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How to make Sims 3 use > 4GB of RAM (Simplified!)

Previous instructions left room for a lot of customization and options. This will be a direct line by line tutorial, for simplicity. You may refer to the 2nd from top post for more information on anything in this section.

We are going to add ONLY the following directories and files:

Folders:
Thumbnails

Files:
Simcompositorcache.package
compositorcache.package


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Requirement:
RAM - At least 8 GB of RAM
RAMdisk - Softperfect RAMDisk (https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/)   FREE!


PART 1 - RAMDISK INSTALLATION

Click here: Softperfect Manual: (https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/manual/adding_disk.htm)
0) Create an image of size 1024, NTFS (follow the manual (https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/manual/image_files.htm)).

(https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/manual/creating_image.gif)

1) After the image is created, Choose - Disk - Add to create Ramdisk
2) Check "Hard Disk Emulation"
3) Set size 1024, NTFS
4) Select the image you've created in step 0 under "Image File Name"
5) Check "save content to image"

Done!

(https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/manual/new_disk.gif)


PART 2 - SETTING UP JUNCTION LINK!

Go to your Sims 3 user folder (usually in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\)

A) FOLDER:
1) Move the contents of the whole folder "Thumbnails" to your RAMdisk.
(For example, move the items from inside the Thumbnails to G:\ if that is your RAMdisk drive)
2) After everything in Thumnails is moved to your RAMdisk, delete the empty "Thumbnails" folder
3) In a cmd prompt under admin priv, type this format: (Refer to image sample)

Example: (Windows 7)
* Type mklink /J "C:\Users\You\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Thumbnails\" "G:\"

* "You" is your Win logon id. "G:" is an example! Put YOUR ramdisk drive.

Click Windows Start and find the Run option:
(http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/0/8/2/4/4/5/MTS_nitromon-1521985-1.jpg)

Make sure it says "Admin Privilege" and then type CMD:
(http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/0/8/2/4/4/5/MTS_nitromon-1521986-2.jpg)

Then in there type your command for each cache file and folder:
(http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/0/8/2/4/4/5/MTS_nitromon-1521988-3.jpg)

* Instead of "nitromon" type your Win logon ID. Instead of G:\, type the drive of your own RAMdisk.


Done!


B) CACHEFILES:
1) Move the 2 cache files (simcompositorcache and compositorcache) to your RAMdisk (eg. G:\)
2) In a cmd prompt under admin priv, type this format:

Example: (Windows 7)
* Type mklink "C:\Users\You\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\simcompositorcache.package" "G:\simcompositorcache.package"
* Type mklink "C:\Users\You\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\compositorcache.package" "G:\compositorcache.package"

* pay attention, I removed /J from the instructions!


Done!

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Now, your game will load those temporary caches on your RAMdisk, basically putting them in your RAM! You don't have to worry about cleaning them or backing them up etc... etc..