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MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
Seasoned Rookie
2 years ago
Solved

Re: The Sims 3 won't launch

@puzzlezaddict  I now have this problem.  It's been going on since Thanksgiving.  I've attempted every single fix listed in this thread; a couple of them worked once, but stopped working the next tim...
pc
technical issues
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    2 years ago

    @MAWriterGirl  This probably is a OneDrive error.  And yes, I would definitely get rid of OneDrive, but that's in part because I personally have no use for it, so all it does is potentially mess with my files.  If you have a reason to keep it around, there are other options, all covered here:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-saves-user-content-disappearing-PC/m-p/12475370#M249772

    The guide was written for Sims 4, but the OneDrive information applies equally here.  So pick the option that works for you and change the relevant settings.

    Before you do anything with OneDrive though, it would be best to confirm that getting it out of the way fixes the problem.  The quickest way to do that is to pause syncing before you play, which you can do by right-clicking the cloud icon in the lower-right corner of the screen.  Then move the Sims 3 folder, as you wanted to do, and proceed from there.

MAWriterGirl's avatar
MAWriterGirl
Seasoned Rookie
2 years ago

@puzzlezaddict  Okay ... so I reset "fullscreen" to 0 in the Options folder, attempted to run the game, and for a few minutes it worked.  As my save was loading up, the music "shorted out" and the whole game crashed.  Subsequent attempts to run it in windowed mode didn't work.

So I went to the next step, removing the Sims 3 folder from Documents > Electronic Arts to desktop -- and that's where I hit a wall.  It refuses to move the folder; I get a pop-up box claiming that something in the folder isn't available because it's being used in another program (screenshot attached).  I had attempted this the other evening and it happened then as well.  I thought having the EA app open might be the culprit, so I restarted my computer and, first thing, attempted to move the Sims 3 folder to desktop.  I still got this message.  It makes me wonder if this has anything to do with my inability to launch the game.  I have OneDrive which came installed with this computer (it uses Windows 10); would it be advisable, or even an option, to uninstall OneDrive if I have to?

Since I have this weird obstacle to continuing with the second step, I'll post this and give you a chance to peruse it.  Once again, many thanks for your help.

puzzlezaddict's avatar
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
2 years ago

@MAWriterGirl  This probably is a OneDrive error.  And yes, I would definitely get rid of OneDrive, but that's in part because I personally have no use for it, so all it does is potentially mess with my files.  If you have a reason to keep it around, there are other options, all covered here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-saves-user-content-disappearing-PC/m-p/12475370#M249772

The guide was written for Sims 4, but the OneDrive information applies equally here.  So pick the option that works for you and change the relevant settings.

Before you do anything with OneDrive though, it would be best to confirm that getting it out of the way fixes the problem.  The quickest way to do that is to pause syncing before you play, which you can do by right-clicking the cloud icon in the lower-right corner of the screen.  Then move the Sims 3 folder, as you wanted to do, and proceed from there.

  • MAWriterGirl's avatar
    MAWriterGirl
    Seasoned Rookie
    2 years ago

    @puzzlezaddict  I think, tentatively anyway, that the problem is solved.  I've spent the last four hours since arriving home from work laboring over this thing.  I had to make OneDrive start syncing something before I could even find the icon (which was in the hidden-icons tray), but once I did, I paused syncing and took out the Sims 3 folder.  Then I ran the game through the EA app so that it generated a clean folder, and it finally worked without crashing.  I put it through several tests: first, with no existing saves placed into the new folder, and using an EA world; second, with no existing saves and using a player-created world; third, with my most recently created save.  The game worked fine on all three tests.

    I spent probably an hour digging around my OneDrive files in search of four saves that I had accidentally trashed when I uninstalled and reinstalled the entire game last week, in my first attempt to fix this whole problem.  Luckily I managed to find them, restore them and redownload them; but that's the only good thing OneDrive has done for me.  Once I got those saves back, I followed the instructions you linked to deactivate OneDrive.  I've found it more of a headache than anything else and wouldn't mind uninstalling it; I probably will if I start seeing a lot of messages asking me if I want to back everything up to OneDrive.  I use this computer solely to play The Sims 3; so other than those lost saves, I've never had anything I really cared about backed up to OneDrive and wouldn't miss it.

    After finding that the game runs fine now, I'm guessing there must have been some kind of corrupted file somewhere in the old game folder.  Months ago I set up separate backup folders for downloaded CC, store content, and mods, so I have clean copies of everything I use in the game.  I figure I'll have to manually reinstall all of it from those clean copies so that I don't end up with another corrupted folder; and at the same time it'll give me a chance to cull out CC I don't use anymore.  If there's an alternative to that, I would be very glad to find out about it.

    So I think the problem has been solved, but if this is a fluke and it decides to stop working for me later, I'll post here.  For now, many thanks for all your help -- I'm so grateful for your willingness to spend time and effort on my problem!

    EDIT ... I installed a recently created save and started playing, only to find that I was playing with nothing but the base game.  I went back to the launcher and checked all the EPs and SPs; then I tried to install some CC, and all I got was a message saying there were no packages to install.  I got the same problem with one store-content item, even after I redownloaded it from the Sims 3 store site.  I've been researching this issue, especially since when I got the EA app and it ran the game successfully, I noticed I'd been booted up to patch 1.69 where I had 1.67 before (and no issues with that regarding CC and store stuff).  I saw a post from someone else who had this exact same problem, and it contained a link to a thread with a possible solution, so I'll give that a try first and see what happens.

    • puzzlezaddict's avatar
      puzzlezaddict
      Hero+
      2 years ago

      @MAWriterGirl  Patch 1.69 is the only version you'd get when installing the game through the EA App, or when installing from a disc and allowing the App to update your game.  Patch 1.67 is for disc-only installs that don't require the App in order to run; and for Steam installs, where neither the EA App nor Steam needs to be open at all.

      For your expansions not loading in-game, you did the right thing by selecting all the packs again.  This is a relatively common issue with the pack selector and has been since its introduction: it can "forget" which packs you've chosen and load none of them at all.  If this gets to be too much of a problem, look into Lazy Duchess's custom launcher, which is designed to avoid these issues and others.

      The "no packages to install" error has a known workaround:

      https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-Launcher-quot-There-are-no-packages-to-install-quot/m-p/11946593#M252702

      I'd get rid of OneDrive too, especially if you're not going to use it for anything.  Just make absolutely sure your Documents directory isn't inside OneDrive, as the guide describes.  In case you don't want to go digging, the way to confirm is to open Command Prompt (you can search Windows for it) and enter this command:

      reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Personal"

      You should see C:\Users\[your username]\Documents.  If you do, you're fine, and you can deal with OneDrive however you want.  I haven't actually uninstalled it; I'm simply using a local Windows account, not linked with my Microsoft account, so OneDrive couldn't sync even if it wanted to do so.  The only reminders I get are after a Windows feature update, once a year, when Windows asks if I might want to reconsider my choices.

      • MAWriterGirl's avatar
        MAWriterGirl
        Seasoned Rookie
        2 years ago

        @puzzlezaddict  I'm a little ahead of you with the CC problem 🙂  ...that's the thread I was checking out.  I started following the instructions, but discovered that my applications page looks different from the one in the OP's screenshot (I've attached a screenshot of mine).  So I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.  Whether it was because I didn't do it the right way or because I was among the group for whom this solution didn't work, I figured it was better to see if someone could tell me what settings I should use on this version of the applications page.

        If it turns out this doesn't work for me even after I find out whether my settings are right or not, I had a thought, to try to install my CC in package form.  A lot of it is in Sims3Packs, but I remember a post on crinrict's blog explaining how to convert a Sims3Pack into a .package file.  Would this be feasible at all?

        I also took care that my Documents folder isn't in OneDrive anymore, and it's not, so that's all settled too.  Once I manage to solve the CC problem I think I'll be in business.  Thanks again!

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