Update with full details and backstory.
This all really started not long after I upgraded to windows 11. Sims worked for a few days before the initial problems of "Unable to validate your authorization code" and "Unable to connect to EA Servers"
I have found a previous backup, which still crashes. I got the game running randomly but would crash after trying to load into a game. Figured it was a graphics driver update for that.
I updated any and all drivers. Brought me back to being unable to connect to servers.
I tried to use my roommates steam version but with all my files, with my mods, and saves. It was able to load into a save from a backup from September, but the most recent one just before this viasco started is crashing just after hitting the play button on their computer. I removed all added mods from before the main issue started but it still crashes and worse now as it cannot even get into the Maxis screen.
So here is my system Specs just in case it is hardware issues:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 11 Home
System Model Laptop 16 (AMD Ryzen 7040 Series)
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS w/ Radeon 780M Graphics, 4001 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date INSYDE Corp. 03.03, 3/27/2024
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 27.8 GB
Available Physical Memory 21.2 GB
Total Virtual Memory 31.7 GB
Available Virtual Memory 22.4 GB
I have all the latest graphics and chipset drivers. All up to date windows updates.
@sammy4eva The inability to activate the game is unlikely to have anything to do with your laptop's hardware. The crashing you get when the game does work could be about the hardware or drivers, not that anything's broken but that adjustments are necessary to make the game work with Sims 3. For that angle, please run a dxdiag and attach it to your reply.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
Please also let me know whether you're currently still seeing the activation error, and if so, whether you've noticed any pattern to when the game works and when it doesn't. For example, maybe it works the first time you try after restarting your PC (or opening the EA App) but not later.
I finally got progress with getting the game to run!
After not being able to see the sims launcher screen...again. I went back and cleared out the Microsoft edge cache...again. Still gave me a bad activation. So I went digging in my files to see if there was any crash logs from a suggestion of a friend. Found a "backup error 12.sims3.bad file" and research on that led me to delete the corrupted save files with the bad tag attached.
The load times are longer than I remember though. About 5 minutes (Not kidding, timed it.) just to get into the save selection screen. The main save I am worried about saving...never stops loading. It gets to like 98% of the way and just keeps loading. Never freezes. I was able to watch 2 full episodes of a show while I was waiting (about 30-40 minutes each) and it was still loading.
A new save I just started seems to be doing fine though (knock on wood).
@sammy4eva The save that isn't loading might be corrupted beyond repair, but there are steps you can try to fix it. First, try loading the backup copy of the save. In Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Saves, you'll see a folder with the save name and another one with the same name and a .backup extension. Rename the save and delete the .backup, so the folder name ends in .sims3 , and you'll be able to select it at the Main Menu.
Please also delete any files in CurrentGame inside this same Sims 3 folder. The CurrentGame folder should always be empty unless you have a save loaded. Delete the cache files every time you quit as well, at least while troubleshooting. For reference, they are:
If this doesn't help, and you're willing to use a few mods, I'd recommend adding NRaas ErrorTrap and Overwatch. It's possible they could correct whatever problem is preventing this save from loading, and they're very helpful overall, cleaning out junk data that would otherwise accumulate and possibly corrupt your new saves as well. Neither one requires user input. More information is here:
Hi again,
I'll have to look into the corrupted saves thing later. I do have ErrorTrap already, not sure if I have Overwatch honestly.
Still no pattern I can make sense of as for when it works and when it doesn't. I've done restarts and shut downs and even let the computer sleep before trying to launch in case it's something like that which can affect it but no discernable pattern so far. I do know that if my game's running seemingly smooth and then I go to launch, select a save and then it crashes during loading screen then a PC restart will bring the activation error back again. I assume that has something to do with the crash during loading somehow but that's just a silly hunch I've got.
I do have the file for you. I've also created another forum post on EA Forums (because maybe there are more eyes over there) and saw you're there too - doesn't hurt to try and get maybe EA staff to look at it too, if they frequent that site more right?
Thanks for helping me so far. Just so dang sick of this error, haha.
@sammy4eva Your dxdiag lists a number of serious crashes of the graphics driver (LiveKernelEvent 141 is a video driver timeout), so the next step here is to do a clean uninstall and reinstall of the driver. Here's how:
The driver is the same for your iGPU and dedicated card, and it's the newest-available version from AMD. You can get a fresh copy here:
An intermittent issue with the activation error is definitely strange, and I'm not sure what to make of it. But perhaps the problem is your antivirus, especially if you use a third-party program. Try disabling it and going only with Windows Defender instead, at least for a couple days. Defender is fine as long as you don't do anything risky.
If that doesn't help, or you want to try something else first, try blocking Sims 3 (TS3.exe) in your firewall. The game should still work fine except for its connection to EA servers, which it uses to download Store thumbnails and maybe some other stuff you don't actually need. The idea here is that maybe a crash paired with this kind of connection is causing the temporary issue.
If this causes more problems, you can block the Store thumbnails from downloading by setting the FeaturedItems folder (in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3) to read-only, or creating a text file called FeaturedItems with the .txt extension stripped off. Either one would prevent the game from placing the content in this folder without any need to change your firewall settings.
So I installed the 24.12.1 driver update which when installing appearing in Adrenaline as a Install(Repair).
I checked Windows Defender and advanced firewall settings and it is set to allow everything from EA.
So I closed out of AMD adrenaline and windows defender to start EA and TS3.
Sims starts up fine now...randomly. But now the game is crashing in the exact same spot as yesterday. Any further suggestions I can try?
@sammy4eva It's important to do a clean uninstall and reinstall of the driver, not just a regular install. So please do that.
I googled how to do so, and uninstalled both drivers from Device Manager, went to the site and reinstalled with a computer restart.
Unfortunately I'm still seeing the activation error.
By the way, happy new year : )
@sammy4eva Again, please use Display Driver Uninstaller as described in the link I posted earlier. I'm not being difficult here; it's actually important that you use DDU and not any other method.
