This mini-tutorial explains how to remove content that you don't want in a sims2pack - files you can't share, or simply don't want in the sims2pack for whatever reason.

To do this, you will use Clean Installer to remove the unwanted content.

Get & install Clean Installer

You can download Clean Installer from MTS, here: http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=409950

It is completely free, and it is 100% safe - no viruses, and will not harm your computer.

Download the Sims2PackInstaller.zip, extract the exe from the zip, and run it to install. This should associate the sims2pack file type with Clean Installer, so it will run instead of the game's installer when you double-click a sims2pack.


Open your sims2pack in Clean Installer

Double-click on your sims2pack file to open it in Clean Installer. You will see a list of items. The first is usually the sim or lot file. Any additional items are custom content items which have packaged as part of the sims2pack.


Remove unwanted content



1. Untick any items that you do not wish to include in your sims2pack file.
2. Click the "Save As" button.
3. Save your file with a new name. Do not overwrite the existing file as this can cause issues.

Thank you Tiggerypum; this is something that has great impact on me and many other creators. Thank you for informing the public on how to avoid distributing meshes!

thanks for the advice
but for me is good to know when i upload a sim with my own meshes
don´t need make another package for it
thanks you very much

Thanks for verifing what I thought was the right way to do this. I hope lots of folks see this and use it.

Hi, I followed these instructions and it isnt working for me. I save as a different name after removing meshes and I still get empty packages. Ill try the legacy bodyshop but I wish I knew how to keep this working right. If you have any ideas please assist, thanks.

Sorry kitty, no idea. I went and did this carefully by hand and verified it all worked. So you save with a new name, exit, and when you open the new package it's empty?

thats correct :*(
I made a few more packages all with diff names- so I had 3 to test, unchecked the meshes from the file- did a save as with a complete different name- and it made the new file- went to see the contents and the file had empty packages. The legacy bodyshop id the only thing keeping me sane about this

Hmmmm... I confirm that I have this problem too and on two computers.

My version is the "latest" S2PCI 1.5.1.4.
I also have the latest version of .Net and with service packs.

Did some "Save As..." tests by using different naming conventions:
i.e.
Test.sims2pack
Test
"Test.sims2pack"
Still a failure.

Here's my info about the file size though.
1. Opening an existing sims2pack file and directly "saving as" without unchecking any items will keep the file at the same size albeit with the "empty package" tag information for all the items. The description tags also disappear.

2. When unchecking items and then "saving as" the file size gets reduced as it should be.

i have also encountered that issue; the only time I can get a mesh removed from the sims2pack in Clean Installer is if there is only one mesh--like if there is only a hair mesh. If there is more than one and I try to remove them (or even try to remove one of them), the new sims2pack (no matter what i name it or where i save it to) is full of empty packages.
I gave up trying to use Clean Installer for mesh removal, and since I dont have xp i can't use the legacy bodyshop. So I've just been using the SimPE method of creating a sims2pack (having the sims2pack open in Clean Installer with SimPE open, i use the Clean Installer information to find the filenames of everything but the meshes on my computer, and add each one to the new sims2pack in simpe)

I am really excited to share a few outfits that I have recolored for Warlokk's Pin up mesh, however... I am complete dumb to how to upload it. If I upload from the saved sims folder, do I have to worry about the mesh? I have tried to "repackage" the file, but I don't understand the process. Am I using the right tools? I tried with the clean pack installer. Do I have to open the package file with SimPE to find out if Warlokk's mesh is included?

I have the all expansions up to pets.

I know this should be posted in the help section, but I couldn't find anything regarding uploading.

Also, side note: Thanks Warlokk, your meshes are great, I enjoy skinning so much more now that I can use so many different female shapes.

#1) If you have pets, make sure you patched it. If you did not patch it, you need to patch and then remake your recolors with a totally new project.

#2) This article is about when you package a full sim, that extras are now included. To share clothing recolors, just take the files from Saved Sims (and give them better names while you're at it). No worries, as long as #1 was taken care of

How do you do that using a Mac?

Aussie Evil, you can't - there is no equivalent to clean installer. Make sure your pets is patched - if you want to share sims on mts2, you need someone to repackage your sim or you need to use maxis meshes or use clothing that allows the meshes to be shared.

I've added information to the first post on the problem with empty packages even if you're doing Save As. Clean Installer is... quirky.

Augh, thank you so much. Took me forever to find this; I'd almost given up on posting a recolor I did because I just couldn't find the info- perhaps this should be linked somewhere in the FAQ?

I have a question. I have EP's past the Pets game, but including Pets, and I don't know if this still happens. (The whole including meshes without permission.) And does the patch fix it or what?

Thanks for verifing what I thought was the right way to do this. I hope lots of folks see this and use it.