Ugh!! Cleaning Out The Downloads Folder!!!

[Kristalrose]

With a new EP coming out, and with a multitude of new custom content available online, I thought I would take the time to clean out my downloads folder. It's about time, too--it hasn't been done since NL came out, and I've been downloading pretty hard before Christmas.

I'm using the Clean Installer to help me. I have so many downloads in my folder that the CI reaches a limit and refuses to read any more. So, the easiest thing for both me and Clean Installer to do would be to catagorize the downloads into folders, then have the Clean Installer scan each one. This was a huge challege, and it took me about 3 hours all together yesterday. :(

1st off, I already had a few folders: hacks, floors, walls, and objects. But, because I use file maid to install all my downloads, it doesn't put them into the folders that I want, so only a few things were actually where they were supposed to be. So, I started moving files into the folders. I created three more folders: 1 for makeup and accessories, 1 for skin, hair, and eyes, and 1 for Clothing and meshes. As I worked, it became obvious that I needed to make one more folder: "I don't know." Many of the files only have a long string of letters and numbers for names. I like names that tell me what it is and where I got it, like "WDSflyinghighcrib" or "Skin By Deb" or "Nowhatsthis". Those I can catagorize on my own, the rest I had to guess.

So, I open clean installer and start checking files from the "I don't know" folder. I had it sort everything so that all the walls were together, and all the hair was together, etc. There were about 30 that even the clean installer didn't know what they were. Their names are just jibberish, there's no type, no creator data, and no preview image. At 1st I thought that these were just older files, created before the Clean Installer. After all, I was downloading TS2 bodyshop files before TS2 was released. I started deleting these files, but then I got nervous because I don't know what I am deleting. What if they are meshes? So, I moved the rest of them to my Clothing and Meshes folder.

Now, I have not started the game to make sure that it is recognizing all my files, or if I did delete important meshes.

[Mirelly]

Just out of interest, I wonder what constitutes a large number of downloads. I jsust checked mine and found 1175 in 14 folders (341MB) which is not especially huge but I am starting to notice a disc-catch-up lag when browsing the build/buy catalogues. I'm now wondering about doubling-up my RAM :rolleyes:

[Kristalrose]

Just out of interest, I wonder what constitutes a large number of downloads. I jsust checked mine and found 1175 in 14 folders (341MB) which is not especially huge but I am starting to notice a disc-catch-up lag when browsing the build/buy catalogues. I'm now wondering about doubling-up my RAM :rolleyes:

Mine is so full it's not funny, 4,465 files, 1.10 Gigs. It takes a long time to load the game, and a long time to load lots and scroll through the build/buy catalouges. It's really sad, because I don't want to give anything up. I look at the objects and say, "Oh, but that's a really cute outfit," or "I'll never find another couch like that, "or "I downloaded that from a paysite, so it's illogical to delete something you paid for!" I guess the smart thing to do would be to just chuck the whole downloads file and start over, only getting the things I really want. :( But I'm too stingy to do that.

[Mirelly]

Mine is so full it's not funny, 4,465 files, 1.10 Gigs.

LMAO At least I know I am somewhat restrained .... mind you, around half my stuff has been downloaded since Christmas, since I got hold of Q-Xpress ... it's a laziness thing. Gimme summat to make the job easy and I go crazy ... :rolleyes:

[person123]

After I decided to delete all my downloads before installing Nightlife, I've restrained myself and I only have 91.6 MB in my Downloads folder. I'm so happy and I feel like I'm finally starting to develop some much-needed self-control. :rolleyes: However, I just checked and I have 385 MB in my Projects folder, and most of the stuff in there I know I'll never upload to the game because I don't feel like fixing it and whatever. I also vowed not to download any furniture meshes, or even furniture recolors since I'm satisfied with the recolors for the Maxis meshes. Before Nightlife it took me like 3 minutes to start the game, and that may not seem that long, but if you're sitting in front of the computer, watching the little green bar slowly crawling across the screen....Anyway, I feel like I'm doing really good. Haha, wow, it's like we're addicted to downloading junk.

[Kristalrose]

I wish there was some easy way to use the clean installer or Sims Pe or some other tool to check our downloads and help us clean out bad files or files without meshes, or meshes without files, or whatever. :rolleyes:

[Mirelly]

Amen to that Kristal and I think Q-Xpress has installed mulitple copies of some of my downloads. BTW I just added another 100 :o

[Kristalrose]

Well, I found out for certain that the files Clean Installer could not read were meshes. Two of them were my favorite meshes: The Jeanette Beiderman and the WDS Long Hair. A quick visit to WDS and sims2sisters, and my hair is back. :) But, I picked up some more lovelies along the way. (The purpose of cleaning out, Kristal, is getting rid of crap, not adding crap). :p

[MegRen]

Does anyone know what download might cause a 'No Get Engaged or Married, or Move In' glitch?

Thanks!

Desperate in Texas :D

[suitemichelle]

Hey Rose it sounds like you need to start saving some that stuff on cd's. I'm still not using any downloads except maxis stuff, however I'm satisfying the download impulse by putting them in a folder on my desktop. I did breakdown and buy University again... looking forward to the new one too.

[Kristalrose]

But Michelle, if I didn't put the stuff into the game, it wouldn't fulfill my download impulse. I download stuff and then start the game and play "dress up" and "decorator." :o Can you store it to CD and then still access it?

[surprised_by_witches]

I tried removing my downloads once and messed up some of my sims' genetics, at least the ones with downloaded eye colors.

I think if I did it again I'd find all the genetic files that were in use and keep those.

[suitemichelle]

I don't think that you can even if you have dvd and cd capabilities... on second thought forget what I said.