i've been having this issue ever since there has been a new Sims update, however in the past my game would automatically fix itself once I installed a Windows update (I am on windows 10). I have already tried reinstalling and uninstalling the game, I have also repaired the game multiple times, I also disabled my windows firewall and still get the same error. My Mods folder has been taken out during all of these trials. I have also tried getting the game to create a new The Sims 4 folder. I would drag The Sims 4 folder onto my desktop, repair the game, and a new folder would not be created. And when i try to launch the game without the folder in documents, i would get the "sims is already running" error instead. I have also made a different windows account and i would also get the "sims is already running" error on that new windows account. I feel like i have tried almost all solutions without completely resetting my entire PC, which I would not like to do since I would have to manually uninstall and reinstall all of my Sims 3 CDs (I have the entire collection), and purchase a huge external hard drive to keep all of my personal files. this is very upsetting when i would like to participate in the nature's calling event before it ends.
tiffy_is_here The initialization error is typically antivirus-related, and the firewall is not the same as the antvirus. So please set exceptions in your AV for TS4_x64, TS4_DX9_x64, and TS4_Launcher_x64, or the Bin folder they're in. Set an exception for EADesktop.exe too while you're there.
You may need to repair the game (again) as well.
The "already running" error has a master thread here, if you can't get past it:
[CURRENT ISSUE] Sims 4 already running | EA Forums - 11818313
The Sims 4 folder in Documents > Electronic Arts doesn't spawn again until the game starts to load, and both of these errors happen before that, so it's no surprise that you're not seeing a new folder.
the only antivirus software i have installed on my PC is malwarebytes and CCleaner. I don't see an option to have the sims as an exception on those apps. when I try to look in my windows settings for an anti-virus software, there isn't any setting showing up for it (shown in first screenshot). i also tried searching for the virus & threat protection setting on my computer, and it gave me this popup shown in the second screenshot, but this is my personal computer that i built myself back in 2020. i don't know why this is happening.
