Sims 4 Staring as background process
Hello, I'm having trouble with my sims 4 game regarding the task manger and running it as an app. I do have mods and CC, I've been doing the 50/50 method the whole of yesterday, and had no problems with running the sims 4, now today it is only running as a background process. This has happened before many times, and I often come on the forums for answers, I've tried every single one, but nothing is working this time. I have also tried to run EA and Sims 4 as administrator, that didn't work, I've uninstalled and reinstalled sims about 3 times and that also didn't work. I have script mods turned off after the recent update, and I have also started a new folder, that didn't work either. I just want to play my game. I've attached my DxDiag below. Please help me!
Help The Sims 4 ISN'T working after August 2025 patch
Hey everyone, I'm so sorry for ranting but I'm now at a complete standstill. I've removed the cache files, repaired the games multiple times, uninstalled the games and reinstalled them so many times and the game gives me 2 different errors. The first error is that it keeps sending me back to the neighborhood menu with out without mods using a fresh new game with 0 mods. The 2nd error now it keeps freezing during the loading screen and doesn't work at all :/ I don't know what to do any more but I'm thinking I might as well give up on The Sims series and move on to another game at least until EA releases a fix or something. The game continues to freeze and not function properly after doing everything. I've removed Icemunmun's mods, Tmex mods (except for BE), Ats4 mods, basically every single script mod that doesn't work except for WW, MCC, and Weerbru's mods (The UI mod and the more CAS columns). These are apparently all cleared by Scarlet Realms broken mods list) . I was wondering if anyone could help me solve this until EA comes up with another patch to fix this. Thank you and I apologize for ranting here.
Game won't launch despite no cc/mods
So, essentially i downloaded the game and all my add-ons purchased through steam a couple days ago and was going to play today, unfortunately no matter what i do it refuses to launch. It says it's a error on our end, but it's been ongoing for nearly a week now??? I ended all EA tasks in the task manager, I uninstalled and redownloaded EA App, I cleared cache on EA AND Steam, I uninstalled and redownloaded the game, and it's still not working. Any help? Also I don't have any cc or mods in the game atm, I am literally jsut trying to open the game for the first time.
‘Building Lot’ suddenly appeared
So I took my sim to a lot in Evergreen Harbor and he voted for the action plans and community changes etc. After about a minute, the ‘building lot’ screen just appeared and would not go away. All he was doing in that moment was sitting, not doing anything that would cause this screen. I’m not sure if it’s because of the voting for changes that he did, but I had to force close my game after giving it 10 minutes and still being stuck on the ‘building lot’ loading screen. I did not try to enter build mode or do anything related to building a lot. Due to me having no choice but to force close the game (as I could not interact with the game at all) I lost all my gameplay that I had done. I’m very annoyed as I only recently bought Eco Lifestyle and it’s just been full of world glitches and bugs. The floor disappears in Evergreen Harbor and the background glitches badly.
[INSTRUCTIONS] How to troubleshoot and test a broken game
If your game is displaying any of the following behaviours please read on for basic troubleshooting steps: bouncing in the Dock then disappearing EA App minimising after pressing play then reappearing and the game not loading black screen crashing freezing eternally loading freezing sims but time progressing any unusual and unexpected behaviour Repair the game: Make sure the game is not running. Open EA App, click on Library in EA App, then click on the 3 dots in the top right corner of the game and select Repair. Once it has finished repairing attempt to launch the game. If it still doesn't work your next step is to try a clean Sims 4 folder. Testing a clean game: You need to test a fully clean game without any of your current user data. User data are all the files and folders in the Sims 4 folder located in Documents > Electronic Arts. The files and settings stored in this folder make your game unique to you but they can also be the cause of a game not working, typically due to out of date or conflicting Mods, corrupted saves, or other potentially broken files. This screenshot shows the contents of the Sims 4 folder with the most important data highlighted in red: Make sure the game is not running then rename the Sims 4 folder. This can be renamed to anything, just add OLD to the folder name for example. Renaming the folder forces the game to create a new one when you next launch it. None of your user data will be in the new Sims 4 folder the game creates but is still safe in the Sims 4 folder you renamed. Launch the game. If it successfully launches to the main menu start a new save, create a household and place them in-game. If your game has normally been breaking in build or live mode at this point, play for a bit in this new save, trying to reproduce the scenario that your game broke previously. If it starts breaking again create a new thread in the Mac Sims 4 Tech forum or post in an existing thread if you have been directed here for troubleshooting. Make sure you include a clear explanation of when your game breaks, what happens, and what troubleshooting steps you have tried. Screenshots of error codes and copy/pasted text from the most recent lastCrash and LastException files are also very helpful. If your game works in the new save it's time to test the user data in your old Sims 4 folder. We do this in several steps in a precise order to try and narrow down the problem based on the issue you were having. Make sure you have the game fully closed before testing. Delete the new save you just created. COPY a save from the old Sims 4 > saves folder you renamed into the new Sims 4 > saves folder the game has created. Launch the game and attempt to load the save. If it loads great! Quit without saving and move to step 2 and gradually add your user data into the new Sims 4 folder. If it will not load the issue is with the save file. Quit or Force Quit the game, do not save. The save file may be corrupted due to whatever reason, sometimes this can be because your save may depend on specific Mods or CC to properly load. If this is the case download a new copy of the Mod from the creator and put it in the new Mods folder then relaunch the game. If it works great, move onto step 2. If it doesn't work head over to the Mods forum for further help. Start moving the rest of your user data from your old Sims 4 folder into the new Sims 4 folder, removing the existing files and folders the game has just created. You do this in small batches, loading and quitting the game after adding each batch to test the game is still working. Start by adding the rest of your saves then move onto the Tray folder, then add the Options.ini file, then Screenshots, then Recorded Videos, then VideoCameraStates, then Custom Music, then ConfigOverride, then UserSetting.ini, then accountDataDB.package, then the content folder. All other files and folders can be ignored. Lastly, if you are a Mods user, move over your Mods in small batches (the 50/50 method), do not move the entire Mods folder in one go and ALWAYS make sure the Mods are compatible with the current version of the game. Test the game after adding each batch of Mods. If your game breaks after adding a batch remove that last batch, trash the localthumbcache.package file, then add the Mods in one by one, testing after adding each one. When it breaks again you know the issue is with the last Mod you added. Remove it, trash the localthumbcache.package file again then head over to the creator's website for an updated, compatible Mod, if one exists. If it doesn't DO NOT put that Mod back in your game. For further help with Mods visit the Mods forum. !! Mod users - read this: Some Mods also add or replace files in the core game installation. A clean Sims 4 folder will not touch these files. The only way to fix these files back to the Maxis files is to either manually replace them or repair your game. If the Mod adds files to the game installation you must follow the Mod creator's instructions for disabling the Mod which will hopefully remove the files. If no instructions are available either remove them manually, if you know where they are, or completely uninstall and reinstall the game via EA App. Explanation of important files and folders in the Sims 4 folder: Really important folders in red and highlighted in the screenshot above. accountDataDB.package - contains data for in-game events launched by the Sims team ConfigOverride - if you have edited the core graphics files and stored a copy here, your game will default to the system graphics files within the app if you trash this folder or its contents Content - this is where SDX files are stored until the next patch Custom Music - if you have custom music in your game it is stored here Mods - if you play a modded game this is where your CC and Mods are saved and most likely the culprit of a broken game, especially after a game update lastCrash.txt - files that are sometimes created by the game when it crashes. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause lastUIException.txt - sometimes created when the game encounters an error. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause Options.ini - your in-game graphics and UI settings. This should be trashed to test a laggy game to rule out too higher graphics settings Saves - contains all your saves Screenshots - your in-game screenshots when pressing C Tray - contains the files that make up the Lots/Households/Rooms you have saved to your in-game Library UserSetting.ini - in-game account settings, UI settings, tutorial settings. Delete if having Pack Selection setting issues. VideoCameraStates - your in-game stored camera positions (CTRL + 5,6,7,8). Trash this if your camera is jumping around and misbehaving.Game crashing or not loading especially after updating? Post here.
If your game is crashing after recently updating it please try the two most basic and fundamental steps to resolve it before posting: Repair the game in EA App Test a new clean game. Don't just cherry pick a few files and folders you think you should remove, such as just the Mods folder, or a few random Mods, or any old cache file, or a couple of screenshots, test a completely new, clean, vanilla game. Full instructions here - [INSTRUCTIONS] How to troubleshoot and test a broken game | EA Forums - 11864548 If your game successfully launches with a new Sims 4 folder you then need to figure out what is causing the crashing/failure to load. Again, instructions are in this link - [INSTRUCTIONS] How to troubleshoot and test a broken game | EA Forums - 11864548 . Only you can do that and it can take some time. if the cause is Mods head over to the Mods forum for further help - The Sims 4 Mods & Custom Content | EA Forums if the cause is one or more particular save files, upload them to a file sharing site and post the link here (tag me) or PM me and I can test in my game If your game will not load after repairing it AND testing a completely clean Sims 4 folder please uninstall and reinstall the game through EA App then test, still using the clean Sims 4 folder the game created from the previous step. If you're still having an issue post here with the specs of your Mac. You can find these in Apple > About This Mac: model, e.g. M4 MacBook Pro year, e.g. 2024 macOS version, e.g. Sequoia 15.3.2 (yes, the FULL version is important, with all numbers) memory, e.g. 64GB storage available, e.g. 1.5 TB of 2TB. This info can be found in System Settings > General > About or More Info... in the About This Mac window. Please also post a screenshot showing the contents of the new Sims 4 folder in Finder: make sure the files are in list order in Finder with Dates and Size clearly visible. make sure all files and folders in the TS4 folder are showing, don't cut off the screenshot have the path bar clearly showing in the screenshot: with the Finder window open and selected click on View > Show Path Bar in the menu bar at the top of your desktop. The screenshot should look something like this: Make sure to add a full description of what exactly is happening and what you have tried to fix it in your post. Be constructive to help us help you 🙂 The following are a few examples of short replies that are not constructive: "my game won't work" "my game has broken and I hate EA" "my game only works without Mods and I'm refusing to remove my Mods" "fix it" "my sister's friend's brother's aunty has the same computer and her game works" "I've tried EVERYTHING and NOTHING works"Game screen suddenly shows a past moment/freezes??
This is a really weird problem and I'm going to do my best to describe it... I have had this happen twice now in the past day. My game suddenly 'flashes back' to something that happened recently while also freezing. Here are the two instances: Yesterday when it first happened, my game went back to the screen where I had two sims taking a picture together, except this had happened many game hours earlier and the screen was also frozen. Nothing to do except force the game to quit and lose my unsaved stuff. Just now happened again, inspiring this post. My game jumped back to a random moment from game hours earlier. I knew it wasn't from the actual current moment because one of my sims had visited the Naturopath and the screen showed that they were there (I could see the ailment on their pic and it was greyed out like they were gone somewhere). Also had to force quit, although this time I noticed that I could still use the keyboard shortcuts to pause and unpause, because I could hear the rain/other game sounds. I couldn't actually click on anything, and after a minute even that stopped. Note: Due to the annoying number of crashes/glitches from the recent update that I've been experiencing, and after this happened yesterday, I repaired my game. For reference, I have every expansion pack/kit/etc. and I have no mods in my game currently. Got rid of them when infants were introduced and never brought them back. Anyone else have this happening??
