

[makeupinternet]

Hi! I decided to start fresh and reinstall sims 3 on my computer. I wanted to get rid of some expansions I had installed (Late Night) and try a new one (Pets - new for me atleast! ).

Anyway, after uninstalling all the old sims 3-programs, I started by installing the base game. And then I updated to the latest patch, BEFORE installing any expansions. Now, when I install expansions, I get a message saying:

"Warning! The installed version of sims 3 is newer than this product version [the expansion, I assume]. If you choose to continue you have to be connected to the internet and update this product through the start-program for The Sims 3,  after the installation, to be able to play Sims 3."

My language is swedish, so the above is a translation of the swedish version - the enligsh probably is a little bit different but the meaning should be the same!

So, next step, after installing an expansion I go to the "start program" - the sims 3 launcher - but it says I have the latest update and I can't make any updates as requested by the earlier message!

What should I do? Will the game and the expansions work anyway, or should I uninstall everything and start from the beginning again? Installing the base game and then the expansions without updating the patches inbetween? But according to earlier posts in this thread, it seems that you HAVE to update to the latest version before going ahead and installing expansions.. I'm totaly lost here guys and would greatly apreciate any help you can offer.

Thank you so much in advance, and excuse my spelling if it isn't totaly correct - english is my second language and I speak it better than I spell!

[Flynn Arrowstarr]

You can safely ignore the warning. I run the Origin downloaded version of the game. It requires you to patch to the latest level before you can install any of the expansions. Unlike the DVD version, the Origin downloads do not include any of the patches.

Hope this helps.

Flynn

[makeupinternet]

Thank you Flynn! Yes, that helps I started a new game and haven't played much yet, but I haven't had any problems with starting up a new game atleast!

Also, I read in a lot of places on the board that you need to install the expansions in the same order that they were released. But according to EA that is not correct - you can install them in any order. Even the link refered to in the first post in this thread, as to where to find information about having to install in a certain order, it clearly states you DO NOT have to install in the order of release. Here is the link again: https://help.ea.com/article/the-sims-3-installation-order

I noticed the first post is almost a year old so maybe this is something that EA has changed over time. I have however never had a problem when installing expansions in random order. Hope that helps anyone!

[NeonAngel]

I had to reinstall the whole game too. It's running beautifully now. I decided I wouldn't install Pets, Supernatural or Show Time because Idon't like them much. I like pets but it irritates me sometimes.

[ladybarefeet]

I have been playing sims 3 for about 1 month. We've had significant problems. We have the base game plus 11 expansions. The expansions we DONT have are University Life and um... outdoor living, and a few random others. We dont have the katy petty or the diesel Anyway...

11 expansions took us 2 days to reinstall via Origin. We bought only a few of our EPs on discs, and mostly via origin. What a hassle. I am sure it took 2 days due to my other kids being on MMORPG games and watching Netflix hogging up my bandwidth or whatever.

OUr game kept freezing every 10 seconds or so for up to a minute. It just got worse and worse. We ran without any exchange content and it didnt help. So we tried using some mods, no luck. Even Twallans Nraas mods didnt help. So we went "Hari Kari" and uninstalled and reinstalled. Its at 98% now... on day 2 of downloading. Isnt that ridiculous? 2 days to reinstall a game. TWO DAYS!!!!

[Dellena]

That is the very reason why I get all of my sims games on disc.  I have to be a little more patient because I live on an island so it's generally about 3-4 days from date of dispatch before I get them but it's worth it.  Plus, we are not on fibre optic.  Since it's an island, our connection to the internet is through microwave transmission.

[Flynn Arrowstarr]

I have been playing sims 3 for about 1 month. We've had significant problems. We have the base game plus 11 expansions. The expansions we DONT have are University Life and um... outdoor living, and a few random others. We dont have the katy petty or the diesel Anyway...

11 expansions took us 2 days to reinstall via Origin. We bought only a few of our EPs on discs, and mostly via origin. What a hassle. I am sure it took 2 days due to my other kids being on MMORPG games and watching Netflix hogging up my bandwidth or whatever.

OUr game kept freezing every 10 seconds or so for up to a minute. It just got worse and worse. We ran without any exchange content and it didnt help. So we tried using some mods, no luck. Even Twallans Nraas mods didnt help. So we went "Hari Kari" and uninstalled and reinstalled. Its at 98% now... on day 2 of downloading. Isnt that ridiculous? 2 days to reinstall a game. TWO DAYS!!!!

Hi, Ladybarefeet.

As it so happens I have a handy guide on here for just such a problem. See the thread How-To: Backup and Restore The Sims 3 From Orgin Downloader for the details. If you prefer to have all your games as a digital download and back them up with this method, remember you can register your games to you sims3.com account and they will appear in your Origin client. Note you can only download the disc games if they are not currently installed on your computer. Other games you've downloaded through Origin can also be backed up using the how-to guide (for example, I also have Spore and The Sims Medieval through Origin).

The games and expansions are fairly large, so you will want a decent sized portable hard drive or several DVDs to backup the files. I go over how to compress the backups using 7zip (a free utility) and that can save quite a bit of space for your backups.

If anything's unclear in the how-to or you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to PM me through the forum and I'll help you out the best I can.

Hope this helps, and Happy Simming.

Flynn