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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 25th Nov 2021 at 2:27 AM
Default installing sims 1 on windows 10?
i was hoping anyone could help me with this. sims 1 communities are kinda hard to find so i'm vetting wherever i can.

the sims 1 ran just fine on my windows 7 PC, but i've since upgraded to windows 10. i have a digital version of the complete collection, and to install it, it says to run "start.exe." but this file does not run. i've tried all compatibility modes, run as administrator, this file will not run and i effectively can't install the game at all. the ONLY other comments i've seen who had the same problem are never answered.

can someone help me? or is there an alternate way to install/download the game?

if no one answers this i'll just be added to the pile of obscure internet comments who'll be found in the future by some desperate sap with the same problem that'll never be answered and to that person, i am so sorry lol.
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retired moderator
#2 Old 25th Nov 2021 at 9:51 AM
Which digital version are you using? I use this one, and it works for me on Win 10:
https://archive.org/details/thesims...llection_201912
I've been seeding that one since forever too so you should be able to download it quite quickly if you use bit torrent.
Top Secret Researcher
#3 Old 25th Nov 2021 at 4:50 PM
Sims.exe uses SecurRom as its copy protection. SecurRom messed up a lot of computers, so Microsoft simply made sure that it doesn't run in Windows 10.

But sims players have found a way to work around that! There are several cracked versions of sims.exe floating around.

As for there being no help anywhere for getting the original sims to run in Windows 10; I posted a list of the MANY tutorials out there -- both written tutorials and video tutorials -- at the Sims subreddit.

I've made some mods for The Sims 1 -- yes, The Sims ONE :-) -- which you can find at http://corylea.com/Sims1ModsByCorylea.html
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 26th Nov 2021 at 2:59 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Which digital version are you using? I use this one, and it works for me on Win 10


that is the exact version i downloaded. the start.exe file does not do anything, it shows up in task manager as a very, very minor process but it doesn't actually open any window, or error message, it just does literally absolutely nothing.

Quote: Originally posted by Corylea
Sims.exe uses SecurRom as its copy protection.


it's not Sims.exe that doesn't work, it's start.exe, the file or whatever it actually is i need to open to just install the damn thing. the links provided only this one was of any minor relevance but even that shows SOMETHING is opening or happening when start.exe is selected. there is no DVD drive or discs involved in this, it's a fully digital copy that worked fine on my windows 7 machine that just won't function at all on windows 10.
Top Secret Researcher
#5 Old 26th Nov 2021 at 3:24 AM Last edited by Corylea : 26th Nov 2021 at 6:49 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by a_tg
that is the exact version i downloaded. the start.exe file does not do anything, it shows up in task manager as a very, very minor process but it doesn't actually open any window, or error message, it just does literally absolutely nothing.

Are you running as an administrator? Are you using a compatibility mode?

Be sure to check your antivirus or anti-malware software, which may be interfering with start.exe. You might have to turn those things off temporarily to get the game installed.

I've made some mods for The Sims 1 -- yes, The Sims ONE :-) -- which you can find at http://corylea.com/Sims1ModsByCorylea.html
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retired moderator
#6 Old 26th Nov 2021 at 5:17 AM
Quote: Originally posted by a_tg
there is no DVD drive or discs involved in this, it's a fully digital copy that worked fine on my windows 7 machine that just won't function at all on windows 10.

Okay, I think what you are saying that you are trying to install the game from Sims.exe? When you said you had a digital version I assumed you meant that you had the game installed and were trying to use this cracked exe with it, my apologies for the misunderstanding.

So what you need to do is to download an image or complete installation to use with the sims exe; I use my disc installation or the one I linked earlier but you could download any sims complete installation files; I tried this one in the past:
https://archive.org/details/thesimsallexpansions
Pleasantsims has a nice tutorial linked in Corylea's reddit post which uses this install, you could either use it with the sims cracked exe you already have, or you could use the widescreen patcher linked there.
https://pleasantsims.com/sims-1-widescreen-windowed/
Now you should be able to run sims.exe as the application has some data files to use!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 27th Nov 2021 at 7:24 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Okay, I think what you are saying that you are trying to install the game from Sims.exe? When you said you had a digital version I assumed you meant that you had the game installed and were trying to use this cracked exe with it, my apologies for the misunderstanding.


no, i am NOT using the file Sims.exe. true, i do not have the discs. but the game is not installed at all, this is the problem i'm having: i can't install it AT ALL.

literally the FIRST STEP in all installation instructions for these digital versions say "run START.EXE"

it's THIS file. this file does nothing. it opens no windows. there are no error messages. it shows up task manager as a process, but there is NOTHING interactable about it. and because of this, i can't install the game. and i can't figure out WHY it won't work.


(OH JEEZ EDIT: thank you both for the help by the way!!)

Quote: Originally posted by Corylea
Are you running as an administrator? Are you using a compatibility mode?

Be sure to check your antivirus or anti-malware software, which may be interfering with start.exe. You might have to turn those things off temporarily to get the game installed.


literally in my first post: i've tried all compatibility modes, run as administrator, this file will not run
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retired moderator
#8 Old 27th Nov 2021 at 9:32 AM
Okay, sorry for the confusion!
Check your antivirus- it's likely that it's seeing this file as malevolent so is blocking it. If I right click>run as administrator I get a pop up box asking me to choose a language, so the download definitely does work. I don't need to run it in compatibility mode or anything like that and I'm on Win 10 too.
Top Secret Researcher
#9 Old 27th Nov 2021 at 4:03 PM
Quote: Originally posted by a_tg
literally in my first post: i've tried all compatibility modes, run as administrator, this file will not run

In the post you replied to:
Quote: Originally posted by Corylea
Be sure to check your antivirus or anti-malware software, which may be interfering with start.exe. You might have to turn those things off temporarily to get the game installed.

You haven't addressed this, and I think it's probably the source of your problem.

I've made some mods for The Sims 1 -- yes, The Sims ONE :-) -- which you can find at http://corylea.com/Sims1ModsByCorylea.html
Test Subject
Original Poster
#10 Old 1st Dec 2021 at 4:40 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Corylea
In the post you replied to:

You haven't addressed this, and I think it's probably the source of your problem.

Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Okay, sorry for the confusion!
Check your antivirus- it's likely that it's seeing this file as malevolent so is blocking it. If I right click>run as administrator I get a pop up box asking me to choose a language, so the download definitely does work. I don't need to run it in compatibility mode or anything like that and I'm on Win 10 too.


just tried it.
does nothing



tried it without compatibility mode and in compatibility mode for windows 7 and windows XP. nothing. it "runs" but there are no functional or interactable windows.
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retired moderator
#11 Old 1st Dec 2021 at 9:31 AM
Where are your installation files located? Do you have them on your desktop, or in your Documents folder, or where? And what exactly did you try as regards your antivirus settings?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#12 Old 4th Dec 2021 at 6:33 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Where are your installation files located? Do you have them on your desktop, or in your Documents folder, or where? And what exactly did you try as regards your antivirus settings?


there are no installation files, because i can't install them. Start.exe is literally the file to begin the installation process. for antivirus, i tried turning off firewall and auto-protect, then just firewall, then just the auto-protect, and during each i set Start.exe to different compatibility modes, but no combination of settings worked.
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retired moderator
#13 Old 4th Dec 2021 at 9:50 AM
Quote: Originally posted by a_tg
there are no installation files, because i can't install them. Start.exe is literally the file to begin the installation process. for antivirus, i tried turning off firewall and auto-protect, then just firewall, then just the auto-protect, and during each i set Start.exe to different compatibility modes, but no combination of settings worked.

I meant the files that are to be installed, like these:

Where are they? Do you have them on a flash drive, or on your main hard drive? Where exactly- in your documents folder? Did you extract them from the zip file?
Screenshots
Test Subject
#14 Old 7th Dec 2021 at 9:08 PM Last edited by FaithBeam : 7th Dec 2021 at 9:20 PM.
Stop start.exe in task manager or restart your computer so start.exe is no longer running. Run setup.exe from the Setup folder (Setup\Setup.exe). If that doesn't work, have you previously had any version of Sims 1 installed on the computer? If so, you're screwed. I've come across instances where no matter what I do I cannot get the installer to work and had to reinstall Windows. There are probably registry keys and folders left over from an incomplete uninstall that the installer doesn't like and refuses to work.
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retired moderator
#15 Old 7th Dec 2021 at 10:25 PM
Quote: Originally posted by FaithBeam
I've come across instances where no matter what I do I cannot get the installer to work and had to reinstall Windows.

That's a bit like replacing the engine in your car because you couldn't get the washers to work.
Test Subject
#16 Old 7th Dec 2021 at 11:17 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
That's a bit like replacing the engine in your car because you couldn't get the washers to work.

Either that or thrash around and lose your mind in the registry
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retired moderator
#17 Old 8th Dec 2021 at 10:15 AM
Well my point was that we have not ascertained yet what the cause of @a_tg 's problem is.
Lab Assistant
#18 Old 17th Mar 2022 at 1:50 AM Last edited by zorba2357 : 17th Mar 2022 at 3:06 AM.
http://www.awesomeexpression.com/si...windows-10.html

I'm running sims 1 complete collection from disc, but had to download an .exe to run it at all, to get the game to start. And I Think this is the one because it's the only one I can find in my saved favorite sites at the moment. Just replace in your files and rename the old one "sims.old" . Also try starting game FROM the files , not desktop icon. I can't remember my exact issue but I had to copy or install it an exact way onto desktop to get that icon to start the game. No compatibility mode, nothing else. Simply the correct replaced start icon! I'm running it on windows 11 now. I know there was another version that worked at the old EA forums but looks like that link doesn't work anymore. After rereading the thread I see it does look different from Your downloaded version, than the version I've installed from disc.
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 17th Mar 2022 at 3:13 AM Last edited by zorba2357 : 21st Mar 2022 at 5:57 PM.
This site keeps logging me out when I edit my previous post. Anyhow I reread the thread and see your downloaded version is different. My "start" icon is called "sims", yours is called "start". Also the Link that downloads the start icon I'm using is gone unfortunately, I looked it up. They Really Need to put up a Digital Download people can use, or buy at somewhere like GoG!
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