Cannot Load Save file After factory reset

[NZA]

Hello, My game was crashing to desktop so I decided to do a factory reset, which solved the problem. Unfortunately, one of my three saves became greyed out. I get the "cannot load saved game, it may have been saved with expansion pack data which is no longer present" error.

I've tried using the backup files, replacing the meta file and this solution here: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/161355.page
To no avail. With this file it's a bit tricky because the family started out in sunset valley but I moved them to moonlight falls midnight hollow, so I don't know if that effects the solutions.

I can still load the save file in the old sims 3 folder, however w/ that folder I get the random crash to desktop and I would like to not have to keep switching and renaming my sims 3 folders.

Is there anything I can do or is this save file lost forever?

[Deklitch]

I presume that supernatural has been reinstalled?

I just ask because when I recently had to do a factory reset on my laptop, my Riverview saved games wouldn't run, and I had to re-download/install Riverview.

I hope I'm thinking of the right thing when I mention my factory reset, I renamed my Sims 3 directory, restarted and then transferred the saved games over into the new saved game folder. Is that a factory reset?

[NZA]

I presume that supernatural has been reinstalled?

I just ask because when I recently had to do a factory reset on my laptop, my Riverview saved games wouldn't run, and I had to re-download/install Riverview.

I hope I'm thinking of the right thing when I mention my factory reset, I renamed my Sims 3 directory, restarted and then transferred the saved games over into the new saved game folder. Is that a factory reset?

It wasn't supernatural but generations that was reinstalled. & yeah that what I did to reset my games.
So just install moonlight falls, then and reinstall it?

[Deklitch]

Yes, the world that the saved game relates to needs to be there, which in the case of worlds from expansion packs means installing the expansion pack.

[NZA]

Yes, the world that the saved game relates to needs to be there, which in the case of worlds from expansion packs means installing the expansion pack.

I'm sorry, it's not moonlight falls, midnight hollow where the family was moved too. I'm sorry, I always mix up those two towns.
Does the reinstalling still apply?

[MrsFlynn]

Please forgive me if I am missunderstanding the situation.

You're getting the game error: "Cannot load saved game, it may have been saved with expansion pack data which is no longer present" error.

When you get this error, it means one of two things:

1.) That you need to reinstall or don't have installed a expansion pack or a town/world that you were previously playing with.

2.) The meta data got corupted some how and needs to be replaced.

Re: Can't access files? (Possible Solution) - For missing meta.data file
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,19030.msg358396.html#msg358396

So, with reading what you have posted it sounds like you either need to install or reinstall whatever expansion or town/world it is that your Sims were last saved in.

This should solve the problem. If it doesn't let us know and we'll look into it further.

MrsFlynn

[NZA]

Please forgive me if I am missunderstanding the situation.

You're getting the game error: "Cannot load saved game, it may have been saved with expansion pack data which is no longer present" error.

When you get this error, it means one of two things:

1.) That you need to reinstall or don't have installed a expansion pack or a town/world that you were previously playing with.

2.) The meta data got corupted some how and needs to be replaced.

Re: Can't access files? (Possible Solution) - For missing meta.data file
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,19030.msg358396.html#msg358396

So, with reading what you have posted it sounds like you either need to install or reinstall whatever expansion or town/world it is that your Sims were last saved in.

This should solve the problem. If it doesn't let us know and we'll look into it further.

MrsFlynn

I tried reinstalling midnight hollow and it didn't.After that didn't work, I then tried to replace the meta.data file, the game loads instantly and then says a "serious error has occurred"
I'm wonder if the meta file for midnight falls doesn't work for my save file since I originally started in sunset valley

[Deklitch]

ok ... That same thing happened to me with regards to Riverview. After I reinstalled Riverview, it allowed me to open up the saved games from Riverview. In my other games (in Sunset Valley) it told me that some items couldn't be loaded and were replaced ... I figured they were either Riverview or the Premium Content that had all those berries and cocoa plantables (Bohemian Berries or something was the name, I think). So I redownloaded Riverview and that custom content and not only did the save games in Riverview open for me, but other games which had used content from those store items no longer had to replace items with non-store items.

My games in Riverview were only ever played by me in Riverview, so I don't have any idea about meta data. I didn't touch meta data.

[MrsFlynn]

I am not sure if this will work, but maybe try creating a new game with both Sunset Valley, and Midnight Hollow. Save both the meta.data files that come with those games.

Then try replacing the meta.data file with one of the meta files, and then the other. To see if that might help.

We were only able to test this as a test-game. We never came up against this problem before. But in our test-game, we took out the meta.data file out of our working game, and got the game error message: "Cannot load saved game, it may have been saved with expansion pack data which is no longer present" error. It wouldn't let us play the game and it was greyed out.

So that's when we created a new game, copied it's meta.data file to the game that we weren't able to get to play. That seemed to work with no errors and everything was accessible again.

That does stump me as to why it's not working for you. You could try what Dek suggested - Download Midnight Hollow to see if that might help?

MrsFlynn

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I tried reinstalling midnight hollow and it didn't.After that didn't work, I then tried to replace the meta.data file, the game loads instantly and then says a "serious error has occurred"
I'm wonder if the meta file for midnight falls doesn't work for my save file since I originally started in sunset valley