Forum Discussion

CZ_insims's avatar
CZ_insims
7 months ago
Solved

Sims 4 won't launch

I am having trouble getting the game launched since I updated the game and installed the new DLC. Whenever I click on the blue play button, nothing happens except the EA app auto-minimizing. I have waited for half an hour and found that the game seems to be running backstage when looking into the task manager, but it just doesn't show up. I tried repairing the game and EA app and even rebooted several times but none of those helped. I also tried removing the game folder to make the game create a new one, but it just doesn't create a new one at all. I have run DxDiag and it says that my GPU is perfectly fine. I don't know what else I can do now to save my game!!!

pc
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    7 months ago

    @CZ_insims  That's strange, Sims 4 should be using the Nvidia graphics card after the changes you made.  Please try switching to DirectX 11 mode, as described here:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/PC/Enabling-DirectX-11-For-Sims-4-on-EA-app-and-Steam/td-p/13711976

    Even if the game works, please check Config.log, in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4, to see whether the Intel or Nvidia card is being used at launch.  The Graphics Device Info is about 30 lines down.  (This is not a helpful test if Sims 4 doesn't launch at all because the file only updates each time the game starts to load.)

    If you can't play in DX11 mode, please do a clean uninstall and reinstall of both graphics drivers, as described here:

    https://crinrict.com/blog/2019/02/clean-re-install-of-graphics-drivers-with-display-driver-uninstaller-ddu.html

    You can get fresh copies of the drivers Asus offers for your laptop here:

    https://www.asus.com/us/supportonly/fx507vv/helpdesk_download/

    You'll want the newest Nvidia graphics driver, dated July 24, 2023, and the newest Intel driver, dated July 27, 2023.  I realize these seem a bit old, but it's easy to update if necessary and more complicated to revert to these drivers once you've installed new ones.  So please do try these first.

    The proper order of operations here is uninstall the Nvidia driver > uninstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Nvidia driver > restart, all while your computer is offline.

    If you still can't play after reinstalling both drivers, please post a new dxdiag.

17 Replies

Sort By
Show More
  • CZ_insims's avatar
    CZ_insims
    7 months ago

    I tried using another account and the result is still the same. Could it be that the game file is corrupted for some reason? 

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    7 months ago

    @CZ_insims  The fact that the other account has the same issue means it's your computer, not your account, but that still leaves several possibilities.  There's still no error in the Reliability Monitor from when you try to open Sims 4?  Please check again just to make sure.

    If not, I would suggest running a repair install of Windows, to cover all your bases on a system level.  Here's how (option two):

    https://www.elevenforum.com/t/repair-install-windows-11-with-an-in-place-upgrade.418/

    This shouldn't delete any of your data, but if you get to step 14 and are NOT asked to keep personal files and apps, back out and start over.  When you're done, try again to play, and look for new errors in the Reliability Monitor; check back an hour or two later if it hasn't updated since the last time you tried to open Sims 4.

  • CZ_insims's avatar
    CZ_insims
    7 months ago

    I tried repair install but it keep asking me for activation key, so that didn't work. But I tried re-install the game and this time it showed a different pattern. The game window would pop out for a few seconds and then was shut down suddenly. This time I can see error message, here's the detail:

    Sources
    The Sims™ 4

    Abstract
    Stopped working

    Date: 2024/8/8 1516
    2024/8/8 15:16

    Status
    Report sent

    Description
    Wrong application path: D:\The Sims 4\Game\Bin\TS4_DX9_x64.exe

    Problem Signature
    Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
    Application Name: TS4_DX9_x64.exe
    Application Version: 1.108.335.1020
    Application timestamp: 66a31f19
    Fault Module Name: igd12um64xel.dll
    Faulty module version: 31.0.101.4502
    Fault Module Timestamp: 648b3688
    Exception Code: c0000005
    Exception Offset: 0000000000031c4d
    OS Version: 10.0.22621.2.0.0.768.99
    Region ID: 2052
    Additional Information 1: e448
    Additional information 2: e4488f977280a113ee74b106011900fa
    Additional Information 3: 648f
    Additional information 4: 648f85d8b08d34a2c46c9fcbbf3eeca7

    Additional information about this issue
    Segment ID: 172d3bfecdb201111c34128adc6f6408 (2032269719464010760)

    I tried twice and the error messages appear to be identical. My system was running in another language and I can't change it, so I translated the error message using AI. If anything appears weird to you please let me know

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    7 months ago

    @CZ_insims  The translation is close enough, and the important details are obvious anyway.  This is a crash of the Intel graphics driver:

    Fault Module Name: igd12um64xel.dll

    But Sims 4 shouldn't be using the Intel driver or graphics chip at all.  So the next step is to force the game to use the Nvidia GPU instead.  Open Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics settings, click Browse, find TS4_DX9_64 on the list, and set it to the high-performance option.  If you plan to use DirectX 11 mode at some point in the near future, do the same for TS4_x64.  Then restart your computer and try again to play.

    Please also make sure that your laptop is plugged in and charging when you want to play.  If it's running on battery, the power saving settings may override this Windows setting.

    If you still can't play, let me know whether you find any new errors in the Reliability Monitor.

  • CZ_insims's avatar
    CZ_insims
    7 months ago

    I changed the settings as you suggested and rebooted. The game still crashed after rebooting. Here's the new error message.

    Sources
    The Sims™ 4

    Abstract
    Stopped working

    Date: 2024/8/9
    2024/8/9 17:48

    Status
    Report sent

    Descripción
    Wrong application path: D:\The Sims 4\Game\Bin\TS4_DX9_x64.exe

    Problem Signature
    Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
    Application Name: TS4_DX9_x64.exe
    Application Version: 1.108.349.1020
    Application timestamp: 66ac1e6b
    Fault Module Name: igd12um64xel.dll
    Faulty module version: 31.0.101.4502
    Faulty module timestamp: 648b3688
    Exception Code: c0000005
    Exception Offset: 0000000000031c4d
    OS Version: 10.0.22621.2.0.0.768.99
    Region ID: 2052
    Additional Information 1: e448
    Additional information 2: e4488f977280a113ee74b106011900fa
    Additional Information 3: 8ed4
    Additional information 4: 8ed481257d09f8c024469fdcf3f8750f

    Additional information about this issue
    Segment ID: 42d2fe6f2d4f0115e4c6209344c79c80 (1496919743033482368)

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    7 months ago

    @CZ_insims  That's strange, Sims 4 should be using the Nvidia graphics card after the changes you made.  Please try switching to DirectX 11 mode, as described here:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/PC/Enabling-DirectX-11-For-Sims-4-on-EA-app-and-Steam/td-p/13711976

    Even if the game works, please check Config.log, in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4, to see whether the Intel or Nvidia card is being used at launch.  The Graphics Device Info is about 30 lines down.  (This is not a helpful test if Sims 4 doesn't launch at all because the file only updates each time the game starts to load.)

    If you can't play in DX11 mode, please do a clean uninstall and reinstall of both graphics drivers, as described here:

    https://crinrict.com/blog/2019/02/clean-re-install-of-graphics-drivers-with-display-driver-uninstaller-ddu.html

    You can get fresh copies of the drivers Asus offers for your laptop here:

    https://www.asus.com/us/supportonly/fx507vv/helpdesk_download/

    You'll want the newest Nvidia graphics driver, dated July 24, 2023, and the newest Intel driver, dated July 27, 2023.  I realize these seem a bit old, but it's easy to update if necessary and more complicated to revert to these drivers once you've installed new ones.  So please do try these first.

    The proper order of operations here is uninstall the Nvidia driver > uninstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Intel driver > restart > reinstall the Nvidia driver > restart, all while your computer is offline.

    If you still can't play after reinstalling both drivers, please post a new dxdiag.

  • CZ_insims's avatar
    CZ_insims
    7 months ago

    Thank you so much. So far using DX11 solved my game, and hopefully that would last. Thank you for saving my game!!!

About The Sims 4 Technical Issues - PC

PC players get help with their technical issues in The Sims 4 here.50,598 PostsLatest Activity: 2 minutes ago