How to Play Sims 3 Without the CD

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: April 17, 2024 References

When your game CD for The Sims 3 becomes scratched, damaged, or lost, you can still play your game without having to rely on the disc itself. You can redownload The Sims 3 for free given you have the original game’s product code, or you can purchase and download a new copy of The Sims 3. There is also a third-party NoCD mod that bypasses the disc authentication process so you can play without the CD. This wikiHow teaches you how to play The Sims 3 without a CD.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Re-downloading Sims 3 Using Origin

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Navigate to https://www.origin.com/usa/en-us/store/download in a web browser. This is the website for Origin. Origin is an online gaming platform by EA that allows you to purchase and download games, including those you’ve already purchased in the past.
Origin is available for both PC and Mac. Click the download icon below the system your computer runs to download the proper installation file for your system.

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When you are finished downloading the Origin install file, click it in your web browser, or in your Downloads folder to open the install file.
The install process is a little different for PC and Mac. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the install process.
It has an icon that resembles an orange "O". Click the Origin icon to launch Origin.
If you already have an account with Origin, enter the email address and password associated with your Origin account and click Sign In. If you do not have an account, click Create an account at the top. Fill out the form to create a new account. Then sign in once you have created an account.
It's in the menu bar at the top. This displays the Origin menu.
It's in the Origin drop-down menu. This displays a bar you can use to enter a product code.
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Enter your product code. It's on the back of your Sims 3 manual. If you no longer have your Sims 3 Manual you can find it at the following location:
- Windows: Sign in as the administrator. Press the Windows key and type "regedit". Open the Registry Editor. Expand the following folders: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > WOW6432Node (for 64bit versions of Windows only) > Electronic Arts > Sims (Look under WOW6432Node if not under Electronic arts Folder> EP or SP > ergc. The code is displayed on the right under “Data" next to ergc or Produce GUID^{[1]
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- Mac OS X: Launch Finder, navigate to Utilities > Terminal, then enter the following code: cat Library/Preferences/The\ Sims\ 3\ Preferences/system.reg |grep -A1 ergc. After pressing “Enter,” the product code is displayed on the second line under the game description.^{[2]
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Enter the code in the bar and then click Next. It's the orange button below the bar.
The Sims 3 will now be available in your list of games.
If your original game was bundled with Sims 3 expansion packs, the downloads for these expansion packs will also be available.
Going forward, you can now play the game directly from Origin without the CD.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a NoCD Mod

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1
Set up your mod framework. Mods will not run if you don't have the proper framework in place. Mod The Sims has the framework available for download here. The NoCD mod will not work without this.
- When complete, your Mods folder will be located at "Documents > The Sims 3 > Mods", and will have three files - two folders labeled "Overrides" and "Packages", and a file titled "Resource.cfg".
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Navigate to https://www.nraas.net/community/NoCD in a web browser. This is the download page for the NoCD mode from Nraas Industries.
- The mod does not bypass the game launcher, and attempting to start the game from the launcher with the mod will not work. You will need to boot the game directly.^{[4]
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It's the green button below "NoCD" at the top of the page. .
The folder contains a file titled "NRaas_NoCD.package".
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Cut or copy the NRaas_NoCD file.
- In order to extract the contents of a zip file, you need an archive program like WinZIP, WinRAR, or 7-Zip.
It's usually in the panel to the left in The Finder and File Explorer.
You can find the Electronic Arts folder in your Documents folder.
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Delete the file called “scriptcache.package” from the Sims 3 folder. This forces the game to read the new, modded script file so the game can launch properly at the next startup.
- If you haven't played the game yet, this file won't be there. That's normal, and you don't need to do anything about it.
The Mods folder is in The Sims 3 folder.
You can also extract the package file directly into the packages folder in the Mods folder.
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Bypass the Launcher. How you do this is dependent on your OS Use one of the following steps to bypass the game launcher:^{[5]
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- Windows: Go to Program Files followed by Electronic Arts in File Explorer.;\ Select the folder for your most recent expansion pack. Select the Game folder, and then open the Bin folder inside it. Right-click the most recent expansion for the game and click Send to desktop.
- Mac: Access Applications folder followed by The Sims 3 in the Finder. Right-click or control-click on The Sims 3 icon, then click on Show package contents. Open the Contents folder, then open "info.plist" in TextEdit or a similar application. Search for the line that says "C:\Program Files/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Game/Bin/S3Launcher.exe", and change "S3Launcher" to "TS3W". Save the file.
The game will bypass the disc authentication process, and launch normally.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Purchasing Sims 3 Download

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Navigate to https://www.origin.com/usa/en-us/store/download in a web browser. This is the website for Origin. Origin is an online gaming platform by EA that allows you to purchase and download games, including those you’ve already purchased in the past.
Origin is available for both PC and Mac. Click the download icon below the system your computer runs to download the proper installation file for your system.
When you are finished downloading the Origin install file, click it in your web browser, or in your Downloads folder to open the install file.
The install process is a little different for PC and Mac. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the install process.
It has an icon that resembles an orange "O". Click the Origin icon to launch Origin.
If you already have an account with Origin, enter the email address and password associated with your Origin account and click Sign In. If you do not have an account, click Create an account at the top. Fill out the form to create a new account. Then sign in once you have created an account.
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Enter The Sims 3 in the search bar and press ↵ Enter. The search bar is in the panel to the left in Origin. This displays games that match your search criteria.
- The Sims 4 is also available if you want to upgrade to the latest version of the game.
It's displayed at the top of the list of games.
It's the orange button at the top.
It's at the bottom of the page below the offers.
Currently, the base game retails for $19.99. You can also select a version that comes with expansion packs.
It's in the panel to the right. This displays payment method options along with the ability add new payment methods.
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Click Add new card. It's at the bottom of the list of cards.
- If you already have a payment method on file, click the option next to the last 4 digits of the card you want to use.
- Alternatively, you can click Paypal, EAWallet, Alipay, or WeChatPay at the top and follow the instructions to add one of those as a payment method.
To add a new credit or debit card on file, you will need to enter the card number, the expiration date, the CSC security code on the back, your first and last name on the card, and your billing zip code.
It's the orange button in the bottom-right corner.
It's the orange button in the lower-right corner. This completes your purchase.
It's the orange button below the game title. This option is available once your payment goes through.
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Click Next. It's the orange button at the bottom of the screen. This installs the game at the listed install location.
- If you want to change the install location, click Change Location and select an install location for The Sims 3.
The checkbox is next to the text that says "I have read and accept the above license agreements". After you click this checkbox, the orange button that says Next will be available at the bottom of the page. Once the game is finished downloading, you can click the Sims 3 game in Origin and then click Play.

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How do I play it on a Chromebook?

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Chromebooks are very restrictive. Unless the game exists in an embedded form (like on a website) or there are special plugins, you will not be able to play on a Chromebook.

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Is there a way to get Sims 3 for free?

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You can pirate it, but that's illegal. The only other way is to have a friend get you it.

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I downloaded The Sims 3 on my PC, but then made a new Origin account on my laptop and tried to load the game without using the disc, but it said my code was already redeemed. What should I do?

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If you contact EA, and show them that you have a disc, most of the time they will provide you with a download or alternative method.

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Tips

Try uninstalling the original version of Sims 3 on your computer if you downloaded Sims 3 from Origin and the game fails to launch. This may happen due to conflicts with your computer trying to recognize the physical disc copy instead of the digital download version of Sims 3.^{[6]
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