Downloading Content – Sims 2   (Views: 7,388 )

---

Favorite      

---

First of all, make sure that you have all the expansion packs, stuff packs, meshes and custom content required before you download any lot. You can find this information on the download page for the lot you want to install.

1. Download: Click the download link to save the .rar or .zip file(s) to your computer.

2. Extract: WinRar, WinZip, ALZIP (or other Windows extraction software) or The Unarchiver (Mac) to extract the .sims2pack file(s) from the .rar or .zip file(s).

3. Install: Double-click on the .sims2pack file to install its contents to your game. The files will automatically be installed to the proper location(s).

You may want to use the Sims2Pack Clean Installer instead of the game’s installer, which will let you install Sims and pets which may otherwise give errors about needing expansion packs. It also lets you choose what included content to install.

Do NOT use Clean Installer to get around this error with lots and houses as that can cause your game to crash when attempting to use that lot. Download Clean Installer here.

Installing packages

Package is the main file type you will see with The Sims 2. Called PACKAGE files or DBPF Package Files by Windows, with the file extension .package, Package files can be just about any type of content for your game: meshes, recolours, objects, walls, floors, etc.

If the file(s) you have extracted from your archive are of the Package type, you will need to place those file(s) into your Downloads folder so that they can be read by Sims 2 and will show up when you go to play your game.

Almost all Package files will go in your Downloads folder.

Downloads folder

* If you are using Windows XP your Downloads folder is:
Documents and Settings(Current User Account)My DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Downloads

* If you are on a Mac, the Downloads folder is:
Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Downloads

* If you have Windows Vista, the Downloads folder is:
Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Downloads

* If you have Windows 10, the downloads folder is:
C:Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Downloads

* If you have Windows 10 and The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection:
C:Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims™ 2 Ultimate CollectionDownloads

The location of the exact folder depends on your current user account, so make sure you’re looking in the right place if you have several user accounts that show when you start your computer. You need to be using the one for the account you’re logged into when you want to play the game.

There is also an ‘EA GamesThe Sims 2’ folder under Program Files. Many beginners get it mixed up and try to place their downloads in here. Downloads go in the folder inside My Documents, NOT under Program Files.

If you have just installed the game, you may not have a Downloads folder – sometimes it doesn’t create one along with the other folders. You will have to create one yourself. If you do not have a Downloads folder and you need to create one, here’s how:

You should be in the folder ‘My DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2’. Right-click in a blank space in the folder and click New, then Folder. It will create a new folder at the bottom of the window, with the ‘New Folder’ text selected. Begin typing the name of your new folder. The name of your folder should be:

Downloads

Please type the folder as it is, with a capital ‘D’, with an ‘s’ on the end: ‘Downloads’
When you have the name typed, click somewhere else in the folder window to finish naming the folder. If you made a mistake, you can right-click on the folder and choose Rename to try again.

Any package that you download can be placed in this folder by copying and pasting it.

Using the Body Shop installer

There is an installer that comes with the game that will automatically install pieces of content one at a time. If you haven’t installed any other programs, this is the one you will be using. It does not let you choose what contents of the Sims2Pack file to install, and you must install each Sims2Pack file separately, which can take a long time if you have a lot of them.

If you do not have Clean Installer and would like to use the Body Shop installer to install your content, double-click on a Sims2Pack file. You’ll see a blue window. Click Install and it will install your content. Click OK to close the window. Your Sims2Pack is now installed.

Collections

Collections are files that allow you to organize content by theme, creator, set, or whatever you choose. Often creators will include a collection file for a themed set, so you can easily find all of its elements when you’re in-game. Collections are just lists of the files in a set – you will still have to download the actual set separately.
Collections will be .package files, but they don’t go in Downloads. They’ll usually be downloaded separately from the main set, or will say “collection” in the filename. Collections go in your Collections folder:

* If you are using Windows XP, your Collections folder is:
Documents and Settings(Current User Account)My DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Collections

* If you are on a Mac, the Collections folder is:
Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Collections

* If you have Windows Vista or 7, the Collections folder is:
Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2Collections

* If you have Windows 10 ‘The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection:
C:Users(Current User Account)DocumentsEA GamesThe Sims 2 Ultimate CollectionCollections

You must be a logged in member to download this file