[Current Issue] Sims 3 "serious error" when loading save
Overview "A serious error has occurred while loading [world name]. It is strongly recommended that you restart the application." This error happens when the game is unable to load the save. There are three known causes, the first more common than the others. The game can't write to the user folder The world the save takes place in isn't installed properly The save is too corrupt to load properly To distinguish among these types of errors, try to load a new save in the same world as the save that threw the error. If it works, you likely have the third issue. If the new save doesn't load, try starting a new save in Sunset Valley. If it works, you likely have the second issue. If it doesn't work, you likely have the first issue. The short version At the moment, this error is usually OneDrive-related, and pausing syncing doesn't help most players. So you may need to stop OneDrive from touching your files at all. Please see this section of the guide for further information, under the spoiler: How to get rid of OneDrive Workarounds 1. The game can't write to the user folder jump to: OneDrive-related issues jump to: antivirus-related issues jump to: other causes When loading a save, the game needs to copy the save data into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > CurrentGame. If it cannot, it typically throws the "serious error." Common causes of this block are OneDrive, an overly protective antivirus, and other assorted permissions issues. OneDrive Currently, the most common cause of the "serious error" is OneDrive blocking access to Documents and therefore preventing Sims 3 from writing to the user folder inside. This is only possible if your Windows account's Documents directory is inside the OneDrive folder. (Your computer will have several Documents folders, but only one is the directory.) To find the location, search in Windows for Command Prompt, open it, and enter this command: reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Personal" If the file path includes OneDrive, that may be the problem. (Otherwise, see the Antivirus and Other sections below.) For possible OneDrive issues, try pausing syncing. This is not a proper fix, but it's a useful test and interim workaround. To see the option, right-click the cloud icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, or it may be hidden in the Tray (^ icon). If this doesn't help, or you'd like a permanent fix, you may need to move your Documents folder out of OneDrive. If you don't want to do this, or you'd rather test first, an alternative is to create a new admin Windows account and try playing there. Make it local—don't link it to your Microsoft account or any email address—and OneDrive will not be in the picture. If you can load a new save in the new account, it's fine to keep playing there. Or you can get rid of OneDrive entirely: If getting rid of OneDrive doesn't help, please create a new admin Windows account and try playing there, as described immediately above the spoiler. Antivirus An overly protective antivirus can block a program's access to Documents and everything inside. To find out whether this is the cause of the error, try disabling the antivirus, temporarily of course. If it fixes the issue, set an exception for TS3.exe (for an EA App install) or TS3W.exe (with the W, for a Steam install or a disc install that doesn't require the EA App). You may not see the .exe extension, but that's fine, it's the same file. The default location is one of these, depending on the install type: C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin If you don't know how to set an exception, google "set exception [antivirus name]" to find a guide. Or see this article for a few examples: https://crinrict.com/blog/2020/10/add-exceptions-to-anti-virus-programs.html Other Causes The Documents directory could be in an unusable location. Or permissions could be broken on the Documents directory, or a folder inside. For more information, expand the relevant spoiler below. Move Documents to a new location: Broken permissions: ↑ 2. The world the save uses isn't installed properly If you can load a new save in a different world, but not in the world in which your main save takes place, that world is probably not properly installed. For Sunset Valley or a world that comes with an expansion (e.g. Twinbrook, Bridgeport), please clear the EA App's cache: https://help.ea.com/en/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/ and repair the game: open the EA App game library, and select Sims 3 > Manage > Repair. For a Store (e.g. Riverview, Dragon Valley) or custom (player-created) world, first uninstall it through the launcher's Installed Content tab. Then open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > InstalledWorlds and make sure the .world file for the world you removed is no longer present. If it is, delete it. Open Downloads, in the same Sims 3 folder, and delete the .Sims3Pack file for the world. You can reuse it if necessary, but installing with a new copy is more reliable. Finally, download a fresh copy of the world, install it, and try to start a new save in that world. If it works, the world is now installed correctly, and you can test your main save again. ↑ 3. The save is too corrupt to load properly If you can load a new save in the same world, but your main save throws the "serious error," that save may be too broken to use, but there are a couple of steps you can try. First, open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Saves, and you'll see a folder with your save name plus another folder with the same name and a .backup extension. For example, you might see SunsetValley.sims3 and SunsetValley.sims3.backup. Rename the save and delete the .backup extension (e.g. SunsetValley1.sims3), and the save will be available to load from the Main Menu. If you can load the backup save, it could still be corrupt enough to be unusable later. So as soon as it loads, use "save as" to rename the save so that your backup is preserved in case you need it later. I would also strongly recommend seeking out mods, specifically NRaas ErrorTrap, Overwatch, and MasterController, to try to repair any corruption. ET and OW do their work in the background, with no need for player input; MC does nothing unless you use it to issue a command. Once the save loads, let the game clock run for a few sim-minutes, then click City Hall and select NRaas > MasterController > Town Options > Reset Everything. This may take a few minutes, depending on the speed of your computer and the complexity of the save. When it's done, wait a few more sim-minutes, then "save as," quit, reload the game, and continue playing. If you cannot load the backup save, start a new save in the same world, pick a premade household, play for a few sim-minutes, save your progress, and quit. Open the folder for your backup save, right-click the .nhd file for the world the save takes place in, and select Copy. Open the folder for the new save you just created and delete the .nhd file for that world. Right-click and Paste the .nhd file from your backup save. Then try to load the "new" save. The thumbnail at the Main Menu won't update, but if you can load the save, you'll see your previous save, not the new one. If your sims have traveled to other worlds in the previous save, and you would like to preserve that progress, you'll need to copy over the .nhd files from those worlds as well, and the TravelDB.package file. But please test first with only the homeworld's .nhd file. I would recommend the same mods as above in this case as well. Saves that are almost too corrupt to load won't last much longer without help. ↑ If you need further help with this issue, please post in this thread. State which of the three problems you have, from the list at the beginning of this guide, and what troubleshooting steps you've tried already. ↑
Can't login & Origin required after reinstall
I've been trying to get Sims 3 to work for the past two days now and I have no idea what else I should do. I got myself a new PC (Windows 11) in November and installed Sims 3 among other apps and games back then but I've never tried it. This week I wanted to check something out in my old game save so I started the game. Everything seemed to be working fine except that a lot of stuff wasn't working because EPs were missing. I realised that the EA app said I only owned 2 EPs even though I had 8 installed. I thought maybe something went wrong and reinstalled it. I installed the missing EPs from my CDs while I did the rest from the EA app. Because installing from the CDs took A LOT of time I googled a bit and found out that clearing the cache from the EA app can sometimes help as well so I did that and it found all my EPs. So I reinstalled everything again from the EA app. All the stuff from my old game save was ok again as well. But now I have other problems. Whenever I click on the shortcut for the Sims 3 I get an Error that Origin is required to play the game. If I start the game from the EA app I can start it but I can't login anymore. I don't get a "wrong email/password" message or anything like that, I just get redirected to login again. And I was able to login before I reinstalled everything. I already checked if I have special characters in my password which I don't. I've reinstalled the game and all the EPs several times but to no avail. I also deleted cache from Microsoft Edge because I read that the Launcher uses IE/Edge. I tried only installing the base game without any EPs but nope. I tried to use the Super Patch I found here but the Patch says it can't find the game (I tried running it from several locations). I may have tried even more but this is all I can remember right now. I'm really at my wit's end right now so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Can't see my mods folder
hello, I've been a long-time player of the sims starting with sims 1 when it came out, followed by sims 2 and further expansion packs, and then sims 3!! I love playing the sims 3 and when I found out about mods to download, I was very excited and happily joined the masses. All was great until about 3 months ago when for some reason my game file (the one i worked on for the last year and a few months of my real life) just disappeared. and then my game started to crash. I solved the saving issue, solved the game crashing (I hope) but my mods folder disappeared and won't reappear. I tried everything possible under the sun to figure out the problem and nothing is working. Could it be that because EA updated their thingy (for lack of better word) the mods don't work? and if so, how can I fix that so they can work? Thanks for any and all help, someone who really loves playing the sims 3
Error Code 16, corrupted saves
Just reinstalled Sims 3 with two new packs (70s/80s/90s & World Adventure), and got Error Code 16 problems about 2 hours into playing. It has now corrupted three save files, and the files will not delete. They'll just exist on the main menu as ghost records that 'cannot be loaded' due to an expansion used in them being uninstalled, even though no expansions were uninstalled. Makes the game totally unusable at this point. Anyone have any solutions for this?
Sims 3 nothing works that is from store and exchange
@ Maxis tech support or whoever is still maintaining the Sims 3 and its expansions and content from the store and exchange I do hope someone is still maintaining the Sims 3 game, which has an active digital store asking for real money to purchase items, or the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Rights Bureau will hear about it ASAP I have been out of the Sims 3 since Jan 2025 now, in June 2025, trying to play again Sims 3, I was prompted to install the newest version of the EA app, which I was forced, since I had no other choice - I wasn't happy about it, because every update brings more problems than it solves, but it couldn't play otherwise, so I had to do it after that, launching Sims 3 I realized that nothing from the premium digital store http://www.store.thesims3.com nothing works, and I'm talking about especially the premium content that was purchased with real money, like extra worlds Midnight Hallow and Roaring Heights, just to name a few, but other virtual assets, in the hundreds, I'd say and in my stupid naivety, I was planning to buy the Lucky Palms, Monte Vista and Sunlit Tides, so like a fool, I was ready to drop $30+ more on new (to me) premium content now, nothing works anymore in the launcher is not recognized as being installed I've tried to reinstall the worlds, the premium content, but it's not working I have saved games from those two premium worlds, Midnight Hallow and Roaring Heights, and I can't load them to continue my stories in-game I can't start a new game with those two worlds, which also come with custom content and items so basically, nothing that I've paid for is working properly anymore after the last EA app update I've tried to download again the content, those two worlds - and a few other assets, out of hundreds that I have - it tellls me was downloaded successfully, yet the launcher won't start with the worlds as installed, won't allow me to load older games, nor to start a new game in those worlds why are you breaking the only Sims game, Sims 3, that's worth attention?? hoping we're going to move to Sims 4, that's a disaster..??.. no, we won't move to Sims 4, I'd rather play inZoi than move to Sims 4 I've spent a lot of money on expansion packs and premium content from the store on Sims 3, and I expect to use it and play it, as normal, like any other player who did the same... what can I do to fix it..??..
Sims 3 Crashes On Loading Screen
Hello, I was experiencing issues with my Sims 3, specifically after installing new custom content (CC) and starting to use CC Magic. I would get to the loading screen, where the music would cut off, and the game would crash. I have since deleted and uninstalled CC Magic, and I have removed all mods from my Sims 3 mods folder. However, I am still getting the same result. I have also repaired the game and updated all my drivers, but I am still experiencing this issue. Thank you!How to install and register my SIMS 3
Hi all, I bought my SIMS 3 many years ago in DVD format. Now I want to install it and play it again, but alas after installation, the game starts but then stops and disappear without any error message, No updates are available. I tried to install the EA app and enter the Serial number printed on the inside documentation but it says that the number is invalid. Therefore, I cannot register the game and I cannot play it or upgrade it. I am using a Windows 10 64 bits PC. Please, is it possible to play it? Thanks, ciao.Sims 3 keeps crashing after 30 mins (dx diag included)
I accidentally updated my game to the newest 2025 version (1.69.47) a few days ago, and now my game wont run beyond 30 mins. My game used to run 3 - 4 hours with the highest settings, mods, and merged cc. I use RegulSaveCleaner and delete my saves regularly. I also make sure that I have enough running because I have the Task Manager open. Since the update, my game has been crashing. Things I've tried but did not work: playing in Windows 8 playing in Windows 7 repairing the game through the EA app removing core mods (Simler's Core Mod and Nraas error trap). These are still removed removed Smooth_Id patch/mod. This is still removed switched affinity to CPU 1 only before switching back to 'all processors' updating the graphics card (it is up to date) Not sure what it could be! My game was running perfectly fine before the update, and I have been playing in a large world (Alpine County, I think) for years. DXDIAG ATTACHED
Expansions pack won't show up in game
Okay so in my launcher I go to my expansions and stuff and click on everything but then when i hit play and the game starts up everything just back to the base game no expansions no stuff packs and when i go back to the launcher everything is un-clicked please help I have no mods install at all
