Sims 3 does not open on a new PC - neither from Origin or Disc

[puzzlezaddict]

@Catyestrella  It looks like the driver installed properly this time, which is good... but also disappointing since I'd hoped that would fix the issue.  Please try reinstalling DirectX 9.  You don't need to uninstall anything; just download the installer from Microsoft and run it.  Detailed instructions are here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/SIMS-3-GAME-WON-T-LAUNCH-WINDOWS-10/m-p/10711778#M2478...

(The errors in your dxdiag are different than the ones in that thread, but Sims 3 and Sims Medieval both use DX9, so it's worth trying.)

If that doesn't help, please uninstall and reinstall VC++ 2005.  Hit Windows key-i, select Apps, scroll down to the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, click on the 2005 version, and select Uninstall.  Don't touch any other versions.  Then download a new one from Microsoft:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26347

You only need the x86 version, not the other two.  Restart after installing and before trying to play.

[Catyestrella]

Sadly, none of these options worked...

[Catyestrella]

Hi, I'm really sorry to bother, but has a solution been found for this problem? I think I read somewhere on the forum that other people had the same problem..

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@Catyestrella  Hey, I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you on this.  I was looking at the issue from a few angles and was waiting to find out whether a certain approach panned out with another user, but I never heard back.  I did mean to follow up with you; this thread just kind of fell off my radar after a while.

Anyway, there are a number of people with the same issue as you—they can open the launcher, but the game doesn't load—and exactly the same Sims 3-related error, over and over, in their dxdiags.  The computers in question all have a specific class of processor that's different than yours, and their processor is the issue.  So I don't know if your CPU has the same incompatibility, but it's worth trying the interventions that worked for these players.

There are two ways to get to the same place.  One is to use Process Lasso to limit the game to one CPU core while it loads; you can close Process Lasso after your save is loaded, which will improve performance by a significant extent.  The other is to use a PowerShell script that someone created to accomplish the same thing:

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

If neither option works, then I don't really know what to tell you, unfortunately.  The good news, if there is any, is that I haven't seen the problem on your class of processor in several months, meaning it's possible that some update fixed it.  You might still need to wait for Acer to release new chipset drivers, or whatever software is implicated here, but at least it looks like the problem isn't totally intractable.

[Catyestrella]

You do not deserve the "hero" title... you deserve GOD!! It worked!!! Thank you so so so much, I can finally play!! Thank you again and again!!

(if it can help, I used the Powershell solution)

Once again, thank you soooooooooo much!!

[puzzlezaddict]

@Catyestrella  I'm so glad the script is working for you; I'm only sorry it took me this long to make the suggestion.  And yes, it does help to know the PowerShell script works for your computer as well.  Have fun playing.