Origin won't launch Sims 3

[Chocoroom1]

I cannot launch TS3 on origin. All that happens is that I click on the button, origin minimizes and then re-appears after a few seconds and nothing happens. Sometimes it says I am "Playing" the game when I view my profile. I uninstalled the game multiple times, repaired the game too, deleted all the files and re-installed, and even re-installed origin. I don't know why it won't launch?

[puzzlezaddict]

@Chocoroom1  I've moved your post to the Sims 3 PC tech section.

Please temporarily disable any antivirus/firewall program you have running, as a test.  If you can launch the game, you'll need to add TS3.exe and Origin.exe as exceptions.  If this doesn't work, try running Origin as an admin: right-click on the Origin shortcut and select "Run as administrator."

It may also help to add TS3.exe as an exception in Windows Defender's Controlled Folder Access settings.  These instructions are for Sims 4, but the principle is the same:

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

[Chocoroom1]

Thanks for writing back.

Although I don't think that the problem is with my antivirus or windows defender, because my antivirus doesn't alert me or do anything and I had them as exceptions as well just to see what happens. I was able to play the game earlier in the year as I had built a new PC and got a new antivirus (Which is ESET by the way) for my shiny new PC. The game ran fine and I was able to play. It's just only now that the problem is starting to happen. I did run Origin in admin mode, but the problem still exists.

If my explanation had been bad, here's what happens: Origin works fine, I click on the Sims 3 rectangle in my library. It says the game is downloaded along with all its other expansions and stuff packs. I click on the play button, but something happens. Origin doesn't open up TS3 launcher, but it instead just vanishes and re-appears in about a second. I can spam click it but it does the same thing, and will sometimes say I am playing the game when it doesn't even want to start. I've also looked in Task Manager, and it doesn't start any background applications or any regular apps, and it doesn't appear under origin at all.

[puzzlezaddict]

@Chocoroom1  Origin is supposed to sort of disappear or minimize when you launch a game, and reappear when you quit, so that part is normal.   The question is why TS3 won't run.  Antivirus and firewall apps get updates, as does Windows, so it wouldn't be surprising if the game stopped working seemingly at random.  But if you've covered all that, and Controlled Folder access as well, that's not it.

Do you use any fps limiter or monitoring app like MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner Statistics Server?  If so, try disabling it temporarily.  Of course, it's not good for your GPU to run the game like that, but the only question is whether TS3 can launch at all.  If one of these apps is the issue, there are others you can try instead.

Please also check whether .NET Framework 3.5 is still enabled.  It would be strange for it to have been disabled by an update, but it's easy enough to check, and this is exactly when the game would stop working if it weren't installed.

Hit Windows key-R and enter "appwiz.cpl" without quotes.  In the File Explorer window that opens, click on "Turn Windows features on and off."  You should see something like this, with both .NET frameworks enabled (in the first red box):

If this isn't the issue either, please run a dxdiag and attach the results to a post here.

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

[Chocoroom1]

I attached the DxDiag file to my reply. I did see Origin.exe located around the fault buckets. I did forget to mention that I don't see a Controlled Folder access area due to my current antivirus replacing Windows Defender in the settings. I do not use any programs to monitor or limit my FPS. The .NET Framework 3.5 feature is activated, along with the advanced services and media features.

[puzzlezaddict]

@Chocoroom1  I see the Origin errors too, and they suggest that a clean install (not just the regular one) is in order.  First, clear Origin's cache:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/

Then use Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine, either regular or portable) to remove all traces of Origin, except for the Origin Games folder.  Here's how:

• Quit Origin, then right-click on the Task Bar and open the Task Manager.  Scroll through looking for Origin entries.  If you find any, click on them and End Task.
• Download Revo Uninstaller from here (again, the free versions are fine).
• Install Revo, open it, and uninstall Origin.  When it's finished, Revo will ask you which cleaning method you want to use.  Select "Moderate" and then Browse.
• If Revo finds any remaining registry entries, select all, delete, and click Next.
• Revo will display "Remaining Data and Folders.  Select all of them except for the "Origin Games" folder.  (This is where TS3 and other Origin games are located.)  Delete the rest.
• Restart your computer.

Next, download and install Origin—the regular version, not the beta.  Here's the direct download link:

http://download.dm.origin.com/origin/live/OriginSetup.exe

Be sure to run both the installer and Origin itself as an admin: right-click on each and select "Run as Administrator."  If TS3 still doesn't launch after the Origin reinstall, let me know.

[Chocoroom1]

So, I cleared the cache and completely wiped Origin (Except the games folder) from my hard drive. I restarted my PC and went back here to download Origin from the link you supplied. The install went as usual, and I waited for all the currently installed games to get verified by Origin. I clicked play on TS3, and I thought I had fixed it. Instead, Origin vanished for a few seconds while my cursor turned into the loading wheel, and then origin re-appeared. I clicked on it many more times with the same effect before Origin disappeared and re-appeared in just a second.

I don't know how many potential fixes are left for my situation, but I am pretty much willing to do whatever now.

[roberta591]

@Chocoroom1  I use a lot of Gigabyte boards and I looked up the cpu support list and for a Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-9400F CPU @ 2.90GHz your bios should be at F13 - yours is at F11. You may get a program like cpuz to see if the cpu is working correctly. There are three 9400F that have different stepping which may configure the cpu differently then the F11. All three use the same F13 bios.

[puzzlezaddict]

@Chocoroom1  There's plenty more you can still try.  And if the following doesn't make a difference, I'll ask for another opinion on this thread.

First, please delete or remove any Sims 3 game folder you currently have in Documents\Electronic Arts.  (If there's content you want to preserve, just move the folder to your desktop.)  Disable OneDrive completely, at least for now.  Run Origin as an admin again, and try to launch TS3.

If that doesn't help, do the same, except while your computer is completely offline.  You can sign into Origin and put it in offline mode, then turn off wifi and/or pull the ethernet cable.

If that doesn't help either, update your graphics card driver, which you can do directly from the Nvidia site.  It shouldn't be necessary to keep up with GPU driver updates just to run TS3, but it sounds like you may not have ever successfully played the game with this particular driver (from July) installed.

https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/151275/en-us

If none of this helps, please run a new dxdiag as well.

[Chocoroom1]

@roberta591 I checked my CPU, and it seems fine. Also, I don't know if I really should flash my BIOS to F13, because the current version is fine. If you know I should, just say.

@puzzlezaddict It still didn't work. I disabled OneDrive, went into offline mode on Origin, unplugged my Ethernet, and it did not work. I also took out the game files from the Documents section. Here is the new DxDiag. I think though, TS3 isn't even trying to run at all. It doesn't chug or load when I click Play, nothing appears in the Task Manger, and no game files get altered.