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#1 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 1:55 AM
Default Problem with missing folders / Don't know where to put the downloads folder
Hello ! I'm new to this forum and this sims' game (I've only played TS3 and TS4 a long time ago), and I'm having trouble adding mods to it.
My problem is that I don't have the "EA Games" folder in my Documents folder, and since my OS is Ubuntu Studio, a Linux distro (I can play thanks to Proton, a compatibility layer. The game works 100% fine, don't worry), I also don't have OneDrive, which I know causes conflicts with the Documents folder, therefore, I can't find the "Downloads" folder (assuming the game created it automatically).

Of course, I tried creating one myself (and put the CC in it; I first tried with a hair, I didn't forget the mesh by the way, and then tried with a makeup, to test and see if the problem was the first CC in question.) and placing it in the "Resources" folder (game > EP9 > TSData > Res) because judging by the contents of other people's sims subfolders (Documents > EA Games > The Sims 2), it had some subfolders that were the same as this one (like "LotCatalog" or "Config"). But it didn't work, nor did it in other places. The game doesn't recognize anything (And I made sure to enable custom content and restart).

I followed the "Enabling Custom Content" guide from the FAQ (https://modthesims.info/wiki.php?ti...me_Help:GCCTSU2) and turned "Catalogs Display Custom Content" on and "Display Custom Content Dialog at Startup" off. Again, nothing showed up no matter how many times I restarted/exited and re-entered the game. Oh, and neither of the CCs needed any EP, and both were .PACKAGE files.

My system specifications:

Operating system: Ubuntu Studio 24.04.03 LTS
Processor: 12 × AMD Ryzen 5 1600 Six-Core Processor
RAM: 15,5 GiB
Graphics card: AMD Radeon RX 570 Series
Graphic platform: X11
Compatibility layer: Steam Proton 9.0-4

And that's it sorry if I made any mistakes: English is not my mother tongue. Thanks in advance :D
Mad Poster
#2 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 3:26 AM Last edited by simmer22 : 15th Nov 2025 at 3:44 AM.
The location you find inside the install folder that kind of looks like the Documents-type folder is just the set of base files that gets copied over if you remove the actual savegame files. It's not the location the game reads from when you play.

On a Windows computer, the game places files two places - the install files go in the Program Files, while the "savegame" files (your current game, where the game saves files), including the Downloads folder, goes in the Documents folder. This one is named after the game as well (Documents/Other location(?) -> EA Games --> Sims 2 --> [folders] )

Downloads don't go in with the install files. In most cases (there are exceptions, but relatively few) downloads go into this other location.

I don't know how this works on Linux, but since your game works, I assume you have some substitute location for the Documents folder.

---

https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=628634

According to this topic, the path should look something like this (could possibly also be different between Linux versions, and how you've installed it)

Quote:
For Mods, it's under /home/YOURUSERNAME/Games/the-sims-2/drive-c/YOURUSERNAME/My Documents/EA GAMES/The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection**/Downloads

For the game itself, it's under /home/YOURUSERNAME/Games/the-sims2/drive-c/Program Files/Origin Games/The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection


(**Depends on version you have - could be "The Sims 2", "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection", "The Sims 2 Legacy", or similar)
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#3 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 3:37 AM
You should have an EA Games folder on Linux in the Document area, can you take a screenshot of what you have?

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
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Original Poster
#4 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 7:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
The location you find inside the install folder that kind of looks like the Documents-type folder is just the set of base files that gets copied over if you remove the actual savegame files. It's not the location the game reads from when you play.

On a Windows computer, the game places files two places - the install files go in the Program Files, while the "savegame" files (your current game, where the game saves files), including the Downloads folder, goes in the Documents folder. This one is named after the game as well (Documents/Other location(?) -> EA Games --> Sims 2 --> [folders] )

Downloads don't go in with the install files. In most cases (there are exceptions, but relatively few) downloads go into this other location.

I don't know how this works on Linux, but since your game works, I assume you have some substitute location for the Documents folder.

---

https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=628634

According to this topic, the path should look something like this (could possibly also be different between Linux versions, and how you've installed it)



(**Depends on version you have - could be "The Sims 2", "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection", "The Sims 2 Legacy", or similar)


Thank you for your answer . After reading that thread, I started searching through my folders like crazy XD. The thing is that, at some point, I wasn't really searching close to the path given there (Because I didn't find anything like that. It's strange), instead, I went to Personal files > .steam > root > steamapps > compatdata > 4237199125 ( ) > pfx > drive_c > users > steamuser > My documents, and there was "EA Games" ._. I don't know why it was so hard to find.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to reply :DDD I appreciate it!
Mad Poster
#5 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 7:37 PM
Glad you figured it out

Just a fair warning, though - make sure you don't subfolder your downloads too much, and keep an eye out for long filenames. Looks like there's already a lot more subfoldering going on with that Linux setup, and the game does (at least on Windows) have a limit of 256 characters for the full filepath (because it's based on older 32-bit systems - Windows 64 bit is able to read well past 256 characters). Not sure if it's the same in a Linux setup, or if this has been addressed with any of the newer game versions available, though.

If you notice that files aren't showing up, and you've already made sure the CEP is properly enabled, CC is enabled, meshes are present, and all that - then consider the file path limit.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#6 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 7:54 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
You should have an EA Games folder on Linux in the Document area, can you take a screenshot of what you have?


Thank you for your reply . I've already solved this; I somehow found it in Personal files > .steam > root > steamapps > compatdata > 4237199125 > pfx > drive_c > users > steamuser > My documents > EA games (sorry idk how to insert images in my replies, but I took screenshots)
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 8:15 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
Glad you figured it out

Just a fair warning, though - make sure you don't subfolder your downloads too much, and keep an eye out for long filenames. Looks like there's already a lot more subfoldering going on with that Linux setup, and the game does (at least on Windows) have a limit of 256 characters for the full filepath (because it's based on older 32-bit systems - Windows 64 bit is able to read well past 256 characters). Not sure if it's the same in a Linux setup, or if this has been addressed with any of the newer game versions available, though.

If you notice that files aren't showing up, and you've already made sure the CEP is properly enabled, CC is enabled, meshes are present, and all that - then consider the file path limit.


Yes, I know it's not recommended to have too many subfolders in the path to "Downloads". As I said, it's really confusing that there's a whole labyrinth in there, because everything else is easy to find and I've been using Linux for 3 years without any problems ¯\(°_o)/¯
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#8 Old 15th Nov 2025 at 10:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by I.R.I.D.E.S.C.E.N.T.
Thank you for your reply . I've already solved this; I somehow found it in Personal files > .steam > root > steamapps > compatdata > 4237199125 > pfx > drive_c > users > steamuser > My documents > EA games (sorry idk how to insert images in my replies, but I took screenshots)


I have my game on both Windows and Linux. I don't know too much about Linux as I had it set up for me by TeaAddict but that doesn't sound right to me. (she has a discord channel with a chat area devoted to Linux)

Scroll down the page here to upload an image, there should be a blue upload button. If not there should be an advanced button.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 17th Nov 2025 at 7:23 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I have my game on both Windows and Linux. I don't know too much about Linux as I had it set up for me by TeaAddict but that doesn't sound right to me. (she has a discord channel with a chat area devoted to Linux)

Scroll down the page here to upload an image, there should be a blue upload button. If not there should be an advanced button.


(Sorry for the delay in replying) Yes, seems wrong, but I forgot to mention that my game is pirated (I don't know if I can say this here, I don't want to get banned xD) so maybe that's why...?
The rest of the folders on the system are organized, and I always make sure to update and clean (I use the console/terminal to do these and more things because it's more recommended than only using the system repository. For example: If you delete a program from the repo and don't run the "autoremove" and "autoclean" commands in the terminal, some files might remain).
Screenshots
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#10 Old 17th Nov 2025 at 9:56 PM
If you want her Discord shoot me a PM. I did mention part of your game path to her and she said that was odd. I think most of us use Starter Pack. It's possible you got some weird version and yes we don't talk about pirated games on MTS.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#11 Old 21st Nov 2025 at 2:07 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
If you want her Discord shoot me a PM. I did mention part of your game path to her and she said that was odd. I think most of us use Starter Pack. It's possible you got some weird version and yes we don't talk about pirated games on MTS.


Thanks! but I don't use Discord. I'll pay attention while I play to see if the cc works correctly :DD
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