Just got a new computer and downloaded EA App and The Sims 3. The launcher opens, but after hitting play the game doesn't launch and EA App opens up. Really sad just want to play TS3 on my new PC.
Running Windows 11 Pro
@ArilyBoo If your computer has a 12th-gen or newer Intel processor, please see the accepted solution of this thread:
Otherwise, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
I tried the patch, but it's still not working. Here is my dxdiag
@ArilyBoo Your dxdiag shows you're seeing the Alder Lake error, so I've merged your posts with the master thread for this issue. What happened when you ran the patch? If you got an error, please post a screenshot or write out the text. If it seemed to run correctly, did you apply it to TS3.exe or TS3W.exe? With an EA App install, you'd need to use TS3.exe, without the W.
The alternative is to use one of the other two workarounds instead. The Task Manager method is the most inconvenient but also the most reliable; be sure to apply it to TS3.exe as well.
@rawbeanchan I've merged your post as well, since your dxdiag confirms you're also seeing this error. Please repair the game in the EA App: open your game library, click Sims 3, and select Manage > Repair. Then try the Task Manager workaround mentioned in the accepted solution on page one, applied to TS3.exe. It's not as convenient as the Alder Lake patch but is also more reliable.
The launcher's installer also uses TS3.exe and won't start either without one of these workarounds. The Task Manager method should help there too, as would the Alder Lake patch if you could make it work properly.
As for why the patch didn't work, one suspect is an antivirus that blocks changes to Sims 3's program files. If you use a third-party program, try disabling it, temporarily, while you run the patch and try to launch the game. (Run another repair first.) As long as you don't do anything else at the same time, your computer should be safe.
Originally I patched TS3W.exe, then later patched TS3.exe so I have them both patched and it's working. Thank you!
Hello puzzleaddict, I repaired the game again, tried the Task Manager workaround, and got a "service initialization failed" error after clicking Play. I didn't have any third-party antivirus programs running when I ran the patch.
@rawbeanchan Okay, please uninstall the game and the EA App with Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine). Restart your computer, reinstall the App, and create a new folder into which you'll install Sims 3. The folder should be on the root level of the drive of your choice, for example C:\Games is fine, but not C:\Program Files\Games.
Please use the Task Manager method when trying to run Sims 3 for the first time, and let me know whether it works. If it does, you can try the Alder Lake patch again, with the EA App closed and the EABackgroundService NOT running in the Task Manager.
@puzzlezaddictI did as you suggested but the Task Manager method still didn't work after clicking Play; the "service initialization failed" error appeared as before.
And to note just in case it's relevant, two of the expansions had a download error when downloading and I tried launching just the base game without any expansions.
@rawbeanchan I'm not sure why this is happening, to be honest. Do you have access to another Windows PC where you could test-install Sims 3? It doesn't have to be powerful enough to run the game properly, or enough space for the entire game; getting to the Main Menu with just the base game installed would be sufficient to demonstrate that the problem is on your computer. And on the flip side, if you saw the same error on the other system, you could say that this is likely an account issue.
@puzzlezaddict I can try a test install and get back to you. Thanks for your help so far. It's frustrating that something that should be simple is turning out so complicated on a brand new machine.
Hi - yes me too! I have exactly the same problem and just going around in circles here! There will be more and more people with the same issue due to computer upgrades, I'm quite surprised the EA/Origin haven't made an official update themselves instead of relying on workarounds which demand a degree of technical knowledge many users won't have (and/or just want to get up and running quickly). People have paid a lot of money for the game over the years and to be abandoned like this is unfair!
@xxnixixx The Task Manager method should work for you if nothing else does. Make sure you're applying it to the appropriate executable: TS3.exe for an EA App install, or TS3W.exe, with the W, for a Steam install or a disc install that doesn't require the EA App to launch.
If this doesn't help, feel free to post a dxdiag and I'll take a look.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
@puzzlezaddict My account installed and played fine on the other computer using the Task Manager Method. Do you have any more ideas?
@rawbeanchan I do have more ideas, but first I want to say that if this computer is very new and you don't have much installed on it, you might prefer to reinstall Windows rather than continuine with more intermediate troubleshooting steps. I'm not saying you need to reinstall Windows—this problem should absolutely be fixable without that—only that on balance, it may be faster and less of a hassle to jump right to that step. It's your call if you want to go that route.
As for the intermediate troubleshooting steps, try playing in a new admin Windows account. 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, although you will still need the Task Manager workaround. If you've applied the Alder Lake patch again, repair the game (again) to undo that change: it's best to keep things as simple as possible until the game is running properly.
Please also disable Windows Defender's Controlled Folder Access, if it's currently enabled. If you need this feature for other reasons, you can set exceptions later, but please do test with it completely disabled at least once.
@puzzlezaddict hello again, I wanted to update on my progress so far. I did a clean reinstallation of Windows, had to link it to my Microsoft account, disabled Windows Defender, installed the EA App to C:\\Games (there was a previously created folder there already, somehow; I deleted it and created a new one), launched the game with the Task Manager method, it downloaded world files from my cloud account while it was loading, and I got to the world chooser screen. OneDrive is saying I have multiple copies of the same file now.
What should I do next? I just have the base game downloaded while seeing if it worked.
@rawbeanchan Next, get rid of OneDrive:
Make sure the path to Documents reverts to Users > your username > Documents; you can run the Command Prompt command listed in that guide to confirm. Then let me know whether you have any issues with your game or user files.
@puzzlezaddict Thank you, OneDrive gone first try. I loaded to the world chooser screen with Task Manager. Do I just transfer my saved games into the "Saves" folder?
@rawbeanchan Yes, that should work fine as long as the worlds those saves take place in are also installed.
I'm glad to hear that the game is loading now.
@puzzlezaddictGreat, I'm starting to download everything and hoping it goes smoother.
I've played this game for ~17,000 hours so I cannot understate how much I appreciate all your help! Thank you so much!
