A bit of a compound problem.

[MoonstalkerZ]

I've recently upgraded to a new system, and have transferred all my sims files over to the new computer. For months I've had a very stable downloads folder that doesn't cause any problems, but when I transferred it over to the new install suddenly my game always crashes on startup. I've confirmed that it's my downloads folder causing the problem, and went through removing a few problem files one by one, but then I found that most of the non-problem files weren't showing up in-game. The new install included some stuff packs I hadn't had before, so I tried the Body Shop trick, messing with the config files, and generating new user files like it said in the FAQ, but nothing worked. I really don't feel like going through and removing all the problem files again, so before continuing I felt like I should ask if it was possible that the stuff packs are conflicting with my downloads and causing the game to crash? I ask because this is the exact same downloads folder that I was using yesterday with no problems whatsoever. I don't want to have to re-download everything, because I can't even remember where I got half of this stuff. Some of it is showing up just fine, but most of it isn't at all. Am I doing something in the wrong order?

[Mootilda]

If you already had Apartment Life installed, then stuff packs are unlikely to cause problems. Was Mansions and Gardens one of the new Stuff Packs? If so, you may want to check whether there are updates available for your CC.

[MoonstalkerZ]

Apartment Life wasn't one of my EPs, and Mansion and Garden wasn't one of the new SPs. I've checked some of the CC that isn't showing up, but there haven't been any updates. I just got Apartment Life and was going to install it once I got everything squared away on the new computer. Do you think installing AL would help any?

[Mootilda]

Sorry, I made that assumption based on your EP list. OK, let me try to explain...

Some CC will work with any EP. Others will only work with specific EPs. The best way to know which CC is compatible with your EPs is to check the download thread to see what the creator says. In general, hacks are more restricted that other kinds of CC, so if you have any hacks, I'd try removing those first.

Most SPs use the game engine from an EP, but different SPs are associated with different EPs. So, if you had an SP which was later than your latest EP, it might actually update your game engine. This could, in turn, make your CC stop working (if the CC requires specific EPs). Mansions and Gardens is an odd SP, because it actually acts like an EP... ie, your CC may need to be updated to work with it.

Did you continue to use the same EP disk to play the game, both before and after installing the SPs? If not, then it's very likely that some of your CC is no longer compatible with your installed EPs and SPs. You might want to go to the download threads to see whether they've been updated.

Unfortunately, the best way to solve your problem is probably to find the problem CC and then check for updates for that CC. If you're going to install Apartment Life and Mansions & Gardens anyway, it probably makes sense to install it now, because you'll have to go through the same process again for AL or M&G.

[MoonstalkerZ]

Yeah, the hacks were the first to go, but as far as I could tell that didn't actually solve any problems. I guess it could be the stuff packs that are the problem - the latest EP that I was using (and am still using) was Seasons, and the stuff packs I'm currently using came out after that.

The thing is, some of the CC that doesn't show up *hasn't* been updated, yet re-downloading it made it start showing up *anyway*. With bienchen's seasons compatible plants, for example - I double and triple checked that the necessary files were in the right place, they were; did the Body Shop trick and so on, no luck; redownloaded, and they suddenly showed up in game.

Redownloading everything would be a problem, since half of the files in my downloads folder just have random numbers for titles.