Do you have a Pc or Mac
For Mac
- Using the Finder app, locate the following folders within your Sims 3 directory.
- Note: The default location for these folders is: ~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/
- The ~ symbol represents your home directory, which can be shown as your username.
- Once you have located the folders (DCCACHE and Downloads), delete them from your directory and empty your Trash.
- Restart your Mac.
- Launch The Sims 3 again.
For Pc
PC Troubleshooting
The 'Disc read authorization' or 'disc read authentication' error is oftentimes caused by the existence of Drive Letter Access (DLA) software on your machince. DLA software includes DVD recording applications with the ability to drag and drop files directly to a drive letter, such as Sonic or Roxio. These applications are known to cause disc authentication problems. To fix this issue, try the troubleshooting steps below:
Click on the 'Start' menu on the Windows Taskbar.
Click on 'My Computer.'
Right-click on the DVD drive letter you are using to run your game.
Select 'Properties' from the list of options.
You should see a 'DLA' tab in the Properties panel, where you can disable the DLA software on your machine.
If disabling the DLA software from the Properties panel does not solve your issue, you can also try to update the drivers for your DLA software through the manufacturer's website.
If updating your drivers still causes you to get the 'disc read authentication' error, you might want to completely uninstall your DLA software using the 'Add or Remove Programs' tool in the Control Panel.
Update: Many of the reports we have received regarding this issue all list the 'MATSUHITA DVD-RAM UJ-841S' as the existing DVD drive in affected systems. The Matsuhita drive is usually found in Toshiba laptops. We recommend checking the Toshiba and/or Matsuhita support websites in order to find a more targeted solution to this issue.
You might also want to consider updating your Toshiba drivers by visiting this site and selecting your machine's make and model.
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List of conflicting software
The following applications contain conflicting DLA software. Many users have been able to clear this error by uninstalling these applications: