The Sims 3 won't launch, instead opens EA app - Windows 11

[blooobagooo]

Earlier this year I experienced trouble running the Sims 3 through Origin, which I managed to resolve. However, recently, I needed to perform a factory reset on my laptop (Alienware x14), and so when I went to reinstall Origin, it instead directed me to the EA app. I've installed the Sims 3 since (through EA), and the launcher opens, but when I click the play button, it exits out of the launcher and opens "The Sims 3" page in the EA app. Then, when I hit "play," it opens the launcher. Repeat cycle. Any ideas on what may be causing this and how I can fix this? 

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@blooobagooo  I'm sorry to say, I'm running out of ideas here.  But one thing I'm curious about is if you get the same error message when you do NOT apply the Alder Lake patch.  You can repair Sims 3 within the EA App to revert the change.  Please try both while applying the Task Manager method and not: I'd like to know whether the service initialization error shows up in both cases, or only one, or neither.  This is partly a timing thing: if the Alder Lake error happens first, you should only see the service initialization error when the Alder Lake issue is addressed but not otherwise.

Please also let me know if you use any kind of cleaner app on your computer, and if so, whether you run it manually or it runs automatically.

[puzzlezaddict]

@blooobagooo  Does your laptop have a 12th-gen Intel processor?  If so, that's the issue: Sims 3 doesn't start correctly on these CPUs.  You may have applied one of the workarounds for this before, for example maybe you ran the patch Lazy Duchess created, but a factory reset would have erased that along with everything else.  Here's the relevant thread:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-won-t-open-Alder-Lake-Intel-12th-gen-CPU/m-p/11...

If that's not your issue, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

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

[roberta591]

@blooobagooo If you reset your computer meaning you reinstalled Windows you should check a Windows feature. The Sims 3 launcher require .net framework to run. Windows 11 - search - enter turn Windows features on of off. Make sure .net framework 3.5 is checked. If not check it and click ok. Let it do it's thing After .net framework is enabled reboot the computer - try game.

[blooobagooo]

Yes, it does run on a 12th-gen Intel processor. I've attached my dxdiag to this reply. 

I reinstalled Origin and tried starting the game from there, running into the same issue. I downloaded the AlderLake patch you linked and applied it to ProgramFiles/EAGames/Game/Bin/TS3.exe. After doing that, I tried running the launcher as an admin and repairing the game from within Origin and the EA app. A few times after hitting the play button, it's notified me that the game launcher is running in the background, so I would wait for a few minutes and then right click -> restore on the launcher icon at the bottom left of my screen, but it would just reopen the launcher and I'd get stuck in the same cycle again. 

[blooobagooo]

@roberta591 Thank you, I just checked and I already had .net framework 3.5 enabled.

[puzzlezaddict]

@blooobagooo  Your dxdiag doesn't list any Sims 3-related errors, but the Alienware Command Center is crashing a lot.  So please uninstall that for now; you can reinstall it later from here:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/alienware-x14-r1-laptop/drivers

You already have the most recent version, so it may not be enough to simply reinstall if the program itself is buggy.

Your dxdiag also lists a few Origin errors, so please try launching the game through the EA App in case that's contributing.  If it still won't open, please try temporarily limiting the game to one CPU core through the Task Manager, as described in the same thread.  (The accepted solution has a link to a post with a video tutorial.)  This is the most reliable method if also the most inconvenient, and the point here is to eliminate the Alder Lake issue as a contributor.

If you still can't play, please look for any new Sims 3-related errors in the Reliability Monitor.  Hit Windows key-R and enter "perfmon /rel" without quotes, and you'll see a chart of errors and updates with a column for each day.  Today is on the right.

For any error that happens at the same time as you try to launch Sims 3, right-click its name and select "View technical details," then copy the info and paste it here.  You don't need to include exact duplicates, just one of each kind of error.  And please only include errors that happen after you've tried the above suggestions.

By the way, if you see error code 0xc0000094 in an error report, that's the Alder Lake issue, and it means that the workaround you're using for it isn't actually working.

[blooobagooo]

Thank you for letting me know, I temporarily uninstalled Alienware Command Center. I had been trying to also start TS3 through the EA app to no avail, so I went ahead and limited the game to one CPU as instructed in the thread you linked. This time, when I hit the play button in TS3 launcher I got an notification that said "Unable to start game; Service initialization failed (0x0175d824)." 

I then checked the reliability monitor and saw multiple errors for the Alienware Command Center (as you said) and TS3 on the night that I had initially posted. There were a few from when I tried to play TS3 today, and here were the details: 

Source

Sims 3

Summary

Stopped working

Date

‎1/‎19/‎2023 10:36 AM

Status

Report sent

Description

Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH

Application Name: TS3.exe

Application Version: 0.2.0.32

Application Timestamp: 568d4bac

Fault Module Name: TS3.exe

Fault Module Version: 0.2.0.32

Fault Module Timestamp: 568d4bac

Exception Code: c0000094

Exception Offset: 005511f2

OS Version: 10.0.22621.2.0.0.256.48

Locale ID: 1033

Additional Information 1: 5c0c

Additional Information 2: 5c0c23d75afb1c4e336215c5d9c2d9b0

Additional Information 3: a802

Additional Information 4: a8027c23a15ac9b757d513a2b5ae7bc9

Extra information about the problem

Bucket ID: de06a40f97a119edbeae1d57e90e5626 (2210736730494883366)

[puzzlezaddict]

@blooobagooo  The service initialization error is more often related to missing or broken registry entries, so it's odd that you'd see it here.  I don't think this is related to the EA App, but just in case, try reinstalling Origin, which you can do from the link here.

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Downloading-and-installing-Origin-Windows-and-...

If you can run Origin, and most but not all players can, repair the game: open your game library, right-click on the Sims 3 icon, and select Repair.  Then try to launch Sims 3 while using the Task Manager method again and let me know whether it works.  Origin installs also use TS3.exe, without the W.

If you can't run Origin, you can still try repairing through the EA App and reapplying the Task Manager method.

If this doesn't help, please let me know whether you've ever had any expansion or stuff packs installed on this computer that are not currently installed.

By the way, the Reliability Monitor error you've posted is the one associated with the 12th-gen Intel CPU issue.  This part:

Exception Code: c0000094

gives it away.  Windows documentation lists it as a divide by zero error, and I don't know exactly what it means beyond the obvious, but it's the error that always shows up when one of the affected processors is involved.

[roberta591]

@blooobagooo    You see where on top of the EA app it says EA BETA. The public release should say just EA. What you need to do is uninstall the EA app - download a fresh installer - install the EA app. Then click manage - view properties. Make sure the installation location is pointed to the game files. This seems to be an issue when you switch back and forth form Origin to the EA app and back again. Somewhere along the way the settings may or may not point to the game files.

[blooobagooo]

@roberta591 My EA app says EA at the top and not EA BETA. Also, could you tell me the name of the folder I should install it in in file explorer? I know TS3.exe is in the EA Games folder of Program Files but I want to make sure I have the right location because I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the game files.