Unable to start game Service initialization failed (0x0175dcbb)

Unable to start game 
Service initialization failed (0x0175dcbb)


The long way
- Click Start >> Run.

- Type regedit.exe and press Enter.

- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE >> SOFTWARE >> SIMS >>The Sims 3

- Check the Install Dir on the right window. The path directory should be the same with the path directory of your installed The Sims 3. If it is not the same, right click on it and choose modify, then copy-paste your installed path directory in it. Click OK to apply it.

- Also check the SKU on the right window. SKU hold the region code information. (2) is for US region, (7) is for WorldWide [i only know those region codes, there are still other region codes]. Make sure it has the correct region code as your game. If it is not the same, right click on it and choose modify, then enter your region code. Click OK to apply it.

//This part is only for World Adventures owners attention only:
- Check the ExePath on the right window. The path should be the same with the path of the WA executables (TS3EP01.exe). It is located in the %sims_3_installed_path%/Game/Bin. If it is not the same, modify it the same way you modify Install Dir just now. Click OK.
//End of that part.

- Restart your computer and try to start the game. Enjoy the game!

The supposingly shorter way

- Open your notepad and copy-paste these and follow the instruction in it:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sims\The Sims 3]
"Country"="US"
"SKU"=dword:0000000x {change x with your region code}
"DisplayName"="The Sims 3"
"Install Dir"="%InstallDir%" {change %InstallDir% with your installed Sims 3 directory path, add another \ after \}
"Locale"="en-US"
"Telemetry"=dword:00000001
"InstallStart"=dword:00000000

- Delete the instructions (including {})

- Click File >> Save

- Save it as sims3.reg

- Double-click sims3.reg and click OK if any warnings pops up.

-Restart the computer and try to start the game

Source: http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=410739