The Sims 4 - Game Data Incomplete - Without even having origin installed!!!

by **Sim Architect** Mon 02 Mar 2015, 23:45

Hello!

Today is my time to ask for help...

I had my first saved game last Friday, for which I have videos on this topic. I played a bit around, recorded a few videos, saved everything and closed the game.

Today I was going to play again, with that save, and I get the "Game Data Incomplete" error as below:

The Sims 4 - Game Data Incomplete - Without even having origin installed!!! O6TWoHG

The Sims 4 - Game Data Incomplete - Without even having origin installed!!! O6TWoHG

Note that I do NOT even have origin installed on my computer (I also checked the task manager, just in case). I also noted that, even if the game says it's not connected (I know about the trick using a fake origin account, but I didn't do anything related, since I am just trying the basics), today I got a notice that the "server would be down in 10 minutes", which would change, in a few seconds, to 5 minutes and to "down now". It's funny it happened even though I am playing "off line" and without Origin at all.

Well, I clicked OK, left the game WITHOUT saving and closed everything.

Then, I tried the game again, same error.

Then, I blocked all executables from "The Sims 4" folder (inside Program Files x86) on my firewall. Ran the game again (no notice of server going down this time, meaning that the cracked Sims 4 still "calls home").

Tried the save again, same error.

Applied the latest ultimate crack again and overwrote the files. Ran the game again (no notice of server going down again, since the firewall doesn't know I replaced the files, it just blocks them anyway).

Same error:

The Sims 4 - Game Data Incomplete - Without even having origin installed!!! O6TWoHG

Then, I renamed my "Sims 4" Folder inside "Documents", ran the game to create it again. After, I left the game. Following, I copied the folders "SavedSimInfoData", "Saves", "Tray". Ran the game again, got all those notifications telling me that I had those "trophies" from my special version (as it happened when I first played with the game), and I felt relieved that my problem could be solved.

Well, I clicked play, no error, so I tought "yay, problem solved!". Once I tried to start playing my Sim Household I got the tutorials again (probably something I didn't copy from the "old" folder, but that was fine, I just clicked through them, and closed the game to re-test.

Well, once I open the game again and try to play (still using the "new" Sims 4 folder), I get the error again!!!

The Sims 4 - Game Data Incomplete - Without even having origin installed!!! O6TWoHG

So, what should I do? Is any of you having the same issues? Even though the game works, I don't want to lose any "special" custom content or neighborhood (I still have the two available on the top menu, upper left corner of screen).

Thanks in advance!!!

Tea 5

========== More Info Added Below ==========

I checked everything, redid the folder delete/copy/move/mix & match several times.

The only thing that changes during the game runs, besides what happens inside the "The Sims 4" folder inside of "Documents" are those files:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\RacEtwData.dat ?
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac.chk
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00230.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00231.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00232.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00233.log

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0000.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0001.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0002.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0003.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0004.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0005.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacData_54f4f980_0006.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_ProcessMetrics_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_OSState_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_OSMetrics_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_ProcessState_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_MachineProfile_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_AntimalwareProfile_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_EventData_0000.sqm.sqm
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\Outbound\RacQueryGen_DeviceProfile_0000.sqm.sqm

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00234.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00235.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00236.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac.chk
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00237.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00238.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac00239.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\rac.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\ractmp.log
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\RacEventData.dat
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\RAC\StateData\RacDataBookmarks.dat

Those files seem to be related to Windows Reliability Monitor, which makes no sense as an anti-piracy thing.

It's really insane!

First, when I delete "The Sims 4" folder inside of "Documents", the game create a new file set and present me with a screen that gives me the "Play" button, that allows me to create a new game.

I close and open the game again, doing nothing between, and I get the warnings that I installed the DLCs (then I have to click them all, as if the game was "new"). It happens most of the times, but not always on the second time I run with a new "The Sims 4" folder, even if I copy the "saves" and the "Tray" folders to be able to open my saved game, which works only this "second time opening the newly created Sims 4 folder".

I tried to save that "second time" folder to reuse it again later. It doesn't work. It only works if the game itself creates a new folder, I close it, and run it again!!!

It's like the game changes something out of "The Sims 4" folder inside of "My Documents".

I checked the last modified files in my entire C: drive, the only stuff that changes are those files inside of the RAC folder, which doesn't seem to be related to the game itself (or should it be?).

Do you think the game is change Windows Registry? I did a search for entries with "electronic" and didn't find anything useful, maybe EA uses the windows registry on purpose, allowing you to play only once with a pirated copy, then you lose all the DLC and have to start over?

Why would the game work if I delete the sims 4 folder, run it, close it, copy my saves back, run again? Why would it not work if I use the very exact same folder that worked once (deleting the "third time folder" and copying the "second time folder" as "The Sims 4".

Sorry if the post is too long, but I didn't find anything related anywhere on the internet. Am I the only one having this issue with DLC without Origin installed or is it a new issue?

My next step will be to use something powerful to strongly uninstall my game (like Revo Uninstaller), then install it again (now already with the firewall rules blocking the EA apps), and see if the problem persists, but I have a feeling they will Sad

Also, reapplying (overwriting) the ultimate fix didn't work either.

Any help or suggestion will be highly appreciated!

Tea 5

========== UPDATE ==========

Reinstalled the game (first uninstalled with Revo Pro). Reapplied the Ultimate Fix. Game works, no messages telling me that I got the Digital Content, even on the "second try", anymore.

So, situation is worse now, error persists for the saved game. I tried a new save, which won't give me an error message.

But... I got pools working and two worlds (one that seems the default and one that's in the desert). I didn't get the mood lamps, which I think is part of the DLC that's not working, neither a Christmas tree...

I give up trying anything else, I worked on it for more than six hours in a row, can't find a solution. I hope any of you comes up with something.

Thanks anyway...

Tea 5

by Guest Tue 03 Mar 2015, 14:38

Hello, just my 2 cents worth if it might help you, i do not know.
However since you mentioned you lost dlc content, it seems to me that somewhere on your machine EA have put some tiny little program, that can monitor your game, and each and every time you launch it, it will try to dial home, probably using some sort of back door, since they know your now using a pirated version of the software.

You might want to run anti virus / malware to look for rootkits installed by them, i wouldn't put it past them. EA have no idea what the word ethical means nor would they care either.

Or it might be something in the registry, that every time you now launch the game, it recognizes that its launched, then dials home.

Some how it seems related, to when you exit the game and then logout of origin, but then do not fully exit. You then go back to play a save game, forgetting about origin, and EA have removed the outdoor retreat. It is clearly somehow related.

Once they know your running their software, you can try to fix it all you like, but unless you try to do some sort of rootkit deep search, i have a feeling you find nothing.

I would go into the rgistry and rip every single thing to do with origin and EA out of it, no matter how innocuous thats what I would do personally. I am betting they have a backdoor call home loop thing, they have installed on your computer, from when you may have used origin with sims 4 at some point and forgot to log out

The only thing i would have done, is do a scan for root kits, then do a format and quick reintall of windows..then do install / ultimate fix etc. make sure you never ever use a save before you get out of origin completely...even as you say through task manager..or you will end up where you are right now.

by **The_gh0stm4n** Wed 04 Mar 2015, 04:34

SvenT wrote:Hello!

========== UPDATE ==========

Reinstalled the game (first uninstalled with Revo Pro). Reapplied the Ultimate Fix. Game works, no messages telling me that I got the Digital Content, even on the "second try", anymore.

So, situation is worse now, error persists for the saved game. I tried a new save, which won't give me an error message.

But... I got pools working and two worlds (one that seems the default and one that's in the desert). I didn't get the mood lamps, which I think is part of the DLC that's not working, neither a Christmas tree...

I give up trying anything else, I worked on it for more than six hours in a row, can't find a solution. I hope any of you comes up with something.

Thanks anyway...

Hello Sven,

Did you originally have any mods or custom content for Sims 4 installed ? And have you already done the steps I described here?
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t18501-unable-to-start-initialization-error-at-startup-updated-on-26-2-2015

sylvantos wrote:Hello, just my 2 cents worth if it might help you, i do not know.
However since you mentioned you lost dlc content, it seems to me that somewhere on your machine EA have put some tiny little program, that can monitor your game, and each and every time you launch it, it will try to dial home, probably using some sort of back door, since they know your now using a pirated version of the software.

You might want to run anti virus / malware to look for rootkits installed by them, i wouldn't put it past them. EA have no idea what the word ethical means nor would they care either.

Or it might be something in the registry, that every time you now launch the game, it recognizes that its launched, then dials home.

Some how it seems related, to when you exit the game and then logout of origin, but then do not fully exit. You then go back to play a save game, forgetting about origin, and EA have removed the outdoor retreat. It is clearly somehow related.

Once they know your running their software, you can try to fix it all you like, but unless you try to do some sort of rootkit deep search, i have a feeling you find nothing.

I would go into the rgistry and rip every single thing to do with origin and EA out of it, no matter how innocuous thats what I would do personally. I am betting they have a backdoor call home loop thing, they have installed on your computer, from when you may have used origin with sims 4 at some point and forgot to log out

The only thing i would have done, is do a scan for root kits, then do a format and quick reintall of windows..then do install / ultimate fix etc. make sure you never ever use a save before you get out of origin completely...even as you say through task manager..or you will end up where you are right now.

Interesting theory, but wouldn't many more people encounter that issue then, if EA (according to the theory) systematically "backdoor" everybody ? The game seems to work fine for about 98% of people.

I have Origin installed myself, and I use the cracked TS4 from Games4TheWorld. And I even let the TS4.exe fully connect to the internet (to bypass the possible "Unable to start"-issue). So far everything is working fine.

Also, if I log out of Origin, but do not close it completely (i.e. leaving the window prompting your Origin ID and password, open), then I end up with an "unable to start" issue. But that issue is very easily fixed by simply closing the Origin window completely.

Also, if you don't have any clear indication of what is going on, I would NOT re-install Windows. Yes, that theory could have a bit of truth in it, but as long as you don't know for sure, I would not go through the hassle of backing up everything and re-installing Windows...

by **Sim Architect** Thu 05 Mar 2015, 00:37

sylvantos wrote:Hello, just my 2 cents worth if it might help you, i do not know.
However since you mentioned you lost dlc content, it seems to me that somewhere on your machine EA have put some tiny little program, that can monitor your game, and each and every time you launch it, it will try to dial home, probably using some sort of back door, since they know your now using a pirated version of the software.

You might want to run anti virus / malware to look for rootkits installed by them, i wouldn't put it past them. EA have no idea what the word ethical means nor would they care either.

Or it might be something in the registry, that every time you now launch the game, it recognizes that its launched, then dials home.

Some how it seems related, to when you exit the game and then logout of origin, but then do not fully exit. You then go back to play a save game, forgetting about origin, and EA have removed the outdoor retreat. It is clearly somehow related.

Once they know your running their software, you can try to fix it all you like, but unless you try to do some sort of rootkit deep search, i have a feeling you find nothing.

I would go into the rgistry and rip every single thing to do with origin and EA out of it, no matter how innocuous thats what I would do personally. I am betting they have a backdoor call home loop thing, they have installed on your computer, from when you may have used origin with sims 4 at some point and forgot to log out

The only thing i would have done, is do a scan for root kits, then do a format and quick reintall of windows..then do install / ultimate fix etc. make sure you never ever use a save before you get out of origin completely...even as you say through task manager..or you will end up where you are right now.

Thanks! I think you are right, I wrote more about the security breach they did below, after Carlos comment. I don't have Origin installed at all on this PC (never had it). I did the whole registry thing, didn't work. Task manager didn't help either.

I may reinstall windows if I want to roll back to 8.1 (second sata isn't working neither bluetooth nor my audio connectors, on Windows 10). We'll see...

Carlos wrote:
SvenT wrote:Hello!

========== UPDATE ==========

Reinstalled the game (first uninstalled with Revo Pro). Reapplied the Ultimate Fix. Game works, no messages telling me that I got the Digital Content, even on the "second try", anymore.

So, situation is worse now, error persists for the saved game. I tried a new save, which won't give me an error message.

But... I got pools working and two worlds (one that seems the default and one that's in the desert). I didn't get the mood lamps, which I think is part of the DLC that's not working, neither a Christmas tree...

I give up trying anything else, I worked on it for more than six hours in a row, can't find a solution. I hope any of you comes up with something.

Thanks anyway...

Hello Sven,

Did you originally have any mods or custom content for Sims 4 installed ? And have you already done the steps I described here?
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t18501-unable-to-start-initialization-error-at-startup-updated-on-26-2-2015

No Mods neither CC. Just the game and the ultimate fix (latest full version that matches the game version). I don't have Origin installed, so I can't close what I am not supposed to have in the first place (hopefully), not running on the detailed view of task manager...

sylvantos wrote:Hello, just my 2 cents worth if it might help you, i do not know.
However since you mentioned you lost dlc content, it seems to me that somewhere on your machine EA have put some tiny little program, that can monitor your game, and each and every time you launch it, it will try to dial home, probably using some sort of back door, since they know your now using a pirated version of the software.

You might want to run anti virus / malware to look for rootkits installed by them, i wouldn't put it past them. EA have no idea what the word ethical means nor would they care either.

Or it might be something in the registry, that every time you now launch the game, it recognizes that its launched, then dials home.

Some how it seems related, to when you exit the game and then logout of origin, but then do not fully exit. You then go back to play a save game, forgetting about origin, and EA have removed the outdoor retreat. It is clearly somehow related.

Once they know your running their software, you can try to fix it all you like, but unless you try to do some sort of rootkit deep search, i have a feeling you find nothing.

I would go into the rgistry and rip every single thing to do with origin and EA out of it, no matter how innocuous thats what I would do personally. I am betting they have a backdoor call home loop thing, they have installed on your computer, from when you may have used origin with sims 4 at some point and forgot to log out

The only thing i would have done, is do a scan for root kits, then do a format and quick reintall of windows..then do install / ultimate fix etc. make sure you never ever use a save before you get out of origin completely...even as you say through task manager..or you will end up where you are right now.

Interesting theory, but wouldn't many more people encounter that issue then, if EA (according to the theory) systematically "backdoor" everybody ? The game seems to work fine for about 98% of people.

I have Origin installed myself, and I use the cracked TS4 from Games4TheWorld. And I even let the TS4.exe fully connect to the internet (to bypass the possible "Unable to start"-issue). So far everything is working fine.

Also, if I log out of Origin, but do not close it completely (i.e. leaving the window prompting your Origin ID and password, open), then I end up with an "unable to start" issue. But that issue is very easily fixed by simply closing the Origin window completely.

Also, if you don't have any clear indication of what is going on, I would NOT re-install Windows. Yes, that theory could have a bit of truth in it, but as long as you don't know for sure, I would not go through the hassle of backing up everything and re-installing Windows...

Yes, I am wondering why I seem to be the only one with the issue. I have a feeling that blocking the access to the internet made things worse, not better (maybe the game won't enable DLC if you aren't connected to the web)?

The game KNOWS that it's being blocked by the firewall, take a look on my ConnectionStatus.txt (Inside of Sims 4 that is in Documents) file below:

Code:: ConnectivityStatus Localtime: 2015/03/03 00:21:02 Utc: 2015/03/03 03:21:02 Host name is WIN-SB6NF1RASSV. 1) Address: a.b.c.d ShardAddress: e.f.g.h (I replaced my IP with letters, for privacy reasons) ProtocolVersion: 0 ServerBuildVersion: SkuVersion: 1.4.83.1010 Current Master Config url: http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/master/live/masterconfig.txt Time left to sync: 299 secs Current Configuration: BugSentry: https://gen4.reports.tools.gos.ea.com/bugsentry TelemetryServerName: https://river.data.ea.com TelemetryServiceName: pc/sims4-2013-pc-retail TelemetryServerPort: 443 SpotlightURL: https://adsrv-sims4.ea.com/api/20120529/ SpotlightCdnContentUrl: http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/master/spotlight/ Kill Switches: 0 SERVICE_FLAG_LOGIN 0 SERVICE_FLAG_EXCHANGE_ALONE 0 SERVICE_FLAG_SOCIAL_ALONE 0 SERVICE_FLAG_MTX_ALONE 0 SERVICE_FLAG_RECOMMENDATION_ENGINE_ALONE 0 SERVICE_FLAG_TELEMETRY 0 SERVICE_FLAG_FACEBOOK 0 SERVICE_FLAG_SPOTLIGHT 0 SERVICE_FLAG_BUGSENTRY URL: Connectivity Checklist: 0 kCasConnected 0 kZoneConnected 0 kLiveEditEnabled 0 kOnlineServicesPermanentlyUnavailable 1 kOnlineServicesTemporarilyUnavailable 0 kOnlineServicesUserDisabled 1 kOnlineServicesAutoReconnectEnabled 1 kOriginEnabled 0 kDisableOriginArg 0 kIsUserUnderAge 0 kConnectFailure 1 kConnectingToOnlineServices 0 kConnectedToOnlineServices 0 kJustGotOnlineServices 0 kJustLostOnlineServices 1 kInternetConnected 1 kOriginAppConnected 0 kCDNWebServerConnected 0 kOriginOnlineMode 0 kGotOriginEntitlements 0 kLoginServerConnected 0 kSims4GameLaunch 0 kSims4Authorized 0 kUepServerConnected 0 kExchangeServerConnected 0 kSocialServerConnected 0 kMtxServerConnected 0 kUserGalleryBanned 0 kSetUserDataForConnections 0 kReadyToPlayGame Client State:kConnecting Connection State:STATE_CONNECTING

How can the flags for Origin and InternetConnected, for example, be on, if I don't have origin installed and I blocked all executables from the entire Electronic Arts folder inside of my programs(x86)?? In that sense I agree completely with Sylvantos!!!

They are doing something, and something BAD!!! Considering that I did not give access to anything into its folder to the network (blocked using windows firewall, it should NEVER know that there's any online service available, AT ALL!

Here is the content of the http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/master/live/masterconfig.txt (mentioned inside the log above):

Code:: FacebookConfig=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/v3/fbconfig.txt WhiteListURL=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/v1/whitelist.xml AvailabilityURL=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/killswitch/killswitch_default.txt BroadcastURL=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/broadcast.txt WhiteListTimeout=10000 AvailabilityTimeout=10000 spotlightmm=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/spotlight/v8/SpotlightTemplate-Mainmenu.html spotlightgallery=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/spotlight/v6/SpotlightTemplate-Gallery.html spotlightpiw=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/spotlight/v1/ProductInfo.html spotlightlauncher=http://sims4cdn.ea.com/content.ts4/config/live/spotlight/v1/launcher/index.html ClientTelemetryDisabledPercentage=0

I don't know, maybe I will have to monitor my network somehow (there must be good tools for that), see which addresses the game tries to access on line. Then, I would need to play around hosts file. Then, MAYBE I can fix it by reinstalling the game, or maybe I need to format the computer, install the game

THEY ARE WATCHING US!!!

Let's have more tea while we think of a solution Wink

by **The_gh0stm4n** Thu 05 Mar 2015, 00:46

Parts of the Ultimate fix for Sims 4 actually simulate the behavior of Origin, which is necessary to get the game running. And the point of the guide I linked to is that you should NOT block the TS4.exe, actually. Smile

This is something that many people misunderstand in the guide: it's advised that you let the TS4.exe connect to the web.

Whether or not you have the actual Origin-client installed doesn't matter in this sense.

If the things I described don't work for you...then I'm unsure either. For the majority of people it seems to work, including myself. But I will try and look further into this.

by **Sim Architect** Thu 05 Mar 2015, 00:51

Carlos wrote:Parts of the Ultimate fix for Sims 4 actually simulate the behavior of Origin, which is necessary to get the game running. And the point of the guide I linked to is that you should NOT block the TS4.exe, actually. This is something that many people misunderstand in the guide: it's advised that you let the TS4.exe connect to the web.

Whether or not you have the actual Origin-client installed doesn't matter in this sense.

If the things I described don't work for you...then I'm unsure either. For the majority of people it seems to work, including myself. But I will try and look further into this.

I was just re-reading your text and I saw that. I had the issue without blocking the internet when I would run the game for the third time.

With the internet blocked, the DLC never comes available.

So, it seems we need internet for the game to work properly, BUT something happens between the second and third time runs that disable my DLC even with the internet on.

Also, shouldn't this game work normally off line, like when you are on a plane, with the DLC functional??

Maybe I need to run the game ONLY ONCE with the internet on, then cut it off?

I will look more into it, thanks for the alert anyway!

========== UPDATE ==========

I installed Origin to see if that was the reason (I thought that could be something different on my setup compared to others), and it wasn't. I still get the same behavior:

1. Game blocked on firewall: DLC never works.

2. Game allowed by firewall: DLC only works once (usually second or third time after creating a new Sims 4 folder inside of Documents), then I get the same issue.

Just one thing, I saved a new game in "build mode", closed the game without saving, opened it again, and the DLC was still available (I was happy for about 20 seconds, thinking that having Origin installed, but not running, would be the fix). Then, I "saved & closed" on live mode, when I ran the game again, same error!

It's like DLC is working on a "shareware mode" on my pc. I can try it for once, but I have to buy it if I want to play again...

So, I see only one way, on my setup, at least, to run the game with DLC:

1. Rename my current "Documents\The Sims 4\" folder to something else;

2. Run the game ONCE and close it;

3. Copy "Options.ini" file plus "saves" and "Tray" folders (I have no CC neither Mods, otherwise I think I'd have to copy it as well) to the NEW "Documents\The Sims 4" folder created by the game;

4. Run the game again and see if the notifications telling me about the "new" special content is installed and available appear. If they come, I know that I can play with my save for ONCE (and have to go through the tutorials again when I start , but that's ok );

5. If the game doesn't give the notifications, just close it and run again until it does show the notifications that I got the "new cool stuff"...

6. Play for as long as I want, saving every now and then, knowing I will have to "rinse and repeat" all previous steps every time I want to run the game again. Internet HAS to be ON all time and the game CANNOT be blocked by the firewall, or DLC will NEVER work.

It's annoying, really, but it's the only solution I found so far. I tried playing with the firewall on/off during the game etc, didn't find a "key" through the "system".

Tomorrow I MAY get my new laptop, meaning I will have a powerful machine on my hands. I will install Windows 8.1 on it and see what happens. I may also create a Virtual Machine just for The Sims 4 and other stuff I want isolated from the internet, that way the game won't know that I am just blocking it, as the whole "computer" will be off line.

Ideas are always welcome! I really don't get why I am the only one with this issue, since I am running a very vanilla system, using windows firewall and anti virus, I followed all the steps of installation to a "T".

I don't think that, even if I find, an iso of the original game mounted on PowerISO would fix this issue, since it's downloaded content... I have a feeling that EA doesn't care that much about us pirating their game, they seem more concerned with their "store", which is something really smart, like those Facebook games, where you need to pay for Custom Content, or you will only play "so far"...

But, again, why ONLY ME? It's 99.9999% of chance that I did something stupid, but I can't remember/figure it out. I know I had to install the visual C runtimes directly from microsoft, since the ones that came with the game would not install. But that should not affect any copyright thing.

Maybe I needed to have Origin BEFORE I installed the game? But then again, why can I run the DLC only once, on the second (sometimes third) time I run on a new "Documents\The Sims 4" folder? I tried to find out what changes, but I can't. I also tried making the game to create a new "Documents\The Sims 4" folder, then closing the game, deleting the newly created folder and putting the "old" The Sims 4 folder back. It won't work. The game HAS to run 2 or 3 times with the NEW folder. Deleting everything but the "saves" and "tray" folders also won't work. Maybe the game is changing some folder attribute to "know" that the folder isn't new?

Since I will get my "new toy" tomorrow or so, I will wait for it and I will experiment more on it as well, since it is way more powerful, and I can do my testing with Virtual Machines instead of a real computer. I just copy a blank install of Windows and try again, no need to reinstall windows and all the drivers again and again and again.... and again...

I am ok for myself, I won't die if I follow the steps above, rinse and repeat, as necessary. But I have a feeling more people may face this problem (or a similar issue) in the future, and it would be cool to come up with a solution that could be useful to other people.

Sorry, I tend to write too much, too long, too many times... It's my crazy side Wink

Anyway, if someone faces this problem, the temporary solution is above.

Meanwhile, more tea!!!

Tea 5

by Guest Sat 07 Mar 2015, 13:34

i can point you towards glassware. its sort of a like a firewall, but you can clearly see what is running and be able to block it in real time. It's more of a compliment to your own windows firewall, and i use it myself. The level of detail is huge really. anything and everything that connects to the net, it will show you the process and you can then control it. Maybe it will be able to help you somehow. It is freeware.

As for 98% of cases being okay, and myself included, would need a much bigger pool of players using the same game / same crack / ultimate fix. if only a few hundred or few thousand then it's not really a big enough pool, to actually make a deterministic view of exactly how many have the problem. Maybe there are people that have had the exact problem, but not posted about it here and decided to ask elsewhere, or never bothered, and found a way to resolve the issue themselves, or they might indeed have decided to buy the game while it was on sale. I really do not know. But for those of us who do post, there are going to be a whole lot more who do not.

mercifully I have been able to connect to the gallery and decided that place was awful haha, and used alternative sims 4 mod sites, but never encountered the issue with what SvenT described above.

However I have done some further investigation, and EA are known to put backdoor's onto people's machines. It's not something new, and other publishers / developers have done something similar in the past to. I am not saying this is exactly what they have done, but I would never trust / nor count it out , especially with the way EA do business even to their own paying customers.

If it was me, and this is what i would do, simply because I have a back up drive, i keep all my current stuff on it, is to do a simple re-install if windows. Does not take long, maybe 10/15 minutes at most, on recent machines, and then just update, install what you want as normal. I normally do a fresh install of windows 7 every 6 months or so. I also clean the following directly %temp% remove everything in there. CCleaner does not touch that temporary folder at all, neither does most other cleaning software.

Sorry I could not help / advise further svenT , I hope you can get it sorted out soon

by Guest Sat 07 Mar 2015, 18:31

this problem as ive been reading all over the internet is happening with downloaded copys of the game randomly with people it dont matter if origin is installed or not or in offline mode or fake account some how EA them selfs are conecting to the game so then blocking it so not everyone is getting this problem has it is very new it seems EA is starting to crack down and log on to the sims 4 online or not ... so it seems the only way to get around this at the mo because it is going to happen to everyone with a downloaded copy is when you first download the game and install it your going have to totally disconcet your pc from the internet all the time so they can not get in the game

by **Sim Architect** Sun 08 Mar 2015, 15:34

sylvantos wrote:i can point you towards glassware. its sort of a like a firewall, but you can clearly see what is running and be able to block it in real time. It's more of a compliment to your own windows firewall, and i use it myself. The level of detail is huge really. anything and everything that connects to the net, it will show you the process and you can then control it. Maybe it will be able to help you somehow. It is freeware.

As for 98% of cases being okay, and myself included, would need a much bigger pool of players using the same game / same crack / ultimate fix. if only a few hundred or few thousand then it's not really a big enough pool, to actually make a deterministic view of exactly how many have the problem. Maybe there are people that have had the exact problem, but not posted about it here and decided to ask elsewhere, or never bothered, and found a way to resolve the issue themselves, or they might indeed have decided to buy the game while it was on sale. I really do not know. But for those of us who do post, there are going to be a whole lot more who do not.

mercifully I have been able to connect to the gallery and decided that place was awful haha, and used alternative sims 4 mod sites, but never encountered the issue with what SvenT described above.

However I have done some further investigation, and EA are known to put backdoor's onto people's machines. It's not something new, and other publishers / developers have done something similar in the past to. I am not saying this is exactly what they have done, but I would never trust / nor count it out , especially with the way EA do business even to their own paying customers.

If it was me, and this is what i would do, simply because I have a back up drive, i keep all my current stuff on it, is to do a simple re-install if windows. Does not take long, maybe 10/15 minutes at most, on recent machines, and then just update, install what you want as normal. I normally do a fresh install of windows 7 every 6 months or so. I also clean the following directly %temp% remove everything in there. CCleaner does not touch that temporary folder at all, neither does most other cleaning software.

Sorry I could not help / advise further svenT , I hope you can get it sorted out soon

kidrock2k12 wrote:this problem as ive been reading all over the internet is happening with downloaded copys of the game randomly with people it dont matter if origin is installed or not or in offline mode or fake account some how EA them selfs are conecting to the game so then blocking it so not everyone is getting this problem has it is very new it seems EA is starting to crack down and log on to the sims 4 online or not ... so it seems the only way to get around this at the mo because it is going to happen to everyone with a downloaded copy is when you first download the game and install it your going have to totally disconcet your pc from the internet all the time so they can not get in the game

Thanks! You are both right! I am not sure the DLC works if you are not connected. I installed the game on my tablet, DLC showed right away the first time it actually ran (the Visual C++ that comes with the game won't work, I don't know why, so I just download it straight from Microsoft).

I didn't create a save, neither tried to recover what I had. I might fiddle on my Tablet (on line, not further investigation on it), and I will do more "hardcore" stuff on a Virtual Machine that will just be disconnected all the time from the internet, completely. I'll only connect it to update windows once in a while.

I formatted that SSD (I am using it as a part of a temporary RAID array on my new laptop, until I get my MSI Super Raid adapter), so I won't have that Sims 4 install to try more stuff on it.

It really seems like something they did purposefully, so kids will just get hot headed and cry to their parents to give them the paid version of the game Very Happy

But we have to be persistent, because it's not only about us, but the whole community. I found a solution that worked for myself as I listed above, it also might help some people who cross this very same issue (even myself, again, who knows they blacklisted my IP?).

I think I saw something on the EA server files and the game scripts about white or blacklists. I just don't remember exactly where, sorry, but I guess I was blacklisted somehow. Nothing that a good VPN + virtual machine won't fix, anyway, ha ha ha.

I hope you have fun, I will let you know if I cross again that bad bridge and I will let you know if I find a good path to walk through it...

Tea 5

by **The_gh0stm4n** Thu 19 Mar 2015, 10:25

Sorry, what problem exactly are you guys now discussing about ? Is it about problems with the gallery, or is it (still) this "Gamedata incomplete" ? Smile

If it's still about the gamedata incomplete-thing, I would (again) double- and triple-check whether or not the anti-virus is deleting or 'cleaning' crack files of the Ultimate fix.

As for everything else (i.e. the gallery problem), though I'm tempted to consider sylvantos' and kidrock's theories as crazy, I think they got a point. Some people are getting mysterious messages that they need "a copy of The Sims 4 registered to their Origin accounts", in order to use the gallery with a pirated game. As a temporary workaround, you could try registering the freely available Sims 4 CAS demo to your (fake) account, and then try again.

But let's not get too off-topic. The original problem in my eyes doesn't have much to do with EA's 'backdoors' or 'cracking-down'. Feel free to open a new thread about that, though Smile

by **Sim Architect** Thu 19 Mar 2015, 21:41

The problem was still the same, game data incomplete. But don't worry, since I formatted the disk, I will have a new installation and a whole new story will be written...

I saw people posting about the same problem on Facebook, even with original copies of the game. I leave it up to you to close or keep the topic open in case more people come with the same issue.

Have a nice afternoon!

Tea 1

by Guest Fri 20 Mar 2015, 12:26

i have a proper copy no problem its the fake copy that have the problem since eas backdoor protechtion so each game will close down once ea know its a fake copy the only way to get around it is to put it on a computer that dont use the internet

by Guest Wed 01 Apr 2015, 05:19

I actually have a bit of an issue with this as well. Every 3-4 days, I have to reinstall the Ultimate Fix because it takes my DLC away. I get it working again by just re-installing the Ultimate Fix.

EA is evil, man.

by Guest Thu 02 Apr 2015, 08:06

I'm facing the same problem T.T

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