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SenoritaMartita's avatar
5 years ago
Solved

Origin: The Sims 3 "Black Screen" Issue (launching game)

The Sims 3 launches with an eternal black screen, using Origin. You can still hear The Sims 3 theme song playing in the background (as if the game is loading) but the screen always stays black.

In fact, in the top left corner you can see the text "HDMI" and "Analog" (shifting back and forth) like the screen is not even connected to the computer. The only way to escape the black screen is to press Windows Home Button. The game will close using Task Manager only.

This issue occurred for me 2-3 years ago (due to an automatic software update - either done by Origin itself, or by Windows) and has lasted ever since. It seems like many (if not every) Sims 3/Origin users have the same issue. Yet the issue seems to be unresolved, with no real troubleshooting or obvious guides on how to fix it online. 

Yes - I've tried Origins game options like: "Repair game" and "Update Game". Actually I've tried them all, including uninstalling and re-installing both the game, Origin, and Windows itself. I have also abused the "fix all issues" option in "CCleaner" (which will resolve any issues due to missing dll's). And I've reported the error, but Origin stays silent.

I've now Clean Installed Windows 10 on another (older) stationary desktop (which includes deleting absolutely everything else that previously existed on the computer). I've installed Origin and The Sims 3 yet again. The game still launches with the black screen, showing "HDMI" and "Analoog" like before...

The only (tiny) difference is that:

1) if you exit the black screen using Windows Home Button...

2) ...and move your mouse over The Sims 3 icon on the taskbar bar, a tiny window will appear (still showing the black screen, obviously)...

3) ...BUT if you move your mouse over the tiny black screen that appeared... (WITHOUT CLICKING IT).... a minimized window of The Sims 3 pops up in the top left corner with the game showing in it!

But if you try clicking it, you're back to black screen, and the issue just repeats itself.

IS ANYBODY ELSE STILL EXPERIENCING THIS - AND IS THERE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM?

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    5 years ago

    @SenoritaMartita  Try launching the game in windowed mode, which you can do by editing options.ini, in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.  Open the file and crtl-F to search for fullscreen , and set it to 0 (zero).  Save, close options.ini (and the File Explorer window overall; the game doesn't like the user folder being open when it's running), and see whether you can play.

    If you're already in windowed mode, you can try changing to fullscreen, although that seems less likely to work.  Please also undo any compatibility mode you've set for Sims 3; the game should run fine in Windows 10.

9 Replies

  • @puzzlezaddict  The game has worked on the same computer/monitor before (on the newer computer) before it suddenly black screened. Gave up the newer PC, so what you'll see in the DxDiag file now is the data from the older one. But for the fun of it, I connected an older monitor just to try your theory, but the same issue occurred again (monitor disconnected) when game launched.  (Both computers/monitors fail to open Sims 3). All drivers up to date with the recommended versions, according to Windows. 

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    5 years ago

    @SenoritaMartita  Try launching the game in windowed mode, which you can do by editing options.ini, in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.  Open the file and crtl-F to search for fullscreen , and set it to 0 (zero).  Save, close options.ini (and the File Explorer window overall; the game doesn't like the user folder being open when it's running), and see whether you can play.

    If you're already in windowed mode, you can try changing to fullscreen, although that seems less likely to work.  Please also undo any compatibility mode you've set for Sims 3; the game should run fine in Windows 10.

  • @puzzlezaddictThank you so much! I can finally see the game after editing the options.ini file (fullscreen) to zero. Would have never figured that out on my own! Also, your guide on how to edit it was very easy to follow for a newbie like me. You're a hero!

  • When I try it won’t open google or anything else and I don’t hear the background music

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @yuw81jdb7u1i  Please move the entire Sims 3 folder out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop.  When the game launches, a clean folder will spawn with no contnet.  Don't add anything to it, at least not yet; just see whether you can get far enough to start a new save.

    If you get another black screen, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

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

    If you're having a different issue than the black screen, please describe it in more detail.

  • Noradoll's avatar
    Noradoll
    3 years ago

    The Opinion ini doesn't even exist in my folder. There's a options tab but when I press edit on it it brings me to a blank documents page pls help I just bought the game and 3 expansions.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @Noradoll  What exactly is your issue?  If your computer is set to not show file extensions, you'd just see an "options" file without the .ini at the end.  But if this file is blank, that means the game isn't loading beyond a very brief attempt.

    In addition to describing your issue, please also run a dxdiag and attach it to a post so I can see if there are any obvious system issues interfering with Sims 3.

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

  • Noradoll's avatar
    Noradoll
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict thank you for answering me back.after I replied to you I read further and saw the hack to pull the folder onto the desktop and start the game that worked

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