Re: [Current Issue] Sims 3 "serious error" when loading save

neoromanempire​  The "serious error" is typically permissions- or access-related, at least these days, but borked permissions or denied access can happen for a variety of reasons. OneDrive is simply the most common offender.  The concept is reinforced in your case by the fact that the local account worked even if OneDrive isn't your specific culprit.

As for why this can happen when all other games that access Documents are fine, I can't be sure.  But I do know that Sims 3 generates a LOT more temp data than the other Sims games, and much of that is generated as the game starts to load a save.

For the issue at hand, do you have anything else backing up Documents (iCloud or whatever), and does pausing that syncing help?  I realize you might not want to do this long-term, but it would at least be helpful to know whether it made a difference.

Separately, I can suggest an experiment to you, if you're interested.  Create a symbolic link for the Sims 3 user folder pointing it elsewhere on your drive, and specifically NOT in Documents or any folder you want syncing or that a syncing service might try to reach, and not in Program Files since it's somewhat protected by default.  You can just create a new folder on C called whatever you want, and put the Sims 3 folder inside that.  This guide was written for Sims 4 and an external drive, but it applies here too:

https://crinrict.com/blog/2020/02/moving-windows-documents-folder-to-external-drive-via-symbolic-link.html

If you want to try this but need more specific help, please list the new folder, and let me know if your Documents directory is not in the default C:\Users\your username location, according to Command Prompt.  I take it you found the relevant command already.

I created the symbolic link and the link worked but it didn't change anything, I still get the error message trying to load a game.

neoromanempire​  Is your Documents directory in C:\Users\your username\Documents or somewhere else, and do you use another syncing service?

Yes it is in there and I have icloud but it doesn't sync anything on my pc except photos.

neoromanempire​  Are there any special characters in the name you use for your Windows account?  This isn't a typical problem with Sims 3, but it could in theory have some effect, and this would also explain why the new account worked.

If you're willing, you could also try moving the location of Documents elsewhere, to see whether the problem is that folder.  You could also reverse it after the fact if you didn't want to keep it where it was, whether moving it worked or not.  As in, this can be considered an experiment and possibly a workaround, or not, depending on your preference (and whether it helps of course).

The normal way to move Documents is this (option one):

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/move-or-restore-default-location-of-documents-folder-in-windows-11.8708/#One

You can also force a new location with a registry edit:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/operation-to-change-a-personal-folder-location-fails-in-windows-ffb95139-6dbb-821d-27ec-62c9aaccd720

the new location just copied all the folders into a new folder and it kept the originals in my documents folder. I dont even think they're using the new ones.

neoromanempire​  What is the new location though, according to the registry; and does it get around the problem to have Documents in a different location?  It doesn't matter whether anything is copied around; the point is what Windows thinks it should use to store Documents-related data, and therefore what Sims 3 is supposed to use as well.

I'm not sure how to check that, what should I do? I made a new folder in :C drive and changed the documents location to that but it changed nothing except copying the folders to there and it seems to still be using the originals in the documents directory.

neoromanempire​  Two things:

You changed the value in the registry, so you can check the registry again to see whether that value stuck, and if so, let me know what it is.

You can rename any "The Sims 3" folder on your computer that has a DeviceConfig file inside, to anything you want, then open the Sims 3 launcher and see where the new Sims 3 folder gets created.

I already undid moving the documents. So I should do it again and then check the Registry? How do I check the registry exactly?

neoromanempire​  This guide I linked earlier:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/operation-to-change-a-personal-folder-location-fails-in-windows-ffb95139-6dbb-821d-27ec-62c9aaccd720

lists how to change the location of Documents by editing the registry.  I was suggesting that you simply view the Personal value, which is the value for Documents, within the registry, instead of changing it, and then let me know what you see.  The way to view it is exactly the same as described; you just don't edit it while you're there.

We're back to the previous question though: does it help to change the location of Documents to something other than the default?  If yes, what is the location of Documents that works?

Okay here is my regsitry right now. The way i changed the location of documents directory was the way that didn't involve this and then I undid it as it didn't even seem like it did anything and The Sims 3 didn't work. So now I should try the way that involves editing this directly? Or should i retry the less invasive way and then check the registry here again?

neoromanempire​  Test the game and make sure it still doesn't work properly now.  If it doesn't, use the non-invasive way to change the location of Documents, restart your computer, view the registry again (like this) to make sure the change took hold, and try again to play.  The point is not so much how you change the location as the fact that viewing the registry is probably the most reliable way to check your work.

Okay I changed the location of documents but the registry still looks the same. And it still won't let me play. What now?

neoromanempire​  What location did you use, and did you restart your computer?  If so, and the registry still shows the same value for Personal, change that value to the new location of Documents, restart again, and try to play.

I used my :C drive. Its just on my c drive now as a folder.

Yes i did restart, and the registry still looks the same as it did before. What should i change it to? Is the location i picked acceptable?

neoromanempire​  I'm not sure why the registry didn't update, but there's no reason this shouldn't work as a location for Documents.  It may not be the best idea if other people use your computer, since this folder would be accessible to them, but if you're the only user, that's not a concern.

If you still can't play, change the registry value for Personal to C:\Documents, restart again, and test the game again.  And make sure the registry value didn't revert somehow after you restart.

I changed the registry value for personal to C:/Documents, restarted and checked that it didn't revert, and it STILL didn't work. I still got the message "a serious error has occured"

This is my registry now. Any idea what the issue still could be?

neoromanempire​  If you're still seeing this issue, no matter where you put the Documents folder, AND the game still works in a new Windows account, then no, I don't know what the problem is.  I mean, it would be pretty clear in this case that the problem is some other setting with your main account, but beyond that, I couldn't really say where the issue might be.

Given everything you've tried, I really think the best thing would be to play in the other Windows account.  If you don't want to manage two accounts, you could move your other data to that account too and use only that.  I would also suggest setting up whatever syncing services you decide to use first, and anything else that touches the Documents folder, to make sure nothing breaks again before you go to the trouble of moving over any data.

So my registry is correct now and it should be working?

neoromanempire​  Your registry value is correct, and nothing about the registry should prevent Sims 3 from working.  However, there are plenty of other reasons you might get this error, and I've gotten to the point here where I'm out of ideas.  The game works in the new account but not the old one, so the problem is clearly somewhere on that account, but I don't know where else to look.

Appreciate your help. But anyway, What are the other issues that could be causing it? Because I really don't want to have to make two accounts. I am not transferring everything to a new account. That would require redoing so much. Also how can I "Un-Move" my documents back into the original location since moving it didn't help?

I had the same issue. If you don't really care about your save files this could help because at least you'd get to play again. First of all, (if you are using origin) locate the file i.e. go to origin, click on sims3 and then click on "manage" then "view properties". "Open Folder" to the install location. If it opens to a C: location, check what folders are available. If this location seems to be lacking folders or seems to just have EP0# folders with no Saves folder or other, check your Microsoft OneDrive and look for the Electronic Arts folder and locate the sims 3 folder inside. If this folder contains a saves folder and/or others that were missing from the C: location; copy paste it from the OneDrive location to the C: location and then permanently delete the files from OneDrive (make sure to have a backup on a flashdrive just in case). Start the game to check.

IF the "Open Folder" takes you directly to OneDrive, (make a backup of the files on a flashdrive) permanently delete the Electronic Arts folder then start the game.

My save file had Dragon Valley content that disappeared after I did this so I think EA did something to their file confogurations. I'm not sure.

I'm still trying to figure out what went wrong but at least I can start a new game.

Edit: I went to install all the extra content from the website and it stopped working again.

I tried that but I don't think there is supposed to be save files in this location. The save files are in documents, the actual install of the game is on the :C Drive. I also put my documents directory back in its original location since moving it did nothing.

This is what's in my onedrive from what I can see. Nothing Sims 3 related.

try re-downloading and re-installing your downloaded worlds, and update your EA App launcher.