Problem with starting The Sims 3. [SOLVED]

GracefulDemon wrote:Hello,

First of, I wasn't sure where I should post this (I'm not that often on any websites like this one) and I'm afraid it's probably wrong - I'm sorry if this is so.

Now to my problem:
I was truly happy to find the downloadable version of The Sims 3 Pets on here and since I've wanted the game for a long time but didn't feel like paying 50$ to buy it, I downloaded and installed it, following the instructions. When I tried to start the game, I got a black screen and the (0x024e424f) error. (I put the crack in the right folder, I re-installed it several times and so on...)

So I came back on here to find some suggestions on how to fix it. I tried the ultimate fix. When I only put the files from the folder for all the expansion packs after & with Generations in the thesims3/game/bin folder, I at least got as far as that it told me I needed to insert the disk. But as soon as I put the files from the #crack folder in the thesims3/game/bin folder, I get the same error again as in the beginning. 

I wanted to do that DEP-thing (I'm not as good with computers as I would know what this is), but then I had the problem that my computer is on German and I got absolutely no idea, what I'm supposed to do (the video doesn't load either).


So, annoyed as I already was, I de-installed the Pets expansion and just wanted to play without it, deciding that I might spend the 50$ in the end. But then the great disappointment: I once again got the same error, even after I put the fix for the base game in the thesims3/game/bin folder.

So right now, I can't play at all. Which is really bothering me and I don't want to re-install it if I lose all saved data... 
Now, does anyone have the slightest idea what I could do?

I am sorry if there is already a thread with this exact question but right now I am just too annoyed to search it after I spent the last 6 hours on downloading again (because I had the not-yet-fixed version first), installing and re-installing and so on... 

Thanks so much in advance! (and sorry for the long post)

Hello,

So from what I understand, NOW you have installed the fixed version of Games4TheWorld's "Pets" expansion, right ? It's called "The Sims 3: Pets [FIXED]".

OK, go to My Documents/Electronic Arts and rename the folder "The Sims 3" in any way you like - just rename it. And then try starting the game again.


If you feel more comfortable with German, we can also talk in that language too.   The location of the folder "Die Sims 3" is then "Dokumente/Electronic Arts"

//EDIT

You can also re-apply the manual patch available from here: https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1870-can-t-update-the-sims-3-to-v155-fix-manual-patch

Afterwards, take only the #crack folder of the "Ultimate fix" (ignore the other folders) - and look inside it. You'll see two files, namely TS3W.exe and TSLHost.dll. You need to copy these files to C:\Programme(x86)\Electronic Arts\Die Sims 3\Game\Bin (that's the file location in German). If you are prompted, then select "replace all existing files".

Now try again to start the game.

GracefulDemon wrote:So I've tried renaming it, this didn't work, unfortunately....  
Maybe I should also say, that I have bought the base game when it came out and it worked mostly fine until I started downloading other stuff to it...  

Currently I am trying it with the patch... Turns out, this doesn't work out either...
I get the following (in German): 
Scheinbar hast du eine inoffizielle Spielmodifikation vorgenommen, die nicht mit deiner aktuellen Version von Die Sims 3 kompatibel ist. Du solltest diese Spielmodifikation entweder deinsatllieren oder aktualisieren, da das Spiel sonst abstürzen oder erheblichen Schaden nehmen könnte.
If I click on continue, I get yet another message saying that the game can't start, similar to the one I got in the first place (just with another combination of numbers...)  
I'm slowly getting really frustrated....

Just to be clear: it doesn't matter which expansions you buy or download   You can use Games4TheWorld's downloads with your bought base game - with no problems whatsoever.

Please, try to get rid of your Sims 3 installations, following this guide here: http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_Uninstall

After un-installing, re-boot the computer; and then re-install again. And here is how I would re-install all the stuff:

1) Install base game

2) Apply the latest manual patch

3) Install all the expansions you want, but at least one of the following too: 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff, Seasons ("Jahreszeiten"), Supernatural, Diesel Stuff, Katy Perry’s Sweet Treats, Showtime, Master Suite Stuff ("Luxus Accessoires"), Pets, Town Life Stuff ("Stadt-Accessoires"), Generations ("Lebensfreude"). You need at least one of those in order to get the "Ultimate fix" working.

4) Re-apply the manual patch, even if it says that "your game is up-to-date already".

5) Like I explained above already, now you only need the two files from the #crack folder of the Ultimate fix. Copy the two files to the base game location.

6) And now you're done! Start the game.

Good luck !