@puzzlezaddict Thank you so much for the help!
Sadly the patch didn't work. I've attached my DxDiag along with a list of the .NET Framework and the VC++ versions on my laptop. At some point or another, through troubleshooting this problem, I've deleted and reinstalled all of them.
If it helps, my laptop specs are:
| CPU | 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core |
| Maximum Boost Speed | 4.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB |
| Memory Type | DDR4 |
| Total Installed Memory | 8 GB |
| Memory Configuration | 1 x 8 GB |
| Graphics Type | Dedicated |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4 GB GDDR5 VRAM |
@proverb_jackson I should have clarified before, but in case you're wondering, Sims 3 uses DirectX 9, VC++ 2005 x86, and .NET Framework 3.5, so troubleshooting issues with any other runtimes would likely be irrelevant. Also irrelevant is that your laptop's processor is actually an i5-9300HF (perfectly capable of running Sims 3), not a 9750H, but I figured I'd mention it in case you were expecting something else.
Please undo any compatibility settings you're currently using: Sims 3 runs fine in Windows 10, and compatibility settings add complicating factors. Please also run a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files:
Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates. If any install, restart again afterwards. (Even if you keep your laptop up to date, it's important to do this after running DISM and sfc.)
If Sims 3 still won't open, try launching it from TS3W.exe rather than using the launcher. I believe the file path in a disc install should be something like this:
Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin
I understand you may still want to use the launcher, but I'm curious whether this works at all.
Either way, if the launcher still isn't cooperating, try playing in a new admin Windows account. The username should contain only letters and/or numbers, no special characters, accents, etc. Make it a local account, as in, don't sign into Microsoft, and don't sync with any other services you normally use. You won't need to reinstall the game.
If that doesn't help either, please let me know what antivirus you use, and if you used to have one that you removed.
@puzzlezaddict I've attached the results of the /Restorehealth and /Scannow attempts, and everything seems to be fine.
I set up a new profile as you suggested, without a Microsoft account or syncing with any of the services I use.
I actually don't get the error when I try to use the launcher. When I do that, it seems to think about it for a second but nothing happens. This whole time I've been trying to run it from TS3W.exe, which is where I keep getting the error.
At the moment the antivirus I'm using is Windows Defender. I've been toying with the settings (adding TS3W.exe as an exemption etc.), but nothing seems to make a difference.
My laptop initially came with a free McAfee trial, which I deleted.
When I checked for Windows Updates there was a small update that installed, but the error still occurred when I tried to run TS3W.exe; however, it does say that there's a newer version of Windows 10 available so maybe I should try that?
I'm convinced there must be a way to get it to work somehow...
Thank you again for helping out!
@proverb_jackson If you're going to install a new version of Windows, which might have been where this ended up anyway, I suggest running a Repair Install instead. It gives you a fresh copy of Windows, updated to the newest version if you use Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to create a new ISO, but allows you to keep your apps and personal data.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/16397-repair-install-windows-10-place-upgrade.html
You'll notice that in step 13, you're asked whether you want to keep your data, but if you don't see that, back out and start again.
I've done this process before, just to see what would happen, and it's quite easy. I mean, it's not as easy as updating Windows the normal way is, but it doesn't take a lot of time and is as good a guarantee as you can find (short of wiping your system, which you don't want to do) that your Windows install is intact and undamaged.
