Sims 3 will not launch. Not even the launcher will come up, nothing does.

[ChopTopAtArbys]

It's been this way for years it seems. Please help. I don't know what to do I've tried everything. Check my specs and please try to help me. I've been so lost without the game. I've spent tons of money on it.

[puzzlezaddict]

@ChopTopAtArbys  The full dxdiag would be much more helpful, since it will list Windows errors, driver dates, and other important details.  Just let it run, then click the Save all Information button in the lower right corner of your screenshot.  You can attach the .txt file directly to a post here.

In the meantime, 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

[ChopTopAtArbys]

Okay I'll try that but ts3.exe is nowhere to be found

[ChopTopAtArbys]

Hope this is more helpful

[puzzlezaddict]

@ChopTopAtArbys  There are a number of issues I see right away.  The first is that your build of Windows 10 is several years out of date, and hasn't been supported for some time.  Is there a reason you haven't updated?  Jumping all the way to the current build might cause problems though, and your dxdiag has a number of errors relating to failed attempts to update.

So instead of just trying to force an update, the first place to start is with a couple of commands to check Windows system files:

• Hit Windows key-X
• Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator),” whichever option is offered
• Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes into the window, and enter
• The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here
• After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key-X again
• Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Command prompt (Administrator)”
• Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes into the window, and enter
• Post the message you receive here

Additionally, what kind of Sims 3 install is this?  I'm surprised you didn't see a TS3.exe, but then I only have access to fully updated Origin and Steam installs.  Please let me know how you installed (disc, digital, what source) as well as how long ago you last installed it (since I'm not sure how to find your patch level without being able to open the launcher).

Please also let me know how you're trying to launch the game, and what you see on screen when you try.  Does anything light up in the Taskbar, do you get any error messages, etc.

[ChopTopAtArbys]

@puzzlezaddict The reason I never updated it is because every single time I tried it failed to over and over again but I just got a new laptop as a Christmas present and the game works very well on my new one, I guess I’ll just have to sell the old one for scraps or something because it was more than just not playing the sims 3 and other games. It wouldn’t update no matter what I did and was extremely slow. I appreciate all your help!

[puzzlezaddict]

@ChopTopAtArbys  From the dxdiag, I'm not surprised you had trouble with that laptop beyond even getting TS3 to run.  And I'm glad that you have a new computer that's working properly; the old one sounds like more trouble than it was worth to repair.

But before scrapping the laptop entirely, it might be worth trying a clean install of Windows 10, just to see whether it works better.  (If not for you, maybe someone else will have a use for it.)  It's a pretty simple process—Microsoft makes it easy to create your own install medium if you have an existing Windows 10 install.  All you need is a blank USB stick (even 8 GB should be enough) and a bit of free time.  Go here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

download the Media Creation Tool, and follow the instructions.  You'll have your very own install medium which you can then use to do a fresh install on the old laptop.