@mskellyanne0 This is an odd set of circumstances. With a fresh Windows install, your drivers and your runtimes should all be intact and free of corruption, as you know. Sims 4 should be too. As long as you're not playing with any mods or custom content, there really isn't any reason the game should crash on this system. If the game itself were at fault, even if the issue were the new user file rather than the program files, we'd see a lot more reports of crashing, especially given how few people have OSs well-maintained enough to perform on the level of a clean Windows install.
It is of course possible that this is a sneaky hardware issue, for example a bad memory module. Memory issues can mimic almost any other problem and are sometimes difficult to diagnose. You could try playing with only 16 GB installed, then the other 16 GB; even if you have a 2x16 GB kit, the performance hit from running the RAM in single-channel mode shouldn't be too significant for Sims 4, and 16 GB is more than enough for the game. It's worth testing in different RAM slots too.
I would also suggest playing without any features of For Rent and without any sims or lots downloaded from the Gallery, just to be on the safe side. The current issues with all of these are mostly manageable or else cause immediate, obvious problems, but it's always better to avoid complicating the troubleshooting process with extra variables.
It really is an odd set of circumstances.
I do play with CC, but I’ve updated every mod I have and I’ve done the 50-50 method several times now.
I’ve gotten to the point of troubleshooting where I’m blaming the weirdest things so now I’m on to thinking my keyboard is an issue…only because I bought a new one (wireless, not particularly high end) around the same time my game started crashing.
Last night I did the 50-50 method again, and of course I wasn’t able to trigger a crash. The only difference in gameplay? I wasn’t using my keyboard to move around like I normally do. I rather let the game play out with minimal interference but I did use my mouse to make my sim travel to several lots as that can usually trigger a crash.
I did run memory diagnostics and everything came back 100% and I’m not having any issues with other games I play so I’m really at a loss.
For what it’s worth, I also “uninstalled” For Rent. I guess I’m just going to have to focus on another game at this point!
@mskellyanne0 Please do test more without any mods or custom content. I know it's difficult to pinpoint the source of error when crashes are completely random, but you may be able to speed it up as far as cc is concerned by forcing sims to wear the clothing and hair you're testing, and placing the Build/Buy items. A lot of cc isn't a problem until it's being used. That can also explain random crashes: an inactive sim might show up in the zone wearing a broken item and cause a crash before you even see the sim.
Given everything else you've tried, bad mods or cc is the most obvious suspect here. Even updated or cleared items aren't always fine—you're trusting that the creator is paying attention to every update and skilled enough to be absolutely sure the items in question are compatible with the current game version. A lot can slip through the cracks, and it's happened to talented modders too.
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