What I did to get the game running smoothly again, and other adventures

First of all, I never had any problems running this game up and until Toddlers and Vampires. I first of all started off by following these instructions.
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t18501-unable-to-start-initialization-error-at-startup-updated-on-11-9-2015#
I put my Vuze downloads folder with those exceptions as well.

Then this
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t21806-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-4-correctly#

I loaded the sims 4 base game as administrator worked perfectly. Same things done with Get to work and Get together. Here I encountered the first error. Just simple one , game not loading. I of course had lots of cc at this stage and always used the original Game folder in Documents. Searched this site and the internet. I came across a you tube Video by Sim architect where he also explained what to do and how to install.

https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/spa/Sim%20Architect

Please also install your game as administrator. ( Extract the rar files etc always as administrator. It is also mentioned by sim Architect.

a) remove all your Saves, your tray, your mods Folders from Documents electronic arts the sims 4. MOVE to desk top
b) run game as administrator. ( this is the base game only ) I had to uninstall get to work and get together error message: Origin not running.
c) moved game to program files on c, since I did not move it out of electronic arts folder before ( Read the instructions in above link, before installing. )
d) run as Administrator and it loaded just fine.
e) loaded get to work run as administrator, it worked.
f)  loaded get together, it worked
g) put my mods folder back, crash, full scale. Used the 50/50 method and found the culprit. some blanket from Jonesi and some hair, where I did not have the mesh.
h) loaded game, always as administrator it worked.
i) put tray back, loaded game, it worked.
j) put saves back, crash. ( some content has been removed etc. ) well, i deleted the saves and started a completely new game, moving mods to desktop etc, before playing vanilla. put mods back and was happy chappy. It worked.
k) At this stage I was still on windows 7 64 bit. I only use windows Defender as Anti Virus, as I have read that one should NOT have two Anti-virus Programs installed ( they conflict with each other and slow Computer down. ) believe me, this is true. I learned the hard way.
now my Computer upgraded to windows 10. I tried Windows 10 and it worked fine, so I kept it and deleted windows old.
wanted to play sims 4 aaaand got origin not running error.
back to square one. move out tray, saves and mods, still error. Than I realized, I needed to check my exceptions. They were all gone.suppose the upgrade did that. I reapplied them and ran game, still error. So I reapplied the get to work install and it now ran smoothly again. ( Antivirus probably removed the origin related crack )
l) I applied city living. I remembered the advise by sim architect to MOVE the three folders from Documents/sims 4/ before installing. Moved them to desktop for safekeeping.
m) ran a vanilla game as administrator and it worked. Put mods back, tray and saves and it still ran, although now it was a bit laggy. Changed my settings to low ( everything was on high ) and that helped.
n) Now the Toddlers and Vampire came out and wham, I had the indefinite loading problem. Further more in CAS I only had the sim, nothing else.( I did not move the saves, mods, tray folder out before installing !!!!!, stupid me! )
I applied this fix. https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t29990-possible-fix-for-endless-household-loading-screen-missing-language-strings-in-g4tw-toddlers-repack-obsolete#
Ran the game as administrator, it loaded and I could even enter the property. The endless loading screen was fixed, BUT there was nothing in build mode. All the cc and stuff yes, it showed up, but NO building tools, I could look at things, but not use them.
NOW i remembered to take out the mods etc. Ran a vanilla game and it worked superbly. Put all the mods back and ..........., same problem. Now the tedious task started again. I had to find the culprits. ( twisted mexi Full edit mode and and some other outdated mods)( check these kind of mods like MCCC, traits, UI cheats, etc.) )These need to be compatible with your game version. I now have them in a separate folder and if I run into problems, that is the first folder to be moved out before I do the 50/50 method. ) it normally fixes the problem.

My game ran smoothly again. I now decided to also install the ZLOrigin version on my laptop. Before I did that, I moved the sims 4 from my c: Program/ theSims 4 to two external hard drives and than installed via zlOrigin. Ran the game vanilla, no problems. ( Must still add the mods back to that My documents/electronic Arts/The sims 4 folder. I call this folder The sims 4 ZLorigin, if I run the G4TW version.
Now I wanted to test my two external hard drive versions. Had the Origin is not running error for both of them. Than I remembered the darn exclusions. So I excluded the hard drives in windows defender plus the The sims 4 file for both of them. ( yea, it might sound excessive, but I do not take any chances,
Still had origin is not running error

I re-applied get together to both of them and it ran smoothly again.

Parenthood approached. I remembered to start a vanilla game. I did not remember to install as administrator. Again the loooong loading screen. No problems in CAS. I removed the games file and reapplied the fix from toddlers. ( Error: Data missing etc ) I reapplied the original games file from parenthood. No change. I removed parenthood completely, complete crash. Then I decided to basically start from scratch. BUT, I now have the ZL origin version installed on my C drive and was worried that by re installing the cracked version, it might cause problems with the zlorigin one ( that one is installed in the origin folder on the C drive, where by default also the cracked version will be installed, before moving it to  program files. ) So i only applied all the installs from get to work onward's right up to parenthood ( And I completely turned off the Windows Defender and Firewall as well before installing.) Always doing a test run between each separate install. Always as administrator. Took ages, but it worked. I let the Games folder from Parenthood overwrite the one from toddlers and Vampires and there is no more infinite loading screen. CAS works and also no more lag.

I then put the mods back, leaving script mods till the end. No problem, all updated. Then the saves and now there was something funny. You see, I am very much a builder and had all the EA houses deleted . ( Not the lived in ones ) but loading the game they were all back and my own houses not. So I went into saved games and deleted the very last save which was my test run. Loaded the saved game prior to that one and everything is fine.


I applied the last update as well and the two cracked Games from both external hard drives work. perfectly.


This is a very long post, but this is what got my games running in every version that I have. Now I must only remember which game I am playing. ZLOrigin or G4TW. Both are in separate files in Documents/ElectronicArts.One is Sims 4 ZLOrigin and the other Sims 4 external. I must just remember to rename them before playing

Check your antivirus exclusions. This in my opinion is the main reason for Origin is not running error and incomplete Data error. Had both of them twice and origin is not even installed on my computer.


Move Saves/ tray/ mods/ out before installing any new game pack

Install as administrator
run game completely vanilla as administrator

Check CAS and live/build mode. If it does not work, reapply. (Make sure about Anti Virus. I am convinced my turning off the Windows defender and firewall prior to installing did the trick)

put cc back batch by batch AND test run continuously
Put script mods and hacks back at the very last these need to be updated.

DO NOT MIX G4TW AND ZLOrigin Games, KEEP SEPARATE AT ALL TIMES) Jup, I managed that and disaster struck.


Hope this helps someone

I have:
1. The real genuine Origin games
2. The ZLOrigin games
3. Fitgirl's latest repack
4. all G4TW items

They use the same folder in User\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4
No problem at all as they all have the same version number now.