Unable to run SimCity 3000 on Windows 7

BJC1992 · 17 Dec 2016

I've been trying to run SimCity 3000 on my Windows 7 PC, which is running Home Premium 32-bit. The game itself is recommended for Windows 95/98/XP so is rather old now, but the game used to run fine on my current PC, until one day when I clicked the icon and nothing happened, it would normally take a bit of persuasion to run, normally having to wait a few minutes, but now when I double click it it the blue circle spins for a second and then does nothing. I've tried running it in compatibility mode, and even re-installing the game, but still no success, does anyone have any ideas?

Mellon Head · 17 Dec 2016

It might be the copy protection. Microsoft issued an update in September 2015 that broke some kinds of copy protection. There is a workaround. See the following thread and follow the directions in post #4:

FIFA 14 doesn't work after Windows reinstall

I suggest making two batch files and placing them on your desktop. One to start the fix, and one to end it. You will have to execute the batch files as Administrator, or else type the commands into an elevated command prompt. This technique should work for most older games affected by the patch.

BJC1992 · 26 Dec 2016

What I tried first is typing them straight into Command Prompt, but it just says "Access Denied". How do I make them as batch files?

Mellon Head · 26 Dec 2016

Type them into Notepad and save them with the extension ".bat" (without the quotes) to your desktop or somewhere you can find them again easily.

Then right click on them and choose "Properties" On the bottom of the "Compatibility" tab, select the checkbox "Run as Administrator" and then click "OK".

Double clicking the first one should then apply the fix and you can then run your game. For security reasons, you should run the second one after you're finished playing your game to turn the fix off.

BJC1992 · 27 Dec 2016

I made the batch files and saved them to the desktop, I went to the Properties menu and went to the compatibility tab, but the 'Run As Administrator' box was grayed out, so I just right clicked the icon and clicked 'Run As Administrator', and two command prompt windows appeared, the first one saying "[SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS C:\Windows\System32>", and the second one saying "[SC] StartService Failed 31: A device attached to the system is not functioning. C:\Windows\System32>"
I tried running the programme anyway, but with no success. Do you know what might have happened?

Mellon Head · 27 Dec 2016

Not sure what's happening here, but do this before we get all carried away looking for stuff:

Run Command Prompt as Administrator, and type in "SFC /SCANNOW" without the quotes.

Also can you copy and paste the contents of the two batch files in your next post, please?

BJC1992 · 28 Dec 2016

I ran the Command Prompt and entered "SFC /SCANNOW", after a short while it completed and said "Windows Resource Protection found some corrupt files and was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log"

With the batch files this is the contents of the first one:
start cmd.exe /k "sc config secdrv start= demand"
start cmd.exe /k "sc start secdrv"

And the second one:
start cmd.exe /k "sc stop secdrv"
start cmd.exe /k "sc config secdrv start= disabled"

Mickyd · 30 Dec 2016

I dunno if it helps prolly wont but i have ran simcity 3000 on win 7 the only setup i found worked was a pc with your own win7 32 bit - i have 64 bit now and it no longert works

Mellon Head · 30 Dec 2016

BJC1992 said:

I ran the Command Prompt and entered "SFC /SCANNOW", after a short while it completed and said "Windows Resource Protection found some corrupt files and was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log"

With the batch files this is the contents of the first one:
start cmd.exe /k "sc config secdrv start= demand"
start cmd.exe /k "sc start secdrv"

And the second one:
start cmd.exe /k "sc stop secdrv"
start cmd.exe /k "sc config secdrv start= disabled"

Run SFC /SCANNOW twice more. I've heard that it can take up to three times to successfully repair damage. Also, run a virus scan with MalwareBytes and SuperAntiSpyware. You may have picked up an infection somewhere. It also wouldn't hurt to run "chkdsk /f" at an Administrator command prompt. Your disk might be corrupted and that might be what is causing the file corruption.

It sounds like you have a bigger problem than just getting the game to run.

BJC1992 · 01 Jan 2017

I ran the command "SFC /SCANNOW" a few more times, but without success, I also done "chkdsk /f", which the computer done when I restarted it, I did read that it fixed some problems but was unable to read the rest as the page disappeared, I'm not sure if there is any way to view the report afterwards. I also done the virus scan, it did find some P.U.P.S but that was all. I tried running the game but still nothing, I'm not sure if there is a fault within my PC, or how I would be able to find it.