Sims 3 won't open & goes back to EA Launcher

lajla12  Try moving the Documents directory out of OneDrive, as described here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-saves-user-content-disappearing-PC/td-p/12475370#Remove

The guide was written for Sims 4 but applies to both games.  Make sure to save both the Sims 3 and Sims 4 user folders before changing the settings.

Here is the location. I use to have Norton 360 but it expired a couple months ago as it came with the PC for a certain amount of months as a freebee for purchasing the PC. Currently I have no antivirus protection on the PC. I just went offline on EA and turned my wifi off completely (I do not have an ethernet cable) and I hit the play button on the EA app offline and then I hit play with within the Sims 3 launcher and it sends me right back to the screen on EA where it says "You're in offline mode". When I click on the Sims 4 it has no issues. 

lajla12  Please list the location of the Documents directory, as designated by Windows.  Search in Windows for Command Prompt, open it, and enter this command, starting with reg query:

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

Please post the result here.  You can write [username] instead of your actual username if you like, but leave th rest intact.

Please also let me know whether it helps to play with your computer completely offline.  You can sign into the EA App and put it in offline mode, then disable wifi and/or disconnect the ethernet cable before pressing Play.

If you still get the error, I'd like to know what antivirus you use as well.

Hello, 

I have tried what you said with limiting the CPU core limit and then lifting the limit as soon as the game starts to load and I also paused OneDrive syncing. I am still getting the "serious error" message after this...

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I'm in the same situation. I installed the game yesterday. This morning I played, and now this afternoon, when starting a new game, I click on the town and it shows me a serious error.

lajla12  Thanks for the dxdiag, which shows you do need one of the Alder Lake fixes.  For now, please keep using the CPU core limit, but you can lift the limit as soon as the game starts to load, or at the Main Menu if it's more convenient.

What happens when you try to load a new save?  If you're getting the "serious error" message, try pausing OneDrive syncing.  You can do so by right-clicking the cloud icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, or perhaps hidden in the Tray (^ icon).

If that doesn't help, or something else happens when you try to load a save, please let me know.