Bringing old files onto a new computer

[redmare]

My computer recently crashed, making it unusable, but the hard drive is unharmed. I'm getting a new one, but I'm not sure how it will work to get the Sims running again. First of all, my I got the sims via an amazon download. Will I be able to reinstall on a new computer?
Also, my save files. Will I be able to keep playing on my old files, or are they lost?
Finally, my custom content, which I have a lot of. Will I need to reinstall that, or will having the files from my old computer transferred to my new computer work? If I need to reinstall it, will I have to remake all my sims with their content?

[KhaineGB]

Plug your hard drive into the new computer.

Find the Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 folder.

Copy that to your new computer. It should go under "Documents" if memory serves correctly.

That should keep all your old saves, graphics options, game options and CC.

[MrsFlynn]

There shouldn't be any problems reinstalling Sims 3 via Amazon.

Log into your Amazon account: https://www.amazon.com/your-account

Under the Your Account menu select your games and software library. That will take you to the page that all your digital purchases are. Find the title that you want and then click on the download button.

Run the setup program for each expansion and stuff pack. Updating as you go is a good to do as well run a registry cleaner program. (Something like Ccleaner, It's free - http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download)
This helps clean up temporary files, internet cache files and other files that are left behind that are no longer being used, after uninstalling.

Your Save files should be okay to use on your new computer. Just do as Khaine mentioned, take your TheSims3 folder and copy it to your Electronic Arts folder, after you've installed Sims 3. You shouldn't need to reinstall your store or custom content or remake your Sims, if you have saved the whole Sims3 folder and it's contents.

Hope this helps,

MrsFlynn

[redmare]

Thank you all so much!

[KhaineGB]

Just a point.

If you don't fancy taking the side off your new PC, you can get an external hard drive case for fairly cheap. Just put the drive out of your old PC in that and transfer everything via USB.

[redmare]

So I got a data transfer, so all my old Sims files are on the new computer... but I'm having trouble downloading my game. It let me download the base game, but when I tried to start downloading my EPs, it told me I needed to go to the launcher and update my game before I could do that. I tried to go into the base game launcher, but I just got a popup saying the launcher wasn't working. What can I do?