i am getting a vcruntime140.dll message

@tiska589  VCRUNTIME140.dll is part of the 2015 VC++ runtimes, which Origin needs to install properly.  It's best to uninstall your current copies, if you have any, and then download new ones from Microsoft.  Hit Windows key-i, select Apps, scroll down to the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributables, click on both the x86 and x64 entries (if you have them), and select Uninstall.  You can download new copies here. Be sure to install both the x86 and x64 versions.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145

Restart your computer, and try to install Origin again.  When it's running, then try to install Sims 3.  You can do so from your disc or just from your Origin game library, provided you register the product key for the game within Origin.

thank you for the feedback. I am currently trying to start the process, but the "windows key+i" is not opening any window, i am just getting the classic "ding"...am i using the wrong shortcut?

I was able to find the window that allowed me to unistall the older versions of Microsoft Visual C....however when i downloaded the updated versions from microsoft, i get an error message when trying to install the program. The window says "one or more issues caused the setup to fail. Please fix the issues then retry setup. For more information see 'log file'."

The following is what was at the bottom of the log file, i scrolled through until i saw the word fail or error.

[0EF8:0AA0][2020-12-06T09:54:04]e000: Error 0x80240017: Failed to execute MSU package.
[100C:104C][2020-12-06T09:54:04]e000: Error 0x80240017: Failed to configure per-machine MSU package.
[100C:104C][2020-12-06T09:54:04]i319: Applied execute package: Windows7_MSU_x64, result: 0x80240017, restart: None
[100C:104C][2020-12-06T09:54:04]e000: Error 0x80240017: Failed to execute MSU package.
[0EF8:0AA0][2020-12-06T09:54:04]i372: Session end, registration key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{e46eca4f-393b-40df-9f49-076faf788d83}, resume: ARP, restart: None, disable resume: No
[0EF8:0AA0][2020-12-06T09:54:04]i371: Updating session, registration key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{e46eca4f-393b-40df-9f49-076faf788d83}, resume: ARP, restart initiated: No, disable resume: No
[100C:104C][2020-12-06T09:54:04]i399: Apply complete, result: 0x80240017, restart: None, ba requested restart: No

@tiska589  Windows key-i is just a shortcut to open the basic Settings menu; you can get to the same place by clicking the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your screen and selecting Settings.

For the error itself, try running a couple of checks on your Windows system files:

• Hit Windows key-X
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator),” whichever option is offered
• Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes into the window, and enter
• The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here
• After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key-X again
• Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator)”
• Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes into the window, and enter
• Post the message you receive here

Restart your computer, and try installing the newest (2015-2019) runtimes, both x64 and x86, unless you happen to have a 32-bit operating system.  In that case, just install the x86 version.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads

If you still can't install the runtimes, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

I recently recovered my computer to factory setting. When i first tried to download origin from my Sims 3 CD, the download worked but i was unable to log in because the application was saying I wasnt online. I went through a few steps to try and fix this. One of which was deleting and redownloading two different programs from MIcrosoft Visual C++. Then i was told to delete and redownload the actual Microsoft Visual C++ file. I tried to do that, now i am getting a message saying there is an error downloading (both the X86 and X64 versions). I also tried to add origin and origin client service to my firewall exceptions. Still nothing. I just want to play my game, i was able to play this two years ago on this exact computer, so i dont understand why this isnt working now. Cant i just play the sims without origin?!?!?

@tiska589  Whether you can play without Origin depends on the age of your Sims 3 CD.  Please let me know the copyright year on the back of the case, in the fine print.  And look for an Origin logo on the case—the newer discs that require Origin have a logo on them.

For the error itself, please post a screenshot, and also run a dxdiag.  You can attach both to a post here.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

so it looks like my starter pack is from 2013. and unfortunately it does have the origin logo on the game case. I did have another game, that doesnt have the origin on the case....but sadly i cant find that disc. I have attached the error messages i am getting, along with the dxdiag.

im sorry, i didnt see that you replied to this thread again. i dont mean to be a hassle. I just did what you asked above. the first text that i copied into the command prompt was taken, but i did receive an error. it just says "error: 87". i continued to the next text you asked me to copy and it is currently processing at only 19% so far.

@tiska589  The version of Origin on your Sims 3 disc is going to be quite old, perhaps too old to even update itself properly.  So it's better to install Origin separately first, then install Sims 3 once Origin works.  Start by using these guides to clearing Origin's cache and uninstalling it "the hard way" to remove all traces of Origin from your computer.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/manually-uninstalling-origin/

Restart your computer, download the full Origin installer, and run it as an admin: right-click on the download and select "Run as administrator."  This is a direct download link:

http://download.dm.origin.com/origin/live/OriginSetup.exe

i did everything that was in the instructions. checked to make sure origin was deleted the "easy" and "hard way". restarted my computer and tried to download origin from the link you posted. This is the error message i got. I have received this error before along with the VCRUNTIME140.dll error. I was given some instruction to correct it. but nothing happened so that was when i decided to recover my computer to be sure things were they way they were supposed to be.