Sims 3 Re-Install Issues - Fixed!!

[BonnieLM77]

I found an older copy of Origin online and installed that but it's still not detecting the base game disc, I tried it in a clean boot and safe mode as well and it still won't detect the disc, the only thing I can think of is copying the folder of the base game I have on my mom's computer and seeing if it will detect and install the dvd after that or one of the EP's like WA, or try getting a pre-2009 version, someone in another forum mentioned it might have disabled the SecuROM and SafeDisc DRM, that the disc contained

[MrsFlynn]

Good idea = copy the install folder of Sims 3 from the other computer to see if that will help.

Getting a 2009 base game disc should help because then you won't need Origin/EA App to install the game. Or at least you shouldn't.

[BonnieLM77]

worse comes to worse, I get paid on Friday so I can try buying the digital copies from the EA app to at least be able to play anyway, but does it bring up the launcher so you can install simpacks or do you have to double click the sim pack files to get them to install?

[MrsFlynn]

Yes, you can still install .Sims3Packs via the Sims 3 launcher. You may need to turn off the in-game overlay and notifications in the EA App so you can install and play with your .Sims3Pack files.

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If using the EA App, you'll need to turn off the in-game overlay and turn off notifications, because the EA App is interfering with the install of Sims3Pack files.

Turn Off In-Game Overlay:
Click Menu (☰) up top left > Settings > Application > In-Game Overlay

Turn Off Notifications:
Click Menu (☰) up top left > Settings > Application > Notifications for while in-game

✽ It seems you cannot really turn off notifications, or at least when I tried it didn't allow me to do so. As I looked at it again after checking some other settings and the notifications were all check marked again.

See this thread from answers.ea for more details -

Sims 3 Launcher "There are no packages to install"
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-Launcher-quot-There-are-no-packages-to-install-quot/m-p/11946593#M252702

[BonnieLM77]

when I try to go to Origin.com it just re-directs me to the EA app but I found a link on a reddit post and from an EA answers HQ post to get an older version of origin, when I log in and bring it up though, it wants me to upgrade to the EA app, but at least it's installed and I will try copying the EA sims 3 folder from the c folder on my mom's computer-she has an older version that would at least run the base game, but this might allow the disc to be installed anyway, it's frustrating, as you know from my previous posts here I was planning to do an uninstall and reinstall months ago and then add two more sp's and university life (life got in the way) but was a little hesitant and now I know why, lol and the game would at least run with all EP's and SP's up to Seasons (with a factory reset) before I uninstalled them all plus the EA app and Origin, guess I should have just stuck with yanking the EA folder from my documents to the desktop and just re-installed my cc, lol, but I wanted to make sure to have a clean install of the game in case there was any corrupted files

[MrsFlynn]

Yep, still try copying the Sims 3 install folder from the other computer to see if that helps. It's worth a try.

[BonnieLM77]

copying the folder did not work, I copied my disc and got the original game re-installed, but it still would not detect the WA disc to install that game, so it looks like awhile before I'm going to be able to get Sims 3 re-installed. Mom's computer decided at that moment to act up so I have to take it to a computer shop, but I also have an old windows xp computer upstairs that I can bring down and see if that will allow me to copy the disc to usb drive, but as I said, it seems like a really weird coincidence that it will not detect any dvd's that I have the digital copies for, but my computer will recognize any sims 3 dvd's that I don't have the digital copies for and other discs.

I did submit a trouble ticket to EA support to see what they say about it.

[MrsFlynn]

I'm sorry copying the Sims 3 install folder didn't work.

I am not sure what to say about your computer not detecting Sims 3.  I don't think it's the EA App disabling the disc. If you haven't, you may want to ask over at Nraas and/or answers.ea - Sims 3 Tech Help Board - https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/bd-p/the-sims-3 to see what they say.

[BonnieLM77]

I did ask over at NRAA's, they mentioned installing the files entirely through the EA app-I have all EP's and SP's on disc and don't really want to have to buy the additional digital versions right now, but I did mention it was more of a computer not detecting disc issue but I have not receive any replies to my last post, and I did file an EA trouble ticket, so I'm waiting to hear back on that, I was reading on the GameFaq forum was that some people had to get a new dvd drive, the other thing I read that if you copy the files from the disc to a flash drive or the c drive, it might work just to install the base game-I did try that earlier but then installed a couple of the patches and it said it had issues with installing the 1.67 super patch so I uninstalled it for now and might have to update manually, right now the computer that I used to copy the disc is acting up (my mom's old computer) so I have to bring down my old windows xp computer to see if I can copy the dvd to flash drive for the other games that it's having trouble detecting the disc but if that doesn't work, I'm going to check with my local computer shop to see if I might need a new drive or an update

[MrsFlynn]

It does sound like it might be a case of needing a new drive.

However, if you have a different computer that can read the files from the base game disc then it's definitely worth trying to copy them to a usb/flash drive.

Another option is to register your disc games to your EA Account and then download the game via the EA App. No need to repurchase the expansions/stuff packs you have on disc.

[BonnieLM77]

I tried registering them when I bought them, but because I bought them secondhand, it didn't want to recognize the registration codes-probably because the previous owner used them

[MrsFlynn]

Oh that's right. Sorry about that. I remember you mentioning that. Thank you for the reminder.

Yes, game codes can only be registered once to an EA Account.

[BonnieLM77]

and I wanted some of the EA registration rewards from the sims 3 store, which was the only reason why I bought the versions through the EA app, also I just remembered and I don't know if this makes a difference, when I first installed the EA app and bought some of the EP's, I clicked on the Sims 3 game through the app and it started to load through there but I closed it as I didn't want to play through the app, I will have my dvd rom drive checked but that will have to wait until Friday as I want to get Mom's computer looked at first, it's just very frustrating when everything happens at once.

[MrsFlynn]

I don't think closing the EA App while it was loading Sims 3 makes a difference. I'm thinking it does not since the disc isn't being recognized. That seems to be the reason to me.

[MrsFlynn]

Do you may be have a friend or family member you can borrow a dvd drive from?

Stop by a friend's house to borrow their computer to see if you can then copy the files off of the base game dvd?