[Read First] Running Sims 3 in Windows

Performance

jump to:  Basic troubleshooting

jump to:  Rebuilding your user folder

jump to:  Performance improvements

Sims 3 generally runs well without too much work.  However, it does NOT run well, by default, in the Isla Paradiso (Island Paradise EP) world, or in many custom worlds, or sometimes in Bridgeport (Late Night EP).  Bad mods or custom content can also bog down the game.  So before assuming you have a true performance issue, please test a new save in Sunset Valley, with no mods or custom content present.  And make sure you've limited your in-game framerates, as described above.

Basic troubleshooting

If your game is crashing, or lagging, or generally not running the way you'd like, and you've limited your in-game framerates (see above), please test a new save in Sunset Valley with no mods or custom content present.  (NRaas mods are fine to keep, but please disable or remove StoryProgression, as it can be a significant drag on performance.)

If that doesn't help, the next step is a clean folder test. Move the entire Sims 3 folder out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop; if it copies instead of moving, or you get an error when trying to move it, stop here and ask for help.

Otherwise, when you launch the game, if it launches, a clean folder will spawn with no content.  (Your saves and other content will be intact in the folder you moved but temporarily not read by the game.)  Don't add anything to the new folder yet.  Start a new save in Sunset Valley and see how it runs.

Note:  The clean folder won't address potential issues caused by content that's installed into the game's program files.  If you've added anything to the program files, please remove it and repair your game.  Doing so will revert any changes you've made, so you may want to keep backup copies of edited .sgr files or the like.  You can add them back later, but it's critical to test first with a completely vanilla game—no added or edited content whatsoever.

If the original problem is still present in the clean folder, please create your own thread in the tech section (here).  Provide a dxdiag as well.  Click Windows key-R, enter dxdiag in the run box, wait for the scan to finish, click "Save all information," and save the file to your desktop.  From there, you can attach it to a reply using the paper clip (Attachment) icon included with the other formatting buttons.

If the problem is gone, you can start moving your old content to the new folder, testing as you go to see what, if anything, reintroduces the issue.  Not everything needs to be transferred to the new folder.  Please see the section below for further details.

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Rebuilding your user folder

Sometimes it's necessary to rebuild your user folder from scratch, or doing so is simpler than finding and removing the problem in the old folder.  If you're here, you've likely already moved or renamed the old folder and confirmed that the game works with a new folder in place.

The next step is adding your old content to the new folder, a little at a time, testing to see whether the original problem shows up again.  Please review this article for a description of the files and folders:

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-user-files.html

I would suggest starting with your mods or custom content.  For .package-based files, test in batches, or use the 50/50 method:

https://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Finding_Problem_Custom_Content#The_50.25_Method

For launcher-installed content, you can test one .dbc file—these are bundled custom content—in the DCCache folder at a time.  (The .ebc files are bundled Store content and should be handled separately.)  Move dcdb0.dbc to DCCache in the new Sims 3 folder and test the game.  While you're there, look through the launcher's Installed Content tab for any cc you didn't intend to install, and remove it if you want.  Then test the game.  If everything is fine, move over dcdb1.dbc and repeat the process.  These files need to be transferred in numerical order or the game won't read them.

When you've sorted out your mods and custom content, you can move on to saves, Library files, etc., whatever you'd like to preserve.  Where the game has created a new file or folder, it's best to keep the new copy rather than reusing the old one.  The only exceptions are ccmerged.package, in DCBackup, which is necessary for premium Store content to work; and UserPresets.package, which holds data from patterns you've saved in Create a Style.

If you have a disc or Steam install and a ContentPatch folder with actual content in it, preserve this too.  This folder contains Store patches, which are no longer downloaded through the launcher.  An EA App install includes these patches in the game's program files, making the ContentPatch folder redundant.

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Performance and graphics improvements

Lazy Duchess's Smooth Patch has been available for several years now, and the files that go into the Bin folder don't appear to have any detrimental effects on the game.  The .package file is not fully compatible with NRaas MasterController, and it should be considered experimental in general.  If you're seeing performance issues, try removing it, just the .package file.

A few players have experimented with DXVK, a translation from Sims 3's native DirectX 9 to Vulkan, with some success.  This is also experimental, sometimes unstable, and not for beginners.  There are a few good guides available online; I won't replicate them here.

ReShade is generally compatible with Sims 3, but not always with other changes to the game.  It also increases the workload on the game's graphics engine and the GPU, so consider how well the game is currently running before adding it.

Any mod or tweak that increases the resolution of textures or other images—HQ mods, shadow adjustments, high-resolution custom content, etc.—also increases the demands on your hardware and on the game engine.  Consider your in-game performance, not just that of your hardware but whether the game is lagging or otherwise struggling, before increasing its load.

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Clean-uninstalling Sims 3

It's only rarely necessary to uninstall and reinstall Sims 3, but it is indicated some issues, for example the "Service initialization error" or "Error during startup."  If you're going to switch install types, e.g. Steam to EA App, or move the location where the game is installed, a clean install is also the best approach.

If you've already uninstalled the game but think a clean uninstall may have been warranted, you can use Piriform's CCleaner (the free version) to remove leftover registry entries and other hidden files before reinstalling the game.  This should address most issues that a clean uninstall and reinstall would fix.

There are several ways to do a clean uninstall.  I use Revo Uninstaller (the free, portable version) because it's reliable and doesn't delete more files than it should.  You can download it here:

https://www.revouninstaller.com/revo-uninstaller-free-download/

First, open Documents > Electronic Arts and rename the Sims 3 folder to something that does not have "Sims 3" in the name.  This will prevent Revo from flagging it for deletion.

Find Revo in your Downloads folder, unzip it (right-click and Extract), and double-click RevoUPort.exe to launch it.  Right-click "The Sims 3" (just the base game) and select Uninstall.

Click Yes when asked if you want to uninstall your expansion and stuff packs too.  You don't need to make a system restore point, so uncheck that box and click Continue, then Yes.  When the uninstall finishes, click OK.

Revo will ask you what scanning mode to use.  Choose Moderate (or Advanced if Moderate didn't work the first time around), and click Scan.  Revo will list any found registry entries; click Select All, Delete, and Yes.  Revo will then list any leftover files and folders.  Review the list and preserve anything you want; delete the rest.  Folders in ProgramData and AppData should definitely be removed.

When troubleshooting some kind of launching issue, please uninstall the EA App with Revo as well.  The process is the same, except choose the Advanced scanning method, and there will likely be a lot more leftover files and folders.  Restart your computer before reinstalling the App.  Use a fresh copy of the installer, which you can find here:

https://www.ea.com/ea-app#downloads

When reinstalling Sims 3, if you're troubleshooting a launching issue, it's best to create a new folder into which you'll install the game.  The folder should be on the root level of the drive of your choice, for example C:\Games is fine, but not C:\Program Files\Games.  The folder should not be in Documents or Downloads.

After reinstalling, test the game once to make sure it works properly.  When you're satisfied, you can delete the new Sims 3 folder in Documents > Electronic Arts and restore the old one that you removed or renamed before starting this process.

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Managing OneDrive

OneDrive is a cloud storage service offered by Microsoft that will sync some of your data automatically if you let it.  When enabled, it moves your Documents directory to the OneDrive folder and syncs all content inside.  That includes Sims 3 files, which puts your saves and other data at risk of being removed from your device or lost entirely, among other complications.  So unless you have a specific use for OneDrive's auto-sync feature, I would suggest keeping it away from your Sims 3 data.

Options

jump to:  I want OneDrive to keep syncing my files

jump to:  I don't want OneDrive to sync my files

jump to:  I want to get rid of OneDrive

Choose the option that works best for you.

I want OneDrive to keep syncing my files

If your OneDrive has enough space for all your files, the simplest workaround is to tell OneDrive to keep the Sims 4 user folder on your computer.  Right-click the folder and select "Always keep on this device."  Please keep in mind that this is not a perfect solution when it comes to Sims 3.  Your files shouldn't disappear, but you may still run into "Serious error" or "Error Code 16" issues.

Please double-check that OneDrive has enough storage, or you may run into more trouble.  Right-click the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of your screen and select Settings:

Under Account, you'll see the current and total storage:

If your OneDrive is full, or your "The Sims 3" folder is larger than the storage you have, you can choose to stop automatically syncing Documents overall, or the Sims 3 folder, or some subfolder, for example the Mods folder.  (Please see the next section below.)  You can still manually upload files to OneDrive as you choose.  Or you can buy a subscription for more OneDrive storage.  However, an external drive or USB stick is a one-time purchase and a cheaper long-term solution than a subscription, so consider your options before subscribing.

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I don't want OneDrive to sync my files

The first step is to make a backup of your "The Sims 3" folder, the one in Documents > Electronic Arts.  Right-click it and select Copy, then right-click the location where you want your backup to go and select Paste.  If you don't have an external drive or USB stick handy, you can paste the folder into your computer's Downloads folder, which OneDrive doesn't sync.

The simplest change is to tell OneDrive not to sync the contents of Documents at all.  Right-click the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, select Settings > Backup, click Manage Backup, and under Documents, click Stop backup, then confirm the choice.

Now you can restore the backup version of your Sims 3 folder.  Add it to Users > your username > Documents > Electronic Arts, with no OneDrive in the path.  To make sure you're in the correct folder, click This PC in the left panel of the File Explorer window, double-click the C drive, and open Users etc.

If you want to get more granular, you can choose to not sync the contents of the Electronic Arts folder, the Sims 3 folder, or any folder inside.  First, make a backup of this folder; as above, you can store it on an external device, or in Downloads.

Right-click the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, open Settings > Account, select Choose folders, deselect the folders you don't want OneDrive to sync, and click Okay.

Once you deselect the given folder, it will be removed from your computer and stored only in the cloud.  You can now restore the backup copy you made, and OneDrive won't sync it.  If you forgot to back up this folder, you can still download it from onedrive.com.

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I want to get rid of OneDrive

If you want to get rid of OneDrive entirely, first make a backup of any synced folders you want to keep.  You can right-click the folders and select Copy, then right-click where you want the backups to be and select Paste.  An external drive or USB stick is ideal, but if you don't have one handy, you can use your computer's Downloads folder, which OneDrive doesn't sync.  You can also find your files later by signing into your Microsoft account at onedrive.com.

Right-click the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of your screen, select Settings > Backup, click Manage Backup, and click Stop backup for all three categories, then confirm the choice.

The reason to do this is to move the default locations of these folders out of the OneDrive folder on your computer, which might otherwise be a more complicated process.  Next, right-click the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of your screen and select Settings > Account, then click Unlink this PC.  It's unnecessary to uninstall OneDrive—without a link to a Microsoft account, it has nothing to do.

After the above and before you do anything else, please double-check that your Documents folder is no longer in OneDrive.  Type "command" in the Windows search box, open Command Prompt, and enter this command:

reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Personal"

This will spit out the location of the Documents directory for this Windows account.  The file path should no longer include OneDrive, but if it does, as here:

Then you'll need to change the location manually.

The simple way is to right-click Documents in the left panel of a File Explorer window and choose Properties > Location, then Move, then click This PC, then choose this:

C:\Users\[your username]\Documents

Click Apply, then Yes.  You may get an error that says "Can't move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can't be redirected."  The normal workaround is to stop OneDrive from backing up the location of Documents, as described above.  If this hasn't helped, you can change the location of Documents by editing the relevant registry entry:

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

Please be very careful when editing your computer's registry.  One simple typo can have significant consequences.  Make a backup before you do anything: click File > Export, and save a copy of the entire registry.  If you mess up the edit, just restore the backup by double-clicking the saved file.  You can check your work with the same Command Prompt command as above.

This also applies to the Desktop and Pictures folders if they've previously been directed to OneDrive.

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Mods and custom content

jump to:  Installing mods

jump to:  If your mods don't load

jump to:  Installing custom content

jump to:  Best practices: mods and cc

Many players use mods and/or custom content in Sims 3, and there is thus a lot of information about how to do so.  Contrary to popular belief, however, no mod is absolutely required; there are some extremely helpful mods, plus more suggestions for better gameplay or longer-lasting saves.

My personal (strong) recommendation is to play with NRaas ErrorTrap, Overwatch, MasterController, Register, and Traveler, plus Traffic if you have Showtime installed.  (Please see this post for more information about the mods, and other suggestions are in the next posts.)  I wouldn't play without these mods, but I also don't need anything beyond that to tkeep my saves in good shape overall.  Additional bug fixes can be helpful, and mods that add interesting features can be fun, but they're not necessary to preserve the health of your saves.

Installing mods

To install mods, you must create your own Mods folder in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  The folder must be called Mods with a capital M.  Inside must be a folder called Packages with a capital P.  Finally, you'll need a Resource.cfg file directly inside Mods.  Don't create your own; get one here instead:

https://www.nraas.net/community/How-To-Install#Blunote00s-Check-List

Alternately, you can download the already-created Mods Framework found here:

https://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files

Any mod (with the file extension .package) goes inside Packages, or in a subfolder.  You can also create an Overrides folder, but you don't need this folder unless the modder specifically says it's required for their creation.

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If your mods don't load

Make sure your folder structure is exactly as described above.

Make sure they're in the Sims 3 folder the game is reading.  There will be a file called DeviceConfig inside this folder, and its date should exactly match the last time you loaded the game.  If it does not, or the file is missing, you're not in the right folder.  Search in Windows for deviceconfig to try to find it.

Make sure you haven't accidentally downloaded mods for Sims 2 or 4.

Delete scriptCache.package any time you add or remove a mod.  For .package-based custom content, delete CASPartCache, compositorCache, and simCompositorCache as well.  These files will regenerate the next time you load the game.  They should be deleted regularly anyway, as they can accumulate stale data.

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Installing custom content

Custom content files with a .package extension are installed as mods are.  Please see the installing mods section above.

Files with the extension .Sims3Pack need to be placed in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Downloads.  They will then appear in the launcher's Downloads tab, and you can install them from there.

Please be aware that extra custom content can attach to downloads, even those that claim to be cc-free.  Whenever you install third-party (not Store) content through the launcher, check the launcher's Installed Content tab for any extra unwanted cc.  It's much easier to uninstall it right away than to go looking for it later.  For more information, please see the section below.

If you already have bad cc, please see this guide to getting rid of it:

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/tutorial-how-to-get-rid-of-unwanted-custom-content.html

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Best practices: mods and cc

For any new mod, please carefully check its documentation before adding it.  The mod must be compatible with patch 1.67 and higher; anything built for patch 1.63 or lower can break your game.  Please also check the comments, if the site allows any, for any reports of problems.  The creator may have addressed them, but if you don't see any later posts to that effect, you may want to skip the mod.  When in doubt, you can ask about a particular mod on the NRaas site—the user base there has at least some knowledge of pretty much any Sims 3 mod in existence.

Since .package-based custom content is simpler to remove than .Sims3Pack-based cc, you can treat it like mods.  If you see anything odd in-game, pull out your new cc, delete the cache files in your user folder, and look again.  If you're having trouble finding a bad .package file, try the 50/50 method:

https://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Finding_Problem_Custom_Content#The_50.25_Method

With Sims3Pack-based custom content, the safest approach is to try it out in a clean user folder before adding it to your main one.  That way, if you get bad cc that is difficult to remove, you can delete the clean folder rather than having to deep-clean or rebuild your main user folder.  If you do need to rebuild the folder, please see this section above.

To test in a clean Sims 3 folder, move or rename the existing folder in Documents > Electronic Arts, open the launcher to spawn a new folder, and install the new content there.  Check the launcher's Installed Content tab for extra cc you didn't intend to download, and remove it if possible.  If it can't be removed, that's an example of bad cc, and you should skip using this particular download.

If the content looks fine in the launcher, create a new save and test the item(s), looking for graphical glitches and other signs of trouble.  Check both CAS/Build/Buy and live mode, and make sure any CAS part is NOT available for the wrong age or gender.  That's how you get babies in Grim Reaper robes.

When you're satisfied that the cc is what you want and safe to use, you can delete the test user folder and restore your old one, then install the cc in that folder.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What hardware do I need to run Sims 3?

Note:  These are my own recommendations, not EA's.  The official minimum requirements list what was sufficient to run the base game alone, at its release in 2009, on hardware that existed at the time.  The information below reflects reports (and some benchmarking) from current players on modern hardware.

You can of course try to run the game on any computer you like.  As long as the system doesn't overheat, you won't be doing damage by experimenting.

Any dedicated graphics card from the last six years or so, aside from some Nvidia MX-series models, is sufficient to run Sims 3 on mostly ultra graphics settings.  Even if you can afford it, the game can't use more power than an Nvidia RTX 3050 Mobile at a 1920x1080 resolution and 60 Hz.  If you'd like to play at a higher resolution and/or refresh rate, and your budget allows it, consider going up to an RTX 4050/4060 or AMD RX 6600, but the game can't use any more power than that.

If you're looking for a budget laptop, or something lightweight, a good integrated graphics chip can manage at least high graphics settings.  Examples include Intel Xe Graphics with 80 or 96 EUs and AMD RX Vega 7 or 8 (4000-series processor or newer).

Any processor paired with a dedicated graphics card in a laptop or prebuilt desktop will be sufficient.  The processors that have good integrated graphics are also faster, relatively speaking, than than their iGPUs, and are therefore also fine.

For RAM, 8 GB is sufficient: 4 GB for Sims 3 (the mathematical limit of what it can use), and 4 for Windows and other background processes.  16 GB is nice to have but not required.

For storage, I would suggest at least 256 GB, or 512 if you're going to store anything else on the computer.  The Sims 3 base game is about 6 GB, and the game with all DLC is about 32.  However, that doesn't include Store or custom content, or saves, which can get quite large.

What specific computer should I buy for Sims 3?

If you'd like help picking out something specific, please create your own thread in the Sims 3 tech section (here).  List your budget and country as well as any other considerations: laptop vs. desktop, screen size, extra storage, etc., whatever matters to you.  I'll try to help you find something suitable.

What was that recent update (Jan 13 2025) about?

Prior to the update, Sims 3 wouldn't start correctly on certain newer, higher-end Intel processors.  (This is commonly known as the Alder Lake issue.)  EA updated the game to fix the problem.  The update had no other effects and did not alter the game itself.  The update was only made available in the EA App, not in Steam, and not for disc installs that don't require the EA App.

Do I need to take steps to make my game use more than 2 GB RAM?

No.

Can I make my game use more than 4 GB RAM?

No.  The 4 GB RAM cap is a mathematical limitation of all 32-bit apps.

What mods should I add for best performance?

I highly recommend NRaas ErrorTrap, Overwatch, MasterController, Register, Traffic, and Traveler.  ET and OW clean up stale data that the game itself cannot; the last three fix various bugs and other problems without any need for user input.  MC does nothing unless you use it to issue a command, and its Reset Sim and Reset Everything options are highly useful.

For more information about mods you might want to use, please see this post and the ones that follow:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-Common-Game-Fixing-Mods-Hero-Approved/m-p/9838855#M244208

What mods should I add to make my game more fun?

That depends entirely on you: your play style, the features you're using, what about the game is currently bothering you.  It's best to create a thread in the General Discussion section describing what you're looking to add to your game, or what frustrations you want to address.

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