As title says. Delphy's patch log viewer finds that the 1.7.9 patch wants a file called DeltaBuild0.package, but in the appropriate game directory and on the cd that file is called FullBuild0.package. I copied the file from the cd over the current game file after I first had the error (file not found), but that didn't make any difference.

Patch 1.6.6 installed okay, game started up.

The regional version of the patch seems to be the right one (build number ends with 2 in game directory and patch).

Anybody has any idea what went wrong here? I wonder that this seems to not have come up before, but I searched thoroughly before posting.

In order to better solve your problem, please go through the following as listed below:

• Sims 3 - Uninstall
  This Game_Help:TS3_Uninstall^wiki link has the step-by-step instructions to guide you through uninstalling The Sims 3.
  

I'm afraid you might have to start from a clean slate. The DeltaBuild* files are not on the DVD, but I think introduced in 1.3/1.4. So, if you don't have a backup of the \ProgramFiles\EA\TS3\ files, then there is no way to restore that file if the patch thinks it is corrupted.

Uninstall, test, patch from retail-to-1.7, test.
Don't restore CC (if you have any) or your saved files until you've tested a new game with NO CC. Then, ensure your CC are patch-compatible before restoring them in small groups.

On occasion you might be asked to do a long FAQ - please make sure you do all the steps and don't just skip over them. You'll often find that these long FAQs have all the details you need. If nothing in the above FAQs fixes your problem you may post again detailing exactly which you have done and which steps failed.

Thank you very much for your response, ellachrm3d. I thought it might come to that. Probably I skipped one of the patches and thus the correct package wasn't created.

I'll give this one more try, but to be honest, I did some reading on MTS in the meantime and I'm afraid that the days of really having fun with the Sims are over as of WA. My sims practically live to be modded... EA doesn't seem to like my sims very much, then.

Anyway, thanks for the pointers, I'll try and follow the instructions carefully.

I think I give up.
I installed new after uninstalling properly. Test: game starts okay.
Tried to install patches. And lest I again forget one of them, I started right from the beginning. And whaddaya know? Suddenly even 1.2.7 asks for the nonexistant file that should not be there in the original version of the game.
But. I know for a fact, that I had 1.2.7 installed before.
As of now, to me Sims 3 is officially status un-fun and not worth the hassle. EAvil has struck again with their talent to taint even the best games they put on the market (right now they're spoiling Dragon Age, poor BioWare).

Pardon the rant, mad now.

Are you patching from the Launcher? I'm puzzled on why it would pick up 1.2.7 version.
If you're using the executables, you can go from retail to 1.7 directly. You don't have to install incrementally from separate .exe files.

And if you're still having problems patching and have not read the stickies, please do take some time to read the 2 stickies by Canoodle and HystericalParoxysm on the 1st page of this forum.

The .exe file link is available on Game_Help:TS3_Patching^wiki, -> "Patch Downloads". Choose the correct one for your region.

You can find your region code (last digit in GameVersion) from C:\Program Files(x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\skuversion.txt

Example:
GameVersion = 1.0.631.00001

--> has the region code "1"