Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

by TrexterZiam
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Original Post

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

★★★ Novice
I am having the same issue except my install is from CD s, not Origin. Also, it continues to run after the game is closed and is revving up my computer something fierce. It's also causing some system overfull issue as though I didn't having room on my hard drive but I have 3/4ths of my drive unused. It's uploading in continuous loop and there's ZERO in my upload folder.
Message 11 of 36 (9,960 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

[ Edited ]

@misstressfox  @TrexterZiam  I just did a bit of testing, and this issue shows up for me as well (again, I'm on a Steam install and running Windows 10).  I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I did figure out how to avoid it.  Hopefully, this will work for other people too.

 

If you are not on patch 1.69, you should be able to launch TS3 directly from an executable called TS3w.exe (note the "w") inside your program files.  You can make a shortcut on your desktop so that you don't have to keep digging through the program files.  Depending on your install, the way to get there might vary, but this is how it looks for me:

 

(C: ) Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin

 

Note that the last part (The Sims 3\Game\Bin) will likely be the same for everyone, but the part after Program Files (x86) may be Electronic Arts or Origin Games (not sure).  A search for TS3w.exe should turn it up, though.

 

If you're tied to Origin at startup and can't bypass the launcher with TS3w.exe, try signing into Origin and putting it in offline mode, then disconnecting your computer from the internet.  This also works for me, even if I don't bypass the launcher.

 

If the launcher is still running in the tray, it can be quit through the Task Manager.  Press crtl-alt-delete, select Task Manager, and then scroll through the background processes until you see "Sims3Launcher."  Select it and click the button that says "End Task."

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I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 12 of 36 (9,943 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

★★★ Novice

Vista Home 64bit - Original DVD installations plus store content - no mods - no third party content

 

C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin

 

version 1.67.2.024001

 

Warning - The uploading process is running.  Do you want to cancel this process and exit the application?  (ok or cancel)

 

The X in upper right to close the launcher window brings up that dialogue.

 

The TS3W.exe *32 uses 1 max 2 percent of CPU but the Sims3LauncherW.exe *32 uses 13 to 15 (and up) percent of CPU - not sure that is good either.

 

Using the desktop icon and even start menu icon trick to bypass the launcher does NOT bypass the launcher for me.  It opens it anyway.

 

I close the launcher either by grabbing it from the task tray (right click when on the icon and select close) before all the long loading screens start - OR - by selecting OK in that warning box when you try to close the launcher with the X for "close" - OR - by zapping it in task manager when the  other options don't bring it to a close within a few minutes.

 

It's running the computer at max speed in longs hits the whole time it is running and it no longer closes itself once the game is in progress.  The problem is in the launcher itself.  It seems to want to upload something to somewhere; but I have no idea what or where to since I don't have Origin nor Steam installed.  The maxing up the revs on my machine is also causing other hardware warnings but those are quick and lead to  BSOD and even one back to a blank black screen to nowhere.

 

It's like either it's maxing up virtual memory or making screen capture run and record constantly (though I have no capture program other than the in-game one I don't use) or a virus has latched on.  I've run extensive and various malware checks and found nothing.  Could be a new unidentified malware.  Probably not malware though.  Maybe issue with updated Java?  Please ignore all of my rambling guesses in this paragraph.

 

Whatever it is, that launcher is a computer killer at the moment and running the game just is a no-go UNLESS you can close it BEFORE it all starts up ... which is what I WAS and have been doing ... but, the other hardware issues still accrue even if you close it before playing.  It's doing something in the background that is clogging up the machine.  I don't know.  I'm going in mental circles.

Message 13 of 36 (9,931 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

[ Edited ]

@TrexterZiam  What happens if you double-click directly on TS3w.exe?  (If this works, you could create a shortcut using this exe instead of the one for the launcher.)  But even on a disc install, you may not be able to bypass the launcher if your install is tied to Origin, either because you updated the original EA download manager, or because your base game disc was manufactured after September 2012 and required Origin to install.  Still, you could login to Origin and then take your computer completely offline before launching TS3.  Does this help at all?

 

P.S.  When the launcher is still running in the tray on my computer, it shows similar numbers in the Task Manager: ~13% of CPU and around 150 MB RAM.  It's not a virus that you acquired, it's a bug that has surfaced, or resurfaced, for a lot of people in the last couple of days.

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I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 14 of 36 (9,922 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

★★★ Novice

I don't have Origin or Steam.  My CD s (or DVD s rather) were pre-ordered so not later printings.

 

That worked this time though!  It worked to double click from the computer folder under programs.

 

Earlier, I had tried a desktop and start menu shortcut to that file and it didn't work.  THIS time, after making it work directly from the directory executable itself, it worked so I re-made those desktop and start menu shortcuts a second time and now they BOTH work as well.

 

It runs great!  The computer isn't over-heating.  It now uses only 60% of memory instead of the nearly 100% it used with the launcher too.

 

I will run the game for a few days now and hopefully, the background issues with that broken launcher will be bypassed.

 

Thank you!  I'm not sure what changed, but, something DID change as I play the game a lot, daily, ever since it came out.  I love the game!

 

Thank you and hopefully, you won't be getting anymore replies from me.  That helped!

Message 15 of 36 (9,910 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

[ Edited ]
★★ Apprentice

Hi, I'm having this same problem. In addition, when I close the game out, the launcher will not close down on its own. As the OP mentioned, this just started happening a few days ago. I normally close my comp down at night before going to bed and lately I have to manually close out the launcher w/task manager before I close down. I tried a factory reset and transferred over some of my saved games and mods and cc. I don't believe that the saved games, mods, and cc are the problem b/c I've had these for a long time and this problem just started happening. This worked for a little while, but then the problem started again w/the new folder. I always play offline and do not connect to origin. Currently my patch level is 1.67. Some of my stats are:

 

Windows 7

Intel i7 processor

24 gig RAM

GeForce 680 GTX video card

 

I forgot to mention that most of my expansion packs are from disk. I think I have HS on digital and maybe BB.

Message 16 of 36 (9,854 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

[ Edited ]

@Sonshine77  This problem has been affecting players with both Origin-controlled games and other types of installs.  (As far as I know, the only installs not affected are those in mac OS.)  The issue is not caused by the contents of your game folder, at least as far as anyone can tell at this point.  But it shouldn't affect your ability to play.  While having to manually quit the launcher through the Task Manager is annoying, it's not going to affect your saves or other content.

 

If you'd like to avoid this issue, your choices are to either play while your computer is computer is completely offline, or to stay online but bypass the launcher when starting up the game.  Players who launch through Origin cannot bypass the launcher, but they can take Origin offline after signing in and then disconnect their computers from the internet.  To bypass the launcher on a non-Origin-controlled install, as you have, you just need to double-click on an executable called TS3w.exe (note the "w").  The path to get there can vary a bit, but it should look something like this:

 

C: Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin

 

A search for "TS3w" should also turn it up.  Once you've found it, you can create a shortcut on your desktop.

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I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 17 of 36 (9,845 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

★★ Apprentice
Thanks Puzzleaddict! As you said, it's not affecting my game play, but it is annoying to have to manually close it down before I shut my comp off. I wonder what EA did though to have this happen?
Message 18 of 36 (9,830 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

@Sonshine77  I'm not sure what EA did, or if the company did anything at all.  The problem certainly isn't Origin, since my Steam install, which doesn't even require Steam to be running in the background, has also been affected.  If anything, it's an issue specific to the launcher receiving or perhaps sending information.  But there's certainly no official word yet on what's changed.  If there is, I'll post back here for anyone still interested.

 

In the meantime, it is really easy to create a shortcut to bypass the launcher.  Once you find TS3w.exe, you can just right-click on it and paste the shortcut to your desktop.  That way, you can be online and login at the Main Menu without involving the launcher at all.  (Again, this doesn't work for Origin-controlled installs, but if you're only on disc and can launch the game without any Origin involvement, you should be able to do it.)

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I don't work for EA. I'm just trying to help fellow players with their games.
Message 19 of 36 (9,824 Views)

Re: Sims 3 launcher running in tray while playing.

★★ Pro

@puzzlezaddict

 

I play Sims 3 with bypassing the launcher (C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Base Game\Game\Bin\TS3W.exe) and still have to manually close down the launcher after I've used it.

 

I've tried playing offline and it works. Launcher does not crash.

 

I don't want to have to play offline, so I just close out the launcher after I've used it.

 

If you do find out any information, please let us know.

Message 20 of 36 (9,815 Views)