Install Issue

Hi. I was hoping someone could point out what I'm doing wrong here. I started installing all the TS3 games (base + expansions) following the instructions included in the rar files which means I was using the cracks. Yes I read the how to install correctly thread but I was just trying to follow ALL the directions at once. so long story short, I go to install Late Night and it says unistall everything and reinstall WITHOUT cracks. I uninstalled and re-mounted and installed the base isos and changed the SKU value in the registry and went to install WA, clicked the start-up exe, clicked next. It told me the sims needed to be updated before I could install so I clicked yes and I got an error saying "Error with the Sims 3 Update. Set-up is unable to continue. So how can I install the games and not use the cracks? Sorry if I'm being a major noob. I'm just super confused.

Uninstall everything again, then you install one by one, don't use any crack. Then, after finishing the last EP/SP you want, copy the main crack for The Sims folder, that you get from the fix.

Install Instructions:

https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1171-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-3-correctly

Ultimate Fix:

https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t752-the-sims-3-ultimate-fix-should-fix-most-of-your-problems

To apply the ultimate fix you need to have AT LEAST ONE of the listed expansions or stuff packs, or it won't work (in that case you can keep the image of the last expansion/stuff pack disk mounted anytime you play, usually worked for me, not sure for Supernatural on that though) :

Supernatural, Diesel Stuff, Katy
Perry Sweet Treats, Showtime, Master Suite Stuff, Pets, Town Life Stuff, Generations

The fix has a text file with instructions that you need to follow only if you cracked the game and need to update it. If you didn't, just install the game and expansions/stuff packs, then follow these instructions from the fix:

"13. Open the "# Crack"
folder in this .rar file. Drag & drop the .dll and .exe file you’ll see in
there to exactly: C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic
Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin (SO NOT TO THE EXPANSION’S GAME DIRECTORY!) and choose "Replace" on the pop-up
that appears, telling you the files already exist.

14. After you’ve applied the crack, start the game and... ENJOY playing!"

Ok I understand all of that but what I mean is, I literally can't install World Adventures without using the updates in the Crack folders.

amy_apocalypse wrote:Ok I understand all of that but what I mean is, I literally can't install World Adventures without using the updates in the Crack folders.

I'm not sure if I got you right, but have you tried this manual patch already ?

https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1870-can-t-update-the-sims-3-to-v142-fix-manual-patch-updated

No I haven't. Can I use that after the base game before I install all the rest or do I have to wait untill the very end?

amy_apocalypse wrote:No I haven't. Can I use that after the base game before I install all the rest or do I have to wait untill the very end?

Since I never had that problem myself, I can only give you an 'educated guess' : when installing expansions, at some point you'll probably be prompted to "update the game", whether this is done by the Sims 3 launcher or by means of the manual patch doesn't matter. This means: you should update after installing the base game because you probably can't install the other expansions anyway. (Anyone correct me if I'm wrong)

Good luck!

Yeah that's pretty much what's happening to me. I go to install World Adventures and it says it needs to be updated so I click ok and it says there's an error (the error probably being that it recognizes what I'm trying to upadate as pirated software). Just a guess.

I just uninstalled. Gonna try applying the patch after the base. I'll let you know how tht goes. Wish me luck.

//EDIT

That seemed to do the trick for now. Thanks for your help. I was super stumped. I feel kinda stupid since the fix was so simple. Again, thanks to everyone. Hopefully the rest of the install goes smoothly. If not, I know where to go.

Yeah, I installed everything several times, and installing the base game, manual patching to the latest version, and then installing all the expansions is the seemingly quickest/least issues I found.

Was the error related to invalid files found? Yeah that is just a side-effect that the auto update is picky since the ts3.exe/ts3w.exe and such files are edited to not check for a disc.

It never really gave me a reason for the error. It just said "Set up is unable to continue". But like you said, installing the base, patching and installing the packs was simple and error free. Got everything installed now and it works as far as launching with no errors but I have a totally unrelated in-game error that I had with the licensed copy of the game in the first place so I'll be posting a thread for that in the other section (assuming I can't find the solution in an existing thread, of course).