I have many .sims3pack files located in \\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Downloads which I want to install. No matter whether I select all of them to install, a few of them to install or only one of them to install, I approach the same problem.

My launcher opens fine, but when the little square box pops up to display the installation progress and stuff, it is only coloured black and it stops responding. I can ctrl-alt-delete and stop the process and the launcher still works fine, but none of the .sims3pack files install.

I cannot survive without my custom content! What do I do?!

What happens if you test with just one file in Downloads, move the rest elsewhere for the time being? Does that single file install?

What patch version is the base game on?

• Game Help:TS3_Patching Find Gameversion^wiki
• Game Help:Patch_Table^wiki

With just one file in Downloads and the rest moved elsewhere, I still get the same problem.

My base game is patched to 1.33.2

EDIT: I just tried to run the game and all I'm given is a black screen with The Sims 'loading' cursor. Similar to what I'm given when I try to install .sims3pack files. This is bad.

EDITT: Also, I tried everything in the Crashing Checklist and still no dice.

• Sims 3 - Launcher and/or EADM Issues
  If you encounter issues while downloading Store/Exchange items or when trying to patch or Launcher won't even start, please try the suggestions on these FAQ articles:
  
  • Game Help:Launcher Issues^wiki
  • Game Help:EADM Issues^wiki
  
  

Well, I doubt crashing checklist is going to help Sims3Pack installing issues.
More relevant would have been to check if Origin is updated. If it is still installed. Is it still installed and updated?

You've done a test on clean user files? Perhaps the .ebc/dbc files are corrupted and Launcher can't read it to decide to create new ones or append to that. Game_Help:GCCTSU3_Redo/DCCache^wiki

By the way, what kind of Sims3Packs are these? And from where? Exchange, Store, TSRW user-created content from various sites or TSR specifically?
Even Sims3Packs from here on MTS? For Lots and Worlds?

[eta]Just heard this ping go off in my brain, yeah sometime tunnel vision clouds the mind.
And yes, the crashing checklist would be relevant in this case, sorry.
The black screen when starting the game - is that via Launcher or after bypassing it? So with the evidence of a black screen, have you gone an updated the graphics drivers?
And working through the checklist did not help in loading the game at all?
Is this the first time you've played Sims 3 on this machine? Can you then provide the rest of the info asked for in the checklist wiki - like DEP done? Specs?

Thanks for the help!

I've tried fiddling around with Origin, the result is the same with it installed and updated and with it not installed = no dice.

I have done a test on clean user files. Completely removing my Sims 3 folder in Documents gives me the same result = no dice.

The Sims3Packs are from various places. Literally everywhere. Some from MTS, some from the Store, some from various websites around the place. Clothing, Lots and Worlds and miscellaneous stuff. They WERE installed on my machine previously, but I did a complete re-install of ALL my Sims 3 games fairly recently and forgot to re-install these Sims3Packs until now, then I realised I was having this problem.

The black screen is with and without the Launcher.

I will update the graphics drivers right now!

Working through the checklist did not help in loading the game at all. Not even a tiny bit. It was very intuitive, though. :p

This is not the first time I've played Sims 3 on this machine. As I said before, I recently did a complete re-install.

Soooo I have The Sims 3 with Generations, Ambitions, Late Night and Pets.
Haven't done any DEP or anything, it doesn't work regardless of whether I bypass the Launcher or not.
I'm on PC, haven't used CCleaner -- not entirely sure what that is, should I look into it?
Have rebooted the system.
I have tweaked the Options.ini file as suggested in the checklist, but it is back to what it was originally, now.
The black screen occurred as soon as I loaded the game. I am not given a loading screen or anything. Just a simple black screen.
I recently installed Generations and Pets at the same time, which is the only thing on my system that changed. I realised I hadn't installed a whole bunch of my custom content from before my complete re-install, and so went to do that, it didn't work, and so now I'm having this problem as well.

So, my specs and stuff... I'm following the page on the wiki that tells me what to do, and it seems like a loooooot of information, so I apologise if this is too much, but here goes! :p

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 4/8/2012, 16:01:30
Machine name: ADAM-PC
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.111118-2330)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: H55M-S2V
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU 550 @ 3.20GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 3960MB RAM
Page File: 2237MB used, 5679MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 460
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0E22&SUBSYS_20181019&REV_A1
Display Memory: 2717 MB
Dedicated Memory: 993 MB
Shared Memory: 1723 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Dell E207WFP
Monitor Model: DELL E207WFP
Monitor Id: DELD011
Native Mode: 1680 x 1050(p) (59.883Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0012.7533 (English)
Driver Version: 8.17.12.7533
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 5/21/2011 06:01:00, 15223912 bytes

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0887&SUBSYS_1458A002&REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.6167 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/28/2010 20:26:00, 2445672 bytes

------------------------
Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
------------------------
Drive: C:
Free Space: 165.2 GB
Total Space: 476.8 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0 ATA Device

That was a really long, post, sorry for rambling! I'll make sure my drivers are up to date now!

EDIT: Ooh! There's an update available! Downloading now...

EDITT: Dammit! Updated drivers didn't do anything! It's still not working.

Okay, so I'm not sure what was going on with yours, but it would appear that I fixed mine and here is what I did: Firstly, I uninstalled everything in both my program files and my documents (I'm on PC, though) that was involved with EA and Origin. I then reinstalled Origin and let it update before even reinstalling Sims. After that was done, I installed and patched my base game, then installed all of my Expansions and Stuff Packs, updating after each one. It would appear that it works now, it only stopped working once and it told me that there was a problem with Origin, so yea, that was the problem.

Thanks for the tip xsagey. I was just about to begin a complete uninstall of all my Sims 3 stuff to reinstall. I'm saving all my custom content and stuff as we speak. Hopefully your suggestion works for me.

This problem is really freaking me out, though. :p

EDIT: Game is fixed, after complete re-install I discovered it was one mod that was giving me the problem. This is kind of weird, however, because it was happening before the re-install when I pulled all the custom content out... Alas, all's well!

A mod? How can a mod mess with Launcher installing Sims3Packs?
If you mean, the crashing, then that is indeed self-explanatory. Glad it is all cleared up, then.

Do I close this, or you need more help with the Sims3Packs not installing?
If the mod really did interfere with installation of Sims3Packs, may I know which mod it was?