Sims 4 will not start after installing new graphics card
Hi everyone,
I upgraded my graphics card from a 1070 to a 3080 in November 2020. Before, I had no issues running Sims 4 on the 1070. After I installed my 3080, the Sims 4 instantly stopped working. I click on the game icon, and nothing happens except the loading wheel appears by my cursor before going away after a second. Then, the origin client pops up and I get the status "In game - Playing the sims 4 digital deluxe" but no game window appears. Then, I tried playing with origin in offline mode, and when I try that, I get the error "Displayname field missing from registry" and it prompts me to enter my login information on an infinite loop with the error box constantly reappearing every time I enter in my origin information.
I tried using my friend's origin account (she also owns the sims 4) to see if it was an issue with my account or my computer, and the sims 4 did not start up for me either. I also installed the Sims 2 and it ran fine.
I then installed the Sims 4 demo version off of steam and it started but I got the error "unrecognized video card - your video card was not found in our database". Since I started having my issues with the Sims 4 not starting when I installed my new GPU, I think that the issue has something to do with my graphics drivers.
Here's a list of what I've attempted so far:
- Clean boot
- Clear origin cache
- Uninstall/repair the game multiple times
- Uninstall/repair origin client multiple times
- Completely uninstalled and reinstalled graphics drivers
- Updated windows
- Edited my Sims 4 registry file (following EA guides)
- Edited my origin registry file (following EA guides)
- Tried starting the Sims 4 in windowed mode (both via the Origin client way and the Nvidia Geforce experience way)
- Disabled origin in game overlay
- Changed origin library game path
- Ran touchup.exe file in the game's __Installer folder
- Followed this guide -> https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Origin-Client-Move-Locate-Installed-Games/td-p/5776562/highlight/true/page/16
- Disabled fullscreen optimization in the Sims 4
I'm not able to get a config.log file since that requires me having started the game and having an Electronic Arts folder, but since I have not been able to start the game since November 2020 and have uninstalled/reinstalled multiple times, I do not have an EA folder anymore (since it requires having started up the game at least once to show up/be created).
I've attached pictures of the error messages I've gotten and my DxDiag file.
I would seriously appreciate any help. I've contacted EA help 6 times now and they always link me the same guides that I've followed to no avail. I have 700+ hours put into the Sims 4 alone and I want to play again so badly!!
@agastopia The unrecognized video card error is irrelevant here. Your 3080's device ID hasn't been added to the game's database yet, but as the message from Steam says, your graphics settings are set to something reasonably high anyway. If you'd like your card to be recognized, you can use the file provided here, which does include the 3080:
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/READ-FIRST-Unrecognized-video-card/m-p/9741396
However, please put that aside until Sims 4 is up and running, since it's not a critical troubleshooting step.
The game not loading in Origin is a separate issue entirely. Please let me know what antivirus you use. And if you've enabled Controlled Folder Access (or it's enabled by default), please either disable it or set exceptions for TS4_x64.exe and Origin.exe.
https://crinrict.com/blog/2019/03/windows-10-defender-controlled-folder-access.html