"Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
Page 1 of 1 • Share
"Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by The_gh0stm4n Tue 16 Jun 2015, 22:52
Hello,
Are you getting an error when starting up The Sims 4 that looks like this, or similar ?
!["Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015] SLRdf8E](https://i.imgur.com/SLRdf8E.png?1)
The following post will show you a few possible solutions to the issue.
1) After making sure that no anti-virus of firewall is interfering with the game (see my other post here for more), you should try re-applying the "Ultimate fix", which you can get from the opening post here. That may already be enough, but in case it isn't, go on with the next steps.
2) Try deleting the file named GameVersion.txt, which is located in C:\Users\(your username)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4. Then try starting the game again. Credits to user @CHall10006 for pointing this alternative possibility out (Source).
3) Also, try deleting the file named Default.ini. If you downloaded the game from Games4theworld and used the latest updates, the file is located in C:\Program files(x86)\The Sims 4\Game\Bin. Then try starting the game again. Credits to user @Kiaki_ for sharing this (Source).
4) See this screenshot from my system. The file location is C:\Users\(your username)\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\saves.
!["Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015] Screen11](https://i.servimg.com/u/f18/18/40/50/93/screen11.png)
If you look at the group of files shown there, you can distinguish between 3 major "groups" of savesfiles:
Slot_00000001
Slot_00000002
Slot_00000003
Each of these has several different "backups", marked by the file endings .ver0, .ver1, .ver2, and so on. If you look at my example screenshot, the slot 1 and slot 3 were created (saved) at the same time. The slot 2 save (blue rectangle) dates back from last year. Now this is only an example, and in your saves-folder the situation might be totally different.
What you should now try is to restore other savefiles. In my example, there is a savefile named Slot_00000001.save. This is the one that loads into your game, when you click the big "play"-button in your main menu of The Sims 4. You should now COPY that file somewhere, for example onto the desktop. And after copying it, delete it from the location, shown in the screenshot.
What you do now, is that you take one of the other savefiles, and rename that in such a way, that it has the name of the file that you just backed up and deleted. Again, in my example, this means I would take for example the file...
And simply rename it into
Again, that's the filename of your original save, that you at first backed up and then deleted. But that might still not work...in which case you delete the Slot_00000001.save again, and repeat the procedure of renaming for the other files, namely the .ver1, .ver2, .ver3, etc. Meaning, you rename them one-by-one, into the name of the original save (Slot_00000001.save), start up the game, and see if it lets you start up. If not, continue with the next save, and so on. You get the idea.
But this is basically how you restore (older) savefiles. This can also be useful for related glitches, like the endless loading loop, when you do manage to start up the game, but the savefile takes endless time to load in.
On another note, should you be finished with trying all savefiles from slot 1, you may even consider repeating the procedure for the other slots (2, 3, etc.).
That might be a time consuming procedure, and if it still doesn't work ?
5) Navigate to the location:
C:\Users\(your username)\My Documents\Electronic Arts and find the folder "The Sims 4". Change the name of the folder into anything else, and then re-start the game. You can now either start afresh or exit the game again, and go back to the folder location: you will see that a new folder named "The Sims 4" has been created.
Now, you could try putting back the sub-folders (saves, Mods, etc.) of your old "The Sims 4"-folder, into the new one. And see if the game still lets you start it up.
If not, I'm afraid you will need to start afresh with the game.
While I cannot tell how common this glitch is, you should definitely give those tips a try. In general though, it might also be a good idea if you made backup copies of your whole "saves"-folder (see above screenshot), to a safe place like an external harddrive, or a USB flashdrive.
Good luck for now !
DO NOT POST ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS IN THIS TOPIC. INSTEAD, PLEASE OPEN A NEW TOPIC IN THE APPROPRIATE FORUM-SECTION, EITHER "THE SIMS 4 DOWNLOADS SUPPORT" OR "THE SIMS 4 IN-GAME SUPPORT"! THANK-YOU-NOTES CAN BE POSTED IN THE APPROPRIATE FORUM-SECTION, or directly under this thread.
Note that any and all questions posted under this thread, will be deleted without any explanation or advance warning. We have the Forum sections dedicated to Support purposes, for a reason.
Are you getting an error when starting up The Sims 4 that looks like this, or similar ?
The following post will show you a few possible solutions to the issue.
1) After making sure that no anti-virus of firewall is interfering with the game (see my other post here for more), you should try re-applying the "Ultimate fix", which you can get from the opening post here. That may already be enough, but in case it isn't, go on with the next steps.
2) Try deleting the file named GameVersion.txt, which is located in C:\Users\(your username)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4. Then try starting the game again. Credits to user @CHall10006 for pointing this alternative possibility out (Source).
3) Also, try deleting the file named Default.ini. If you downloaded the game from Games4theworld and used the latest updates, the file is located in C:\Program files(x86)\The Sims 4\Game\Bin. Then try starting the game again. Credits to user @Kiaki_ for sharing this (Source).
4) See this screenshot from my system. The file location is C:\Users\(your username)\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\saves.
If you look at the group of files shown there, you can distinguish between 3 major "groups" of savesfiles:
Slot_00000001
Slot_00000002
Slot_00000003
Each of these has several different "backups", marked by the file endings .ver0, .ver1, .ver2, and so on. If you look at my example screenshot, the slot 1 and slot 3 were created (saved) at the same time. The slot 2 save (blue rectangle) dates back from last year. Now this is only an example, and in your saves-folder the situation might be totally different.
What you should now try is to restore other savefiles. In my example, there is a savefile named Slot_00000001.save. This is the one that loads into your game, when you click the big "play"-button in your main menu of The Sims 4. You should now COPY that file somewhere, for example onto the desktop. And after copying it, delete it from the location, shown in the screenshot.
What you do now, is that you take one of the other savefiles, and rename that in such a way, that it has the name of the file that you just backed up and deleted. Again, in my example, this means I would take for example the file...
- Code:
Slot_00000001.save.ver0
And simply rename it into
- Code:
Slot_00000001.save
Again, that's the filename of your original save, that you at first backed up and then deleted. But that might still not work...in which case you delete the Slot_00000001.save again, and repeat the procedure of renaming for the other files, namely the .ver1, .ver2, .ver3, etc. Meaning, you rename them one-by-one, into the name of the original save (Slot_00000001.save), start up the game, and see if it lets you start up. If not, continue with the next save, and so on. You get the idea.
But this is basically how you restore (older) savefiles. This can also be useful for related glitches, like the endless loading loop, when you do manage to start up the game, but the savefile takes endless time to load in.
On another note, should you be finished with trying all savefiles from slot 1, you may even consider repeating the procedure for the other slots (2, 3, etc.).
That might be a time consuming procedure, and if it still doesn't work ?
5) Navigate to the location:
C:\Users\(your username)\My Documents\Electronic Arts and find the folder "The Sims 4". Change the name of the folder into anything else, and then re-start the game. You can now either start afresh or exit the game again, and go back to the folder location: you will see that a new folder named "The Sims 4" has been created.
Now, you could try putting back the sub-folders (saves, Mods, etc.) of your old "The Sims 4"-folder, into the new one. And see if the game still lets you start it up.
If not, I'm afraid you will need to start afresh with the game.
While I cannot tell how common this glitch is, you should definitely give those tips a try. In general though, it might also be a good idea if you made backup copies of your whole "saves"-folder (see above screenshot), to a safe place like an external harddrive, or a USB flashdrive.
Good luck for now !
DO NOT POST ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS IN THIS TOPIC. INSTEAD, PLEASE OPEN A NEW TOPIC IN THE APPROPRIATE FORUM-SECTION, EITHER "THE SIMS 4 DOWNLOADS SUPPORT" OR "THE SIMS 4 IN-GAME SUPPORT"! THANK-YOU-NOTES CAN BE POSTED IN THE APPROPRIATE FORUM-SECTION, or directly under this thread.
Note that any and all questions posted under this thread, will be deleted without any explanation or advance warning. We have the Forum sections dedicated to Support purposes, for a reason.
Last edited by The_gh0stm4n on Fri 19 Jan 2018, 18:47; edited 8 times in total
The_gh0stm4n- G4TW RETIRED Forum Gatekeeper
- Windows version :
- Windows 8
- Windows 7
- Windows XP
- Windows 10
System architecture :- 32 bits (x86)
- 64 bits (x64)
Favourite games : The Sims 3, L.A. Noire, Saints Row, Red Faction, Team Fortress 2, Overwatch, PvZ: Garden Warfare, Call of Duty: Ghosts, GTA: San Andreas, Counter-Strike, Hitman, Borderlands, The Binding of Isaac, Government simulation & Military strategy games, S.W.A.T. 4, GTA Online, Red Dead Online, Chessmaster XI, Monster Hunter: World, Paint the Town Red, Destiny 2.
Posts : 18958
Points : 27265
Join date : 2012-11-02
Location : Liechtenstein / Switzerland / Austria
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Tue 16 Jun 2015, 23:00
Thank you. I would run into this problem sometimes and knew it had something to do with my electronic arts folder because it would work on other profiles on my computer. I'd always end up deleting everything except my mods, trays and saves folder and then it would work again (since you say it's the saves, I'm not exactly sure why it would work). I'll have to remember this if it ever happens again.
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Tue 04 Aug 2015, 02:20
Thank you for addressing this problem, I am going to try this as soon as I finish reinstalling the game! ^_^ I am sooo happy!
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Sun 16 Aug 2015, 15:25
Thanks Carlos!!!! Worked perfectly!!!
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Wed 26 Aug 2015, 00:50
I found another way that works (at least as my testing goes).
Delete everything in your TS4 Documents folder except Mods, Tray, and Saves.
Delete everything in your TS4 Documents folder except Mods, Tray, and Saves.
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Mon 31 Aug 2015, 00:39
Just delete GameVersion.txt,but usually it happens when you run an older version of sims 4. After running 1.10. (The newest update)
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Thu 17 Mar 2016, 01:01
thank you thank you thank you!!!! 
I have been trying to figure this out for days and like magic you have fixed this for me. you all rock
I have been trying to figure this out for days and like magic you have fixed this for me. you all rock
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Guest Tue 25 Jul 2017, 16:27
Option #2 worked best for me. I have a crappy internet connection as we speak, so downloading the Ultimate Fix was out of the question. So if you're in the same situation I'm in use option #2.
Guest- Guest
Re: "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4". [UPDATED ON 29-12-2015]
by Sponsored content
Sponsored content
Similar topics» "Unable to start: the contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4"
» Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of the sims 4. [SOLVED]
» Sims 4 unable to start: Contents of user data directory were created by a newer version of the sims 4 and cannot be loaded.
» "Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims and cannot be loaded. Please update your game via Origin to play.
» HELP! "Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4 and cannot be loaded. Please update your game via Origin to play"
» Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of the sims 4. [SOLVED]
» Sims 4 unable to start: Contents of user data directory were created by a newer version of the sims 4 and cannot be loaded.
» "Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims and cannot be loaded. Please update your game via Origin to play.
» HELP! "Unable to start: The contents of your user data directory were created by a newer version of The Sims 4 and cannot be loaded. Please update your game via Origin to play"
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum