Okay I recently got a bunch if sims 3 games and I'm playing it for the first time ever. I've been really interested in custom content for a very long time so when I got the game I was pretty excited. So, I went through a whole lot of tutorials and I did everything it told me to do, download WinRAR, download the pre made files, and I would drag the package files into the package folder. Yes it also had resources,cfg. But I swear it wouldn't do anything it didn't even show up in the "installed" category when you first turn Sims 3 on. Later on I figured out that I could put the sims3packs in the downloads and it would actually work, so for the past two and a half days I've been using that. But a lot of the custom content I want is package files and it makes me so mad not being able to get it. I really need some help!! I'll explain again of how I did it. Okay so I downloaded WinRAR like they told me, then I downloaded pre made folders off of this site, and it came with the Mods, then packages and resources.cfg. Then I'd go to a tumblr blog to download custom content i'd hit download and my WinRAR extractor would come up, then I would drag the Package files into the packages folder. But it still does not show up! I have a Dell inspiron 15 laptop if you needed that info.

Looks like you did it right regarding extracting and correct folders.
Did you delete the cache files after adding new packages?
You need to do that every time you add new package CC.

This might help too:
http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...les/Not_Working
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...p:TS3_CC_Basics

What are the cache files exactly called? I have two sigs cache and inside that are things that are called igs.bin and platform.bin. There's also IGAcache theres nothing in the folder. Then there's DCCache and there's also nothing in there.

They are in the folder "The Sims 3"
scriptCache
compositorCache
simCompositorCache
CASPartCache
socialCache

They are recreated every time you start your game.

Hope that helps!

No none of it has helped I am absolutely stuck, but thank you for trying to help me.

good to know you have a dell but
what system: Windows 7 ? Windows 8 ?
and i would love to see pictures of your folder directories to be true. every directory thats important: sims 3 folder and so everything afterwards the sims 3 folder

you know: the only reason it is not working is that you made a mistake with the setup. it works for millions of simmers so no worries! just post pictures

• General - Installing Custom Content
  You appear to not have read our great guides to downloading and installing custom content.
  
  Downloading for Fracking Idiots explains the entire downloading process from start to finish in language designed for people who aren't computer geniuses. Please go through the whole guide before asking any further questions on downloading and installing custom content as pretty much everything you could possibly want to know is explained there - including info for Mac and Vista users.
  
  Getting Custom Content to Show Up explains what to do if you've followed all the instructions in Downloading for Fracking Idiots and your content still isn't showing up, or if content that was showing up fine before suddenly won't show up.
  
  
• Sims 3 - Verify Package Installation
  To help you further, please carefully read and follow the following:
  
  First, double-check your setup: These instructions will take you through the things you should check yourself: Package Files Not Working. You may be able to fix the problem yourself using those instructions.
  
  Still not working? Then we will need ALL of the following information.
  
  1. What is the version of your base game?
     Windows OS: Game Help:TS3 Patching Find Gameversion^wiki
     Mac OSX: Find Gameversion#info.plist
     
     Copy and paste the indicated line from the skuversion.txt or info.plist, from the respective locations shown in the Find Gameversion Wiki, which would show you how to navigate to the following path: \Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin
     
     Quote:
     

     BG: GameVersion =

  2. Take THREE screenshots... one each of the following locations, with the Explorer/Finder window showing the Details View:
     • Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\
     • Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\
     • Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages
     
     ... and attach them to a post on this thread. Click Go Advanced and then Manage Attachments. Or if it says the pictures are too big, you can upload them to modyourpanties.com and copy and paste the links.
     We have a guide on how to take screenshots if you need assistance: Game_Help:Screenshots^wiki.
     
     Make sure you set your folder view to Details mode, that you have file types showing (.package, .cfg, etc. on the ends of the filenames) and expand out the Name and Type columns so they're fully readable!
     
     
  3. Open your Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\resource.cfg file in Notepad/TextEdit and copy-paste its contents here.
     
     
  4. Right-click on Resource.cfg and check Properties. Is the file name Resource.cfg or Resource.cfg.txt or something else?