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diaura's avatar
diaura
Seasoned Novice
12 years ago

Launcher won't open - instead get 'not a valid Wins32 application'

Hi, I am having a problem getting my launcher to open. I uninstalled the base game plus all expansion packs and reinstalled only the base game and a few of the expansions (i.e. town life, late nite) plus Island Paradise. I can't get my launcher to work.

When I try to open the game or click on shortcuts a box comes up saying "not a valid Wins32 application." There is no ts3w.exe folder anywhere to be found on my pc. I had to go through program files (x86), origin games, game, bin, Sims3 Launcher. From here I can start the launcher but it won't let me download/upload content.

I had to use the Origin site to reload the games as the discs I had would not work. My game is updated to the latest patch and no mods or cc are loaded.

PC, windows 7 x64

no other programs running, no emulators - nero, roxy etc.

Security is AVG also for firewall

I have a game loaded onto my laptop plus backups. Can I copy the 'exe' file from that? Would it work? Or can I copy the whole game across?

Any help would be great.

pc
technical issues

2 Replies

  • roberta591's avatar
    roberta591
    Hero (Retired)
    12 years ago

    You can not copy the game across as there are entries in the registry made by the installer among other things that happen during installation. Ts3w.exe is NOT a folder but an executable file. That file is copied from the installer library and renamed. Did you try each game as you installed them? If you can't find ts3w.exe either the installation is corrupt or your antivirus (AVG) tagged the file as a false positive. AVG has been known to do this. Windows 7 has a fire wall that is part of the operating system and does a pretty good job. Some time ago I had problems with AVG and stopped using it. Myself and others have switched to Microsoft Security Essentials. Gets the job done and seems to be well behaved (and is free). Is AVG up to date? Did AVG isolate the file? If AVG is isolating the file either you have to tell AVG the file is ok (restore - idk as I haven't used AVG for some time) or uninstall everything and use a registry cleaner like ccleaner from Piriform (there is a free version) and clean the registry, install the base game, patch test. If the game plays install the next released to market pack you own, patch, test. And so on.

  • diaura's avatar
    diaura
    Seasoned Novice
    12 years ago

    I'm still downloading the expansions. Takes forever and a day through Origin.

    I have checked in AVG, the vault etc and it hasn't isolated any Sims 3 files. I will try in each expansion as it downloads. So far no luck, still no Ts3w.exe file. At the moment I have it opened through the Sims3Launcher file I found in under programs (x86). I created a shortcut to it. Opens in a cynch with that, just not when I click on the Island Paradise logo. I would be happy to stay with that and bypass the launcher altogether only I can't download from my account in the EA store.

    Maybe once they are all installed I will need to uninstall and reinstall just the base game again. See how I go.

    I did do some research in the forums on AVG and a lot of people seem to have problems with the 2013 update. Apparently it continually disconnects the internet. I have had the same problem. Once it runs out I will be moving on to another.

    Thanks for your help 🙂

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