sims 4 not working december 2023

@tiffy_is_here  Here's how to check Windows Defender's Controlled Folder Access settings; you can simply disable the feature as a test.

https://crinrict.com/blog/2019/03/windows-10-defender-controlled-folder-access.html

If that doesn't help, please create a new admin Windows account and try playing there.  Make it a local account, as in, don't link it with your Microsoft account.  You won't need to reinstall anything in order to (try to) launch Sims 4.

@Eunuchos  If you're seeing exactly the same error, please try the above as well.  If you have a different error, please post a screenshot.

I can't get the game to open.  It stays on the dark gray screen where the tips flow through and this goes on and on and on and after an hour or 2 I give up. I moved any mods out of the file to see if that was the issue.  But still got the same results.   This started before I downloaded "for rent" but during the Super Updates downloads.  I hope EA is working on this.  

I have no idea how to create a new admin Windows account.  This is getting too complicated and for us to have to go through all this when we spent money on their games is a pain.

@Ruffian1950  Before creating a new account, try a new user folder.  Move the entire Sims 4 folder out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop; if it copies instead of moving, or you get an error when trying to move it, stop here and let me know.

Otherwise, when you launch the game, a clean folder will spawn with no content.  (Your saves and other content will be intact in the folder you moved but temporarily not read by the game.)  Don't add anything to the new folder yet; just let me know whether you can get far enough to start a new save and play in live mode for a bit.

The Window Defender's Controlled Folder is not showing up, even when I follow the steps to try to find it. I will attach a screenshot below of what my windows settings look like as well as the windows security tab. How do you make a new admin windows account? If I didn't purchase a windows license (I used the windows key via USB when building my pc because its free and im a broke college student), will making a new admin windows account force me to pay for a license?

@tiffy_is_here  According to Microsoft, in both Windows 10 and 11, the setting should be under Windows security > Virus & threat protection.  But that's missing from your screenshot; on my laptop at least, it's above Account Protection.  I don't actually know whether this has anything to do with not having a valid Windows license, and I don't want to go further than that.

The other possibility is that you have a third-party antivirus running instead.  When you do, Windows Defender mostly disables itself to stay out of the way.  If you're not sure, check Windows Settings > Apps for any installed antivirus or security software.

As for whether a new admin account would require a license, I don't know that either.  But you could try.  As long as the account is local, it won't need a Microsoft login.

Yes, I have had a few antivirus software installed on my PC. I used to have a McAfee subscription but stopped subscribing to it. Even though I uninstalled the actual app it still exists on my web browser. I currently have CCleaner installed and use it regularly to clean my PC. However when I had both of these apps installed it did not interfere with my actual Sims game. On the day of the latest update, I did install a new VPN that my brother had subscribed to, and all of a sudden my sims game can't open. I already uninstalled the new VPN but I want to keep CCleaner on my PC. If I want to keep this software, is my last resort to fixing my game uninstalling and reinstalling? 

I have resulted in uninstalling and reinstalling the game. I backed up my saves, mods, and tray folders on my desktop before uninstalling. After uninstalling, I was not able to redownload the game until I moved the Documents>Electronic Arts>Sims 4 folder onto my desktop. After redownloading, there has not been a new Sims 4 folder created, so when I try to launch the game (I had also repaired the game and deleted the EA app cache throughout this process) it gives me the "sims is already running error" even though the Sims 4 doesn't pop up in the task manager at all.

I dont know what else to do. Even renaming the old sims 4 folder and launching does not work.

If I make a new windows admin account, will my desktop be completely refreshed to having nothing? I want to avoid restarting my whole computer from the beginning, so that's why I haven't done that method yet.

I have resulted in uninstalling and reinstalling the game. I backed up my saves, mods, and tray folders on my desktop before uninstalling. After uninstalling, I was not able to redownload the game until I moved the Documents>Electronic Arts>Sims 4 folder onto my desktop. After redownloading, there has not been a new Sims 4 folder created, so when I try to launch the game (I had also repaired the game and deleted the EA app cache throughout this process) it gives me the "sims is already running error" even though the Sims 4 doesn't pop up in the task manager at all.

I dont know what else to do. Even renaming the old sims 4 folder and launching does not work.

If I make a new windows admin account, will my desktop be completely refreshed to having nothing? I want to avoid restarting my whole computer from the beginning, so that's why I haven't done that method yet.