It just won't play

[Anonanon27]

I bought and installed sims 3 and a few add on packs after about 3-4 days it stopped working if i clicked on it on my desktop nothing would happen, and it acted as if i hadn't installed it yet, when i went down the usual installment path even though i had already installed it a message would pop up saying that a program or something associated with the sims 3 was running but nothing was running because i couldn't get in the game so i deleted it and reinstalled it through my origin account hoping it would work but it does not and the play button on origin is faded.

Note: yes the disc was in the computer i tried with the main game and the add on disc but neither works

[puzzlezaddict]

Please try temporarily disabling any antivirus/firewall you run, just long enough to test.  If that doesn't help, disable it again, pull your entire Sims 3 game folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts and onto your desktop, and try again.  Please also set exceptions in Controlled Folder Access for TS3W.exe, TS3.exe, and Origin.exe.  Here's how (instructions are for Sims 4, but the same principle applies):

https://crinrict.com/blog/2019/03/windows-10-defender-controlled-folder-access.html

If that doesn't help either, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post here.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

[Anonanon27]

thank you for trying to but I have absolute no idea what I'm doing I generally don't know how to use a laptop so I guess I'm trying to say sorry for being difficult to help 

[puzzlezaddict]

@Anonanon27  Let's start with a dxdiag then.  This article has instructions for running one:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

Once you've saved all the information, just attach it to a post.

[Anonanon27]

I hope this is what u meant

[puzzlezaddict]

@Anonanon27  Okay, the first step is to do a clean uninstall of Sims 3, including removing all the leftover registry entries from the disc install.  Although they weren't the original issue, they may well prevent you from playing now.  Since you probably don't want to clean your computer's registry yourself, you can use Revo Uninstaller to do it for you.  Here's how:

• Rename your Sims 3 game folder (in Documents\Electronic Arts) to something that doesn't have the words "The Sims 3" in it.
• Go to this site to download Revo, and select Revo Uninstaller Freeware, Portable version.
• Open your Downloads folder, right-click on the Revo zip file, and select Extract All.
• In the extracted folder, find RevoUPort and launch it.
• Scroll to where Sims 3 is listed, select it, and click Uninstall.
• After the main uninstall process is done, select Moderate under "Scanning modes," and click Scan.
• Revo will list some leftover registry entries.  Click "select all," then "delete."
• Click Next, and when it says it found leftover files and folders, select all, and delete.

Now that the game is uninstalled, you need to decide whether you want a disc or Origin install.  (Either way works.)  Install the base game only, and test.  Let me know whether it launches, and if it doesn't, what you see on the screen when you try.

[Anonanon27]

I don't have money for the portable version. also whilst trying to uninstall the game I got rid of the files as well I still have them just not under electronics does that matter?

[puzzlezaddict]

@Anonanon27  Please go to this site:

https://www.revouninstaller.com/revo-uninstaller-free-download/

and click the button in red:

I promise that it's free.  You'll see a popup that asks what you want to do with the download.  Choose "save file," and it will be in your Downloads folder.

Please then follow the instructions in my previous post.

And yes, it matters that you still have Sims 3 files.  That's why the clean uninstall is necessary, to make sure there aren't any extra files where they shouldn't be.

[Anonanon27]

ok I'm reinstalling through origin now I'll tell u if it works after it's done. also sorry for being stupid throughout this I know nothing about computers and thank u for your help and patience through out this whole thing