No matter which step I do, I get the same error over and over...

LordArkana wrote:Hello,
I've been searching this forum for a good few hours and tried absolutely every single fix, including the ultimate fix and the manual patch for 1.63. I've downloaded all the base game + expansion pack + stuff pack from thepiratebay, a download of 60 GB which was virus-free and apparently works perfectly well for everyone else. I applied their patch and followed the instructions exactly, but then I get an error when trying to open either TS3W or Siims3Launcher.

When I try opening TS3W, a black screen appears as if to load the game, but then an error message appears saying "Unable to start game, service initialization failed (0x024e424f). And if I try launching the Sims3Launcher, then I only get a popup message saying "Sims3 has stopped working" with the usual close program or search the internet for solutions prompt.
I'm at a complete loss, no matter what I do, I ALWAYS get these two errors.
Is there really nothing I can do?

I have Windows 7 ultimate, running on a Gateway laptop with all the minimum specs to run the game, as I have already played the base game a few months ago (though a different installation).

//EDIT

And now there's something weird. I cannot launch those two applications, but I can use the TS3 executable, and it actually launches the game just fine. Problem is, it's just the base game. So none of the expansions and stuff work at all, but the base game does, and only with the TS3, not the others.

Hello,

Go to My Documents/Electronic Arts and rename the folder "The Sims 3" into anything you like..

Then, re-do the steps from 2 to 4 (just to be sure): https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1171-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-3-correctly

See if that helped you; and if not, then we'll think about other solutions. Good luck !

P.S. you can use the "edit"-button on your post if you want to add anything.  

LordArkana wrote:Thanks for replying!
Well, I tried what you said and renamed my folder into something else in My Documents, and reapplied everything, and still the same error. Which exe am I supposed to use to open the game? Maybe I'm using the wrong one? I have TS3W, S3Launcher, TS3W, etc. But anyways, they all give me the same error. I still get "The game has stopped working".
Also, when I tried opening the game, a new The Sims 3 folder has been created in My Documents, along with the one I renamed.

Hello again,

I'm afraid there is not too much else I can suggest anymore. You can/should open the game with the TS3W.exe in the base game location, but if you say that doesn't work either...

I don't suppose these games you downloaded are from Games4TheWorld ? Some uploaders "modify" their (Sims 3) uploads - for whatever reason. And this means, that the Ultimate fix-crack from here does NOT work with these games.

If they are really from another uploader, try the ones from G4TW, available here:

http://www.games4theworld.org/downloads.html


Otherwise I'm not sure, maybe another Helper or Mod knows more about this ?