Re: Sims 3 Not Launching
Hello everyone, I have the same problem as everyone else here, the game won't start. I tried everything, installed DirectX9, uninstalled and reinstalled the game, gave the game and EA app administrat...
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@kakashio91 Try manually uninstalling and reinstalling VC++ 2005 x86, another runtime Sims 3 uses. Hit Windows key-i, select Apps, scroll down to the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, click on the 2005 version (it won't say x86, but that's what it is), and uninstall it. You can get a fresh copy here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347
You only need the x86 version, not the other two. Restart your computer after installing and before trying to play.
If that doesn't help, I would suspect a system issue, and rather than go through a few intermediate steps, it's fastest to just do ar repair install of Windows. Here's how:
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/repair-install-windows-11-with-an-in-place-upgrade.418/
This shouldn't delete any of your data, but if you get to step 14 and are NOT asked to keep personal files and apps, back out and start over.
After the repair install, if you still can't play, reinstall all three runtimes again: DirectX 9, .NET Framework 3.5, and VC++ 2005, then restart again. If that doesn't help either, please post a new dxdiag.
@puzzlezaddict Hi, i tried a repair install of Windows 11 and didn't work. I tried to reinstall DirectX9, Net Framework and VC++ but nothing work. I post here a new DxDiag.
Thank you for your help
@kakashio91 I've split your posts into their own thread so I can better keep track of your specific information, and also in case I end up asking for a second opinion. I do want to mention that since this is a new computer, it might be easier for you to install a fresh copy of Windows rather than trying everything else I can think of to address this issue. This should be fixable, but it's possible that it's not without a fresh Windows install. More to the point, it would take less time to reinstall the OS than to do everything below, and if you have little data to back up and few apps to reinstall, the fresh install may be the better answer for you on balance. It's your call.
For the piecemeal route, try manually uninstalling and reinstalling both of your laptop's graphics drivers, as described here:
Use the newest drivers provided by Intel; you can update the Nvidia driver later if you want. Grab the driver for the RTX 3050 (either listing; they're the same version) and the Intel UMA driver here:
https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/Nitro%20AN515-57/downloads
The proper order of operations is uninstall the Nvidia driver > uninstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Nvidia driver > restart, all while offline. Then go back online and try to play.
If that doesn't help, try playing in a clean boot:
The one service to leave enabled is the EABackgroundService, which the EA App needs in order to run. Disable the rest as described.
When you reboot your computer, go through the Task Manager's background processes list shutting down any service that doesn't absolutely need to be running, for example anything from MSI Afterburner to RGB software might still be enabled. If you accidentally kill a critical process and it doesn't restart on its own, just reboot your computer again.
Don't open anything other than Sims 3 and the EA App while testing, not even a browser window.
If that doesn't help either, I'd suggest doing a clean uninstall and reinstall of Sims 3 and the EA App. Use Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine) to remove both. If you use a third-party antivirus, disable it (temporarily) before reinstalling the App, and don't reenable it until you've tested Sims 3 once. As long as you don't do anything else at the same time, your computer should be safe.
Hi @puzzlezaddict, I tried everything you suggested again, but unfortunately nothing changed. The game doesn't start. As soon as I click play on the EA app, the app closes for a few seconds, I can see TheSims3Launcher in TaskManager for 2-3 seconds, but then the EA reappears and I the game doesn't start.
It's really frustrating and it's a real shame that i bought a new PC almost just to play The Sims 3 and wasn't able to do so.
Thank you as always for your help, if you have any other suggestion, I'll try.
@kakashio91 Please create a new admin Windows account and try playing Sims 3 there. Make it local, as in, don't link it to your Microsoft account. You'll be able to (try to) launch Sims 3 without reinstalling anything.
When you're first in the new account, please try the clean boot again. If it works, you can try to play without it and let me know either way.
If that doesn't help, please let me know what antivirus you use.
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