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Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
Not applicable
9 years ago

Sims 3 won't Launch after Clicking Play, or Origin Glitching out?

Hi, could really use some help right now.
So I'll start from the beginning, I've been playing Sims 3 on my computer for over two years, Alienware x51 i5 core 1TB, Windows 10 previously Windows 7, no issues. 
Until a few days ago, I bought a new tv, which I use for my monitor as well, it's a 4k 40-inch tv screen. And now, Origin is acting up, and Sims 3 won't launch after clicking play.
What I mean by Origin acting is that it does this wired spazzy thing. After being unsuccessful in getting my game to launch I went through Origin and noticed that when I clicked on the sims 3, then the window opens up, and like the background around the play button is glitching out, the background is incomplete, there are gray box's that move as you scroll to the play button that sometimes covering the play button. And on the side menu, it does the same thing, it glitches out as I move my cursor over it. 

So then I click play, and the Sims 3 main menu opens, I click the play button, it spins for a few moments and closes, then nothing, nothing is task manager or hidden in the background, nothing. 

I've tried running it as administrator, going through the back door in electronic arts. 

I thought maybe if I downsized my screen size it would fix it, but nothing changed. 

Don't know if this helps but sometimes when I run as Administrator I get the error message -1073741819

I'm trying to stay away from uninstalling it.

Please and Thank You 

6 Replies

  • roberta591's avatar
    roberta591
    Hero (Retired)
    9 years ago

    @princessmerleen What are the specs for the new TV? Is the refresh rate 60Hz or 120Hz? You may have to change some settings in the device driver. There is no way to even guess with the information provided. Need make and model of tv and the video chip in your Alienware at the very least and even then you may have to do some tweaking. 4K is new (at least to computers) and video drivers may not know how to configure the output. Is your Alienware a laptop or desktop? Ultimately your trying to use new technology (4K) with old technology (an existing computer) and there may be a lot to be done - updating to the last computer video drivers, what is the tv specs, how is the computer connected. I'm looking at my gaming computer video driver (not the computer I'm using) and it shows it is connected to an Acer X233H display - resolution is set to 1920 X 1080 (native) and the refresh rate is 60Hz (most flat screens are locked to 60Hz) and it is connected by DVI (which is basically the same as HDMI without the audio.Hers's what you need to know:

    What does your tv need for resolution and refresh rate?

    Are you using a video adapter?

    Do you have the proper HDMI cable (I'm guessing your connected with HDMI) - most cables should work but...

    What is your computer set to output (device driver)?

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    Not applicable
    9 years ago

    My Alienware is a desktop, my tv is a Samsung 2016 model, UN40KU7000. Looked it up and the refresh rate is 60Hz. My graphics card is a Nvidia GeForce GTX 645.  
    My resolution is set to 3840x2160, tried downsizing it to see if that would work but it didn't. 
    I'm not using a video adapter, I'm using a new HDMI cord for my computer, had to get a new cord because my tv was having issues with the old one; because it was really old, like one end was VGA old, the other end was HDMI.

    I went through and checked to make sure everything was updated, and as far as I know, it is. 

  • Shymamii's avatar
    Shymamii
    Rising Traveler
    9 years ago
    I am having the same problem after installing a new GeForce GTX 750 Ti graphics card. I played the game last night with no problem. Plz help 😰
  • roberta591's avatar
    roberta591
    Hero (Retired)
    9 years ago

    @princessmerleen Are you using a standard HDMI cable (not a dvi to hdmi cable). Have you tried changing the resolution of the video driver? Did you try 3840X2160 (4K resolution) 60 Hz? If you plug in a monitor does it work? Do you have a dvd player to plug in and see if it works? Your discreet video card have a hdmi port (should have)? First guess is your video card is set to a resolution that the tv doesn't like.

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    Not applicable
    9 years ago


    @roberta591Yes, I'm using a standard HDMI cable. 
    Yes I have tried changing the resolution, and yes it's set to 3840X2160, it's even recommended by the control panel. 
    Yes, it does have an HDMI port and it's in use. 
    I got out my old tv, a 32 inch, and it still won't work, Origin won't even open anymore, even if I try running it as administrator. -Update- I was able to get it to open by putting in a game disk
    My computer has a dvd drive, and I tried putting in the disk, which helped origin. But the game still won't run after clicking play in its menu.  

  • roberta591's avatar
    roberta591
    Hero (Retired)
    9 years ago

    @princessmerleen Check the resolution settings in the Nvidia control panel - right click an empty space on the desktop - there should be Nvidia control panel - change resolution. Here you can change the resolution of the video adapter (graphics card) and you can see how it affects the display.