sims 4 not working december 2023

@tiffy_is_here  The new Windows account won't erase your current account; the two will exist alongside each other, with you choosing which one to load each time you restart the computer.  I do think this is the next step here, particularly because the "already running" error is almost always due to a permissions issue.  I wrote out the known fixes and workarounds here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-already-running/m-p/13276380

I'm having the EXACT same issue. I had already done everything recommended probably 4 times now. I think since last year, I lose my worlds constantly, the game launches then crashes, it doesnt launch at all, your sims doing one task constantly, one day your game works perfect, then the next day comes and everything is gone. I'm not making another account to play the sims, we all paid for this game and they cant make it easier to play?

So after a full day, moving the old Sims 4 folder to the desktop and launching the game opened a new folder, and it worked for only a minute until my game crashed. It kept crashing every time I launched it to the point where it gave me the same utilization error as described before. 

I then tried to make a new admin account and the Sims still is not able to launch. Although I restarted my pc twice just to log into the other admin account, it gave me the "EA is already running" error (I will attach a screenshot) even though nothing shows up in task manager.

I then used the cmd prompt to scan for any corrupted files using sfc/scannow, and the prompt detected corrupted files and then deleted them. After restarting my PC, I realize that some files are missing from the new Sims 4 folder was created. There isn't a tray file anywhere, or the usual folders. I already scanned my pc using CCleaner multiple times and no virus was found. I'm thankful that I already backed up all my mods, saves, and tray files. Why is this happening? 

@tiffy_is_here  Some of the user files and folders don't get created until the game needs them, so I wouldn't worry about not seeing a Tray folder.  That's just the result of your not being able to play for very long (or launch the game at all in the new account) rather than a separate problem.

Please uninstall the EA App with Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine) and reinstall it while in the new Windows account.  Then try again to play and let me know what happens.

So after uninstalling and reinstalling the EA app in the new windows account I was able to launch the game fine without any mods or custom content installed. Is there any way I can get it to work again on my main windows account? I feel like signing in and out every time I want to play the sims 4 would be such a hassle because I switch games all the time. 

changing the location of the documents folder helped! I was able to launch the game smoothly and create a new world and sim, thank you so much! I just have a quick question before I add my mods and save files back into my game, do I add them to the new location of the documents folder? what do I do with the old documents folder? 

@tiffy_is_here  You need to add your mods, saves, and anything else you want to keep to the folder Sims 4 is reading, which should be inside the new Documents folder.  But please test out your mods, especially since you've been having this issue through one major and now two minor patches.  Some of the mods may not be compatible with the game.

Thank you! The only mods I have besides CC are betterexceptions, ui cheats and mc command center and I updated all of them before putting them back in the new sims folder. I can now play again, just in time for winter break! Thank you again for your help