Sims 4 and origin blocked by free antivirus

[Zasz]

Some months ago my sims 4 game started to stall my entire pc when entering the game. Some items in the main menu kept loading for around 20 seconds. On my second screen I can see the clock freezing, my animated background too, nothing works. The same happens when I open the ingame gallery. It completely stalls my pc too.

Yesterday I finally found out it is avast antivirus. I added origin and the game exe to the exceptions but it didnt help. Then I found a two year old thread here in this forum suggesting to uninstall the app, reinstall it, adding the exceptions and then starting the game. That finally worked. One time. The next time I started the game it stalled my pc again. Whats the point in having exception rules when the app ignores them after applying them once?

Now I have the choice to disable the app every time I start the game or open the gallery or get another antivirus app. Please help me.

[r@vast]

Hi,

Perhaps you need to add additional files/folders. Please see https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/984983/avg-and-avast-blocking-sims4-files-a-fix

[Zasz]

Its concerning that Im being redirected to the sims forum for a solution. Apparently this is a long time problem that should have been solved with the program a long time ago or here. Just saying.

The solution doesnt work. I added my entire documents folder, my entire game drive, the origin folder, the origin exe, the sims4 exe and it still stalls my entire pc. The exceptions dont work!

[r@vast]

Hi,

Can you provide a support file, please? https://support.avast.com/article/Submit-support-file

[Zasz]

Sent.

[r@vast]

Sent.

Hi,

Thank you.
Do you use any cheat engine with Sims4- if so, can you please uninstall it and see if that helps?
Either way, can you please disable all Avast shields and then enable them one by one and let me know which one is causing this issue for you?
(Right-click on the Avast Antivirus icon in the system tray > click on Avast Shields Control > select an option)

[Zasz]

I dont use any cheat engine.

For the game to start its required to have origin or the EA app running. In origin there is an option to play offline and it reduces the freezing of the pc when starting the game. While origin is in offline mode the ingame gallery is disabled. The EA app doesnt offer an offline mode so Im not using that.

I tested by disabling all modules for ten minutes, started the game and there was no issue. Same with the ingame gallery.

It definatelly is avast (free) antivirus.

[r@vast]

I dont use any cheat engine.

For the game to start its required to have origin or the EA app running. In origin there is an option to play offline and it reduces the freezing of the pc when starting the game. While origin is in offline mode the ingame gallery is disabled. The EA app doesnt offer an offline mode so Im not using that.

I tested by disabling all modules for ten minutes, started the game and there was no issue. Same with the ingame gallery.

It definatelly is avast (free) antivirus.

Hi,

Thank you.

But could you please check which specific Avast shield is causing this problem? Please disable Avast shields one by one by following these steps:
1. Open Avast and go to the menu - Protection - Core Shields.
2. Disable the first shield for 10 minutes.
3. Also, try disabling Avast Firewall and Real Site in the menu "Protection".
4. Check if the problem persists when the shield is disabled. If so, please turn it ON again and check another shield.
Please let me know which Avast shield is causing the issue.

[Zasz]

Are you suggesting that I, an unsure customer, am supposed to disable all modules, if I can identify them correctly, which I cant right now, enable one and then start the game around a dozen times until I find the culprit? Because it sounds like something your Q&A team is supposed to do considering the exceptions dont work.

There is one big switch to disable/enable them all and there are a dozen small "activate" checkmarks. Im not sure if all of those are individual shields or just seperate settings due to the lack of labels which of those qualify as "core shields". I searched for a guide about core modules but couldnt find anything other than how to change settings, not what qualifies as core modules.

Also my client is in german and no other language can be selected.

The firewall module wasnt installed when I reinstalled the program last week. I didnt see an option to install it seperately and it should have been installed by default. For about a week I was without a proper firewall and AFA didnt inform me.

Thats all quite concerning.

[r@vast]

Hi,

Thank you.
You can add the firewall component by following the steps in this guide in German: https://support.avast.com/de-de/article/Add-Remove-Antivirus-components/

Can you also try to apply the rest of these steps, please?
------------
Öffnen Sie dazu Avast Free, klicken Sie klicken Sie links auf "Schutz", dann auf "Wichtigste Schutzmodule“, deaktivieren Sie nun alle angezeigten Schutzfunktionen (Datei-Schutz, Verhaltens-Schutz, Web-Schutz, E-Mail-Schutz). Versuchen Sie dann, das Problem zu reproduzieren. Falls es nun funktioniert, aktivieren Sie eine der Schutzfunktionen, testen Sie erneut, ob das Problem noch auftritt usw. Hoffentlich finden Sie so heraus, welche Schutzfunktion das Problem verursacht.
Falls dies nicht hilft, gehen Sie ebenso mit folgenden Funktionen vor:
Im Menü Schutz: Ransomware-Schutz
----------

 

[Zasz]

Are you a bot? Thank you... for what?? Did you even read what I wrote? The exceptions are not working and you want me to go through the core modules the newest version doesnt install by default anymore.

After a week I accidently learned I didnt have a firewall installed. I already fixed that by myself. I just learned that Im missing web protection. I installed that too just now. File, behavior and email protection is missing but I dont need them so I dont care anymore since the game is working fine now. So its probably one of those.

Have your team sort out the rest if they ever feel like fixing the exceptions and the compatibility issue with sims 4 after all those years of simmers wondering why the game is being blocked.

When I get the chance I get a better tool. Im certainly not going to buy the full version now. Im fed up with this nonsense.

[Mr. Consumer]

The Sims 4 is a paid game, which is why the devs probably haven't managed to test it by themselves yet.
You should just try what has been suggested. Disable all modules and enable one by one and see after enabling which shield you face the problem. If you can pinpoint that, then the devs might be able to identify the possible reason and try to find a solution.

[bob3160]

The Sims 4 is a paid game, which is why the devs probably haven't managed to test it by themselves yet.
You should just try what has been suggested. Disable all modules and enable one by one and see after enabling which shield you face the problem. If you can pinpoint that, then the devs might be able to identify the possible reason and try to find a solution.

@ZAsz
There should only be one firewall installed on your system.
If you're on a windows computer starting with version 8 or newer, you already have one active. It's part of Windows.
If you want to change to a different firewall, you should first turn off your current firewall.
I personally prefer the one that's part of Windows 11. To each their own.