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Re: I can't change settings

@D1NACALIENTE  Your dxdiag lists a crash of Sims 3 related to the Nvidia graphics driver, which is also very much out of date.  So please install the newest-available driver from Nvidia:

https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/145874/en-us/

Run the installer as an admin: right-click the download and select "Run as administrator."  Choose the Custom (not Express) install method, and check the box to perform a clean install.  Restart your computer afterwards and before trying to play.

When you do run Sims 3, please first restart your computer, and don't open any other apps at the same time.  With only 4 GB installed RAM, you'll want to cut down on memory use as much as possible to leave whatever you can for the game itself.

10 Replies

  • D1NACALIENTE's avatar
    D1NACALIENTE
    Seasoned Novice
    2 years ago

    I tried to install the driver you sent me, but a message appeared:
    Nvidia installation program cannot continue. This Nvidia graphics driver is not compatible with this version of Windows. This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware.

  • D1NACALIENTE's avatar
    D1NACALIENTE
    Seasoned Novice
    2 years ago

    I installed the driver you sent me along with your tips, but I still can't change any settings in the game. It still shows the message that the game did not detect my graphics card.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @D1NACALIENTE  There's a way to force-install the Nvidia graphics driver I linked originally, but before going that route, I'd like to know whether the game works properly in a new admin Windows account.  Make it local, as in, don't link it to your Microsoft account; you'll be asked to answer some security questions rather than providing an email.  Your saves and other user data won't be available, but that's fine for the purposes of this test.  Let me know how it goes.

  • D1NACALIENTE's avatar
    D1NACALIENTE
    Seasoned Novice
    2 years ago

    Hi,

    I installed the 2017 Dell graphics driver, but still the same thing - I can't change any settings.

  • D1NACALIENTE's avatar
    D1NACALIENTE
    Seasoned Novice
    2 years ago

    So I downloaded the 2018 graphics card driver and it's still the same - all settings are set to the lowest possible and I can't change them at all. I uninstalled the game and installed again, but it didn't do anything.

  • D1NACALIENTE's avatar
    D1NACALIENTE
    Seasoned Novice
    2 years ago

    Yes, I tried, but it doesn't work. In my opinion, the drivers are no longer the problem, as other games that previously didn't work, because of the drivers, now work flawlessly.

  • puzzlezaddict's avatar
    puzzlezaddict
    Hero+
    2 years ago

    @D1NACALIENTE  In the new Windows account, please go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, open DeviceConfig.log, copy the first 40 or so lines (stop when you get to Options), and paste them here.  You can delete your user and computer names, about 20 lines down; the file doesn't contain any other personal information.

    Please also try changing the settings in this new Windows account while your antivirus is disabled, just to be thorough.  I know you did it in the previous account, but that was before you updated the driver, and the fresh Windows account may also help here.

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