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

[MoonsAreBlue]

Wow, GlazeyLady, I'm sorry you had such a hard time. But I'm also glad that this fixed your problem.

After installing Showtime and encountering multiple bugs, several freezes and a few hours of lost gameplay, I just tried this for the first time. I would have had my page about magicians done yesterday if not for all the issues I've had. If I make it through the rest of the writing process without any more issues I'll be advertising this thread on the guide so everyone who visits knows about it lol.

Thank you, Carl! This trick is definitely something everyone should know how to do.

[NonaMena]

Warning: Showtime added new data to The Sims 3 folder, and doing a full "factory reset" will cause you to lose data relating to your in-game achievements and SimPort progress.

Go to Documents \ The Sims 3 \ Downloads and find the folder named with a number (your user ID). Make a backup of that folder before you do anything. If you use the Factory Reset method for different challenges, you might want to move this folder around whenever you use a different The Sims 3 folder, so you can keep your progress.

[MoonsAreBlue]

So that's what that folder is. Thanks for the tip, NonaMena. I'll add it to the first post.

[Hosfac]

Warning: Showtime added new data to The Sims 3 folder, and doing a full "factory reset" will cause you to lose data relating to your in-game achievements and SimPort progress.

No, it will not.

Carl and I were literally just discussing this.  He mentioned that once, while doing a factory restore, he forgot to put these files back where they belonged and mentioned that it recreated itself.  So I experimented with it myself to see what impact this had on my achievements.  I removed both of these files, started my game and went into a save to check my achievements.  They were all there.

The ChallengeData.package file only stores your completed achievement data on your computer in case you're not online.  This is the file the game uses to update your achievements you complete when you're not logged in.

I have not yet tested the SimPort file, as I have not used SimPort yet...but you better believe that I will at some point soon.

So for now, you have nothing at all to fear with your achievements.

Edit:  If you have not tested something yourself, and do not know it to be 100% fact, do not present it as such.  In cases like that, we use phrases like "I hear" or "I think" so that people are not needlessly frightened over something that turns out to be nothing.  If you do this, people can test things to find out for sure if what you hear or think is true.  In this case, you turned out to be at least 50% wrong.

[MoonsAreBlue]

I'm very sorry, Hosfac. Once you find out for sure if this is true or false, please edit my post to reflect that. Thanks for looking into it.

[MarianT]

I just checked this out. I have 3 versions:  The Sims 3.dyn, .mod, and .chal.  The same Achievements show up in all of them. I also started a fresh version, and my Achievements and Player Wall were the same.

However, I have used SimPort only in The Sims 3. chal.  This is the only version with stamps in the passport.

I'm not sure which file you have to move around to keep adding to your points for unlocking things, but unless you want to keep starting over, you do have to move something.

Edit:  removed some erroneous information.

[Hosfac]

Update:  The PassportData.package does store all of your SimPort stamps, making what she said 50% correct.  So, yes:  you'll want to include at least this file with everything you're backing up for the factory refresh process.

I have already modified my "Clean Start" .bat file to back this file up every time I start the game, just in case something happens to it.

[sdhoey]

When I do a "factory reset" outside of the mods folder, how can I NOT reinstall CC that was installed through the launcher? I just want my store items.

[Figwit]

Your store items should be in your Downloads folder in your 'old' Sims 3 folder. If you move the contents into your new Sims 3 folder and then open your Launcher you will see the store items show up with a little blue box type thing next to them in the downloads tab.  Other cc has an asterisk.

If you are really worried about it, you could just download all your store items again.

Here's a picture of what I mean.  The bottom two are store items.

[sdhoey]

Your store items should be in your Downloads folder in your 'old' Sims 3 folder. If you move the contents into your new Sims 3 folder and then open your Launcher you will see the store items show up with a little blue box type thing next to them in the downloads tab.  Other cc has an asterisk.

If you are really worried about it, you could just download all your store items again.

Here's a picture of what I mean.  The bottom two are store items.

Thanks Figwit, I see we have the same taste in hair styles!! LOL I have those also. I've collected so much CC over the past 3 yrs, I just want to get rid of it and start fresh..

I"m having problems with Hidden Springs and Riverveiw not showing up in my game startup. It say's it's installed.

Maybe I'll just recreated a "new file" transfer the new info from Showtime files back in the new downloads and reinstall all my store from scratch.. thanks Again.

[Trentorio]

I have a question regarding this. I know you can transfer over the Saved Sims folder but is there any way to transfer over your Households from the Households tab in Edit Town?

[MoonsAreBlue]

I have a question regarding this. I know you can transfer over the Saved Sims folder but is there any way to transfer over your Households from the Households tab in Edit Town?

I'm afraid I don't know that. But if you saved those sims while in CAS, you can transfer them from the "SavedSims" folder. You'd have to remake the household, though.

[Trentorio]

Thanks for answering! I saved 90% of them in CAS and it's no trouble to open the old folder and save the ones from the household that I missed. I just didn't know if there was a file that I could just move over, since I am inherently lazy.

[MoonsAreBlue]

Thanks for answering! I saved 90% of them in CAS and it's no trouble to open the old folder and save the ones from the household that I missed. I just didn't know if there was a file that I could just move over, since I am inherently lazy.

I think there's another way. I don't know if it will work because I haven't tried, but I bet it would. While in your game, export your households. Then you could move those families from the "Exports" folder to the new "Downloads" folder.

[Trentorio]

It might. I thought it might just put them in CAS but I remember downloading a sim once from the Homeless Alice series and he showed up in my households list. Other sims I have downloaded just recently, like Alyiah and Cayden from All Good Girls Go To Heaven went to my CAS bin.