Infinite loading screen (DxDiag attached)
Infinite loading screen when trying to load save files. I have done everything possible as listed here: Removing all CC & Mods Deleting the Sims 4 folder in Documents Updating my video card driver...
Forum Discussion
@puzzlezaddict Thank you! I will try to answer everything you have mentioned.
OK, when I install the update for my drivers, as I said previously, they *are* directly from Nvidia's website. Yes, I have a CyberPower PC, but I have never gone to their website, and I'm not even sure if one exists for them. I have Nvidia GeForce GameReady software on my desktop, and the Nvidia software is the one that takes me to the update links, all from the Nvidia website.
As for the crashing vs. the non-crashing, any further thoughts? I find it odd that it crashed before but didn't this time. Is there anything else in the DxDiag that can tell you (me) why there was a crash previously? Thank you.
Also, regarding saves: I was able to start a new game/new save, but still cannot open my old saves. Updating the drivers didn't change that. I can try un-installing and re-installing the game again, I guess I'm willing to wait for the ~3 hours it takes.
I seriously don't see how it can be a driver issue because I already installed the update THREE TIMES now (four times if you count the week before Christmas break when I initially updated the darn thing). I know because I had to watch my screen go blank and have a mild panic attack all three times because I wasn't paying attention and was taken by surprise.
I started a new game, did all my sim customizations (no CC and no mods because I never use those, anyway), got her a flat in which to live, etc. I saved the game, backed out, closed TS4. I re-opened TS4, loaded the game perfectly in a matter of seconds, as per usual. It is only my old saves that will not load.
None of my other gaming platforms (Epic Games, Bethesda, Battle.net, Steam) have trouble loading, for what it's worth.
If I can't figure out a way to play my old saves, I guess I'll just have to big-girl-panty it up and start over again. It's a shame because my kids also have saves that won't load. Not to mention that one of my rags-to-riches sims had finally built a store and had earned many perks for it. ☹️ It's times like this I wish I stayed in touch with my buddy Tom Bertalan who graduated from MIT and Yale. ^_^;
Oh well, thanks for everything. I guess I'll just put my big-girl panties on and suck it up. Maybe my save files are just...corrupted somehow?
Thanks again!
OK, when I install the update for my drivers, as I said previously, they *are* directly from Nvidia's website. Yes, I have a CyberPower PC, but I have never gone to their website, and I'm not even sure if one exists for them. I have Nvidia GeForce GameReady software on my desktop, and the Nvidia software is the one that takes me to the update links, all from the Nvidia website.
As for the crashing vs. the non-crashing, any further thoughts? I find it odd that it crashed before but didn't this time. Is there anything else in the DxDiag that can tell you (me) why there was a crash previously? Thank you.
Also, regarding saves: I was able to start a new game/new save, but still cannot open my old saves. Updating the drivers didn't change that. I can try un-installing and re-installing the game again, I guess I'm willing to wait for the ~3 hours it takes.
I seriously don't see how it can be a driver issue because I already installed the update THREE TIMES now (four times if you count the week before Christmas break when I initially updated the darn thing). I know because I had to watch my screen go blank and have a mild panic attack all three times because I wasn't paying attention and was taken by surprise.
I started a new game, did all my sim customizations (no CC and no mods because I never use those, anyway), got her a flat in which to live, etc. I saved the game, backed out, closed TS4. I re-opened TS4, loaded the game perfectly in a matter of seconds, as per usual. It is only my old saves that will not load.
None of my other gaming platforms (Epic Games, Bethesda, Battle.net, Steam) have trouble loading, for what it's worth.
If I can't figure out a way to play my old saves, I guess I'll just have to big-girl-panty it up and start over again. It's a shame because my kids also have saves that won't load. Not to mention that one of my rags-to-riches sims had finally built a store and had earned many perks for it. ☹️ It's times like this I wish I stayed in touch with my buddy Tom Bertalan who graduated from MIT and Yale. ^_^;
Oh well, thanks for everything. I guess I'll just put my big-girl panties on and suck it up. Maybe my save files are just...corrupted somehow?
Thanks again!
@GrumpyKitten4295 I didn't realize that new saves were loading now and that that only your existing saves were affected. (I should have asked for clarification earlier, but you mentioned deleting your user folder and I put that aside initially.) In that case, if you can load a new save with your current graphics settings, then leave those settings in place. The settings wouldn't prevent you from loading an existing save without also affecting new ones.
I mentioned the potential driver from Cyberpower just to explain why I was asking, since you wondered where the third-party drivers might come from. It's still best practice, whether you're alerted of a new driver by Nvidia software or find it yourself, to download manually and run it as an admin, rather than letting GeForce Experience or anything else manage the install process. Again though, since new saves work fine, you can skip this step for now if you'd like.
To the question at hand, what happens if you try to load an existing save but a different household than you normally play? There are a few different reasons why all your old saves would be affected but not new ones. One sort of random example is if a sim in the existing household has only custom traits: the game won't know what to do with that once the traits are removed, and custom traits did break a couple patches ago. Another example is if there's a broken object on the home lots of the households you can't load, although that would probably have to be a custom object that you happened to use all the time.
Anyway, the easy test is to try loading a different household, preferably ones you've never played before now. If that works, let the game run a few sim-hours, use "save as" to rename the save, quit, reload, and try switching back to your original household. If the other househod loads fine but the original one doesn't, try evicting the sims and placing them in a different house, as a test.
If you can't load any household in a given save, please let me know the size of that save file; they're all in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\saves.
And while I'd be happy in theory to test your saves myself, I only own about half the EPs and GPs, and even fewer SPs. So I'm not sure I could load your saves properly even if they were working for you. If all else fails, there is someone else who might have time to test, but that would take at least until tomorrow with time difference, and perhaps longer depending on how busy she is. So please test yourself in the interim and let me know how it goes.
@puzzlezaddictI see what you're saying about you testing my saves, as I do own all of the packs,etc. and I'm not sure how many are used in my saves/my kids' saves.
Yes, I realize that you were explaining why about the CyberPower thing, I hope my tone didn't come off any kind of way. I'm just trying to give all the details to you I can so that we can determine what's really going on.
Yes, in my OP I stated that my saves aren't loading, but I neglected to mention that I can start a new game. That was my mistake for not saying that outright, I'm sorry.
I am unsure of whether or not my sim has custom traits (I'm not sure what custom traits are, either, sorry). I actually was able to load my kids' old saves. So now it is just *my* old save that now will not load.
As far as the file sizes of the saves are concerned, this is what I have:
Slot_00000002.save at 8,211 KB <-----My save that will not load
Slot_00000003.save at 6,925 KB <-----Kid save, loads fine
Slot_00000004.save at 4,131 KB <-----Kid save, loads fine
Slot_00000006.save at 3,691 KB <-----Kid save, loads fine
Slot_00000007.save at 5,088 KB <-----My save (different sim), loads fine
As I said in my OP, when I go to "Load Game" and choose my old save file, I am stuck on the plumbob loading screen. Usually a game will take only a few seconds to load through the plumbob screen. If it takes more than 2 minutes I know something is wrong. That being said, I've let the plumbob screen run for 10+ minutes just to see what, if anything, happens, and nothing happens. Ergo, this forum. ☹️
I have never used CC or mods with my games because I was always worried about something like this happening. I have read tons of posts over the years from other simmers whose games stopped working and found out it was because some CC or mod didn't get updated with the game patches and caused their games to not work. I have kept that in mind over the years and so the only content I use is the content that comes with the GPs, EPs, etc. that I buy. I have all the packs, so I really want for nothing as far as content goes. No need for CC. 🙂@puzzlezaddict Honestly, at this point, if all the other old saves are loading and it's just my one old save that isn't, I'm not worried about it anymore. I appreciate your help and concern, but I'm pretty much ready to give up on this save. I'm sad about giving up on it, but it must be done. Thank you for all of your help! Cheers!
@GrumpyKitten4295 No mods or custom content means no custom traits, so that's an easy answer. Before you give up on your save though, try loading a backup version. Use the manual method here:
https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2014/09/save-games/#wiederherstellen
Hopefully at least one of the backups loads, and you'll lose some progress but not the entire save. If you can load a backup, it's a good idea to keep a spare copy in case you need it later.
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