Transferring Sims 4 to new computer without registry/other info on pc. [SOLVED]

Hi guys, I'd appreciate your help here!

I have the latest G4TW Sims 4, no problems with the game whatsoever. Dad got me a new computer, but unfortunately it was included in his business expences sooo everything there has to be legal. I thought of two options but after reading the topic about transferring game to another pc, it seems that there's no way to have the game without actually having it in the registry...
I was thinking about putting all files on external drive and back on pc just when I wish to play, without leaving any trace on the new computer. The other option I thought of is just keeping it in .zip under "homework" or something lol.
Is it even possible to leave no trace of game being there? Is there a way to make it easy or would I have to clean registry every single time? Any other options?

deadhime wrote:Hi guys, I'd appreciate your help here!

I have the latest G4TW Sims 4, no problems with the game whatsoever. Dad got me a new computer, but unfortunately it was included in his business expences sooo everything there has to be legal.

Hello @deadhime,

I remember did this "test" a while ago, but I did it again to confirm it. So what I did was to delete my registry entry of The Sims 4, and then tried running the game. Seems to work just fine.

Only thing is, the default in-game display language in that scenario is English. So if you wanted another language than English, you would need to add these registry entries. Other than that, you can play registry-free, in English.

By the way, if there is really some procedure in place to "check company computers for illegal stuff", they can still see your actual TS4 installation folders. In fact, those folders will be found more easily than some obscure registry entry. Even if you really go through the hassle of packing the TS4 folders into a .rar/.zip/.7z archive, the resulting filesize would be huge, at least 30 GB. Someone could ask nosy questions.

Then again, what I can imagine to be more likely is that maybe they will check for typical office-type software, like from Adobe or Microsoft. But not really The Sims 4. Just my estimate.

If you absolutely want to play on that new computer, then indeed use an external hard-drive for storing your TS4 install folders, and hook up that drive to the main computer. Edit: the topic you are referring to about moving TS4 to a new computer was written a long time ago, and I forgot to update it. I shall do so, shortly. If my memory doesn't fail me now, I believe back then with the RELOADED cracks, if you deleted your registry entries and re-started the game (as Administrator), it would automatically recreate those registry entries. But now there are these CODEX-files, and it seems they work differently in that regard.

The_gh0stm4n wrote:
By the way, if there is really some procedure in place to "check company computers for illegal stuff", they can still see your actual TS4 installation folders.

If I understand correctly, that is even if I just move the Game folder back and forth from Program Files? I thought there's no installation folders if I just paste it and then delete it, other than the 2-3 mb launcher showing in installed programs.  I hope they just look at that, since it's easy to delete.

I wouldn't like to put my dad in prison over a stupid game tho. Unfortunately he insists to sell or leave my old pc in the basement so yeah I'll have to play on the new one. Or forget about ts4 if there's no certainty to any solution.  :1

deadhime wrote:If I understand correctly, that is even if I just move the Game folder back and forth from Program Files? I thought there's no installation folders if I just paste it and then delete it, other than the 2-3 mb launcher showing in installed programs.  I hope they just look at that, since it's easy to delete.

I wouldn't like to put my dad in prison over a stupid game tho. Unfortunately he insists to sell or leave my old pc in the basement so yeah I'll have to play on the new one. Or forget about ts4 if there's no certainty to any solution.  :1

You need to have the TS4 "installation folder" - currently ca. 35 GB total with all DLCs - someplace, when you start up the game, and for the duration of your gameplay. That can be a location somewhere within your main hard-drive C: , or some external storage device (USB flash, maybe even some large-capacity SD card?). It's not possible otherwise...to start the game out of thin air, for a lack of a better expression.

You can create a desktop shortcut from the game's .exe if that's what you mean, but what's the point in your case? You'll still need the main TS4 install folder someplace.

So if I understand well I can play The Sims 4 from another disc as my normal C: drive.
But where does it store the things which usually go to the My Documents folder? And can it be changed?

TheFonZzz wrote:So if I understand well I can play The Sims 4 from another disc as my normal C: drive.
But where does it store the things which usually go to the My Documents folder? And can it be changed?

Hello and welcome to the G4TW Forums @TheFonZzz,

The stuff you are referring to will be saved on the C: drive of the computer, that you are playing the game on. Specifically C:\Users\(your Windows username)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4. You can either use the symbolic link-trick to have a different location for that stuff, which will probably be too fancy for the average person to do.

Or you can do it the easy way, and simply go under C:\Users\(your Windows username). Search for the "Documents" subfolder there, and right-click => Properties. Look for the tab named "Location", and you can choose a custom location for your entire Documents-folders.

Personally I don't recommend using either symbolic links or that custom-location-option, unless you are really super-tight on filespace and you absolutely want to play The Sims 4. But in general it's always going to be easier to free up enough space on the C: drive, rather than fiddle around with the above-mentioned options. But your decision in the end of course.

Good luck!

Thank you very much @The_Gh0stm4n.


I have a new HDD in my PC and next to that another media drive. On my old HDD I had The Sims  completely (all "official" G4TW releases) and I don't want to re-install all of again when it's not needed.

I want the program files on that media drive, but now you mentioned and the data in the documents folder don't use so much space (135 Mb) it's indeed worth to keep that on the C: drive.

So I'm gonna try to get it to work today. I'll keep you informed.

TheFonZzz wrote:Thank you very much @The_Gh0stm4n.


I have a new HDD in my PC and next to that another media drive. On my old HDD I had The Sims  completely (all "official" G4TW releases) and I don't want to re-install all of again when it's not needed.

I want the program files on that media drive, but now you mentioned and the data in the documents folder don't use so much space (135 Mb) it's indeed worth to keep that on the C: drive.

So I'm gonna try to get it to work today. I'll keep you informed.

Yes, the 'tricks' that I mentioned above are mainly going to be relevant for those people who really use a lot of mods/custom content/scripts (multiple GBs), so it makes more sense for those people to have their Documents-folder elsewhere.

Good luck again!

It worked like a charm.

All I had to do was to do was to copy the files in the My Documents folder to the C: drive and all the program files to my Media drive. 
The only installation that needed to be installed were the VC files.

Thank you for your help @The_Gh0stm4n and keep up the great work you guys are doing here !!



[not]Problem solved and topic closed I guess.  

- The_gh0stm4n[/not]