"Unable to start. Please reinstall the base game."

Hello,
Whenever I try to start and install The Sims 3 I get this message:

"Unable to start. Please reinstall the base game."

Not sure what to do, have tried starting via the .exes in the /C:/Program/Steam/steamapps/the sims 3 map both as administrator and normal, as well as validating files, and everything seems fine. But it still doesn't work and gives me this message every time.

Help please! Thanks!

Your not the only one every thing i try ends up causing me to get the same error :/ and ea is not going to help

[uecasm]

1. Ensure the download region in the Steam options is set correctly.
2. Right-click on the game in Steam, go to Properties, then Local Files -> Verify Integrity. This usually fixes up all sorts of weird problems.

Alright, I actually did change download region to try to speed up the slow DL. I'm going redownload it without messing around and see if it help, as Verify Integrity showed nothing wrong.

[Avender]

Same problem. Verify integrity didn't do anything, and nor has deleting local content and redownloading the entire game.

Anyone got any ideas before I try and get a refund for this?

[Avender]

I was wondering if the problem I was having is that Sims 3 just wouldn't run on this new hardware setup and so I dug out my old DVD of Sims 3 (No expansion content) and installed it, and it ran without any problems.

The odd thing is that it seems to have fixed the problem I was having with the Steam "Ultimate Bundle" + "Outdoor Stuff" set, no more "Unable to start. Please reinstall the base game" messages. It now loads fine, apparently including all of the content, although I've not played it yet.

I did notice that the "Outdoor Stuff" version number is listed as 0.0.0.0 in the Game Launcher, as the first digit of the version number increases by one with each expansion there's obviously something wrong here, it should start with a seven.

Just thought I'd post this here so the rest of you so you know that this is potentially fixable, and there is probably nothing actually wrong with your installation. I just hope EA does a fix soon for you so you're able to play.

[Dublock]

I had the same issue for my fiancee and what I did with her account was open up to Sims 3 folder, Steam, steamapps, common, sims3, game, bin, clicked on TS3 and then run as admin and then I doubled clicked and it worked.

However I DO have another copy of Sims 3 (retail) installed on the mechine. So I don't know if it will work for you guys. Basic solution I know but since it worked I wanted to inform you all

[Phreddo]

Didn't work for me.

Okay, restarting steam seemed to help.