Backed up downloads, unsuccessfully installing.

[The Duckmeister]

My apologies for the lengthy title, but let me get down to business and explain my issue.

When the Sims 2 had a store I purchased items, the store rather quickly shut down, getting rid of all the items I had previously purchased. I was just a *little* upset, and since I had points left over that I hadn't spent, I went ahead and bought some of the cheaper items and items on sale for the Sims 3.

I don't want to go through that experience again, because I don't like wasting my hard-earned money(plus, I'm on a budget now). So I searched the internet for ways to back up my files, and I followed these steps.

1.) Went to Documents/Electronic Arts/Sims 3/Downloads
2.) Copied all downloaded contents
3.) moved them to a separate file on the desktop.

Most, if not all of the guides, said that was the way to do that. So I tested it on a separate computer by:

1.) Placing the file on the desktop (after putting in an external harddrive)
2.) Opening: Documents/Electronic Arts/ Sims 3/Downloads
3.) Pasted the files in the Sims 3/downloads file.

Now, I thought I had done all the steps accurately, but when I opened up the launcher they only displayed themselves as boxes. When I further went and attempted to install one to test it, I got the same message, this:

"afBodyGownOscr.Sims3Pack: Installation failed: Please make sure your game has the latest Software Updates and try again. Done!"

My game says it's up to date, so I'm unsure of what to do. All I know is that I want to back up my Sims 3 items and be able to download them in the future.

If y'all can tell me if I'm taking the wrong steps here and the right way, I'd greatly, greatly appreciate it. I don't want to go through the same experience again, it was quite unpleasant, especially since I bought the baby bouncer that kept the baby amused. Thanks in advance...yeah...

[Angélique]

I did just that only an hour ago, that is transferred a Store item to another computer and installed it with the launcher, it was 100% successful and problem free. Maybe I was just lucky?  There is one thing though that you did, that I never do, and that is step 3 in the first part and step 1 in the second, = placing the files on the desktop. I don't know what purpose that will serve, it seems completely unnecessary. Instead I just copy the whole folder "downloads" to a 16 GB USB memory stick and insert it in my other computer. Then I open the sims3 folder and paste the item or items in the "downloads" folder there. After that I remove the USB stick and start the launcher, open the tab downloads, tick off the new item/s and click on "install". Then the horizontal bar comes up, and is slowly filled with green, and then it says something like "Installation successful. Done!" I click OK, close the launcher and start the game to check if the new item/s are there, and so far they have been every time.  I have done this many times by now, the downloads folder on both computers is currently 1.33 GB of Store items. I have never had any mods or third party CC installed on any of my computers, only EA made things.

I don't know if this little tale will help you with your problem, but if you like you could try to do it exactly the same way I do it, that is use a USB stick instead of external hard drive, and not put the downloads file on the desktop. It could also be your launcher that is acting up, and not doing it's job properly. Maybe the other members on this forum know more about this issue than I do, and could give you more help. I hope you get it sorted somehow eventually. If you manage to make it work, can you please come back here afterwards and tell us what the problem was, and how you fixed it? Maybe we can all learn a thing or two from your experience. Good luck!

[The Duckmeister]

I followed a process a guide had on the internet that involved creating the folder on the desktop.

But okay, I've put them on a small hard drive instead, a chip instead of a whole external device.

When you looked at them on the Sims 3 launcher did they look like packed boxes instead of the actual items? I tried it on the separate computer, and it didn't work, and I had purchased a new laptop and I tried to go through the process of putting the downloaded content on that laptop and that didn't work either. I don't know if it's the launcher, or if I'm doing something wrong.. What about bin files? I think there was some bin files on the other computer.

I don't have any CC or Mods, I'm too hesitant to install things off the internet, so I don't have them either.

I have all the expansion packs except for the newest one, the island one, and I have two stuff packs. My game is completely updated. I think I posted it on the first post.

Sorry for the delay in response by the way!

[Angélique]

When you looked at them on the Sims 3 launcher did they look like packed boxes instead of the actual items?

Yes, they always look like that, but only for a very short time, maybe a second or two, after that they correct themselves automatically, and show the items instead.

What about bin files? I think there was some bin files on the other computer.

I think the .bin files in the Downloads folder are just some sort of maintenance and/or information files. I have four of them on my laptop, but I've never bothered transferring them to my other computer.

Read more about them here: http://forums.thesimsresource.com/index.php?/topic/263932-question-about-ebc-and-navbin-and-wlbin-files/

I have the sims 3 baby swing, and it's really cute! When you put the baby or toddler in it and switch it on, there are little animals moving slowly in a circle above their head, and some nice and soothing music is playing. These two things usually makes the little one fall asleep rather quickly.

My game is completely updated.

Have you checked if the update/patch level is exactly the same on both computers? I don't think that's necessary, but there's no harm in taking a look anyway.

Good luck once again, and please come back here and tell us if you've managed to solve the issue or not. 

[The Duckmeister]

So sorry for the late response, I won't start making excuses for my delayed response.

Okay, time for responses!

When I try to transfer the items I've bought at the store to my game they show up as boxes and stay boxes. It doesn't correct itself, and although I've gotten used to it telling me that it unsuccessfully installs, I click download anyway. And it doesn't work. Dx

Ah, okay. The .bin files don't need to be transferred. After it didn't work the first time I went ahead and tried transferring it, more-so out of desperation and agitation, it didn't affect the installations.

But ugh! Yeah! I want that! That's with the purchase of a gold edition with a world, right? I looked on the store and couldn't find it!

Regarding if it's updated, I don't see how that mattered, seeing as both computers that I attempted to upload it to failed to download the purchased item. I had to download them onto my laptop through the Sims 3 website, the other computer has a few store items on it, but it's not allowing me to install them/add them to my game.

Once again, my apologies for the late response, I'm the worst.
But in other words, this issue has not been solved, unfortunately. =[

[Angélique]

Firstly, don't worry about your late response, I'm sure you've got lots of other things to do in life, as we all have.

But ugh! Yeah! I want that! That's with the purchase of a gold edition with a world, right? I looked on the store and couldn't find it!

No, fortunately the baby swing can be purchased separately here

Regarding if it's updated, I don't see how that mattered, seeing as both computers that I attempted to upload it to failed to download the purchased item.

"afBodyGownOscr.Sims3Pack: Installation failed: Please make sure your game has the latest Software Updates and try again. Done!"

The reason why I asked if your computers had the same level of update is that the error message  that you got mentioned Software Updates as a possible cause for failed installation. I know for sure that if you try to share/export an item from one computer to another, the level of update must be exactly the same for it to succeed. I tried that once when my laptop was updated to patch 1.55 and my other computer only to 1.50 (or lower, can't remember exactly because it's several months ago) and that installation failed, and the error message was the same or at least very similar to what you get when you try to install your items.

Maybe this seems like a stupid question, but do you run your computer as an Administrator? I tried playing Sims 1 on another account once, and then I just couldn't save the game at all. If you are Admin, what I would do if I were in your shoes, is to start again from square one:

1. Open the launcher and make sure that your game is updated to the latest patch.

2. Remove everything from the Downloads folder. (Do not delete the content, just move it to somewhere else.)

3. Go to your Purchase History on thesims3.com and download only one item. Closely watch the download process to see if anything looks suspicious, or out of the ordinary.

4. Go to your Downloads folder and look at the item file to see if it looks normal, that is with the extension .Sims3Pack.

5. Open the launcher and the Downloads tab, and see if the item shows up properly, or just as a box. I suspect that the "only-boxes" thing is an indication that the item wasn't downloaded correctly.

6. If it looks okay, try to install it. 

If you cannot find a solution on your own, maybe it would be a good idea to contact EA customer service and explain your issue.

Good luck with fixing your download and installation trouble. If/when you manage to solve it, please make a post about it and tell us what was wrong, and how you got it sorted.

[The Duckmeister]

Thank goodness! I couldn't find out where that swing was!

On another note, when I install something from the website, it asks me which program I want to use to install it from. I click the Sims 3 launcher, it automatically pulls that up and automatically installs it.

Now, I've gone to look at the file in the downloads folder (this is after I've moved everything out into a separate file on the desktop) and it does not have a .sims3pack on it at all. I right clicked to further investigate the custom content, and couldn't find it there either. The icon shows up as this:
The regular sims 3 download appearance, and:
"CurtainromanshadesPMK
The sims 3(tm) 3 Custom content
186 KB"

The TM is smaller, and up at the top, like a copyright thing.
It doesn't show .sims3pack anywhere, even when I right click for more information.
Would you consider that suspicious?

All the other installations, excluding the house my sister downloaded from the sims 3 marketplace, come up as boxes, but they, too, have the same
"The Sims(TM) 3 Custom Content" as the type of file.

When I move everything from the separate file to the downloads file, the things I've moved over from the external hard drive come up as those little boxes, excluding the house my sister has already installed onto this computer via the marketplace. They all have the same file type, and the same means of which the file opens. Such as, The "Sims 3Launcher Starter Application" So I don't understand the reason as to why it's not working. Those sneaky people at EA!

[Angélique]

On another note, when I install something from the website, it asks me which program I want to use to install it from. I click the Sims 3 launcher, it automatically pulls that up and automatically installs it.

When you say "install" three times in the quote above, don't you mean "download" instead? Install and download is not the same thing. I think there is an in game option to buy-download-install Store items while you're playing, but I haven't tried that yet, so I don't know anything about it, I'm afraid. I always do it the other way, that is log in to thesims3.com, buy the items I want and download them via the launcher. When I am finished, I log out from the website, start the launcher, go to Downloads tab, tick off the new items and click on Install.

Now, I've gone to look at the file in the downloads folder (this is after I've moved everything out into a separate file on the desktop) and it does not have a .sims3pack on it at all.

There could be a simple explanation to this. When you look at all your other files on your computer, don't they have any filename extensions either? If they don't, then you should change the setting in Windows to show them. If you do that, I am sure that the .sims3pack extension will immediately emerge in front of your eyes.

If you don't know how to do it, click here.

[The Duckmeister]

When you say "install" three times in the quote above, don't you mean "download" instead? Install and download is not the same thing. I think there is an in game option to buy-download-install Store items while you're playing, but I haven't tried that yet, so I don't know anything about it, I'm afraid. I always do it the other way, that is log in to thesims3.com, buy the items I want and download them via the launcher. When I am finished, I log out from the website, start the launcher, go to Downloads tab, tick off the new items and click on Install.


There could be a simple explanation to this. When you look at all your other files on your computer, don't they have any filename extensions either? If they don't, then you should change the setting in Windows to show them. If you do that, I am sure that the .sims3pack extension will immediately emerge in front of your eyes.

If you don't know how to do it, click here.

My apologies. I believe it's first install(as it requires me to direct it to a program, but maybe not) and then download, as it pops up in a small box asking which program I would like to open it. Then, after clicking the Sims 3 launcher, it downloads and puts it into my game. But I buy it from the website, I can't recall if it usually directly installs it, but if I go to redownload it it requires me to direct it to the launcher.

And okay, I will check the file extensions momentarily and give an update. Do you think they could really be different file types? Well, I guess I'll--

Okay, well, I've checked the files, and they are a .Sims3Pack, just like the other ones that are working. =[

[saltpastillen]

Hm, I think that the "game not updated error" could refer to that the sims launcher is not patched for the store. Usually my launcher auto patches itself for the store each time I try to download something from the store/exchange.

Also, as I understand it you:
1. copied the files
2. put the copies back into the downloads folder
3. only saw boxes in the launcher.

If you double click one of the files in the downloads folder it should start installing. It's actually not enough to just have the file in the download folder, you also have to click the file to install it. I know many simmers claim you have to install them all individually, but you could also try pressing Ctrl+A and then Enter. That would mean starting the installation for all of them. It could work for you, and it could not.

If this works you could always go in game and open the download dashboard (could be found by opening the menu). There you should be able to see all the items you own in the store, if something is not installed, there is a button you could click right there to download and install. I use this method to make sure that my store content has not uninstalled itself.

Hope this helps.