Re: How do I bypass the EA App and access Origin to play games.

@everyone
Premised it's not my procedure but is from "Ha_DHuWe".
I did it and it works great to this day. Maybe you missed some step?
I can't find all those files either, I use W7x64Pro and only find them in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin
C:\ProgramData\Origin\SelfUpdate\Staged
Eliminate those, that's enough.
The important thing is to delete ALL the old Origin installation (settings included), and install the "old and complete" one indicated in the link (hoping it's still there and it's the right one. EA/Origin may have changed it. Check that it is right 10.5.119, otherwise I can provide it, if needed).
IMPORTANT: Before logging in, remove the checkboxes from everything that refers to "automatic update"!
As for the "local.xml" file, in my experience, with the old version of Origin, just make it read-only.
And always in my experience, contrary to what was once suggested (when Origin was NOT so arrogant and "mangy"), DO NOT set the startup as administrator and not even when starting the PC. If you have an icon on your desktop, run the software as "any user", DO NOT upgrade that software's privileges.
I did that and it still works for me like it used to. Indeed, better, because it never asks to update.
More than that I just don't know how to help.
Try EVERYONE to "plague" the support service with complaints and it would really be appropriate to organize a "class-action" :-(

P.S.
Obviously you have to do all this procedure as "administrator". I hope there is still no need to explain it and that you all use your PC as an administrator (which is always a limited account, because M$ is paranoid and unable to make secure O.S. and can't find other solutions than to "limit" users... but if you know what you're doing, that's fine. If you DON'T know what you're doing, forget it... the PC is not for you).