Forum Discussion

Re: Error 16 Keeps Happening

@SummerSloane  Error 16 usually means that a save is too large, generally over 4 GB.  How large was your old save?  There are ways to cut down the size, for example Kuree Save Cleaner.  But if you've deleted the save entirely, I guess that's a moot point.

For now, what world are you playing in, and are any of the sims in the household you saved also in the world?  For example, maybe your sims married into a townie family and there are two Mortimer Goths running around.

If that's not the issue, try playing the household in a clean user folder.  Move the entire Sims 3 folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts and onto your desktop, open the launch to spawn a clean folder, and copy the Library folder (but nothing else yet) from the old Sims 3 folder to the new one.  When you load a new save, your household will be available to place, although you'll need to exit the tutorial first.  (Just click the three dots in the lower-left corner of your screen and select Edit Town, then go back to the initial game setup.)  Place the household, let the game clock run for a few sim-minutes, and then try to save.

If this doesn't work, quit the game to desktop, then start another new save, but this time, don't place your existing household, just pick a random one and see whether you can save your progress.

15 Replies

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    4 years ago

    Hi, thanks for getting back to me. 

    not really a moot point because it is still happening, even with an empty world!

    the save is only 68.3 MB, so again super confused why I’m getting this error code.

    I am currently using Willapa Valley by 99simsonthewall. It’s a large world, but unpopulated  and 62.21 MB.

    in my previous save, I had the world populated by nrass. I am also using nraas to populate the new save, however made sure sims would not generate from the current household.

    I’ll try using Kure Save Cleaner and update you if I continue to get issues.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    4 years ago

    @SummerSloane  Error 16 should definitely not happen in a new save.  Are you using OneDrive or any other service that syncs the contents of Documents?  Are you trying to add special characters to the save name, or are there any special characters (anything not Roman alphabet A to Z or Arabic numerals 0 to 9) in the username attached to this Windows account?

    Please also run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

    https://help.ea.com/en/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    4 years ago

    Oh! I realized i do have OneDrive on that is syncing the files. I also save my files as (world)_(day), so for example: willapa valley_sun. also added are my dxdiag files. 

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    4 years ago

    @SummerSloane  First, please update your computer's graphics driver.  You can find the newest version offered by Dell for your laptop here:

    https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/inspiron-15-5570-laptop/drivers

    It's listed as "Intel UHD Graphics Driver" and dated August 31, 2021, which makes it a bit old but newer than your current one, and critically, newer than Windows 11.  Restart your computer after installing and before doing anything else.

    Please also tell OneDrive not to sync the contents of Documents:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/choose-which-onedrive-folders-to-sync-to-your-computer-98b8b011-8b94-419b-aa95-a14ff2415e85

    You may first need to pause syncing or cancel the current sync:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/how-to-cancel-or-stop-sync-in-onedrive-4885c27e-3d89-4d69-be75-2646c71367d3

    Once you've done this, restart your computer again and try to play.  Just to be thorough, name your first save "test" or something similarly simple, and if that works, you can try a name in the format you typically use.

  • mrgothicfinn's avatar
    mrgothicfinn
    Rising Novice
    4 years ago

    hello, I'm having the error code 16 with saving also I have tried everything ..

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    4 years ago

    @mrgothicfinn  Did you try disabling OneDrive, as described in the post immediately above yours?

    If that doesn't or didn't help, please create a new admin Windows account and try playing in that.  Make it a local account, as in, don't sign into Microsoft, and don't sync with any other services you normally use.  You'll be able to sign into Origin (if you play through Origin) and shouldn't need to redownload the game, but your saves and other user content won't be available.  That can be addressed later; for now, just start a new save and let me know whether you get another Error 16.

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago

    Hi, sorry this was from so long ago, but one drive is finally disabled. However? I’m still getting error 16s even when I have a new family.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @SummerSloane  As a test, please try playing in a new admin Windows account: I'd like to know whether this is an issue with your current account's Documents folder or something else.  Make it a local account, as in, don't sign into Microsoft, and don't sync with any other services you normally use.  You'll be able to sign into Origin and shouldn't need to redownload anything.  Let me know whether you still get the error.

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago
    @puzzlezaddict I’m so aware that you answer people all the time, but you actually helped me on another issue (where my sims 3 would crash on launch) and I have already switched to a new admin account lol! All of my mods were added in, and it usually saves and plays normally until I go into CAS.
  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @SummerSloane  Sorry about that; I usually remember a username but not always when the board is busy (or I'm busy).  Just so I have my own facts straight, do you get the Error 16 if you play a new save in a clean Sims 3 user folder that has never seen mods or custom content at all?  What language is Windows using, and have you ever used special characters in the account name or in the names of your saves?

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago

    Hi! I’m so sorry I haven’t responded - honestly this error code 16 thing has become a Russian roulette for me. Sometimes, I get the error code, sometimes I don’t. To answer your question, I used to use underscores in my saves, but tried not using any special characters to no luck. I’ve recently tried starting a new save, and immediately after I get out of CAS and try to save, I get the error. Im so sad because I love this game and don’t know why this is happening!

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @SummerSloane  I don't know why this is happening either, but I still have a couple of ideas.  First of all, just to be totally clear, do you ever get an Error 16 when playing with no mods at all?  Is OneDrive currently syncing the contents of Documents?  Do you use a third-party antivirus, and if so, which one?

  • SummerSloane's avatar
    SummerSloane
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago

    I do get an Error 16 when I have mods in. OneDrive is not syncing the contents of documents. I also use a third-party antivirus, both CleanMy PC and I use Smart Game Booster.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    3 years ago

    @SummerSloane  CleanMyPC isn't an antivirus, and neither is Smart Game Booster.  Still, I'd suggest trying to play with both of them disabled, particularly CleanMyPC.  Apps like this can occasionally delete essential system files and often delete data you'd prefer to keep because it's flagged as redundant.  (Imagine you made a backup copy of your favorite Sims 3 save only for the cleaner app to remove it for being a duplicate.)

    I'd also test without mods, at least at first.  If everything is normal, you can add back any NRaas mods you use and test again, then add back a few others if you have any and see what happens.

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