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Bluebellflora's avatar
Bluebellflora
Hero+
7 years ago
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Sims 3 - "There is a problem connecting to the server..." installation error

If you are not able to install Sims 3 due to an apparent connection issue, please post here. The warning windows you may receive are:    This maybe an EA server issue or an OS bas...
mac
technical issues
Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
7 years ago

@beerxced79000  Dear Gods, THANK YOU so much for this information! Copied my 'paul.dll' and 'winui.dll' from one of my Sims 3 expansion files over to my Mass Effect binaries folder (after making a back up of course, ALWAYS make back ups, never skimp on your back ups people, they save so much time and pain) and it works! You're awesome for finding and sharing this information with us, all the internet hugs to you ❤️

Now, DISCLAIMER: Obviously, this isn't a fix that is going to work for everyone. I'm lucky that I have another EA game that has these files, others may not be so lucky. While we have a work around now, that's all it is, the actual problem persists on EA's end and really needs fixing properly

Beerxced79000, you mentioned in your first post that this problem has been dated since 17/07/18? While looking through the forums of games related to this authorization system, I noticed the Dragon Age: Origins forum has been having issues connecting to their servers since July. Now, the link over on this page seems to point towards the Mac version of the game (and is a broken link... 🤔 ) so I'm not sure if it uses this same authorization system across all operating systems. But if it does, it might be worth letting them know about this too, in case it helps there. I skimmed through a few of the recent pages here, and a server move on EA's end was mentioned, so I wonder if the authorization servers have been moved recently, and the 'road' for 'paul.dll' got broken that way? (I'm just guessing, I have no idea how servers work.) Maybe it's totally unrelated, but the fact that you mentioned July specifically makes me wonder.

beerxced79000's avatar
beerxced79000
7 years ago

I realized the problem on Friday 12/10/18 by putting all my software system in the factory and installing the games.
I bought crysis warhead on origin 17/07/18 and I activated it without problem on that date! By logic the problem has arrived in the meantime! it's just deduction and common sense😉

Friday I contacted EA support to explain the problem and report that I suspected a problem on their side on their server securom license.

After checking their side (check what? I do not know ... maybe only that the server was well plugged into the socket power ) they answer me that the problem comes from my internet connection.

After checking my parameters, in case my internet provider has made a bad joke in the meantime with an update, I see no problem on my side.

Knowing that I worked in the computer maintenance and that the problem can not come from my computer returned to the factory I found that the game "medal of honor 2010" in my original library also made its activation online with securom and that precisely, he had succeeded! I also know how securom works in broad outline.


from there, I think I do not have to explain the rest! The technical support has received all the information from me as well as on the french forum. I made it clear that anyone who will buy the games affected by the problem could only download and install it but not be able to start it and I was right!

Normally EA is working to solve the problem from what I understood.

for me there are only two possibilities:

- a modification on the license server, to correct.
- a certificate of validity implemented in the file paul.dll and which has just expired. (yes it's silly as situation)


so much so, that the second case will be more boring to solve than the first! but personally I do not care, after all I am a simple customer who buys his games and wishes to benificier ...

But all of this is only guesswork from my knowledge and I do not work at EA and I can be wrong.

I have simplified the explanations on paul.dll so that it is within reach of the largest number of readers and also for security reasons with this copy protection because we are on a public forum.

You're right on one point, my method of resolution is only temporary and you need the right files to apply it and therefore the good game that has its files. However his files have not been put on the french forum for reasons of validity and security, but can be provided by private message (me or moderation) history of depanner meanwhile!

Good Game all 😉

  • beerxced79000's avatar
    beerxced79000
    7 years ago

    there is another way for customers who have bought their boxed game with a disk installation and not in dematrialized Origin.

    Just rename the paul.dll file to anything and leave the installation disk number 1 in the drive!

    The game should normally be able to start because instead of proceeding to an online activation of the license, securom will rather verify that you have the original disc of the game and not a copy and thus authorized the start of the game.

    it also works in reverse normally for those who bought a game box protected by securom 7! adding the paull.dll file must allow online activation of the game's installation key and the one should no longer need the original disk in the drive to boot. But also all versions of paul.dll will not work on all games so it may be a little complicated.

    if it is an older version of securom or another protection, all this will not work of course! 

    why paul.dll name ? because Product Activation User License

    But it was just for information !you know everything  😉

    • grubol13's avatar
      grubol13
      7 years ago
      hey guys, i have the same problem (there is a problem with connecting to the licence servers or however its called) but in the NFS Shift. it's just me or anyone have this problem too? the weird thing is that every game like BF3, Medal of Honor works properly but this one can not run properly. its important to know that I play at PC, not Mac though. anyone have an idea?
      • beerxced79000's avatar
        beerxced79000
        7 years ago

        @Jocobai

        I do not have dragon age and can not say anything! Desolate! I do not know if securom is MAC compatible! i just know that securom is windows 32bit compatible only !

        after I only know the hardware and software part of IT! programming and code are not part of my skills!

        thanks for the hugs

  • Chiccapetit99's avatar
    Chiccapetit99
    6 years ago
    @beerxced79000 hi
    i'm having the same problem with the sims 3 right now, it sais me that there is something wrong with the license server and wifi connection, but obviously is not my wifi connection because it works very well. can you please help me with the process, because i don't really get how to do it, also because i'm italian and i don't really understand everything you said (also because i don'to know very well how to use the mac). I'm so sorry, i hope you'll help me, thanks! 🙂

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