Origin Updated, Now Sims 3 won't load

[MadDoctor61]

I don't have regular internet at home.  When I was out on Monday (two days ago) and started my computer at an online location,  Origin updated a new version.  That night after I got home, I tried to play The Sims 3.  Origin opens. The Sims 3 Game Launcher opened.  I click the play button.    It crashed before the loading screen even came on.  I've tried it a number of times since with the same result.  I tried to reinstall Origin.  I removed all my Sims expansion packs and the game and Origin and reinstalled everything from scratch then put my custom content and backups back in.  Same crashing.  I removed all the programs again this time only installing the base game and no custom content.  It still won't play.  It crashes about 12 seconds after clicking the launch button (I just timed it).

I have a PC with windows 10, 8GB RAM and have had little trouble playing an overstuffed house (It slowed down as the gardeners put produce in the fridge but picked right up when I sold ~500,000 worth of it), so it's not a PC problem.  I'm sure it has to do with the Origin update (10.4.17.36908-0).

[RedFoxxie]

Hey @MadDoctor61

Since you mentioned "Custom content" , is your game modded ? Does this problem persist with a fresh installation without any "mods" so to say ?

It might also help others to debug this issue if you would be so kind to run DxDiag and give us the results here. Here's a guide for that : https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

[MadDoctor61]

As I mentioned, I only installed the base game the second time around.  No expansion packs.  No custom content. No mods.  I'd also played the game a few time since I last added CC with no problems.  I have feeling it has to do with the Origin update.

[MadDoctor61]

I even tried to install previous versions of Origin that I found at:

https://origin.en.uptodown.com/windows/old

I tried

origin-10-4-12-59996

and

origin-9-11-1-6605.

Neither will let me login till I go online and update (to the version that won't let me run Sims 3)

[roberta591]

@MadDoctor61  It looks like Windows 10 tried to update and failed causing an issue with taskhostw. This could mean a problem in the registry or file corruption (virus?). This needs to be looked into - maybe connect up to the internet and see if the update will complete and correct the issue.

[MadDoctor61]

Still no go.

- I downloaded Malwarebytes which revealed one minor infection (cleaned).

- I did a System File Check and DISM check, scan and repair health

- Complete removal of The Sims

- Complete removal of Origin

What do I need to do to fix this?  It's been a week now and I'm in serious Sims withdrawal.

I've include an update dxdiag

[roberta591]

@MadDoctor61  Do not download and install older versions of Origin as that will probably (most likely) not communicate correctly (if at all). When you "removed" the Sims did you use a registry cleaner like ccleaner (there is a free version)? I don't think this is a game issue but more of an operating system (Windows) issus. It looks like something is interfering with Windows update. msvcr80.dll is part of Microsoft Visual Studio. This could be part of the update issue. You need to correct issues in Windows update THEN if the game doesn't run troubleshoot the game. Is this a Steam version? What is the version of your game and was it patched to?

[MadDoctor61]

I edited the registry manually according to the information on the linked pages in my previous post (where I linked 'complete removal').  I have since installed and run ccleaner (trial version).  Still no go.  I uninstalled Sims and Origin again (maybe ccleaner over cleaned), recleaned the registry till there were no errors, restarted my computer and reinstalled Origin and then The Sims (base game only) through Origin download (not from CD so it is the most recent patch version)  No, it is not the Steam version.  Windows Update says I am up to date though the history mentions some failed updates (I am under the impression these were installed later or included in a larger update since it says I am up to date and there is no obvious way to resume the updates).

[roberta591]

@MadDoctor61 Is the base game installed? Does the launcher work? If you use the Origin digital download I think the game still needs to update through the install process. Did the game install through Origin? What happens when you click run?

[MadDoctor61]

The base game is the only one installed, since my second attempt (no point in doing the rest if the base game doesn't work)  Because the base game is registered to my Origin account, after installing Origin and logging in, I've been downloading and installing the base game (direct, newest patch).  Origin runs.  When I run The Sims, the Sims launcher opens fine.  I click the 'Play" triangle, after a bit a blank window opens, then it says:

"Sims 3 has stopped working

Windows is checking for a solutin to the problem...

I'm including screenshot, in case it helps.