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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 15th Dec 2017 at 8:28 AM
Default My origin installs aren't working
Okay so there are a variety of places I probably may have messed up and caused this issue for myself but I can't for the life of me fix it.
Also, I apologize for any errors in this post such as mayhaps posting in the wrong category etc, I'm new and terrible at figuring out interfaces tbfh


So after years of being unable to play the sims due to awful computers, I finally have a computer that works properly and can handle the sims. Happy little me installs all my games, starting with physical copies, ending with digital copies off of origin. All is well, and I decide to attempt to mod or at least snag some custom goodies, thus joining here and having some fun with it, use this site to find others and end up with a small but cool little lode of custom goodies. All is well. I decide I'm going to snag Master Controller from Nraas, and I read that it may have issues if your game isn't properly patched and the super patch can help. Looking back the super patch should have come before any mods but whatever. Master Controller is installed, uncompressed, and ready to rock, super patch has been installed and I go to check and see if master controller is working.

I boot up the game and it starts, but I get the loading screen for Island Paradise, not Into the Future which is what I usually get since that's the latest pack and all.
I check the launcher, utterly confused. All of my games installed off origin aren't showing up as installed in the launcher.


I tried to uninstall my digital downloads, which didn't work for some reason, and resorted to deleting files and attempting to reinstall the digitally downloaded games. Doesn't fix it.

They don't show up in the programs section of the control panel anymore, in the launcher, anywhere and origin thinks they are installed.

I'm assuming it was the super patch.
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Instructor
#2 Old 15th Dec 2017 at 1:45 PM
All I can tell you is, Origin sometimes doesn't connect your program files with the launcher, I think it's since 1:69 where you have to be online to launch. If you've got slow internet or your connection is interrupted it doesn't load up the EP's in your launcher and you have to close it and open it again to get them to load up. Don't know if this was your original problem. I've had to restart the launcher up to 5 times before now just to get my EP's to show up!

MKATSONP is a Sims 3 Medieval Comedy Drama on Youtube and Tumblr
Mad Poster
#3 Old 15th Dec 2017 at 5:19 PM
I think I see what has happened here. As of Jan 2016, if you install the base game or any EP/SPs by way of Origin (even just one), you will land on Patch 1.69. No options given, except of course for the option to not install at all.

The SuperPatcher is a device to force a game into or up to 1.67. If you make the SuperPatcher run on an install that is already at 1.69, it will attempt to downpatch and break the game install. Many users will see their Launcher is suddenly at version 0.0.0.0, which is not valid. The SuperPatcher is now for disc-only installs and not for those already on 1.69; Origin wants to manage the patching process for you entirely. Not relevant here, but the SuperPatcher isn't meant for Steam installs either.

The solution would be to move your user game folder out of Documents for safekeeping (if you have anything in there you would like to preserve), uninstall everything TS3 related meaning first the packs then the base game, clean the Registry with a trusted tool such as the free version of Piriform's CCleaner otherwise the remnants of the broken install will get in the way of everything, and start over.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 18th Dec 2017 at 8:40 AM
Quote: Originally posted by igazor
The solution would be to move your user game folder out of Documents for safekeeping (if you have anything in there you would like to preserve), uninstall everything TS3 related meaning first the packs then the base game, clean the Registry with a trusted tool such as the free version of Piriform's CCleaner otherwise the remnants of the broken install will get in the way of everything, and start over.


I uninstalled everything, cleaned the registry, and reinstalled all of my physical copies. Once again origin thought the games were still there.

In the sims 3 program files, I noticed files for my broken games, and deleted them, to see it if would help. The games would from that point install but still not showup in the launcher.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 18th Dec 2017 at 9:40 AM
If I am understanding this correctly, Origin was detecting games which, at that point, were not yet reinstalled? If I've got this right, that means whether the registry cleanup was done by way of a utility program or manually, it was not cleaned sufficiently and remnants of the prior broken installs were/are still getting in the way. By what means did you do the registry cleanup?

If that's not really what you meant, and now totally installed games show up in Origin but are not being listed on the Launcher's Packs and Stuff tab to select, then I would have to ask from where did you purchase the codes (keys) for the packs that aren't being handed off from Origin to the Launcher? If these were codes purchased from a third party unauthorized re-seller, then it's possible that Origin is blocking the use of these EPs as instructed to do from EA's end -- thousands of players were caught up in this kind of thing this year as EA belatedly reacted to a chargeback scam initiated by unscrupulous suppliers of bulk-purchased codes and found that their Origin accounts were at least partially locked down until they opened up support tickets with EA (and ultimately repurchased the affected games). If they were purchased through Origin or an authorized re-seller to begin with, then a realtime chat with EA Customer Service would still be required to unlock things or produce an explanation of what is going on with those.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#6 Old 18th Dec 2017 at 11:49 AM Last edited by NipNopFlipFlop : 18th Dec 2017 at 2:34 PM.
You are understanding correctly.

I used the suggested ccleaner.


-Edit for a bit of an update :P-


I believe I mentioned that I noticed some lingering files of the broken games? As of my most recent go at reinstalling, I deleted those before cleaning the registry, but I noticed they are lacking files that my physical copies have, not sure if that's supposed to be like that or not, but if not I think that may mean the games aren't installing fully, making origin think they have, and the launcher think there isn't anything there. Deleting those files makes origin let me reinstall, but then its a repeat of the same issue.

Also most of my games that aren't via origin I believe may have been pre-owned. I think they were purchased off ebay, but it was a while ago so I could be wrong. Not sure if that is relevant or not.
Mad Poster
#7 Old 18th Dec 2017 at 4:49 PM Last edited by igazor : 18th Dec 2017 at 6:11 PM.
Previously owned games cannot be registered, it can be difficult to know what one is getting by way of eBay. I understand that you meant it's the disc copies that were purchased that way, not the Origin ones, but my question was from where did you purchase the Origin codes for the all-digital ones. Some players purchase codes from third parties to use on Origin installs. This will work if they are from authorized re-sellers. It stands to not work, the installs can get blocked, or inconsistent and unreliable things can happen, when they aren't.

Regardless of places of purchase, and despite the lingering files cleanup allowing more of the installation to proceed, it still sounds like something is blocking your Origin account from functioning completely. No combination of installs and re-installs can fix that if there is a hold or if something is "stuck" on the EA side and needs to be reset. Origin is not equipped to display why something like this might be happening, it's just doing what EA has programmed it to do from their end in these cases. Hence my suggestion for a real-time conversation with EA's Customer Support.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#8 Old 19th Dec 2017 at 2:24 AM Last edited by NipNopFlipFlop : 19th Dec 2017 at 2:41 AM.
Ah. I apologize for the misunderstanding.

I'll give contacting ea a try and if all else fails, I'll just find physical copies or torrent or something.
Thank you for your help.

-Edit for a happy update-

So during yesterdays final attempt at installing my games from origin, Out of boredom I clicked on settings while waiting for stuff to finish downloading and noticed a "repair" option. As of today I experimentally hit the said repair button, which had it I guess check my files and install some stuff, and the packs are working again.

-also, I apologize if this was a bit of a waste of your time-
Mad Poster
#9 Old 19th Dec 2017 at 3:11 AM
Oh, good. I'm glad I was wrong about the account hold and all that stuff then, it just sounded like the symptoms matched up with what we had seen so many times before. Not a waste of time at all!
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