Re: Sims 3 Not Launching

@puzzlezaddict  This computer is like straight out the box, as is. I don't modify any of the drives, etc. It worked with origin and.never worked when ea apps took over and I am just now trying to fix.it.

I attached the dxdiag.

I was using origin before we were forced to switch and now that I am using ea apps I can click the play button all I want but the launcher never loads so it's not playable. Then TS3W method doesnt work either

The launcher.either doesn't even try to load or will attempt to load but not fully load and basically go into error state and ea apps doesn't pop up with any error message.

I have uninstalled/reinstalled, factory reset, etc. a dozen times. I tried steam to launch through that and that doesn't even work (I know.it.still uses ea apps). 

I'm so so so so so defeated. Hopefully you can help 

@divaisdancing  Your dxdiag lists a number of Sims 3 errors that could be related to the game itself or your computer.  So please start with a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files:

• Hit Windows key-X
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator),” whichever option is offered
• Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes, 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 “Windows Terminal (Administrator)”
• Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes, and enter
• Post the message you receive here

Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates.  If any install, restart again afterwards.

If you use a third-party antivirus, please set exceptions for TS3.exe, Sims3Launcher.exe, and EADesktop.exe.  If you don't think you have an antivirus program installed, check the Task Manager (including background processes) anyway—many computers come with one pre-installed.  If you are in fact only using Windows Defender, and Controlled Folder Access is enabled, set the same exceptions.  Don't enable it if it's not already running.

Next, clear the EA App's cache:

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

Restart your computer, and repair the game: open your game library, click Sims 3, and select Manage > Repair.

If you have a Sims 3 folder in Documents > Electronic Arts, move it to the desktop.  If you get an error when trying to move the folder, or it copies rather than moving, let me know.  Otherwise, try again to play.

@puzzlezaddict  Attached some screenshots.

I cleared EA apps cache (previously too).

I checked the exceptions.

I have the terminal admin thing still running (I think)

I also uninstalled/reinstalled Steam (just in case) and EA Apps. 

Now, the Sims 3 launcher is opening (as it was before after a fresh install) but the minute I'm done adding in my mods and installing my CC (all of which I am sure sure sure is not corrupted) and go to actually play the game, it does the same thing where the launcher will not open and if it even tries to, it will just go into error state.

@divaisdancing  One of the reasons I asked you to move the Sims 3 user folder to the desktop was to remove all your mods and custom content.  It's best to start with a clean folder, nothing at all added to it, and then slowly reintroduce the content you want to use.  Even if you're sure your mods and cc are fine, there's no shortcut for testing.

Now that you've established that the game works with no mods or cc, try creating a new Mods framework and adding back only your NRaas mods, nothing else.  If the game still works, add a few more mods, and a few more, until you've added them all or found the ones that cause problems.  Then you can do the same with your cc.  The launcher not opening is more likely a cc problem—mods don't get loaded until the game launches.

As for Steam vs. the EA App, if you own Sims 3 in Steam, I'd use that.  It removes the EA App as a possible source of problems, and you can in fact launch Sims 3 through TS3W.exe (or Sims3LauncherW.exe for the launcher) without even opening Steam if you want.  This doesn't work in the EA App just as it didn't work in Origin after 2015.

The caveat is that you'd need to own all the packs you want to use in Steam itself; Steam won't recognize anything you only own through the EA App.  And you'd need to redownload and reinstall your Store content as well.  The way the Store encryption works, items cannot be shared between Steam and EA App installs.

@puzzlezaddict 

Ok so this happened before as well but I was able to launch the game just 1 time with my mods and cc through EA apps ( I don't have all my games through steam, but asked because I was curious).

Now I went to relaunch the game and it's back to not opening at all. If I go to task manager it appears there but never actually loads.

Also I have been trying the TS3W method all week and it hasn't worked. I used to use this way back in the day no problem but it straight up doesn't work now.

Totally stumped.

@divaisdancing  Try uninstalling McAfee, as described here:

https://www.mcafee.com/support/?articleId=TS101331&page=shell&shell=article-view

Whether it helps or not, you can reinstall it after testing (at least twice—if the game launches, restart the computer and test again).  If it makes no difference, we'll know that's not the issue.  But McAfee definitely objects to the EA App and games run through it at least some of the time, so it's worth testing.

And again, you can't launch Sims 3 directly through its .exe in an EA App install.  The game won't open unless the App is also open.  Furthermore, an EA App install uses TS3.exe, without the W; TS3W.exe does nothing and could be deleted without any ill effects.  And trying to launch from TS3.exe with the App already open will only bring up the launcher, as that's what the .exe is coded to do.

The reason the TS3W.exe method worked "back in the day" is that only patch 1.69 uses TS3.exe.  If you previously had a disc install, or even an Origin install before the patch 1.69 update in 2015, you would have been unaffected.

Unfortunately the EA app proved to not work despite every solution offered. I ultimately had to spend 200$ re-buying the packs on steam and am currently using with minimal issues.

I appreciate the assistance nonetheless. It's just disgusting that they forced us to use this program that doesn't work and I had no choice to basically rebuy this costly purchase.

@divaisdancing  I'm sorry to hear that.  I wasn't out of ideas yet, but if you don't want to deal with this problem anymore, that's understandable.  And the fact that the Steam version works suggests the issue was probably on your EA account, but there are still other possibilities, for example borked permissions on the folder Sims 3 was installed into, where installing in a different location might have helped.

Regardless, I hope the game is now stable for you, and the Steam version is definitely more convenient than the EA one.

@puzzlezaddict 

Launcher is starting to act up and not load even with steam-- any thoughts?

@divaisdancing  Do you have any custom content installed at the moment?  Does Sims 3 run if you launch it from TS3W.exe without involving the launcher at all?

Please also post a new dxdiag so I can look for current issues.

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

@puzzlezaddict 

So I can't actually find the TS3W.exe now, but since it's through steam I'm not sure where it would be. However, I have been using the same CC and it has worked with my game  no problem in the past and even when it briefly was working last week.  

Also please see attached.

@puzzlezaddict 

So I can't actually find the TS3W.exe now, but since it's through steam I'm not sure where it would be. However, I have been using the same CC and it has worked with my game  no problem in the past and even when it briefly was working last week.  

Also please see attached.

So far the TS3W is working. We shall see how long it works for I guess lol

Thank you!