@TheRaddestCrow How long does it typically take before the game crashes, and is there any pattern at all to what's happening on-screen at the time? You removed mods, but do you have any custom content, and if so, did you try removing that too?
Please also run a dxdiag and attach it to a post, for reference.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
Hello @puzzlezaddict !
There isn't really a pattern to when the game crashes, sometimes it'll be 8 minutes or it'll get to 30 minutes before it crashes, and the on-screen actions are just typical game play like scrolling over the town or even just watching my single sim in their house. I also lowered my graphics settings in-game, but the crashes still persist at the same amount. I don't use any custom content, so I don't think that could affect it
Thank you so much for your help!
@TheRaddestCrow Your dxdiag doesn't list any Sims 3 crashes, just a number of generic Windows update errors. (The dxdiag only lists the last 10 errors.) So it's best to clean those up first. Please run a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files:
Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates. If any install, restart again afterwards.
For the Sims 3 crashes themselves, I'm wondering whether your computer might be running out of memory while you play. The game can only use a little shy of 4 GB, Windows uses just over 2 normally, and you have 8 installed, but background processes can increase overall RAM use significantly. That's even more true if Windows is trying and failing to update. I also notice that your laptop's page file is not particularly large and almost all used; the page file is where extra data gets dumped when it doesn't fit in RAM.
Point is, please increase the page file size. Here's how (option three):
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/manage-virtual-memory-paging-file-in-windows-11.8618/#Three
Set the minimum to 16000 and the max to 16384. Your laptop has more than enough storage to accommodate the extra 5 GB.
If you get another crash, please look for new errors in the Reliability Monitor. Hit Windows key-R and enter "perfmon /rel" without quotes, and you'll see a chart of errors and updates with a column for each day. Today is on the right.
Look for an error that happened at exactly the time of your most recent Sims 3 crash, specifically after you've done the steps I listed. If you find one, double-click it to see more details, then copy that info and paste it into a reply here. If you don't see a new error, check back in an hour or so—the Reliability Monitor doesn't always update right away.
Hello @puzzlezaddict,
Thank you so much for this advice. Here is the result of the Terminal scan:
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at
windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline
repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag. /End
Unfortunately, I did end up having another crash. I followed your advice, and here is the result of the Reliability Monitor:
Faulting application name: TS3.exe, version: 0.2.0.32, time stamp: 0x568d4bac
Faulting module name: TS3.exe, version: 0.2.0.32, time stamp: 0x568d4bac
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x001907f7
Faulting process id: 0x0x354C
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1DA10C8557E0610
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe
Report Id: d907c410-e859-4a74-bc88-0905a54fe0d7
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
@TheRaddestCrow This crash is an access violation, probably not related to the computer's overall memory use and definitely too generic to be much use here. But at least it rules out some obvious common causes.
Please list the packs you currently have installed and the world(s) where you've been playing. Please also let me know if you've done anything to cap framerates, use the Smooth Patch or another utility that changes the game but isn't a classic mod, or altered the game's program files in any way.
Hello @puzzlezaddict,
Could you please explain what an access violation is? I'm glad it rules out the common causes, but I'm just curious.
The packs I currently have installed include Pets, Seasons, and Supernatural. I also have Generations but I removed it in case it was causing too much strain, and the only world I have running is a Moonlight Falls town.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with capping framerates, I didn't know if that was something I could do because I don't have an Nvidia graphics card.
The only utilities mods I have installed are Nraas' Overwatch and Story Progression, and I'm not completely sure what a classic mod is. All mine are from Nraas and the Nointro one included when setting up the Mods folders. Would the Smooth Patch aid in fixing this issue?
Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it deeply.
@TheRaddestCrow Let's start with the easy answers. What I meant by a classic mod is just one that goes in Mods > Packages. There are other types of mods that go elsewhere, for example HQ mods are really edits to the graphicsrules file in the game's program files, with the intent to force higher-quality graphics settings than the game would allow under normal circumstances. If you haven't messed with the program files, you're fine.
The Smooth Patch would be an example of a nonstandard mod, as its main component goes in the Bin folder within the program files, not in Packages. I don't think it would help here.
I would recommend adding NRaas ErrorTrap as well for the overall health of your save, plus MasterController for its set of convenient commands.
Limiting fps can be done on any system. I'm not sure whether it would help with your crashing issues, but it's simple enough to try. Download RivaTuner Statistics Server (from guru3d.com; it's free), install it, add TS3.exe (without the W) to the list, set the fps cap to 60, and restart your computer. Open Revo again, since it needs to be open in order to work, and see whether it helps. You can set it to start with Windows if you prefer. It won't have any effect on any program for which you don't set an explicit limit.
However, I think the issue might be the Pets expansion. It's the most demanding pack by a significant margin, and it causes crashing on lower-end systems even when the player does everything else right. If you don't want to stop playing with pets overall, try avoiding horses and long-haired dogs, not only in your active household but overall in the world. For the dogs at least, you can take them into Create a Pet and change their coats. To get rid of the wild horses in the world, you'll need NRaas Register.
Finally, an access violation is when an application tries to access memory in a manner that is not allowed. This can be attempting to read, write, or execute at a memory address that doesn't support that function, or at a protected address the application isn't allowed to access, or something like a null pointer where the attempt itself isn't in a valid format. Windows detects the problem and kills the application.
The point here is not only that there are many types of access violations but that they can happen for an even larger number of reasons. So knowing that an access violation has happened isn't particularly helpful unless you're a developer testing or debugging the application.
Hi @puzzlezaddict,
Sorry it's been a few days.
I installed and set the framerates like you advised, and for good measure I installed ErrorTrap as well.
Unfortunately now the game can't even load without crashing, I'll get to the world loading screen and the game will just shut down.
Is there anything else that could be causing the crashing?
@TheRaddestCrow Just to be sure, did you add ErrorTrap from the actual NRaas site, or from somewhere else? If you're not sure, please delete your copy and download a fresh one to confirm you have a fully-updated version.
Additionally, does the game shut down at the Main Menu itself, or only once you've selected a save and try to load it? If the latter, can you load a new save? Does it help (currently) to play with your computer offline? You can put the EA App in offline mode and then disconnect from the internet before loading a save.
Please also test with and without RivaTuner running. I've never seen a case where it prevents Sims 3 from loading properly, but given that this is the most recent change you've made, it's only proper to test without it again.
Hello @puzzlezaddict!
I added the most recent Errortrap from the Nraas site, so unless there are multiple copycats it should be the correct mod.
The game now shuts down when trying to load a selected save. This is with both Errortrap and RivaTuner running, just Errortrap, just RivaTuner, and with neither. I am not able to get past the save loading screen with this current world, so it may be in relation to this save, but I'm not completely sure.
Thank you for your time, I wish this had a more clear-cut answer.
@TheRaddestCrow Let's try the a more intensive intervention here. Please create a new admin Windows account on your laptop and try playing there. Make it local, as in, don't link it to your Microsoft account. Don't download any mods or other content; just see whether you can get far enough to load a save and play in live mode for a bit. This distinguishes between issues specific to your current user account—anything from a corrupt file in the user folder to broken permissions—and more global problems.
If Sims 3 won't run in the new account, please post a new dxdiag.
Hello @puzzlezaddict!
Alright, luckily I already have a local admin account that I used the last time I was troubleshooting for Sims 3 (Completely different issue, it fixed itself somehow). I loaded up Sims with no mods or other content, just the base game and the expansion packs (I can also try without if that could be affecting it, I know you said Pets was rather glitchy), and I was able to create a new world and play with one of the pre-loaded families for a short period of time. Live mode worked alright for about 8 minutes, but when I popped into buy mode for a moment the game crashed. This has happened previously, I can't remember if I made a note of that, but t hat would also be an inciter for the game to crash. I hope this helps, I appreciate your aid
@TheRaddestCrow Pets isn't especially glitchy but is very demanding and also unforgiving of hardware that can't keep up. However, the issue is contained to simulating and rendering the pets themselves; it shouldn't affect Build or Buy mode. And in fact crashing when entering Build/Buy is somewhat uncommon and usually associated with bad mods or custom content.
Does it help to play with your computer offline, as I described earlier? Please test in the new account and let me know.
If that doesn't make a difference, then yes, please disable all your packs, just for testing. Move the Sims 3 folder to the desktop again, so you're working with entirely new user data, and start a save in Sunset Valley, which will be the only available world anyway.
If the game crashes yet again, I'd like to see a new dxdiag.
Hi @puzzlezaddict!
Sorry it's been so long, it got really busy on my end, but I just got enough free time to experiment a little.
I went ahead and tested both versions we're looking into, both offline and with no packs. Offline worked okay for a little bit, but once again when I entered into Build/Buy mode it crashed within 2 minutes
Without packs was rather interesting, because I opened up a new save and played in Sunset Valley for about 5-10 minutes. I was using a family included with the town, and since it's been a stand out issue I also stress-tested the Build/Buy mode to see how it would run. It worked very well and didn't immediately shut down like my other plays, so after hanging out and moving stuff in this mode for a bit I eventually switched back to Live mode to play like regular, assuming the game would be working as intended. I was only able to get about five more minutes of playtime in before the game crashed when I was just observing my family in Live mode, so that was the result of the no-packs experiment.
As requested, I ran another dxdiag and it will be attached to this post.
Also, I don't know if this is relevant but my game also takes a while to boot up, after the launcher it typically takes 2-3 minutes now instead of launching quickly like normal.
@TheRaddestCrow The new dxdiag shows several serious crashes of the graphics driver, so it needs to come out. Some of the Sims 3 crashes also cite a component of Windows, so I'd suggest starting with a repair install. This is the cleanest version of Windows you can get short of wiping your computer (and I'm not saying you need to do that), and given the errors, I think it's best to be thorough here. Here's how to do one:
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/repair-install-windows-11-with-an-in-place-upgrade.418/
And here's how to clean-uninstall the graphics driver:
Instead of manually installing a new copy of the driver, however, you'll need to go back online and let Windows find one. Microsoft doesn't provide a separate driver download package for your Surface model, instead instructing users to open the Surface app. More information is here:
Windows will probably install the correct driver automatically once you're back online, but use the app anyway. If it doesn't find anything to update, that's fine.
Please test again, offline and with only the base game, and let me know how it goes. If you don't get a crash, you can start adding back content a little at a time, for example testing online mode and then activating a couple of packs. If you get another crash at any point, let me know when, and please post another new dxdiag, run after the crash.
Hello @puzzlezaddict,
So a slight update. I did my best to repair install, but unfortunately the forum you advised wasn't synonymous with my computer, so I did the best I can. Alongside that I ran into similar issues clean-uninstalling the graphics driver, because my computer is running a Qualcomm Adreno graphics card and therefore doens't work with the DDU, at least from my understanding. After my attempt at clean-installing both, I started the game again in my tester account and yet again it crashed. Thank you so much for your help so far, though, I just wish my computer was more cooperative to you aid.
@TheRaddestCrow I'd actually forgotten that DDU didn't support Adreno graphics drivers, so sorry about that. There's still a way to uninstall the driver, not as cleanly as DDU would do, but it's better than nothing. Hit Windows key-X, choose the Device Manager, open the Display adapters section, right-click the name of your graphics chip, and under the Driver tab, click Uninstall. Then restart your computer, and Windows should download a suitable driver, probably the same one, but hopefully it'll work better once reinstalled.
Hello @puzzlezaddict,
Don't worry about it! It's all good.
I uninstalled the driver and restarted like you recommended, and then I started a game in the tester admin account. I was able to play no problem for about 20 minutes, and feeling optimistic I exited and tried a tester world in my regular account with no packs or mods. I was able to play about 10 minutes and was extremely excited before the game crashed. I'm not completely sure there's even a possible fix for this, do you have any other ideas?
@TheRaddestCrow I'm running out of ideas, to be honest. You could try capping your in-game framerates at 30, which would reduce the workload on the processor and graphics chip. And you could try playing in a clean boot:
The one service to leave enabled is the EABackgroundService, which the EA App needs in order to run. Disable the rest as described.
The one other important detail is whether your laptop can cool itself properly. You'd need an outside tool to check CPU temperatures, for example hwinfo (which is free). It's worth looking into even if the laptop doesn't feel hot. The various tools available are all a bit different, but with hwinfo at least, you could leave it open and check on the max temperatures after you were done playing or the game crashed.
