@puzzlezaddict Played Sims 3 vanilla two hours almost three yesterday and today with no crash, but since I have gone four hours with Sims 3 loaded with CC and store content before, I don't think it proves much. :\
I also noticed when I do play the more stable worlds, It takes a few days of playing before I get the random crash (I think). And since the crashes are random, it's hard to 'trigger' it.
I tried to keep an eye on RAM but the moment I minimize sims 3 it instantly starts to do down. I never saw it go over 3000 MB, at it's highest it at 2000 MB.
Do you think getting an SSD will help my problem? I think while I play at some point it gets overloaded and my computer shuts Sims 3 down.
@tbluitt2326 If OneDrive is set to launch at startup, it could be throwing errors even without an account to access. Go to Settings > Apps > Startup and disable it, no sign in required.
To check RAM use, you can put TS3 in windowed mode on the fly without minimizing it; the option is with all the other graphics settings. If it's not going over 3 GB, then you're fine in the vanilla version, but you'll still need to check when you go back to your existing game folder and saves. And you're right, playing in SV is only a limited test, but it's still good to get a baselline reading for memory use. Then you can try SV with all your mods and cc, then your current save. No need to play for several hours this time—30 minutes should be enough to see RAM stabilize. If it's too high in your current save, or if it keeps rising for longer than half an hour, you can suspect a temporary spike as the cause of the crashes.
An SSD doesn't prevent crashes or make the game more stable overall. What it does is cut down on the time needed to save as well as load anything, from the game itself and your save to CAS, Build/Buy catalogs, Edit Town, and travel transitions. I'm thrilled with how quickly things load on my SSD and would probably be very frustrated waiting around for an HDD, but it's more a quality of life improvement than anything else. Still, that might be worth it to you.
Having said all that, I asked someone about a couple of items in your dxdiag,
and given the nature of the TS3 errors, it's a good idea to run a couple of cleanup routines on your computer. Here's how:
If everything is fine, then definitely have a look at the memory use in your current save, and let me know what you see.
If you get any crashes without RAM use going anywhere near the ~3.7 GB limit, try a clean boot, just to see if there are any background apps interfering with TS3.
I know it's hard to test with a game that doesn't crash reliably, but maybe it's best to just play normally for awhile and not worry about what's happening behind the scenes, other than memory use. If it crashes with a clean boot, that's helpful to know; if it doesn't crash after several play sessions, that's also helpful, and in the meantime, you've been enjoying your game.
@puzzlezaddict This was the message: Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations. I was given no errors.
I disbaled cloud from startup.
And I am about to run Sims 3 in Windows mode (Still vanilla since re-downloading over 3,000 CC takes a while) to see how much RAM it uses.
And what do you mean by Clean Boot? Does that mean to restart windows somehow?
At the moment I have most of the packs installed just to see if the crash will happen sooner, and it's running really smooth without CC. It takes less than 10 minutes to start up the game and play it. I was wondering if an SSD would start up the Sims 3 just as fast even with CC?
@tbluitt2326 A clean boot is where you disable almost all programs on startup, thus testing whether some background app is causing the problem. Here's how to do one:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows
But honestly, given how irregular and unpredictable the crashes are, I'm still thinking it's better to start by monitoring RAM use in the Task Manager to see if that's the cause. If not, then the clean boot is next. If you do see something in the event viewer, I'd like to see that too. I didn't ask before because they're often useless, but they do usually report an out of memory condition correctly.
And yes, it's definitely a good idea to run most or all packs, since your goal is presumably to be able to play with all of them.
These are what I found in Event Viewer when the game crashed 3 times in a day.
Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 6/12/2019 7:01:07 PM
Event ID: 7009
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
Description:
A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the Origin Web Helper Service service to connect.
Got this one two times.
Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 6/12/2019 7:01:07 PM
Event ID: 7000
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
Description:
The Origin Web Helper Service service failed to start due to the following error:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-DistributedCOM
Date: 6/12/2019 6:50:34 PM
Event ID: 10016
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
Description:
The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{D63B10C5-BB46-4990-A94F-E40B9D520160}
and APPID
{9CA88EE3-ACB7-47C8-AFC4-AB702511C276}
to the user LAPTOP- (S-1-5-21-1128964473-501203997-3872930036-1001) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.
Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 6/12/2019 2:51:25 PM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Description:
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: 0x80000003
Fault offset: 0x004cc116
Faulting process id: 0xc8c
Faulting application start time: 0x01d5214b64f235a9
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe
Do you need the Event XML too? I deleted it cause it was getting too long.
@tbluitt2326 That's plenty for now, but the next time you get a crash, I'd love to see everything, just so I can take a look. In the meantime, you can disable Origin's helper service. Click the Origin dropdown menu, then select Application Settings. Under Application (the first tab), scroll to Start-up options, and turn off the helper service.
I don't think the last Event Viewer entry means anything special, other than that TS3 crashed, but I'll ask for a second opinion on that one.
Have you had any crashes since you started watching RAM use? I hate to keep going back to that, but until it's ruled out, I don't want to recommend any more drastic measures, like a clean driver install. Incidentally, it's a good thing that you're on an earlier version of Windows, since Acer hasn't updated the drivers for your laptop in over a year. It did occur to me (and someone else I asked) that the timing is suspicious. I know you have a more recent version of the Nvidia driver, but it's from Nvidia directly, and your computer might run a bit better with the version Acer made to go with your specific hardware. Plus, the Intel one is actually older than Acer's newest posting. Anyway, it's just speculation, but the crashing could be due to the two drivers not being in sync.
Again though, the much simpler issue would be the game going over its memory limit, and solving that has nothing to do with a clean driver install.
@puzzlezaddict It crashed again. This time it was in the middle of a save, and when I was pulling up task manager. I noticed the disk hit 3 MB and I got 100% disk before it closed itself out. :\ Good thing I am now in the habit of saving frequently. I also went back to my game with CC.
I was given the same Error (Event ID 1000) and noticed another one under the Applications tab.
Log Name: Application
Source: Windows Error Reporting
Date: 6/15/2019 7:35:36 PM
Event ID: 1001
Level: Information
Keywords: Classic
Description:
Fault bucket 107878438552, type 1
Event Name: APPCRASH
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0
Problem signature:
P1: TS3.exe
P2: 0.2.0.32
P3: 568d4bac
P4: TS3.exe
P5: 0.2.0.32
P6: 568d4bac
P7: c0000005
P8: 0050ff61
P9:
P10:
Attached files:
\\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER84D2.tmp.mdmp
These files may be available here:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_TS3.exe_8b6d3cdd2f533ad78bcbec864cdac67eec9b6_4df59a0a_01bc9e94
I think it also means it just crashed.
@tbluitt2326 Okay, the 100% disk usage is bugging me. Do a clean boot (I think I linked it before) and play that way for a while. Let me know if you get another crash, and again keep an eye on the Task Manager.
@puzzlezaddict So, for the clean boot, I need to enable my NIVIDA features to play the game but I don't know how to enable just that and not the rest of it, and do I disable my virus protection or leave it?
@tbluitt2326 Disable your antivirus. With "Nvidia features," are you referring to GeForce Experience? Leave that disabled too. TS3 doesn't need it and often runs better without it.
@puzzlezaddict yeah, that was what I meant, when I disabled all of it TS3 wouldn't run. It said I didn't have a drive.
@tbluitt2326 Again, strange. Try only enabling your antivirus, not GFE, and see if that helps. If not, you should be able to manually open GFE as well.
@puzzlezaddict I got it to work. Not sure what happened the first time around. It crashed in the clean boot. The disk didn't spike to 100% this time but it was still high, and RAM wasn't above 1000 MB. The game does freeze up before it crashes, but only sometimes.
@tbluitt2326 Okay, on the advice of the Windows expert, we'd like to see the Windows dump file(s) related to this crashing. Open a File Explorer window and copy this into the address bar:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp
and find the file labeled "WER84D2.tmp.mdmp. If you can't attach it to a post, upload it to a free filehosting site and link it here.
@puzzlezaddict The folder was empty...Should I play until it crashes again? I had to restart my computer to reactivate Windows Search...And should I still be in Clean Boot or do I go back to normal?
@tbluitt2326 The crash dump was deleted when you rebooted your computer. Instead of searching, open a File Explorer window and type (or copy and paste) the path into the address bar.
And yes, please do another clean boot and play until it crashes.
@puzzlezaddict The folder is still empty even after I pasted it into the search bar and the game crashed again with no restart.
@puzzlezaddict Also the crashes happen more frequently the more I play the game (Or attempt to). It went from crashing 4 hours into the game to 5 minutes.
@tbluitt2326 Okay, I think it's time for a clean install of your graphics card drivers. Here's how to do it:
First, download Display Driver Uninstaller from here:
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1750
You can download fresh drivers (start with Intel VGA) here:
https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/7571?b=1
Next, take your computer completely offline—disable wifi and/or pull the ethernet cord—and double-click the DDU.exe. Take note of where the file will land, and click Extract. If it's easier, you can copy the path and then paste it into the address bar in a File Explorer window. Open the folder and then Display Driver Uninstaller.exe, and you'll get a message that you're not in Safe Mode. Click OK, then go to Options and enable Safe Mode dialog. Here's a screenshot of what your options should look like:
Close options, and the DDU, and then open the DDU.exe again. For launch options, choose "Safe Mode (Recommended)," and then click Reboot to Safe Mode (you'll need your password, so find it before rebooting). Once you login, you'll see this:
Choose GPU in the dropdown menu (step one), then Intel (step 2) if it's not already showing. Then click Clean and Restart (step 3).
Once your computer has rebooted, now back in normal mode, run the driver install .exe in custom mode. Select "perform a clean installation" and install ONLY the GPU driver and the PHYSX software.
Reboot after the install, and then repeat the process for the Nvidia VGA, also from the Acer site.
Reboot again, and then you can start testing the game. If it crashes, look for a dump file again, and please run another dxdiag.
(Also, thanks again @holger1405 for the tutorial, with pictures and everything.)
@puzzlezaddict Thanks for all of your help so far! 🙂
Sorry, but I got a few questions about uninstalling my drivers.
1. Do I download the drivers before I even begin uninstalling them?
2. What drivers exactly do I download? All of them?
3. What do you mean by password? Do you mean to my laptop?
Sorry if the questions are dumb, but I just wanted to make sure before I started the process and screw something up.
@tbluitt2326 It's always better to ask before rather than after.
nvm i think I found the drive to install...
@puzzlezaddict Ok, so I got confused when reading the instructions and messed up when installing the drive. I just had clicked it and installed it normally. Should I uninstall and reinstall again?
Also, what do you mean by ‘custom’? Is that under properties?
@tbluitt2326 Yes, you should redo the install, this time using the Display Driver Uninstaller that I linked in the instructions. The point is that your current driver(s) may be corrupted, and it's best to remove all traces of them before installing the new ones. A regular uninstall doesn't do this, hence the need for DDU.
The custom setting should show up when you're reinstalling the drivers. I actually don't know if the drivers you download from Acer allow for a custom mode, although I would think so. At any rate, when you open the installer, look for a tab that says "custom," and click on that.
@puzzlezaddict Their was no custom tab. It went straight into installing with no option to customize how...I did use the drive uninstaller you linked above the first time and the second time. I just got confused when you mentioned ‘custom mode’ to install the drive.
Edit: intel didn’t have the tab but NIVIDA did. Sorry about all the questions. I’m going to play and see what happens.
@puzzlezaddict It crashed 3 minutes in even after uninstalling and reinstalling drives. There was still no dump files. I also notice black lines appearing when the game first opens (before first loading screen) which started appearing during the clean boot and hasn't gone away since. I attached the new DxDiag to this comment.
Could it be my laptop temperature? Task manager didn't show me much since the crashes seem to have no correlation to what's happening there. I asked the same question on another forum and someone noticed that my windows 10 needed to be updated...
I noticed a common error in event finder that appears when I play the game.
Error: 10016
This application-specific permission settings does not grant local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID.
