How to recover a lost serial number for Sims 3 games

[Pam]

I've confirmed that to be incorrect.

I got extremely bored and tried installing World Adventures without my own serial number. I googled "World Adventures Serial Code" and clicked a Yahoo! Answers link. I got serial code "****-****-****-****" as the best result. This worked. My disk was scratched so I didn't get to finish the install, but if you have an incorrect code, it won't let you move on.

Note to all of you:

Don't use the serial code. I don't know what it does to your game. Better safe than sorry, go to EA.

Ok, but it's possible that the serial code you got from Yahoo! Answers had not been used by the original owner.  Then you'd be able to use it, no problem.  Also, I'm editing out the actual digits of the number.  We don't want that on here.

[gmyers2486]

I always write the serial number on the disk with a sharpie.  Never have to look for it if you have the disk.  Also, if you register the games on EADM, now Origin, it will usually save the serial number for you.  But watch out because I've had problems with them saving it wrong.

[Seabody]

I assume that the Registry check works for other games too, right? *Nervous due to loss of previous game manuals and discs!*

[PJSim]

Yes, as long as the game is still installed on your computer the code you put in will be somewhere in the registry. If you uninstalled it, the code is most likely wiped.

The easiest way to search for various codes if you don't know where they are is to use Belarc Advisor (see link in top post), it finds everything in one go and is very easy to use. If you have a PC, that is.

[PJSim]

Edited top post: added mtglady's directions for Registry snooping, replaced dead link, added EA support link.

[Vegangeekgirl]

Thanks, thanks and thanks again for posting this! You have no idea how happy you just made me. I managed to misplace most of my codes before registrering my games at thesims.com!
I'm really good at misplacing stuff and horrible at finding them again. Now I have registrered my Late Night and realized that I somehow failed to install Outdoor Living Stuff so I will still have to find that one so I can install it!
I didn't want to write them down, to easy to make a mistake when writing down such long codes with no spaces. So I just used my mobile phone to take a photo of them on the screen. Which went brilliant as soon I remembered to turn off the flash 

[Pam]

Thanks, thanks and thanks again for posting this! You have no idea how happy you just made me. I managed to misplace most of my codes before registrering my games at thesims.com!
I'm really good at misplacing stuff and horrible at finding them again. Now I have registrered my Late Night and realized that I somehow failed to install Outdoor Living Stuff so I will still have to find that one so I can install it!
I didn't want to write them down, to easy to make a mistake when writing down such long codes with no spaces. So I just used my mobile phone to take a photo of them on the screen. Which went brilliant as soon I remembered to turn off the flash 

Be sure to keep those codes in a safe place.  You'll need them every time you reinstall your game.  I keep mine in the original cases with the disks and all of them are stacked together in one spot in my office.

[Vegangeekgirl]

Be sure to keep those codes in a safe place.  You'll need them every time you reinstall your game.  I keep mine in the original cases with the disks and all of them are stacked together in one spot in my office.

I have my cases neatly put away in my bookshelf now with some books as support as they are to light to be that stable on their own.
I have  misplaced the booklets with the codes somewhere in this room.
I had them out when I installed the games, then I don't know what I did.
I try hard to keep track of my things it's just not working that well.
I struggled with it all my life and well sometimes I lose. *looks gloomily at the messy room and goes off to search some more*

[Pam]

I have my cases neatly put away in my bookshelf now with some books as support as they are to light to be that stable on their own.
I have  misplaced the booklets with the codes somewhere in this room.
I had them out when I installed the games, then I don't know what I did.
I try hard to keep track of my things it's just not working that well.
I struggled with it all my life and well sometimes I lose. *looks gloomily at the messy room and goes off to search some more*

Well, when you find them, put them in the appropriate box in the bookshelf.  And when you install a new Expansion or Stuff Pack, be sure to keep the booklet with the codes in the case.

[PJSim]

Here's a tip for storing your serial numbers in a safe place before you lose them: Register your games in Origin.
Then you can see your game codes on any computer with Origin installed, just by logging in. Just check that the numbers are actually correct; I had a weird mix-up where the WA code was logged as the code for the base game and EA had to fix it.

Another nice side effect: Whenever you need to re-install your games from disk, you don't have to type in those 20 digit codes for every game; Origin will enter them automatically.

[Sportsfan]

Thank you so much for this!
Something I've found is that you don't need to be logged in as the administrator account for this to work.

[Babycard]

I registered my Sims 3 Late Night on the Sims 3 website, but I went to install it yesterday, and I couldn't find the leaflet. How can I retrieve it?

[XPEric]

What about on a Mac?

[Sportsfan]

* Note: The above only applies to Windows PC's, if you have a Mac the codes should be here:
Users > Username > Library > Preferences > The Sims Preferences
That was in first post

[Simboy134]

Great information, PJ!

EA has been known to be helpful in retrieving and replacing serial numbers.  Mine got botched on their end at the very beginning and they sent me a replacement and it was all good.

Pam I Know this is off topic but I do you upload pictures I just started a story