Desperately seeking help

Lindalu

Been playing Sims 3 since it first launched. I’ve always been able to troubleshoot my own issues all these years till now.
I have Win 10 and had always been able to play Sims 3. I believe I pushed my luck with too much CC (corrupt file lurking perhaps) and maybe conflicting Mods? Game has not played right for months even after repeated total uninstall. After much research I even followed directions on how to remove all traces of Sims in my Registry. I suspect I glitched the registry to do with Sims because I can’t think of any other reason.
I am able to install the base game from DVD just fine, then superpatched to V 1.67. Before installing anything else, I am testing as I go. Launcher works fine BUT the moment I try to load the game via launcher OR TS3.exe in game/bin the screen goes black, then within 5 seconds it auto minimizes, remaining black and refuses to go on. I only have the base DVD, disc 1 installed and superpatch, nothing else.
Is only solution (if registry is really at fault) to factory reinstall Win 10? Would this repair registry? Scared to go this route but if I must, I will. I’m desperate. PLEASE help. Thanks

igazor

I'm very sorry you're having problems, but your posting history suggests this has been going on for at least two years now. Have you ever been able to launch the game in all this time? In a prior thread, you I think got some results by redownloading and reapplying the SuperPatch.

By the way, this can't be the most significant thing to worry about but the shortcut to start the game on Patch 1.67 with a Launcher bypass is TS3w.exe (with the "w", not TS3.exe). The one without the "w" is used by Patch 1.69 games.

Most recent discussion, kind of left hanging: http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/932470/can-t-start-game-black-screen-was-fine-for-years-what-happen

Lindalu

Yes, have had issues on and off but was always able to find a solution. Often a combination of an unacceptable CC and or Mod. But this issue with glitchy starting of the game has been over the last month or two. I have painstackingly organized and backed up all my files and repeatedly uninstalled or tried vanilla games. Tonight I read some of your responses to others especially re using TS3w.exe. As mentioned, at the moment I only have the base game installed. I even searched for a new download to the superpatch. Really frustrating but I will keep playing with it. If I find a solution, I will post it here. Thanks kindly for responding.

Lindalu

I ran CCleaner, plus Glary and in CCleaner opted to have it scan my registry for issues. It found a tiny few minor things unrelated. I also disabled Norton for a while. I even tried logging in with a different user account and thought I’d install a second Sims base game there but it knew I had it already installed. Have rebooted a few times. Now, when trying to launch the game via TS3w, it advances with constant freezes as it loads. My way around it is to hit my windows key on the keyboard which minimizes the game. Then I maximize it again and it advances a bit as it loads. Had to do this bout six times before getting into my start screen, and into Options in order to set my screen resolution etc. But all these hoops of stuttered freezes does not allow for a playable game. What the heck is going on. Sigh

igazor

As we are talking about Win 10 here and the issues having compounded over the past few months especially, it was suggested prior that if you now have the Creators Update with its new Game Mode that it be switched off and its effects disengaged. The Update does not play well with older games (and many newer ones). Here is a full set of instructions, in hopes that this is relevant and it helps.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/15902876/#Comment_15902876

Lindalu

WOW! You may have solved this issue. I knew nothing about this Game Mode update by Microsoft since I have auto updates. Further research showed I did have this update. I found a site that allowed me to download a tiny file that would auto Turn Off Game Mode via the registry, as my windows version no longer permits us to access this option of turning it off. The moment I installed the file and tested my game, voila! My base game started immediately without freeze hesitations. Thank YOU igazor, your dedication to helping us is SO appreciated.
Update:
I have installed all my packs and the game starts beautifully. Soon I will add my Sim store items via the Launcher. I am back to normal. What a relief.