the sims 3 crashes on launch

@FreeToBeMae  The only way that a corrupt DCCache file, or anything like that, could be the culprit is if you or something else is putting back the Sims 3 folder in Documents > Electronic Arts once you've removed it.  That "something else" would probably be OneDrive, if it's syncing your files, but it could also be another service that backs up your files or even an overly intrusive antivirus.  Point is, make sure that after you've removed the folder, it's really gone until you try to load the game again.

For the issue itself, try forcing the game to load in windowed mode.  Go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, open options.ini, search for fullscreen , and set it to 0 (zero).

Your dxdiag shows a number of InPageErrors that could be related to a failing or compromised hard drive, and the crash log shows the same error.  So regardless of whether launching Sims 3 in windowed mode helps, please run chkdsk for all your drives:

• Hit Windows key-X
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator),” whichever option is offered
• Inside the window that appears, copy and paste "chkdsk /f /r c:" without quotes, and enter
• You'll be asked to allow a restart; say yes
• When the scan is done, use this guide to find the results
• Repeat for drive E: use "chkdsk /f /r e:" without quotes
• Plug drive F in if it's not already, and run chkdsk for it too: the command is "chkdsk /f /r f:" without quotes

You should be able to attach the reports to a post here.  Running chkdsk will take some time, so you may want to leave it while you're doing something else.  Please also let me know which drive Sims 3 is installed on, and if you want to troubleshoot in the interim, you can try uninstalling it and reinstalling on a different drive.

Hey, I'm in the middle of running through the Chkdsk on my F drive. Before I ran the chkdsk on drive F, I've tried a couple of times to run the chkdsk on my E drive. I've tried closing out all of the programs and the same messages keep popping up. Here's what the message says: "Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID." Any tips??

I forgot to add the Chkdsk results file for my C drive that finished. I still have two drives to go.

@FreeToBeMae  The results for C look fine: chkdsk found some minor issues that it corrected, but the driver is in good health overall.  I'd still like to hear about the results of the other two drives when you're done.

The "volume is in use" error may be because a background process is accessing files on E, for example the EABackgroundService could still be running even after you close the EA App.  The simplest fix is restarting your computer, but if you have the App or some other program set to start with Windows, make sure not only the app itself is closed but that no associated background services are running.  The icons in the Task Manager's background processes list should let you know what each entry is.

Okay, the CHKDSK for all three drives finally finished! 

@FreeToBeMae  Drive E had one bad sector, which isn't great but also isn't a reason to panic.  The other drives are fine, according to chkdsk.

Please delete any crash logs you have in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  Ttry launching Sims 3 again, in windowed mode, and let me know whether it works.  If not, please post a new dxdiag and a new crash log, if one has been created.  And let me know what drive Sims 3 is installed on.

Still doing the same thing, although the load time has gotten longer, to about 30 seconds then it crashes. It won't load in windowed mode. I've tried several times in different ways to get it to do so. I think the best it does is windowed borderless?

@FreeToBeMae  Please do a clean uninstall of Sims 3, and reinstall it on your C drive.  Space will be tight, but it's a useful test, especially considering your dxdiag lists a number of new InPageErrors and the Sims 3 crash log does as well.  Here's how to uninstall:

• For the Sims 3 folder that was originally in Documents\Electronic Arts, the one that contains your previoius saves if you have any, rename it to something that doesn't include the words "Sims 3."
• Download Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine) from here.
• Launch Revo, select Sims 3 from the list, and click Uninstall.
• Once the game is uninstalled, select "Moderate" under "scanning modes," and click Scan.
• Review the list, in case there's something you want to save; otherwise, click Select All, and then Delete.
• Close Revo, and restart your computer.

Create a new folder on the root level of C, for example C:\Games is fine, but not C:\Program Files\Games, and install Sims 3 there.  This may not be absolutely necessary, but it's a lot easier to install into a new folder now than later, when it would require another reinstall.  And don't restore the Sims 3 user folder, the one formerly in Documents, until you've tested.

If this doesn't help, please post another crash log.

It didn't work, but in some ways, this was helpful. I was able to bring it into windowed mode and it seems a little better. One thing I noticed is that when The Sims 3 game loads up, it doesn't have the TS3 icon, it's just blank. But it crashes after less than 30 seconds. Crash file is attached.

@FreeToBeMae  Please run a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files:

• Hit Windows key-X
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator),” whichever option is offered
• Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes, and enter
• The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here
• After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key-X again
• Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator)”
• Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes, and enter
• Post the message you receive here

Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates.  If any install, restart again afterwards.

Then run a malware scan.  I'm not saying this is malware, only that it's worth ruling out.  Download Malwarebytes (the free trial is fine) from here:

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download

Open it, click Scan > Custom Scan > Configure Scan, check all the boxes both for scans and for your C and E drives (and F if you happen to have an external plugged in), and let it do its job.  This will probably take at least an hour, so you may want to set it to run while you're doing something else.  Please attach its report so I can take a look.