Screwed Up Save Files? D:

Okay, this is what my save files look like:
This didn't bug me before, because in-game the save files are still organized and titled as they should be. However, my most recent one - the bracketed University Life files, modified on 10/03/2013 - is now corrupted. I know this because I got the "Error 16" while trying to save. I googled said error, and found that the way to fix that is to overwrite the file... Well this didn't work, and after an hour of waiting for it to "save" I got impatient and stupidly ended the TSW process. Thus my one minor annoyance turned into an actual issue when I realized I couldn't recover the save due to lacking any subfolders for my saves - being the ".sims3" or ".sims3backup" or ".bad" way of fixing them as I have seen so much of while Googling.

I hope I've explained this well enough, it's my first time actually posting my problems - Google normally solves them for me. I couldn't find anything for this issue though, so I was wondering if any of you knew how to help?
If not, well, I suppose my University file is gone... Ah, c'est la vie.

Thanks! (:

Hello,

Sorry for the late reply!
Unfortunately we were not able to get back to you in time. I'd like to apologize for that.

Do you still need assistance?

No apology necessary. Out of sight out of mind, I've been pretty busy with RL anyway. (:
I am still perplexed with this issue though, so if you have any idea as to how to help I would be grateful.
Thanks for the response!

Hello,

I don't know much about saving errors, but Lady ElDi wrote a neat topic about it here: https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t4523-the-sims-3-save-errors-fix-error-code-12-13-15-16-updated-24-11-2012

Did that help?

Eh, I have actually already seen that in my effort to solve it on my own Sorry! I'm guessing you haven't seen save files such as mine?
Thanks for trying, I appreciate it (:

I hope I'm not interrupting, but I have been getting error code 16 for at least a month now. I looked ALL around for a good answer on Google, however no one had a clear answer on how to fix it. So based on my research in the Sims 3 forums and many other websites, alot of people are saying to overwrite it by using the "Save As" button instead. Also there was another Idea which seemed completely ridiculous to me, is by moving around and pausing the game which OBVIOUSLY did not work for me (just me, but you can try it). I think the best way to remove the code 16 is to remove all your CC and mods (this answer was the most popular one). There might be another way, if your hard drive has alot of unnecessary files that could possibly affect your game, you might as well reboot your system and put the important files you need in a safe place (That's what I'm doing anyway). I know I wasn't suppose to post my problem here but I did want to share a few things I know so far I hope some of these Ideas work for you!

They're structured properly, but all the files are out of their folders keeping them separated. Did you do that?

@101 - Yes, I saw those same answers on Google
Not the pause one... Lol, how odd xD I'm not surprised it didn't work, but who knows. EA can be fickle with what works and what doesn't.
Luckily error code 16 had never affected my game until then... Since I had that issue I have just not pursued playing that file - sadly so, I miss it - and haven't seen it since.
@invalid - No, I didn't... I have no idea how it did that D: Do you know how I could go about returning them to their proper states? Did I make that game file into one that is now unplayable, or is it salvageable?

Thank-you for your answers! (:

Those are two working save files. I would do your best at grouping the data together, if you wanted to go that route, though it will be tough, since dates in the files aren't always the same. After trying that, whether or not it works, back those files up, and get rid of the folder. Then start a new save. Do whatever you want it in, and save it. Then go look at the saves folder, and see if it saved into a file, or just scattered like that again. If it's scattered still, I'm gonna try to figure out why it would be. This is honestly a new experience for me, and I am determined to fix it.

I'm confused, why is the backup dated so long after the original? The first image is mostly February, whereas the second is March. For mine, I see two copies of the files for mine, and they are all pretty much modified around the same time. Does it matter which one becomes the backup?
Also, my university files only seems to have the one copy, March 10th. Does that mean I corrupted it?
Last question, I promise:P In-game the saves are titled properly. Will the names of the folders affect that?
I will start your suggestions now, naming the folders what the game has them titled as - just to be safe. (:

Lol, I like to think of myself as lesser noob than the rest due to my nerd abilities. I get the boolean stuff, but I feel sooo lost with this.
Thanks for your help<3

Lol they're two entirely different families. I do multiple legacies, and just add words on, like I just made a new one called backupthislegacy. XD it keeps me from getting too bored too often, because I have to keep adding a longer name.

As for backing up your files, just make a copy o the folder on the desktop and put them in there to keep them safe.

I'm not sure, but the names of the folder have always mattered in the past, so I'd be on the safe side.

This stuff is tough, takes a lot of thinking out of the box, but I'm getting my degree in information technologies, so it's helping me in my future career (hopefully).

Also, don't forget that the files with the save data need to end in .sims3, in order for the game to recognize them.

Okay, I'm not going to go through the whole process of my efforts to fix this; because it's long and annoying and I basically just organized everything like I thought it should be - ONLY TO LEAVE THE FOLDER, AND COME BACK AND SEE IT ALL SCREWED UP AGAIN.
Emily's thoughts: dafuq is this?
Then I remembered the copy I saved onto my desktop. I clicked it, sure enough - EVERYTHING WAS ORGANIZED. .sims3.backup, .sims3, .bad - for my corrupted file. However, upon moving it back to its home, it went all crazy again?
First step? I'm going to move the Sims3 folder onto Desktop. Let the game generate another. Then I'll move what's important back, "Saves" first. I'll see if it wonkifies again. If that doesn't work, I will see if I've inadvertently selected something that is causing it to do this. :S
I'm so confused.

This is the weirdest problem Sims has ever given me.

Oh, p.s. another things I noticed while organizing. My old deleted saves - ones I'd decided that I had grown tired of and since deleted because I realized I would never play again. For some reason, my Saves hadn't got that memo, and the files were still there - they just didn't show up in-game.
Weird, huh?

This is by far the strangest issue I've seen yet. Especially with the changes reverting to the screwy version if you leave the folder. I think your decision is a great next step, and hopefully it solves this, though I really wish we can find a definitive answer on what's causing this.

However, it sounds like there may be some sort of error between your game contacting the folders. I hope this isn't the case, and it's just the folder being a weirdo. :p

I fixed it!
I'm such a loser. I had googled everything! After regenerating the Sims 3 folder didn't work, I searched for what I may
have done - advanced properties, read only, attributes and the like. Still didn't find a solution - of course I look for the difficult
stuff before the easy stuff.
I run my Sims on Windows 7. I have no idea how, whether I clicked it or it just defaulted to this setting - but upon further examination, I found the folder to be on the setting "Arrange by: Name" It could be sorted COMPLETELY differently, by date modified, type, whatever. But because it was arranged that way the folders wouldn't show up. When the folder was moved, I saw them, when moved back - poof! They disappeared. After changing the setting to "Arrange by - Folder", everything was shown regardless of where the folder was located. (:
The files I had seen while needlessly trying to organize already organized folders were simply the .sims3.backups, which I have since deleted completely. My University files had a .bad, and a .backup as Google said they should, and I have now recovered my save. YEY.

I'm slightly embarrassed that my problem wasn't as big as I thought it was Such a silly issue, so weird. It was as if I had done a search to show to contents of the folders but avoid the actual folders. I didn't even know there was such a function! Anyway, hopefully my predicament can help others who happen to find this has happened to their Saves folder.

Thanks for your help, everyone<3
Also, good luck with your degree Invalid! You'll flourish, I'm sure. (:

AH YAY! I didn't know that was an option either lol

Glad we could help, even though your problem ended up being an easy fix.

Thank you very much

Enjoy the game, and let us know if you ever need help again, or if you'd just like to chat