Sims 3 Launcher Does not Open

I recently bought a new computer running Windows 7 professional 64 bit. 

I installed all the expansion packs up to Island Paradise and store content. 

However now my launcher will not open. There is no error message, I just wait for hours and nothing appears. Task manager has a process called sims3launcher running but it does not show up as an application. 

I have tried running it as an admin, and I've tried deleting missingdepx from my DDCache but neither solution works for me. 

I need to open the launcher in order to install sim3packs from The Sims Resource. Any helps would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,

Welcome to the Games4theworld Forum!
What if you just double-click the .Sims3Pack files? Does it open? If not, what if you open the The Sims 3 Launcher manually?

When you want to install .Sims3Pack files directly, the Launcher sometimes needs quite some time to open up. Have you tried waiting for like 10 minutes?

Thanks for you reply.

When I click on sims3packs directly nothing happens.

I have waited patiently for the launcher to open. My record so far is 4 hours, which sounds stupid but at least I know its not because I didn't give it enough time. 

I click on the icons in the Game/Bin folder: sims3launcher, sims3launcherW

Hello again,

Ouch, 4 hours is too much.

Try backing up and removing this folder completely, please: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\
Then try opening the Game Launcher again.

Good luck!

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. I've tried both your suggestions. I've also applied the ultimate fix patch that I found on this forum.

The result is - if I delete or move out everything in my DCCache folder, the launcher works again.
I then reinstalled all of my store content but then the launcher stopped working again.

I now know that it is one of the store bought cc that is messing up my launcher but I have no idea how to find out which.

As I paid for the content, I would ideally like to be able to use it and have my launcher working so I can install new worlds.
I understand that CC launcher does not let you install new worlds.

I have figured out the reason why my launcher is really slow.

It appears that after applying patch 1.55 with sims 3 university, the launcher now makes .tmp files which are copies of the .dbc files in the Dccache folder. 

Every time the launcher tries to load it will regenerate all of the .tmp files. This means that if you have more than say 5 .dbc files in your Dccache it takes a long time for the launcher to load. My launcher was having problems over writing the original .tmp files from the last time I used the launcher, so it would never start. 

According to this thread: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/45/687927.page

The .tmp files are carbon copies of the .dbc files and are there to tell to launcher what has been installed. Deleting them does not affect game play nor does it lead to missing content. 

I have figured out that deleting all my .tmp files before using the launcher. the Launcher now starts but it does so very slowly. You can track the progress by seeing which .tmp file has been made. 

So I can now use the launcher it's just a stupid and clumsy way. but it's the only way for me to install worlds.