Title: Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e - freem URL Source: https://freemwiki.com/index.php?mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile&title=Openai%2F696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e Markdown Content: ### User: Ruined my wifes Sims 4 games[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=2 "Edit section: User: Ruined my wifes Sims 4 games") Ruined my wifes Sims 4 games My wife has a pc with steam and years worth if game time. Sims 4 was not installed at the moment. I logged into my user on the pc and my steam account, and wanted to try the game, so I downloaded it from the "family library", and the started up a new game. Today she logs into the game from her user and her account and sees all her saves are gone. What did I do and how can I fix it? ### Assistant: You didn’t permanently delete her Sims 4 saves, but you did almost certainly cause Steam / EA App to look in the wrong …[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=3 "Edit section: Assistant: You didn’t permanently delete her Sims 4 saves, but you did almost certainly cause Steam / EA App to look in the wrong …") You didn’t permanently delete her Sims 4 saves, but you did almost certainly cause Steam / EA App to look in the wrong save location and possibly sync an empty folder over her real one. This is a very common Sims 4 + Steam + multiple Windows users issue. The good news: the saves are usually still on the PC. #### What likely happened (in plain English)[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=4 "Edit section: What likely happened (in plain English)") The Sims 4 stores saves per Windows user, not per Steam account. When you: * logged into your Windows user * launched Sims 4 via Steam Family Library * started a new game …the game created a new Sims 4 folder under _your_ Windows profile. Then when your wife later: * logged into her Windows user * launched Sims 4 Steam / EA App likely: * pointed the game to a fresh, empty Sims folder * or cloud-synced the empty folder, hiding her real saves So the game thinks there are no saves. #### Step 1: Do NOT start a new game on her account yet[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=5 "Edit section: Step 1: Do NOT start a new game on her account yet") Starting a new game can overwrite or cloud-sync again. Close the game completely. #### Step 2: Find her original save files (most important)[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=6 "Edit section: Step 2: Find her original save files (most important)") On her Windows account: 1. Open File Explorer 2. Go to: Documents └── Electronic Arts └── The Sims 4 Look for these folders: * saves * Tray * Mods If the saves folder exists but is empty or very recent, the originals are likely elsewhere. #### Step 3: Check YOUR Windows user’s Sims folder[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=7 "Edit section: Step 3: Check YOUR Windows user’s Sims folder") Log into your Windows account and go to: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 If you see: * her old save filenames (Slot_0000000X.save) * older timestamps * lots of files Then that’s the missing data. #### Step 4: Restore the saves[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=8 "Edit section: Step 4: Restore the saves") If you find her saves under your user: 1. Copy the entire saves folder 2. Switch to her Windows user 3. Paste it into: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 Overwrite when prompted. Do the same for: * Tray (households & lots) * Mods (if she uses them) #### Step 5: Disable Steam Cloud for Sims 4 (very important)[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=9 "Edit section: Step 5: Disable Steam Cloud for Sims 4 (very important)") Steam Cloud causes this exact problem. On her Steam account: 1. Library → The Sims 4 2. Right-click → Properties 3. General 4. Turn OFF Steam Cloud Do this on your account too to avoid future sync conflicts. (The Sims 4 does not need Steam Cloud; it breaks multi-user setups.) #### Step 6: Launch the game and verify[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=10 "Edit section: Step 6: Launch the game and verify") * Start Sims 4 on her Windows user * Load Game (not New Game) * Her saves should reappear #### If the saves aren’t in either folder[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=11 "Edit section: If the saves aren’t in either folder") Try these backups (in order): ##### Sims automatic backups[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=12 "Edit section: Sims automatic backups") Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\saves Look for .save.ver0, .save.ver1 files Rename one to .save and try loading it. ##### Windows Previous Versions[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=13 "Edit section: Windows Previous Versions") Right-click: Documents\Electronic Arts → Properties → Previous Versions #### How to avoid this in the future[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/696fd81d-e8e8-8002-b9cb-9c2f9e76828e&action=edit§ion=14 "Edit section: How to avoid this in the future") * Only play Sims 4 on one Windows user * Keep Steam Cloud OFF * Never mix Family Library + Sims 4 across users * Backup Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 occasionally If you want, tell me: * Windows version * Steam or EA App only? * Whether Steam Cloud was enabled and I’ll walk you through exact recovery steps for your setup.