Okay so my Sims 4 is lagging. Not super bad but like enough to be irritating and not really fun to play. It makes CAS a freaking nightmare. I've tried everything I can think of. I've uninstalled multiple times. I've tried laptop mode. I've lowered the game settings. I've disabled the mods. I've taken them out completely. I've run the game just as is after reinstalling and its still lagging. Noticed it after an update. Think it was the update after Island Living cause i remember making a CC mermaid and then playing her and it ran fine. The next time i played it was laggy as hell. My laptop meets all specs, required and suggested. It was running perfectly fine on Ultra with over 15GBs of mods (including script mods) and it ran perfectly fine. No issues at all. Then bam i go to play one day for stream and it was laggy. I don't know what else to do. I'm highly irritated with it and I'm getting a little upset considering I have every single pack and I can't even play. So if anyone can help me out that would be great. Would love to get this done so I can stream the magic pack as soon as it comes out.

@Hrrng327 Just to clarify, there are two separate issues here. The first is that you currently only have 4 GB free storage. That's not nearly enough for Windows to maneuver, let alone run a game like Sims 4, and it could certainly account for all the lag you're seeing. Please uninstall any programs you don't currently use, and move any files you don't need, including backup saves, to an external hard drive or flash drive. A good goal is 20 GB free, although a bit less is usually fine as long as you're not updating your operating system. The other issue is that your hardware is not strong enough for TS4's more demanding packs. Neither your processor nor its integrated graphics chip is strong enough to handle the more recent expansions (e.g. Seasons, Island Living), and your computer might not be able to run them at all. Game packs and the early expansion packs are less demanding, although they do require more resources to run than the base game alone. Stuff packs only add minimal overhead. Additionally, the cumulative effect of many packs will also stress your hardware more than just the base game. Even adding a few low-impact packs may make a significant difference in how the game runs. So if you're thinking of buying a few, please keep in mind that your computer is already likely close to the limit of what it can effectively handle. The other consideration, if you want more packs, is that they'll take up some of that storage you're freeing up. Normally this isn't an issue, since even an EP will only take a couple of GB, but with the small margin you have, you'll need to watch your free storage carefully. The product page for each pack lists the amount of storage it will take once installed. Edit to add: There are other issues you'll want to address regarding your graphics card. Its driver is out of date, which can be addressed easily enough. And it would help to allocate more memory to the card, although you'd need to be comfortable changing the setting in BIOS. You'd also see a benefit from installing more RAM, especially if you do allocate a larger share to the graphics card. Once you've increased the amout of free storage, let me know if you're interested in making any other changes. At the very least, it's a good idea to update the graphics card driver.

@Hrrng327 There are three different issues here. The first is that you should update your graphics card driver. This is easy: download the new driver for your card from Intel. This is the graphics driver for your processor (your card is integrated into the processor): https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28662/Intel-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-15-40-?product=91830 Please make sure you get the Windows 10 64-bit version, not the 32-bit. Adding more memory to your computer would help its performance, both in Sims 4 and in general. Your laptop is upgradable, and RAM is not that expensive these days. For example, here's what Crucial offers for your model: https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/HP---Compaq/hp-14-%28intel-core-models-14-bs0xx-and-14-bs5xx%29 The one thing you need to be careful about is making sure all of the specs on the new RAM stick match what you already have installed. The easiest thing to do is usually to buy an identical stick to the one you already have (check your user manual or the serial number on the RAM). Some people just replace everything at once. If you're not comfortable handling this yourself, you can always take the laptop to a computer store and have someone help you. Finally, there are a couple of ways to allow your graphics card to use more memory for itself, which will help its performance. The simpler way is to change the settings in BIOS, but messing with BIOS settings isn't for everyone. Plus, if you allocated more memory to the card without installing more RAM overall, you could actually see worse performance, and there wouldn't be enough memory left over for Windows and Sims 4. It should be said though that all of these interventions will only take your laptop so far. Its hardware is still quite underpowered for Sims 4, and no matter what you do, it will still struggle with the more demanding expansion packs (e.g. Seasons, Island Living), as well as a large number of gentler packs. So before you invest too much time and effort (and money) into trying to improve this laptop, you might want to think about whether it's worth it for only a moderate improvement in gameplay.

Hi Both, I have been having the exact same problem. My sims has been running slow for a while but it keeps lagging now. For example the kids are suppose to go to school at 8am but the time is lagging so they end up going to school at 12pm and come back at like 8pm instead. I have updated by drivers multiple times like the Sims twitter told me to after I tweeted at them. Here is the diag file attached like you are asking for above.

@Hrrng327 Yes, it looks like the newest graphics driver is only for the newest Windows build, which you don't have yet. You could update if you wanted, but it's not strictly necessary, and the driver from 2018 should still be an improvement. Could you link me the driver site directly? I'd like to look at the dates on the various downloads and compare them with what's in your dxdiag. The reason I didn't link that page to you myself is because HP makes it difficult to search without a serial number, but once you're on the right page, you can see everything. And you're not bothering me at all. The people who help here do so because we enjoy it.

@Hrrng327 I would absolutely get the one with the SSD. Windows will start up much faster, apps will load faster, and it would be a better experience overall. But since the upgrade costs £70, I figured it was worth considering whether the faster hard drive is worth it to you. And just to reiterate, once you start playing Sims 4, meaning the game is loaded and you're looking around the world, you won't notice any difference, except perhaps when your sims travel and you see a loading screen.

Sims 4 Lagging After Update | EA Forums

40 Replies

kreatora
Hero (Retired)
6 years ago
@cherrylush

Step 1. Rename The Sims4 folder to "The Sims4 old"
Step 2. Fix the game in Origin
Origin/Library - right-click on TS4 - option "Repair game"
You have to wait until Origin will fix all packs, not only the base game.
Step 3. Turn on the game - a new game folder will be created and you will have two - one old, one new
Step 4. Check if you still have this problem in the newly created game folder.
If the problem disappeared
Step 5. Delete in the new game folder following folders:
"saves" and Tray.
Step 6. Go to "The Sims 4 old" folder and copy - your "saves " folder.
Step. 7, Paste this folder in a newly created game folder.
Step 8. Do the same with Tray folder and TrayDeleteItems file
Step 9. Check if there are newly updated version mods you are using.
Then copy and paste your mods and CC from old mods folder to the new one. First copy the scripts mods every time checking if the game is working properly. If you have a lot of CC try 50/50 method ( divide your CC into smaller batches for example 50 pieces in one subfolder and check these subfolders one by one)
Step. 10. If all is OK - delete The Sims4 old folder.
Your saves and library will be not changed or damaged
If it will not work could you post your Computer's DxDiag?
To gather a DxDiag on your computer, please follow the steps here: https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
You can attach the text file to your post directly in option "Reply" - not Quick Reply

I don't work for EA
cherrylush
6 years ago
Still lagging.
Here is my dxdiag
DxDiag.txt94 KB
kreatora
Hero (Retired)
6 years ago
@cherrylush

Go to the game folder and look for the Config text document. It will show which graphics card your game uses. Post this document here in the same way like DxDiag.
You don't have enough free space on C drive for temporary files created by Windows and this game together - if you have any programs what you can move to D drive - do it.
cherrylush
6 years ago
I have my sims and most of my games on my D drive because i cant figure out wtf is taking up so much space on my C drive. Thats where i had it before it messed up so i can download all the mods i want.
Config.log5 KB
kreatora
Hero (Retired)
6 years ago
@cherrylush

There are practically no reasons for this lagging
The only thing I can think of is that you have some programs, like Afterburner, Nahimic or in the background are running some open graphics program - or even Discord, Try to turn off all such programs, and Nahimic should be uninstalled at all
The graphics card works well. I just have to ask when you last cleaned the dust inside the computer. If the cooling system does not work well and the computer overheats, it can also cause problems.
Did you try to turn off the Internet when you were in the game?
The last option is to reinstall graphics drivers using DDU but I'm not sure if it will help you.
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html
Hrrng327
6 years ago
Hi Both, I have been having the exact same problem. My sims has been running slow for a while but it keeps lagging now. For example the kids are suppose to go to school at 8am but the time is lagging so they end up going to school at 12pm and come back at like 8pm instead. I have updated by drivers multiple times like the Sims twitter told me to after I tweeted at them. Here is the diag file attached like you are asking for above.
DxDiag.txt78 KB
cherrylush
6 years ago
i have NVDIA should i be uninstalling that? Is that why you linked that DDU thing
kreatora
Hero (Retired)
6 years ago
@cherrylush

Only drivers of this card but if you are not tech-savvy take it better to a shop.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
6 years ago
@Hrrng327 Just to clarify, there are two separate issues here. The first is that you currently only have 4 GB free storage. That's not nearly enough for Windows to maneuver, let alone run a game like Sims 4, and it could certainly account for all the lag you're seeing. Please uninstall any programs you don't currently use, and move any files you don't need, including backup saves, to an external hard drive or flash drive. A good goal is 20 GB free, although a bit less is usually fine as long as you're not updating your operating system.

The other issue is that your hardware is not strong enough for TS4's more demanding packs. Neither your processor nor its integrated graphics chip is strong enough to handle the more recent expansions (e.g. Seasons, Island Living), and your computer might not be able to run them at all. Game packs and the early expansion packs are less demanding, although they do require more resources to run than the base game alone. Stuff packs only add minimal overhead.

Additionally, the cumulative effect of many packs will also stress your hardware more than just the base game. Even adding a few low-impact packs may make a significant difference in how the game runs. So if you're thinking of buying a few, please keep in mind that your computer is already likely close to the limit of what it can effectively handle.

The other consideration, if you want more packs, is that they'll take up some of that storage you're freeing up. Normally this isn't an issue, since even an EP will only take a couple of GB, but with the small margin you have, you'll need to watch your free storage carefully. The product page for each pack lists the amount of storage it will take once installed.

Edit to add: There are other issues you'll want to address regarding your graphics card. Its driver is out of date, which can be addressed easily enough. And it would help to allocate more memory to the card, although you'd need to be comfortable changing the setting in BIOS. You'd also see a benefit from installing more RAM, especially if you do allocate a larger share to the graphics card.

Once you've increased the amout of free storage, let me know if you're interested in making any other changes. At the very least, it's a good idea to update the graphics card driver.
Hrrng327
6 years ago
@puzzlezaddict Hi thanks for the info. I have updated my laptop and got rid of some files and older windows updates (windows notification asked to delete it). I now have 20.3GB free.

Please can you explain how to do what you said below?

"Edit to add: There are other issues you'll want to address regarding your graphics card. Its driver is out of date, which can be addressed easily enough. And it would help to allocate more memory to the card, although you'd need to be comfortable changing the setting in BIOS. You'd also see a benefit from installing more RAM, especially if you do allocate a larger share to the graphics card."