Error code 16 after new windows 11 update.

I had changed the TS3W application since I play the sims on steam

Is the admin setting thing on the compatibility tab? Cause none of them are set to admin... Hmmm I'mma mess around like you suggested xD

Btw that you for putting so much effort into this, I'm not super computer technically minded so even just knowing that there were people looking deeper into the issue with some more know-how then I was comforting.

Hopefully this means we're fixed! But i might come back crying if i can't get it to work xD

I have been following your posts for the past week and want to say thanks for all the work you've done on this.

I had a few questions if you don't mind. Do you use Lazy Duchess Smooth Patch? I'm just wondering if this will still be useable given the fixes you are suggesting (as you have to run it as administrator to make it work).

With regards to turning all compatability modes off, is this in the compatability tab? And is it the same for run as administrator? I know you've done so much already but is there a way you could show us step by step what to do? Just worried that I'll do it entirely wrong and think it's still broken when there is in fact a way to fix it.

Massive thanks in advance!

@xeeqan3ku4og I do not use the Smooth Patch mod, if you run the mod exe (assuming it has a different .exe) as admin, it will likely be okay since it's likely just needing that to overwrite functions, I think the bigger emphasis is on the compatibility mode itself between OS versions.

Turning the compatibility mode off is simply a matter of unchecking the top option in the properties tab where you would also enable the default running of the exe as admin. I don't know how to explain this that well, if you can select an OS for compatibility mode, it is not off, if you can't, it is off.

Edit: If you have the latest version of the Smooth Patch mod (with the LD Launcher) you don't need to run admin, based off my quick analysis running it that way, seems to still work just fine, and wow, do certain things run smoother with it. Just make sure you have the latest updated version so it works properly with the new EA Launcher. If I come across any issues in my longer analysis, I will let you know!

I use the smooth patch for steam.
But I'm still having difficulties getting the game to run without issue. Though it's definitely not the patch's fault, my game just seems super stubborn.

I do wish we had some kind of clear guide but seeing as many of the issues come and go at different times for different people, that might not be possible

Well my partner tried it for me (I'm at work) and he's got it to save a few times, still threw up error 16 but he messed with the compatibility and that seemed to fix it. More testing will be done when I get home.

I'm still using origin so I don't know if that would make a difference? I'm wary of moving to the EA app at the moment given all the nonsense I've read about people trying to get it to work but I know I'm going to have to move over eventually. 

Edit: Tried running smooth patch and apparently it wasn't having it at all. But again using Origin and not the latest version of smooth patch.

I'm still having issues with this, Now i can play for an hour or so and then error 16 comes back.

If you select compatibility mode and then unselected it and hit apply on the launcher.exe file, I've found it saves every time. So now I just have to alt tab out and do that to save my game. Make sure you save as and name it something different. My other half discovered that the save files are saving as Read Only which he thinks is preventing it from saving properly. We tried to turn off Read Only but that didn't seem to fix the issue.

Also this works for the latest Smooth Patch from Lazy Duchess. You still have to select in compatibility mode then unselected and hit apply on the launcher for it and the original launcher but then I've found it saves everytime and the game runs brilliantly.

I also heard around from people if you play for about 2 hours max then exit the game take a break and then play again that it helps as well, i also saw that if you keep up to date with the windows 11 update that it helps too! I havent had time to again set up my graphics card and set up my store content worlds and adjusted stuff for the sims 3 and can only do so this weekend as im working but i will try all these tips myself to see if it helps.

Oh this is great! I will deffo try this and yes i heard about the read only file issue and i tried that and it worked at first for me but then it didnt work after the first few times.

So i tried everything that ppl suggested but its still an issue, this is seriously frustrating as I cant roll back 😞

at least i can open my games, as I was getting "a serious error has occured" plus the error 16.  I'm having to go into my save files to delete bad files whilst in game to save as that is literally the only way not to lose progress, I can save once or twice but then after that even if i save as under a new save name it still gives me that error 16, I'm thinking that this issue is honestly never gonna resolve :/, I've exhausted myself in research and I honesty give up. I may check by taking out my mods folder to see if this helps as if it does then welp i guess ill have to play without my cc and mods lol.

@PandaLover1698 @xeeqan3ku4og @Sabillad I'm so sorry, a tornado knocked out my internet for like 3 days and then I had to work, lots of crazy stuff.

Can't seem to find anything that produces meaningful results beyond disabling OneDrive and messing with compatibility and admin settings, though, something curious, when I was offline, I couldn't play at all, got "a serious error occurred" on every single save, my game does connect to my EA account by default, but Idk how that would affect anything, once I got back online, nbd though, hmm, going to have to investigate that phenomena, could provide more answers as to what is going on here.

@tommy61157  Out of curiosity, do your expansion and stuff packs load properly when you're offline?  The EA App will often not load Sims 4 packs when it's in offline mode, and it's possible the same is true for Sims 3.  You could load a new save and try filtering CAS or Build/Buy by pack; only the packs that have loaded will be options here.

No worries! I've just uninstalled my game tbh, im tired of the headache lol and most likely will go back to my potato laptop to play it cuz im not making any progress at all :/ 

@puzzlezaddict It didn't at first, but even when selecting all installed packs, still didn't work, thinking it didn't load some store unlocked items or exchange items possibly, not entirely sure, Sorry, I'll have to more thoroughly troubleshoot it when I have time.

I have taken about 20 minutes reading this thread after having the same issues. Is it ok if someone gathers all the things we need to do to make it work into one, I would be most grateful. It seems very complicated and I would also like to please request from the people who have messed around with their property settings let me know what ones work best to make that stupid error not appear. I have had it appear for a week after adding all expansion packs + mods too my game. Before that, I had no problem. I have a windows 11 on a new laptop. Before his laptop, I had another windows 11 laptop. On that laptop, I could play sims 3 with no problem, but I never updated it. I might need more specific instructions regarding the windows security thing but I don't think that is the problem. I use the lazy duchess smooth patch (not sure what one but shouldn't really matter) all NRAAS mods and some mods that fix minor problems in the game. I would love to help out but not sure how. I wish I could just play sims 3 in peace. 

Edit 1: I forgot to mention I got the EA app and had major problems with downloading the sims 3. I then found a download for origin and I had no luck. I managed to eventually download everything on the EA app after a lot of fiddling with it. From trying to download on origin, it wouldn't let me download any packs. There was no packs and stuff button. I am thinking EA is definitely trying to get rid of sims 3.