I start with an empty Downloads folder. I create subfolders based on type of item, creator's name, etc. Everything is in a subfolder nice and neat. Except for the CEP file.

After playing for a while. The next time I open my downloads folder, I have lots and lots of package files down towards the bottom and not in subfolders. Can anyone tell me why and what I should do to stop having this happen? Oh, and it's not caused from downloading a lot that has custom content. I know to go back into my folder after I do that and put the "loose" items into subfolders.

I have just spent the last four hours reading everything I could find on organizing the downloads folder here, in the Wiki, at MATY and everywhere I could think to look for this information. This is not a question of how to organize the downloads folder, but why the files do not stay in the subfolders after I do organize.

I do not know where else to ask, so if this question is in the wrong place or not found to be a valid question, then just delete it.

Thank you in advance for any help given.

Erm, eh? Are you installing things using the Q-Xpress?

Could you perhaps post a screenshot of these erroneous files? Are they package files, and can you view them with SimPE or Clean Installer? What do they contain? Please be sure to show the file path in the screenshot too.
Do they still appear if you first delete all files from the teleport folder before running the game?

Just checked to see if anyone had any ideas and saw your posts. No, I don't use Qxpress, never liked it because you had no control over where they went. I mean, I would have to go back in after each item and put it into a subfolder. I use WinRAR from Rarlabs.com.

These are all types of files, but yes, they are all .package files. It happens even if I have not downloaded a house. I have to leave for work in a few minutes, so I'll try to post pictures later. Thank you though for not telling me I posted in the wrong section. I haven't had time to check them with SimPE, but in Clean Installer you see that they are all types of files -- floors, walls, recolors of Maxis furniture, etc. All of which start out in their own subfolders initially. This only happens if I actually play the game. If I only go in to build, it doesn't do this.

With regards to the files being in the teleport folder, I can have everything cleaned up and then play without downloading any homes at all and it still happens, so I never thought to look in my teleport folder. I guess I'll have to see if there's anything in there first. It's just that I rarely ever download lots, I like to build my own.

I'm going to try to attach a picture of my downloads folder. I've never attached anything to a post at this site, so I hope I get it right.

I couldn't get it to attach. Said the file was too big. I have it up on photobucket though and I'll try to paste the link here:

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h...loads%20Folder/

Hopefully you can see it. When you first click on the link, the picture you see is really small. If you click on that it gets a lot bigger and then you can click one more time and it's readable.

I also wanted to add that I thought I read a solution for this problem a long time ago on this site somewhere. I thought it was something that Daysies posted, but I cannot remember what she said to do to fix it. If I made the entire Downloads folder "Read-Only" do you think that would help? Or if I made each individual subfolder read only? I hope I don't need to make each individual file read only, lol! I actually thought I tried to make the entire downloads folder be read only though and it didn't help. But I could be wrong. I guess I should have thought to try that before posting, but it just now occurred to me.

Last edited by Simsane : 3rd May 2008 at 01:59 AM. Reason: Adding Link to Pick of Downloads Folder

Just wanted to add that my teleport folder is empty, but it still happens. I figured that would be the case since I rarely download any houses.

Is there something else I should tell you? Were you able to see the picture of my downloads folder?

I guess if you guys can't think of an answer, I'll just have to keep on living with it. :-)

Next test- cut and paste your current my documents/ EA Games/ Sims2 folder to the desktop. Start the game- it will generate a clean set of user data folders. Do you still get the files appearing then?

I'm completely willing to do this. I just am confused as to why since you did not say to put a new downloads folder in with items first placed in subfolders. The only problem I am having is that the files that are within subfolders inside of the downloads folder do not stay in these subfolders. So I am confused as to what a "clean" game is going to show? Do you want me to make a new downloads folder inside this new game and download some new items which are placed in subfolders first?

I'm thinking that the files that are appearing in the root of your Downloads folder may be being copied there from a cache of some sort. I'm trying to find out whether that is from outside or inside of your user files. By generating a clean set of Sims2 files we can test this. The next step would be to put your current downloads folder into the newly generated Sims 2 folder as well (leave your neighbourhoods for now- you don't want to be loading those with no cc). If the files are actually just being moved from one place to another in your downloads folder, then we need to find out what is causing this anyway- so a clean sims 2 folder is part of ascertaining this.

Oh, I think I understand what you are saying. I hope you don't get upset, but this may take me a few days. I will do as you suggest though and then report back here, but because I work fulltime (like most people, :-) ) there are a lot of other things I need to try to get done today. Thank you again for your help, I do hope this can be resolved.

Don't worry, I work full time too! I've only been so prolific this week as I've had a week off from work, studies and washing up!

simsample, I wanted to let you know that I was having other problems with my pc besides the problem I posted here. Therefore, my son and I picked through and backed up some of the things I wanted to keep and have reformatted my pc. It is going to take some time for me to discover if my problem was solved. If you feel it's best, you can just delete this thread. I truly appreciate the attention you and the other person have given to try and help and I apologize for wasting your time.

I do not know yet whether this problem will happen again, although I supposed that if I got into the habit of using Clean Installer to put everything back each time I finish playing then I could get around it that way. I just didn't think of that in the first place and it sounds like a pain in the you know where to have to do that, but at least it is one way to keep my folder organized.

That of course, is if it starts happening again after I get back into playing.

Sorry to hear about the PC problems, you haven't wasted our time at all! I hope this problem doesn't re-occur, have fun playing!