Sims 3 - Factory Reset: Fix Your Game with 1/4 the Time of a Reinstall

[goldengalaxia]

I have a question~

I am following the instructions, and when I change The Sims 3 folder to casual, and go to start the game (with the Pets icon on my desktop), it asks me to reinstall the base game.

What am I doing wrong? Please help~ Thanks!

[BellaClo]

Are you sure you changed the name of your user sims 3 folder (in "Documents") and not the one in Program files?

[alex51299]

I'm a little confused on the CC part. So if we have our seperat folder (Sims 3 stuff) we just copy and paste that into the new Sims 3 folder, and that will make it show up in the launcher?

[BellaClo]

Copy the sims3packs from one Download folder to the new one, then reinstall them with the Launcher. Delete the .package files in DCBackup after (Not the ones in DCCache).

[goldengalaxia]

Are you sure you changed the name of your user sims 3 folder (in "Documents") and not the one in Program files?

Thank you! I was in the wrong spot, geez  My mistake!

[Esther1981]

I have a problem. I am trying to do this to help a game issue, but every time I right click and try to change the folders name, it says I need permission. I click ok as in I authorize it, but it keeps saying try again, try again. I might end up cutting the folder and than pasting it on my desktop, does anyone know if that would work or hurt my game in any way?

[Seabody]

@BellaClo
Using your method, I could (in theory) run mods in one game folder, but keep the other ones clean of all Mods and CC so I can play challenges and my Dynasty, right?

[BellaClo]

@seabody: Yep, that's it exactly! Once a Sims3 folder is renamed to something else, the game doesn't see it anymore. This is some kind of 100% protection of whatever is in renamed folders while you play.

[Esther1981]

Any idea why my folder won't let me change names? I just tried it again to no avail. I'm the administrator of my computer and don't have authority to change it?? I don't really want to open my game again til I fix it. It's either this or a complete uninstall, reinstall and this is quicker and easier lol.

[BellaClo]

Hi Esther,

This is some Windows issue and I don't understand either why you can't rename your user's folders as Administrator. When you right click on the folder, there is a "Properties" option in the list, you can check there maybe. In this property window, there is a "security" tab. Check that you have full control for it. I hope this will work for you. Otherwise, cut and paste will do the same trick, yes.

[Esther1981]

I looked under properties and it say I'm admin. Well, cut and paste then. Thanks Bella!
EDIT: What in the world is going on?? I'm not even allowed to cut and paste?! I suppose I have to uninstall reinstall. Oh my goodness this is awful and I hate having to do it. 
EDIT 2: I thought I would be more clever than my computer and copy and paste than delete the folder. Turns out my computer is more clever than me cause I'm not even allowed to delete it. This is my computer, I created the stupid folder why in sims name can't I delete it?! I swear I feel like throwing it out the window. I won't though, I'll take a deep breath, calm down and than uninstall it and reinstall. Hm makes me wonder if after I uninstall could I delete the folder than??
EDIT 3: Well, I figured the problem out. I went to control panel to start uninstalling them, and it wouldn't let me uninstall. It said there was another program running that was using it. Yes, I had just shut the game down after making sure they weren't doing anything, saving them to the library and flashdrive, but I also exited the game. So I investigated the little bar at the bottom of my monitor, and found the launcher and origin were running. I did download something from the store last night but I thought I exited. After exiting both of those, I went back to control panel, stopped and thought. I now have a folder in EA named The Sims 3 gonna do a new one! So I guess bottom line is, check the taskbar and close any sim-related things before trying to rename the folder. 
EDIT 4: First, I'm sorry for all the edits.  Second, I got done with it. I didn't want to go to the store and redownload everything one by one, so I just copied my downloads and pasted them in the new folder and than installed it. It seems to have cut down on the time it takes to open, but the lagging is still there slightly. I did just play one file (my dynasty) and maybe it's just because I have too much stuff or something. I'm tired so I think I'm going to let it go tonight. Thanks for all the help.

[MoonsAreBlue]

@ Esther

I'm glad you managed to fix your problems. I'll add that information about the launcher to the main post to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else. It sounds like you had a very frustrating time with it!

[Esther1981]

Thanks Moons. I'm very glad I was as well. That's great, I hope my mistake helps others not make it! It was extremely frustrating.

[alex51299]

I wanted to add that I found you don't have to go all the way to the main select screen, the new folder will appear just when you start up the launcher.

[Miniagge]

Hello!

Thanks for this advice.

I have a question:

Do I have to install store content and Riverview again if I do this Factory reset?