Will 64bit TS3 possibly come out for Windows?

Over at the Dutch forum I have a thread with some technical TS3 assistance, tips and such. In that thread I also have included a paragraph about error code 12. It's in Dutch so I was about to translate it into English for you but then I remembered there is a more easy way: Google translate. I have read the translate and it's good enough to be understood.

"SimLibby" wrote:

Error code 12

Players have been experiencing error code 12 while saving for years. As a result, the game cannot be saved and players lose their progress. Unfortunately, there are no definitive solutions to this problem. The proposed solutions therefore offer no guarantee that it will solve anything. It can also solve something, it is a bit of a blessing edit: not a good translation. In English you could probably say something like: here goes nothing or hope for the best. Re-installation does not provide a permanent solution for this error code. Simmers (me too) have tried this in vain before.

Tips

• Make regular backups. See the corresponding section.
  
• Regularly delete the temporary files as described in the relevant paragraph.
  
• Make sure the CurrentGame.sims3 folder is empty before playing. See the corresponding section.
  
• Start the game with the direct application instead of the Launcher as described in the corresponding section. This is not possible if you have updated to version 1.69 through Origin. Launching through the Launcher is not related to error code 12, at least not as far as I know, but it can fix (and prevent) other issues.
  

Potential solutions

If you get the error code 12 while saving, keep playing and try saving again later. For me this has worked at least as often as it has not worked.

Pause the game and go back to the Desktop via the key on the keyboard. Back up the Saves folder in C: \ My Documents \ Electronic Arts \ The Sims 3. Delete the contents of the Saves folder in My Documents (you have a backup). Go back to the game and save. Since your game is (hopefully) now properly saved, you no longer need the old save game that gave the error code, which is in the backup, and so you can delete this save game. You can restore the rest of the properly working stored files in the backup.

During game play, use the Save As option instead of Save. Rename your game while saving. Give this game a different name from any of your previous saved games. Now a new saved game will be created and you can continue playing as you normally would. You can use the Save option again with this game. The Save As option you use to rename your game. You can also save the game twice, under two different names. One time you save under A, the next time you save under B, then you save again under A, etc. (you do this alternately). If you get error code 12 while saving, for example, A, this file can get damaged and then you have at least B (of course replace the letters with your own chosen name).

Because error code 12 usually doesn't happen until after a few hours of playing, you can also quit and restart the game after a few hours of playing (and saving). Before restarting the game, please back up your game data and delete the temporary files as described in the relevant sections.

Pause your game and go back to the Desktop. Browse to the C: \ My Documents \ Electronic Arts \ The Sims 3 \ Saves folder. If there is the name of the file that you want to save with .bad after it, then delete this file. Go back to your game, play for a while and then try to save again. If it still doesn't work, go back to your Desktop and the previously mentioned Saves folder. If the file you want to save is there with .backup behind it, then move this file to the Desktop. Go back to your game, play again for a while and then try to save again.

Pause your game and go back to the Desktop via the key. Browse to the C: \ My Documents \ Electronic Arts \ The Sims 3 \ Saves folder. Find the file you are having problems with in this folder. Is there a file with .bad or .backup behind it? Is the same file there without the extensions .bad or .backup behind it? If so, make a copy of the file without the extensions behind it on, for example, the Desktop. In the Saves folder, delete the file with .bad after it. Then rename the file with .backup after it by removing .backup from the name. Go back to your game to see if you can save again. Save the file and overwrite the existing file, you have made a copy. If this doesn't work, you can still try to save the game under a different name.

Browse to C: \ My Documents \ Electronic Arts \ The Sims 3. Copy the entire The Sims 3 folder to, for example, the Desktop so that you have a backup. Start the game and load your saved game. Pause your game and go back to the Desktop via the key. Browse to C: \ My Documents \ Electronic Arts \. Delete The Sims 3 folder here. Return to the game and save. The game will create a new The Sims 3 folder. Before you delete the backup, you should check whether it still contains files that you want to keep, such as downloads, screens, saves, etc.

Find out if the error code is due to the use of .packages and / or .sims3packs.

Make sure your game is updated. See the section 'Getting game version' to see if you have the latest version (that is version 1.67 or 1.69). Update manually if necessary, see corresponding section.

Pause the game before choosing Save or Save As from the options menu.

I once read a tip from someone who got this error code, when it went to Edit in Game (just continue, don't save), changed something and then saved the game. For me, the game stuck when I tried this.

You can always restore a backup. Then you will lose progress but not as much as with starting over.

If Windows automatically creates restore points, you can see if you can restore a previous version of your saved file, when there were no problems. Only do this if you understand what you are doing.

If hasn't worked, you can use Google to search for solutions. You may find something that is not in this section.