CATS AND DOGS - Unable to start: required game data is missing or damaged

So, the torrent finished downloading for me this morning (still seeding though) and I installed it exactly how it should be (no anti-virus, in the program files x86 folder, etc.) but whenever I try to launch the game (as an administrator, obviously), I get a message saying "Unable to start: Cannot start because required game data is missing or damaged. Please repair or install the game via origin." I don't have any mods or CC, and I have the Rldorigin files, so I don't know why I keep getting this message.

I tried to download the new "no origin" folder from here but I cannot put the files in my game folder because I do not have administer permission to do so - I tried to change that but I can't. EDIT: I got this part to work and replaced the files with the new ones, but I'm still having the same issue.

Please help, I just want to play the game

irlwench wrote:So, the torrent finished downloading for me this morning (still seeding though) and I installed it exactly how it should be (no anti-virus, in the program files x86 folder, etc.) but whenever I try to launch the game (as an administrator, obviously), I get a message saying "Unable to start: Cannot start because required game data is missing or damaged. Please repair or install the game via origin." I don't have any mods or CC, and I have the Rldorigin files, so I don't know why I keep getting this message.

I tried to download the new "no origin" folder from here but I cannot put the files in my game folder because I do not have administer permission to do so - I tried to change that but I can't. EDIT: I got this part to work and replaced the files with the new ones, but I'm still having the same issue.

Please help, I just want to play the game

Hello @irlwench and sorry to hear about these difficulties,


Have you installed ALL Games4theworld Sims 4 releases, in the order described here?
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t21806-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-4-correctly

Did you also use the program WinRAR for extraction, of the torrents?

I have the same issue, even if i have all the DLC in the right order, and i extracted it with Winrar and Utorrent, two times. And i still have the 'damaged or missing" text.
I put away the EP04 folder from my sims folder, and i can play the game, but it's telling me the Cat and Dog DLC is still loading...

Did you find a fix?

@Bakandasama @JustNeeNee since you have similar problem, I'll try to help you both here. I need some info from you.

Open Game\Bin\Default.ini, look for the line with gameversion and paste it here.
Open __Installer\installerdata.xml, once again look for the line with gameVersion and also paste it here.
Are you 100% sure you followed installation guide? At this point you should have following DLC folders in your game directory:

• EP: 01-04
  
• FP01
  
• GP: 01-05
  
• SP: 01-12

Double check if nothing is missing.

In your torrent client (I don't recommend any uTorrent beyond 2.2.1, I'm using Tixati myself) right click on the torrent name and look for "check files"/"check again"/"check" or something similar. You might have to stop the torrent to do it. If there are any missing parts, it will download them and you can try extracting in to game folder again.

gameversion = 1.36.102.1020

So I got extremely frustrated with this I have been working on it for days. I uninstalled and deleted all my Sims files. I then tried starting from 0 with extracting the files in order again. I was never able to get the game to even work anymore. Kept stating needed to update game via origin. I am kinda pissy that I am now left to downloading through ZLorigin. I did not want to have to have a launcher and did not need it before.

@JustNeeNee that doesn't look right at all. "GDF" files should be in "__Installer" directory. What's inside "The Sims 4 *" folders? They should not be there at all. You're missing "FP01" which was included in Get to Work DLC. Follow installation guide again and you should end up with this:

It looks as if you extracted the downloaded files into your c: program files/ the sims 4. and from there you tried to install them. ( all the files with names attached, like The sims 4 Fitness stuff, etc should not be in there at all! )You must extract them with win.rar to a different place on your Computer, than open the folder and copy/paste them into your install file on C; ( program files x 86/ the sims 4. It really looks, as if you will have to start from scratch. Tarac or the Ghost man will probably be able to explain better