I'm not sure what OS you are using.  Navigate to (or cut and paste in the run box)
For x86,    "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims Medieval\Game\Bin\"
For x64,    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims Medieval\Game\Bin\"

Once you are there, double click on tsm.exe or if you only see 2 tsm files, double click on the tsm file that has the sim plum-bob icon.

Also, different OEM companies do funky things when it comes to windows 7 and games, if that's what you have.
Click start > and look for a games button, click it >  in games it shows current games that have been associated with windows.  On my windows 7 rig, the TSM icon has been installed in there, but also on my desktop.  It is possible that your rig has kept the icons from being installed to the desktop.  I think vista also has this.... *cough* feature...

Your botched mods issue sounds like a SEARCH & READ FAIL error.  This has been discussed to death in many threads on this board.  It is quite possible that your issue is simply, you forgot to put the framework in the HELS Directory, and primarily the d3dx9_31.dll file...  If this isn't the case, then you seem to have left out much needed information for people to diagnose your situation.  Also your Sim3pack issue is another SEARCH & READ FAIL error.  This has also been discussed to death.  After a particular patch sim3packs installation was botched by EA.  SEARCH MOAR for the fix to it.  Also throughout all this reinstalling, did you remember to put the framework back into the game directories?

Unfortunately Indiasong, I don't believe extracting a particular object from a dbc or large package is possible.  Your individual package files are more important than the one large package because without them you can't create another large package with updated items or items removed.

Pyrobon, you have barely given us any information to go on as far as what your problem could be.  "Decent specs" doesn't mean doodily squat if we don't know the actual information.  We have no clue whether it's the BG or an EP.  We have no clue whether your good experience was prior to any EP or update.  We Have Nothing!

and I quote,
Nuff Said!

Edit:  To actually offer some help...

If your base game is incompatible with the EP than nothing you will do, outside of getting things compatible, will help.

What version does the launcher say you have?
What version was the base game prior to you installing WA?

Sounds a bit like "it brakey,  fixxy NOOOW!" but I am a little hard of hearing.

Sounds to me like a Framework FAIL or a  Resource.cfg fail.  Have you extracted the framework into the "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff" folder?  If done correctly it adds a folder called Mods to that directory.  In the "Mod" folder contains 2 folders, "Files" and "Packages".  Your .package files whether they are CC or MODS go into the "Packages" folder.

Also, I have shifted all my mods and CC back into "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages" folder, just to keep things in one central location, and not have to move things around everytime an EP or SP is installed.

Scibirg, you are correct about the directory.  I will edit it as soon as I get home.  Just so happened to cut and paste the wrong directory.  I hope that the info comes in handy and solves any problems you may have.

So glad to hear that everything is in order!  Man that was a process, freaking EA Crapware...

Ok, now that we have figured out, through torture, what Pescado is talking about,
we can be a bit cocky on what we do next.

When you get HELS, all you need to do is:
1. Download all the HELS updates first and foremost.  Currently there is only 1 patch available, Sims3_3.1.7.004001_from_3.0.38.004001.exe
2. Install HELS, Deny EADM from installing.
3. Apply patch
4. Extract framework to "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 High End Loft Stuff"
5. Run Sims3Dashboard and Click "Clear All".
5. Play Game!

Yes, when you install new EP's or SP's and add or remove new .packages and mods, it is best to run Sims3Dashboard.
Many things get cached, and if you don't remove the caches prior to adding or removing items, the Sims 3 still thinks that the info is good, and may cause you issues.  


I would say the .DBC method is best because the game has to load each individual .package file and especially since I don't trust EA to install the sims3packs without issue.  It's as simple as this, More items, more load time.  There is also a method that has been discussed extensively Here, where we take all of our mods and CC files and combine them, accordingly, into singular .package files.  It has definitely increased the speed and loading of my game.  But it isn't for the faint of heart and if things work for you, they just work for you.

Here's a tip from me to you, with AwesomeMod installed and the basic config set, which includes a nocd check mod, Duplicate the original "The Sims 3 Icon" on your desktop. Rename the duplicate to "The Sims 3 Launcher".  Now, right click on the original icon, go down to properties, on the "Target" line it should say "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\Sims3Launcher.exe",
Change it to this "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\ts3.exe".
Now you can play your game without the cd being in the drive, and you don't need to copy over any cracked exe's, and this works no matter what SP or EP you install.

When in doubt, download the awesome.zip file from the main page, and then read the rtmf.txt file included in the .zip file, it shows what updates it is currently compatible with, and also contains a detailed list of bugfixes.

Ummm, right here?  Would you like me to walk you across the internet superhighway also?

Yup, the nudist colony mod.

Around here, when Pescado updates, WE UPDATE!

What is your butt doing that close to the monitor?

EDIT:Oh wait, it's getting late and my eyes are starting to cross, got me seeing double...

Maybe it is possible for the fish to mate?  And then there's the "I brought you in, I can take you out", complex.

Does that mean if no fish are there that 1 fish ate itself?  Something silly people have tried to do for years, accomplished by ... game fish?

Ok, definitely something screwy with vista and EADM.  Also, now I realize I went about this the wrong way...

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to do a full reinstall... Yeah I know, WTF.  This is the situation your stuck in, EADM is necessary for you to update or see updates inside the program.  But EADM bites, hard.  We stopped manually updating at the point where we could install WA.  I was so wrong.  What happened was when we installed WA, it was necessary to use EADM to update because it installed an update to the Base Game that we can't readily find a patch to manually update it with.
#=region, which can be 1, 2, 3, 4 or more.
This is what needs to be done:  
1.  Full uninstall of everything, EADM, SIMS Base Game, WA.
2.  Full delete of "C:\Documents and Settings\Main\My Documents\Electronic Arts".  Make sure to save your savegames if you haven't already done so.
3.  Full delete of "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts", run Ccleaner and then reboot.
4.  Install Sims 3 Base Game.  Deny the EADM install.
5.  After base game is installed install each patch, there are a total of 8 patches for BG.  Install them in this order:
Sims3_1.2.7.0000#, sims3_1.3.24.0000#, Sims3_1.4.6.0000#, Sims3_1.6.6.00200#,
Sims3_1.7.9.00200#, Sims3_1.8.25.00300#, Sims3_1.9.22.00400#, Sims3_1.10.6.00400#.
6.  Open the launcher, it should say your game is 1.10.6.00400#, run the game.  Should be fine at this point.
7.  Now that Sims 3 is fully installed, time to install WA.  When Wa first starts to install, you will get a pop up box stating "Warning:  The installed version of The Sims 3 is more recent than this product.  If you choose to proceed, Blah blah blah", disregard this, press ok, and continue the install.  At the end of WA installation, Deny the EADM installation again.

8.  After WA is installed, install each patch, there are a total of 4 patches for WA.  Install them in this order:
Sims3_2.2.8.00200#, Sims3_2.3.33.00300#, Sims3_2.4.7.00400# and last Sims3_2.5.12.00400#.
9.  At this point, your game is fully up to date, with all the latest patches and the launcher should say your game is 2.5.12.00400#
10. Test run your game, It shouldn't give you any "incompatible with base game" issues.  If all went well, move on to 11.  If not, stab yourself repeatedly with a spork.

11. Extract the framework.zip into "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3" and "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures"
12. Extract awesome.zip into "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages" and toss all your other mods and cc into the same directory, along with aweconf.package which was created with the AwesomeMod Configuration tool.
13. Edit the "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\resource.cfg" file for all the sub-directories within your Mod folder, if all of your .package files are in the "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages" folder, then leave the resource.cfg file alone.

14. Run the game.
15. Squeal with excitement as everything just works.
The end.

Modifying for clarity.

1. Installed Sims Base Game on the netbook.  I did not allow it to install EADM.  Base Game is currently version 1.0.631.00002.

2. Updated Sims Base Game with Sims3_1.2.7.00002 patch, manually.

3.  Installed WA.  I did not allow it to install EADM, again.  WA is currently version 2.0.86.002002


Still in progress.
Quick question, do you install any Downloadable content?  Or do you download the .dbc files that others have already put up?
Ok, the only problem with the .dbc files is that you lose the sim symbol overlay on the icon in Cas or the shop.  Other than that, no issues.

I'm going to try the updates from the site that you posted.  Ahh yes this is where I got my patches from originally, couldn't remember the site off hand but the Sim Programs site is it.

I like the .dbc file method better, personally.  I have a few pc's throughout my household, and 2 laptops and a netbook.  Imagine trying to do multiple installs and having to go through installing tons of store items on all of them.  Where, now, all I have to do is copy the .dbc files and add "PackedFile Mods/Packages/*.dbc" to my resource.cfg file.

No worries, I'm a problem solver at heart, so I find other people's technical problems fun to solve.  Ccleaner is fairly simple to use, open it up, you have 4 <tabs> on the left column, select the registry tab, then scan for issues (button on the bottom right), when the scan is complete, click the <fix selected issues...> button, they should all be selected.  Also, do a check for me and look through those found issues and see if u notice any sims 3 related items, if you don't, no worries, just continue.  At some point you will get a prompt that asks you to backup registry issues, seeing as you are new to this, just backup the issues.  Once the issues are fixed, you are done with the cleaning and all rouge entries are no longer there.

*Note, the person on that board had a point, sometimes a program does leave a rouge folder in the program files folder after an uninstall, blame the coders for bad uninstall scripts, but if that is the case *after* an uninstall, then by all means, delete those remnants.

Same here shortyboo.  Launcher also patched correctly for me since Base Game, on both XP x86 and Win7 x64.

I usually spazz out on people who don't use <control panel> <add/remove programs> to uninstall programs, but I'll leave you alone, this time!  I have seen some nasty things happen to systems when people don't uninstall correctly.  Sometimes it is unnecessary, most times it is very necessary.  Programs, nowadays, install files all over your system, not in just the program files folder, which may also be causing you issues.  Add/remove programs, in conjunction with, CCleaner or the likes of it, is essential to cleaning out your system properly.

Download and install ccleaner if you haven't done so already,

Download page of file hippo, Click "Download latest Version" link top right of page
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner   
Direct link to file,
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/download/ed2b2b859416fd7fbddc2c0157c6c85e/

Do you know how to use ccleaner?
Do you have HELS yet?
What I am doing right now is starting from scratch on my girl's netbook and I will detail the install for you if it helps.

My apologies, didn't even realize that Rogueskinner was the OP.  I Thought he was just another person with a similar issue that possibly needed to elaborate his issues.  Nor was it mentioned that they used sims 3 dashboard or some other means to remove any possible Cache files or the cas and object thumbnails packages.

Always disable autoupdate!  <flail>  Hell, skip the damn launcher for all it's worth with it's leet ninja skillz.

Would you care to elaborate on your issues?  Are you using Awesome Mod? Have you made sure the framework is installed properly in the HELS directory?  I'm not sure if you were looking for help Rogue but if you were, more info is needed.