If all else fails...
If you've gotten to this point, then you've tried every known fix for your custom content not showing up, and it's still not working. So what to do? There's only a few options left for what it could be...
You're Doing It Wrong
More than likely, if NOTHING is working, you've missed something along the way. Start over on this FAQ and read it again carefully, from the very beginning.
- Make sure you know how to install content properly: download, extract from RAR or ZIP, identify file types, and install each type of file correctly.
- Make sure you know where to look in the game.
- Go through every recommendation in this FAQ and try each page's recommended fix at least twice.
Getting Custom Content to Show Up
The Files are Broken
If only some items work and some don't, there's probably an issue with the files that don't work.
- They may be incompatible with your game, requiring expansion or stuff packs you don't have.
- You should try redownloading them from the original creator and reinstalling them from fresh files, remembering to delete the old ones when you do. It's possible something has gotten corrupted or otherwise gone weird.
- There's something wrong with the files as the original creator has made them. Perhaps the copy they've uploaded is corrupt or doesn't work. If you've tried everything and certain files just don't work, you can send a polite message to the creator of the non-working file, asking them if they could please double-check that they have uploaded the correct file, and that the file they have uploaded works correctly.
Posting About It
Please do not post about your custom content showing up in MTS2's Game Help section!
This FAQ lists each and every known fix for custom content not showing up and explains it in the clearest way possible. If you have SPECIFIC QUESTIONS on something in this FAQ you may ask for clarification - or if you have a very special circumstance, error, or other quirk that you can describe (with screenshots if possible) then the Game Help staff may have suggestions for you.
However, if you cannot give information on your special situation that might provide the helpers with a clue to help you fix your problem, DO NOT POST ABOUT THIS. Any "I've tried everything and my custom content just won't work!" messages will be locked, referring you back to this FAQ.
Reinstall?
Though it generally does not help, if you have tried absolutely everything and cannot get your content working (and you do not have any additional clues as to why it might not be working that are not already covered in this FAQ), it may be worth a try to back up your game and then fully uninstall and then reinstall the game.
Give Up
If there are no clues as to why it would not be working, you've tried everything in this FAQ, you've tried uninstalling and reinstalling and it just doesn't work...
Your only real option at that point is to either find someone more computer savvy to install your content (i.e. a geeky kid in your neighborhood who's good with computers), or to give up. Sometimes things just won't work, and without being able to dispatch an expert on Sims 2 content to your house to actually move your mouse and look at your computer to get it working, it likely will not work. Sometimes that's the way it goes. 99.9% of problems with custom content not showing up are resolvable... IF and ONLY IF you follow this FAQ from start to finish, following every detail, and have your content installed properly.
Credits
Credits to Daysies for the original article, HystericalParoxysm for the major rewrite, and Simsample and Julianarosalia for input.