Sims 3 and 4 won't launch with EA App - Windows 11 (SOLVED)

Arlecchi · January 2023

Hello!

I have a brand new laptop with Windows 11. It's a MSI Alpha 15, Processor Ryzen 7 5000 series with AMD Radeon RX Graphics.

Before this, I used to have an old PC with Windows 10, where I could run the Sims 3 (in the last times with problems, because it has got really old, and then died). I have the original DVDs of TS3 and a lot of expansions, but this new laptop doesn't have a DVD player, so, since i've registered my games, I could download them with EA App (i wanted to use Origin, but it didn't let me run it, because it's closing its doors).

The thing is that after I installed the games, I can't run it. The launcher goes OK, but when I open it, it goes black and shuts down, without giving any error message, then, the EA App opens again.

I tried getting The sims 4, thinking that TS3 had the problem. But happens the same.

I tried all (I think) the possible solutions found in the forum and in the EA support page without any success...

I contacted two EA's technicians, and the problem isn't solved.

I attach dxdiag and installogs of both TS4 and TS3. The txt files are in Spanish I can translate if an item is needed.

Ah, I have another game running out of EA without inconveniences, so, I think the Graphic Card is OK. But IDK.

Thank you!

Arlecchi · January 2023

I'm sorry for the double post, but let's say that the problem is solved! :D .

Steps for make my Sims 3 work in Windows 11, Graphic Radeon RX 6600 Series:

1- I reinstalled Windows 11 (but because I messed with the drivers and so, maybe a non so anxious person can go to step 2 directly XD)

2 - Installed Origin (not EA App) and then installed my Sims 3 and all the expansions I have there.

3- I tried to run the game, but it crashed, so, I checked the DeviceConfig.log in the Documents/Electronic Arts/The sims 3 folder, and even if this time my graphic card appeared properly, it said AMD Radeon RX 6600 series [Found: 0, Matched: 0] , so I had to make the game recognize it, by following the steps from different video tutorials in Youtube, and sims fanpages. That means working on the GraphicRules.sgr and GraphicCards.sgr carefully, because these explanations are over the Graphic Cards that they have, that could be different from yours, also there are some tips for run with more memory and CPU the game. (These files are in Program Files (86)/Origin Games/The Sims 3Game/Bin folder)

I don't know if I can put links, but here are some videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL1xp1DottA&t=914s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbx9cLuvTM4 (not sure if YT links are allowed, I'm sorry, I'll remove them if they're not)

4. Then I went to the options.ini in the Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3, and set the game to open windowed.

6. I closed every file, and I ran the game directly from Origin (not the launcher in the desktop, I haven't tried it yet, but I guess there is no problem at all), and I was happy! XD

The DeviceConfig now says Found:1, Matched: 1.

Thank you, again, for your tips ♥

I guess I'll have to do something similar with TS4, i'll post about it later.

EDIT: I didn't have to do anything (more than reinstalling Win 11) for The Sims 4, my card is recognized and the game opened in fullscreen without inconveniences!

Thanks!

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roberta591 · January 2023

@Arlecchi My Sims 3 game quit working 3 days ago with the EA app. I am now running the TS3 and TS4 using Origin. The Origin installer is still out there. Best answer is EA is aware of the problem. The games run under Windows 11

puzzlezaddict · January 2023

@Arlecchi The install logs are actually in English, as is the important info in the dxdiag. (And Spanish wouldn't be an issue anyway.) The only errors in either install log are when Sims 4 tried to install the 2015 and 2019 VC++ runtimes and found newer versions—you probably have the 2022 runtimes installed—but that shouldn't be a problem and wouldn't affect Sims 3 at all.

For Sims 3, please try launching the game in windowed mode. Go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, open options.ini, search for fullscreen , and set it to 0 (zero). Then try again to play. If it works, you can try it with Sims 4, which also creates an options.ini file in the user folder.

If this doesn't help, please create a new admin Windows account and try to play in that. Make it a local account, as in, don't sign into Microsoft, and don't sync with any other services you normally use. You won't need to reinstall either game.

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I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.

Arlecchi · January 2023

@puzzlezaddict @roberta591Thanks to both for your answers. i've made a reinstallation of Win 11, because i messed up with the graphics' software and drivers (I accidentally uninstalled them, while I was trying to update...but Sims 3 could open with a random generic microsoft thing, but then I got the "GPU not recognized" message. So, i think that i need to work in the configuration of it), I didn't try opening Sims 4 then.

After the Win restoration, i'm installing directly Origin instead the EA App, so, I'll try to run the Sims 3 with it (it's my fave version of The Sims, this is why I insist with it). I'll try windowed mode.

About the Graphic cards, I have an hybrid, i think (the AMD software shows APU 1 and GPU 2). Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Radeon Graphics, and AMD Radeon RX 6600M 8vram.The thing is that the GraphicCards / GraphicRules of my Sims 3 showed only the first option, and didn't recognize the other one, I think this is the one that should work... I've seen some video tutorials in Youtube about how to make it recognizable. I'll try to do it after the full installation.

Arlecchi · January 2023