Can't install simcity 4 on windows 10

Hello @Swizzkinfe,

To run older games on Windows 10 you would generally need to run the game in compatibility mode - we generally recommend either Windows 7 or XP.

Let us know how you get on.
- Kristi

Hello @EA_Kristi,

I followed the instructions in the link, adjusting my compatibility settings with Windows XP (Service Pack 2, then 3), and checking all the other option boxes. My game still doesn't launch.

This is what happens: after clicking on the icon, I have to authorize my computer to run the program. Then my screen turns black, and back to what it looked like just before. And I can't click directly on the desktop anymore, I have to click on the peek option on the bottom right.

Am I following your instructions wrong?

Hello @Swizzkinfe,

Sorry for the late reply.

When you get the black screen, could you please try hitting Enter and Alt keys together to see if the game will place itself in windowed mode and will then run?

Let us know how it goes.
- Kristi

I am happy to hear that the game is working for you again 🙂

But sorry to hear that you couldn't get the disc version to work ☹️

- Kristi

I have the same problem, I tried reaching out to EA to help me solve it, but they are to busy I guess to talk to me. So, I must submit myself to not ever being able to play this fun game. Now that I know how EA operates I will no longer bother buying games from them. It just feels like ok, I will take your money, thank you, and if it don't work oh! well, Next.

Yvon

I did not know I could get a Sims CD version free game until now.  I goy my PC DVD ROM version through the web, because they don't sell it at some stores in PC  version  anymore... Anyway, this conversations had helped me A LOT since I bought Sims 4. To tell u the truh, is waaaay too different from Sims 2, which is the one I used to play a d glitched a lot..!  My son told me to buy the latest one, so I did. At first I was upset because it took forever to download and install it but finally, it did..! Addictive game..!

Re "I will take your money, thank you, and if it don't work oh! well, Next", it's not like that at all. The CD versions of the 2003 game SimCity4 work just fine, with the Windows operating system that existed in 2003 (namely, Windows XP). And they still do! However, you will need to get an old Windows XP computer, because Windows 10 is NOT compatible with SimCity4. But that's Microsoft's fault, not EA's fault. EA has nothing to do with that and NO control over it, so don't blame them. (They're not perfect; but on THIS issue, they're not the guilty party.)

Alternatively, you can apparently re-purchase a digital copy of SimCity4 through the "Origin" web site, and use THAT on Windows 10. It works, because it avoids the incompatibility problem between the CD version of SimCity4 and Windows10, which was due to a conflict between the "SafeDisk" copy-protection technology used by the SimCity4 CDs, and Windows10 which does not allow SafeDisk.

I'm attempting to find a way to install my existing SimCity4 onto Origin without re-purchasing it (since I already paid for it when I bought it back around 2003), but I'm not sure if that's possible.

So for now, I'm using SC4 only on my old WindowsXP machine. I'd like to install it on my Windows10 machine, but it would apparently have to be through "Origin", as the CD version can't be used with Windows 10 at all.,

I share your pain about EA customer service. I purchased Sim City 4 as part of the SImCity Box at least 8 years ago, maybe longer. I think I only ever got it to run once on a computer that I no longer have. I just got a new laptop and thought I would try to install it. No luck. Got the "the operating system has denied access" message. I contacted EA customer support via online chat. they wasted over an hour of my time just trying to confirm my registrations code. I gave them the code that was on the card inside the box but they said it was invalid. I verified the code was typed correctly in the chat. I even sent them a screen shot of the registration code. Their resolution was to tell me to return it to the retailer for a new copy with a valid code. Seriously? return something that i purchased over 8 years ago to a store that I am not even 100% sure of which store I purchased it from (with no receipt), to get a new copy that I have not found on their site that they sell anymore, to get a new registration code because EA Games record keeping is bad?!?! When I pointed out that this was not an option, they HUNG UP on me! I will no longer support EA Games and as an avid online gamer I will strongly encourage my other online gaming friends to ban supporting a company with such horrible customer service.