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In this video, I'll show how to fix the "Unrecognized Video Card" problem in The Sims 3. This is a problem that can happen when trying to launch The Sims 3, and may happen to users who are using video cards released after the official initial release of The Sims 3.

Due to the nature of hardware tech developments over time, it is common that old games have a more difficult time recognizing newer hardware, due to specific differences in hardware architecture and composition. While in many cases newer hardware may still be compatible and usable with older video games, quite often PC users must also make sure to help these games recognize these newer hardware, and this is exactly what this video is all about.

00:00 Display Settings
00:18 Finding the Installation Folder Location
01:40 Selecting the Video Card for The Sims 3
02:50 Final Considerations

PART I - Display Settings

1. Right-click your desktop background.
2. Click "Display Settings"
3. Scroll down - Click "Graphical Elements"
4. Click "Add application
5. Now, you need to know the location of the installation folder of The Sims 3 in your computer..

PART II - Finding The Sims 3 Installation Folder Location

If you are using Steam,
1. Open your Steam library
2. Right-click "The Sims 3"
3. Move the mouse to "Manage" - Click "Browse Local Files"
This is where The Sims 3 is installed if you play through Steam.
4. Open "Game" folder - Open "Bin" folder
This is where the executables of The Sims 3 are present in the folder. This is the folder path we are looking for.
5. At the top of the screen, at the path of the folder, left-click - Right-click
6. Copy the folder path

If you are using the EA App (Previously known as Origin)
1. Open the EA App
2. Click "The Sims 3"
3. Click "Manage"
4. Click "View Properties"
5. Click "Open Folder"
This is where The Sims 3 is installed if you play through the EA App.
6. Open "Game" folder - Open "Bin" folder
This is where the executables of The Sims 3 are present in the folder. This is the folder path we are looking for.
7. At the top of the screen, at the path of the folder, left-click - Right-click
8. Copy the folder path

PART III - Selecting the Dedicated Video Card for The Sims 3

Back at the Display Settings,
1. Click "Add application"
2. Paste the folder path we copied in Part II
3. Select and add all of the executables present in The Sims 3 installation folder, each one of them, one at a time
4. Scroll down
5. Select the executable
6. In "GPU Preferences", open the menu
7. Choose your dedicated video card
(For example, Nvidia GTX 1650)
8. Repeat these steps for all of the executables present in The Sims 3 installation folder

Now, you can play The Sims 3 using your dedicated video card, and solve the "Unrecognized Video Card" problem.
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Is there any game, problem or software you'd like me to fix? Post in the comments.

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