Sims 3 - Start From the Beginning - Uninstall and Reinstall

[Pam]

When all else fails and nothing else works, it's time to start from the beginning with a complete uninstall and reinstall of the game. It's also a good idea to do this on a regular basis to keep your game running smoothly. The installation of a new expansion or stuff pack is the perfect time for this maintenance. (Note: This is for Windows operating systems only. I don't know anything about Macs.)

Here are some instructions that use other topics found on this Technical Help Board. Follow everything carefully and your game should be back running soon.

Optional: If you're having severe problems, you may want to restore your computer to a previous date so you can start all this fresh. To do the system restore, click the start button in the lower left corner and click on Help and Support. In the search box, type "system restore." Then click on any of the subjects that come up about System Restore and you'll find instructions and a link. Follow the instructions from there.

1. Back up any files you wish to keep.

2. If you will go to the Technical Help board, you'll find instructions for manually uninstalling Sims 3, World Adventures, and High End Loft.  Follow these instructions step by step and remove the programs starting with the newest one first. It's not as simple as removing them through Control Panel. These instructions also include saving your game files and editing your registry.

3. Do some maintenance on your computer with Disk Cleanup and Defrag. On a Windows operating system, you click on the Start button in the lower left corner, click All Programs, double click the Accessories folder, double click System Tools folder. You'll find both Disk Cleanup and Defragment in the System Tools folder. Do the cleanup first, then defrag. This will clean out the unnecessary and temporary files on your computer and arrange them more efficiently on your hard drive to free up larger blocks of space and speed up how your computer accesses files.

4. Begin installing the games, starting with Sims 3, then World Adventures, then High End Loft, then Ambitions. Be sure you have your Product Code numbers for each installation as you will be required to type them in during the install process.

5. Reinstall any items you've purchased from the Sims 3 Store by logging in to the Sims 3 site, going to your account, and viewing Purchase History.

After completing all of these steps, you should be good to go. If not, let us know and we'll have to dig deeper.

Please note:  According to Electronic Arts, the expansion and stuff packs should be installed in a particular order.  Click here to view the information.

Updated:  October 3, 2011 by Pam

[Leto85]

Good topic. And the way you explain re-installing the game is exactly how I would do it to solve everything.
I believe that if even this doesn't help your copy has to be corrupted, or the problem lies in the hardware, not the software.

Am I in the right topic to ask why my Sims 3 copy can run on my laptop while this laptop is way below under the lowest recommended system requirements? It runs with bugs, but it still runs.

O wait, there is another thing you could do I found out by just trying. If the player has problems with corrupted things such as familie trees he or she could also try to copy the family to the library, start a new neighbourhood and load the family there. I know this will delete the whole story procession of the previous neighbourhood, but at least it saves the family, somehow. This way I got my family tree back so I know it works.

[Mrs.Laphalot]

This is probably a really dumb question, but what about updating? Is it best to update between each re-install or update after all installation is done?

My game ran perfectly until I installed Ambitions. Its been a pain since with normal performance and then periods of extreme game lag. I've ran through all the manual uninstalls of Sims3, WA, and Ambitions and am hoping beyond hope this takes care of my lag problems.

Here's the thing, my hubby & I have the exact same computer (high end gaming comps), all the exact same software, etc. and his computer runs Ambitions wonderfully without any hint of lag. The only thing I can think of different between us, is I play(ed) much more than him, with tons more game saves. I have no cc or store stuff installed, and he has alot, so that can't be the problem I'm sure.

Edited to say:  Oops!! If  I'd been patient with the re-install of the base game, I wouldn't have had to ask this question. When I began install of WA, the installshield told me I needed updating first. Sorry :S

[Metropolis Man]

This is probably a really dumb question, but what about updating? Is it best to update between each re-install or update after all installation is done?

Speaking as a Mac user (and I can't imagine why the Windows side would be any different), if you're doing a total reinstall of everything, you install all disks, and then you connect to see if a patch is needed. Patching up between disks is completely unnecessary (and maybe even a bad idea) because content is automatically rolled into each successive expansion. For example, Ambitions is going to have all patches up to that point already.

[Mrs.Laphalot]

That makes sense. As it turns out I have no choice but to update before install of WA. The installshield wizard of WA demands an update to the base game before continuing with installation. I've just popped in Ambitions for re-install and same thing, demanding update for Sims 3 base before installation. Strange it would be that way. (Win7 user if that makes a difference, though I think it wouldn't.)

[Mrs.Laphalot]

-cries-  This did not fix my game lag issues. I'm at a loss, I don't know what to try now. I may remove ambitions altogether, but will do some more research first.

[Metropolis Man]

That's really interesting (and unfortunate). When I do a complete wipe/reinstall of base > WA > HEL and AMB I never need to stop and update at any point on OS X.

[Pam]

-cries-  This did not fix my game lag issues. I'm at a loss, I don't know what to try now. I may remove ambitions altogether, but will do some more research first.

Did you restore all of your save files after reinstalling? If yes, this might be the problem because they take up a lot of space in the game. I usually give up all my save files to have a genuinely fresh start for the game and it helps it run much better.

[Mrs.Laphalot]

I didn't keep any saved files, was so aggravated I skipped that part entirely. I just tried to run the game without the launcher to see if that would help and it didn't.    I'm currently uninstalling everything manually again and will reinstall only up to WA for the sake of what tiny bit of hair I have left in my head. 

[Leto85]

Speaking as a Mac user (and I can't imagine why the Windows side would be any different), if you're doing a total reinstall of everything, you install all disks, and then you connect to see if a patch is needed. Patching up between disks is completely unnecessary (and maybe even a bad idea) because content is automatically rolled into each successive expansion. For example, Ambitions is going to have all patches up to that point already.

But don't you need to start the game after installing the base game or an expansion? That way the game can make a EA file in your My Documents folder (Windows). I remember some weird bugs ingame when I didn't did that between installing expansions. And if you start the game, the startup manager will ask to update the game before running it.

[Pam]

You don't need to start the game between installations.  Once you pop in the next disk, it will automatically prompt you do to an update before it will continue with the installation.

[Leto85]

Nice, that's good to hear. But when is than the best moment to replace the EA games folder with your backup save file? Just at the end?
To get back to my previous post, I did this years ago after installing Studentlife for TS2 went so tremendously wrong. The game didn't work after the expansion wrote all the new files over the old ones so I am used to work in my probably long-winded way since. But if it can shorter, that is always welcome!

[Metropolis Man]

Nice, that's good to hear. But when is than the best moment to replace the EA games folder with your backup save file? Just at the end? To get back to my previous post, I did this years ago after installing Studentlife for TS2 goes so tremandiously wrong. The game didn't work after the expansion writes all the new files over the old ones so I am used to work in my probably long-winded way since. But if it can shorter, that is always welcome!

Yeah, Leto, you definitely do not want to throw your old save files back in until you completely finish an installation of everything. Otherwise, you will have stuff that is written over and totally botched.

[RunAmokSims]

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.

[Pam]

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.