Cannot run sims 3 on Windows 11 OS.

[[Eradication Squad] Deathdiver]

I've purchased a new gaming laptop recently, pre-installed with windows 11, all of my other games work, except a few call of Duty games (resolution errors) Sims 4 runs perfectly, albeit it took me a few tries due to the game not recognizing my system specs.

When I open the sims 3 launcher, all is well, except I cannot install any custom content. Opening the game is no longer possible after clicking the play button, the launcher closes and stays in the background, can anyone help with this?

My current laptop specs:

Processor: 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-12900H 2.50 GHz
Processing system: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Random Access Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB (15.7 usable)
Video card: NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3070 Ti
Operating System: Windows 11 (version 22H2)

[HiFive]

Originally posted by HiFive:

Originally posted by puzzlezaddict:

Are you still having trouble playing? It sounds like your computer may have a 12th-gen Intel processor, or one of the few other processors similarly affected. Sims 3 doesn't start correctly on these CPUs; the workaround is to limit the game to one core as it's loading. Please see this post for more information:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-won-t-open-Alder-Lake-Intel-12th-gen-CPU/m-p/11528168#M250997

Download the Lazy Duchess patch and it should work for you.

[[Eradication Squad] Deathdiver]

Originally posted by HiFive:

Originally posted by HiFive:

Download the Lazy Duchess patch and it should work for you.

This does not work.

[HiFive]

If the launcher does not close completely, you can click on the tiny "up arrow" in the bottom right of your Windows screen. At least, that's where it is on Windows 10. If you see the Sims 3 icon in there, then right-click on it and close the launcher. Check if your game will start after doing that.

[HiFive]

Also, these are my two favorite guides to recommend to people. Anime_Boom just recently updated his guide with information on a bunch of the Lazy Duchess patches, and cruinne's guide has a lot of stuff in the first, maybe 2/3 of the guide, that covers getting the game to run, but it's for Windows 10 and lower. If you can get the game to run you might be able to skip all of that and just read the following parts.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131162350
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=279488894

[[Eradication Squad] Deathdiver]

None of these guides have worked for me, thanks for helping me. I'll just wait patiently for some sort of official patch by steam, or EA.

Of course any other forms of help I will also try.

[puzzlezaddict]

To be clear, Sims 3 will definitely NOT start correctly on your processor without some kind of intervention. The workaround for 12th-gen Intel processors is to limit Sims 3 to one CPU core as it's loading, which you can accomplish in any number of ways, as described in the link posted earlier in this thread:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-won-t-open-Alder-Lake-Intel-12th-gen-CPU/m-p/11528168#M250997

If nothing else, please try the Task Manager method to rule out any other contributing factors—the TM approach should work for this particular issue even when nothing else does. One key to remember is that in a Steam install, you need to apply the workaround of your choice to TS3W.exe, with the W.

If this doesn't help, please look for any 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 mentions Sims 3, or any that happened at exactly the time you tried to launch the game, right-click on the error name and select "view technical info." The key is the error code itself, which will be listed as 0x--------. 0xc0000094 is indicative of the issue with 12th-gen Intel processors, but if you see any other error, please copy the info the RM is showing you and post it here.

[pappysshoes]

That TS3W.exe reference is Paramount, in another thread I referenced the executable without the W.exe and I cannot now find that thread lol, that was an error on my part, it is why my Packs would not install, the game will boot but was choppy as can be, "and" my Packs would not install, the W.exe executable solved both issues.

[pappysshoes]

Originally posted by Judy Álvarez:

None of these guides have worked for me, thanks for helping me. I'll just wait patiently for some sort of official patch by steam, or EA.

Of course any other forms of help I will also try.

I know of no one better at this I have seen than Puzzle, Igazor is also very informative, I also never launch Sims 3 through the Steam Library but instead through the TS3W.exe Shortcut on my desktop, I have never loaded into the Sims 3 game through Steam once that Shortcut is on the Desktop.

I only used the Steam Library Play Button if I wanted to install a Pack, but always backed out and used the Shortcut to launch and play, using the Play button is now gone altogether as if you simply open a pack file it automatically opens the Pack Interface in the launcher.

Playing Sims 3 directly through Steam was always a headache, for me anyway.

[nw152]

I finally got mine to work after having the exact same problem!!!! Right click on your sims 3 icon/shortcut and go to "open file location". Find the Sims3Launcher application (it should have the logo next to it) and right click it. Go to "Properties". Click the "Compatibility" tab. Check the box that says "Run this program in Compatibility mode for" and then choose the highest windows option in the drop down. Mine was Windows 8. Hit apply and ok and close out of the settings and hopefully it will work for you too!!!!!!!!!! After setting the graphics options in the game it looks gorgeous and runs perfectly on my new PC.

I tried 4 or 5 Different things and this is the ONLY thing That worked for me! The original post isn't mine, full credit to Reddit user ScrappyWriter.