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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 14th Aug 2012 at 5:46 AM Last edited by athardragon : 25th Aug 2012 at 2:00 AM.

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 3, World Adventures, Ambitions, Late Night, Generations, Pets, Showtime
Default Sims 3 Freezing/Crashing - I've tried everything! SOLVED!!!
Ok, so after many hours of attempts and continued frustration, I've decided to start my own topic.

To start off, my laptop exceeds the system requirements and until recently I haven't had any problems.

I hadn't played for about 2-3 months, and the other day I decided to play again. I hadn't updated, patched or added anything in that 2-3 month period. After about 30 minutes in CAS, the game froze and I had to eventually force close it. I tried again, this time 20 minutes in CAS and freeze followed by crash. One more attempt with just regular gameplay, crash after about 40 minutes. Each time my computer is fine, all other programs and games are running smoothly.

I have all of the expansions with the exception of Showtime, and I have no stuff packs. So far, this is what I've tried:

-Patching base game to latest version, it was the only one that wasn't up to date.
-Deleting all mods, downloads/custom content, and saved games.
-Recreating the Sims 3 folder in Documents by renaming it and starting the game.
-Date Execution Prevention
-Installed Showtime with the hope that it would update with that patch and fix the problem.
-Made sure my entire system was up to date.

Finally, I did a total uninstall using this guide to clean out every Sims file. http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...p:TS3_Uninstall.

Then I reinstalled each game, patching to the latest version before installing the next. Totally clean game, fresh start, and 30 minutes in it froze and crashed again.

Once more I tried the DEP, I also used the command prompt to change how much memory the game was allowed to use. Nothing is working! I don't see how a totally clean, new game could have the exact same problem. EA makes shit games now, this is beyond frustrating.

If you have any other suggestions I would sure appreciate it! Thank you.
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In the Arena
retired moderator
#2 Old 14th Aug 2012 at 5:06 PM
Default MTS2 Staff Reply
There was a patch that did something to the exe DEP-wise. When you undo DEP, did you remove every entry, revert to default settings and then reboot?
Have you worked through the Crashing Checklist (link is in my signature)?

I still need to see specs, please. Please provide that and answer the questionnaire from the Checklist, too.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 14th Aug 2012 at 5:28 PM Last edited by ellacharm3d : 14th Aug 2012 at 5:45 PM. Reason: added spoiler tag
Quote: Originally posted by ellacharm3d
There was a patch that did something to the exe DEP-wise. When you undo DEP, did you remove every entry, revert to default settings and then reboot?
Have you worked through the Crashing Checklist (link is in my signature)?

I still need to see specs, please. Please provide that and answer the questionnaire from the Checklist, too.


I did do everything in the checklist, that was the first source I used. I hadn't ever needed to do the DEP until recently, I tried it with just the base game .exe and the .exe for all the expansions too. Rebooted after each try, no luck.

Here are my specs. When the Sims runs it activates the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M card, I made sure of that.
In the Arena
retired moderator
#4 Old 14th Aug 2012 at 5:55 PM
OK, I'm sorry to disappoint, but the 555M does not "exceed system requirements". And you're already using the current graphics drivers Lenovo has to offer? For both models? The Intel HD's drivers is @5mths old.
The 550 for Desktop already has a tag for Maybe in the Pets column. And with 1.3x and Showtime features, it continues as a Maybe. Once it got tagged, all subsequent addons get the same colors.

And it would have helped if you had mentioned having done the Checklist, but I asked again because you did not supply all the info asked for. How about the options.ini tweaks? Done all that?
DEP only need the TS3W.exe, nothing else.
And the LAA stuff is obsolete. The TS3W.exe is already LAA since Generations, I think. You should undo and revert back to using the original executable.
So, this is with starting via TS3W.exe, correct? Already bypassing Launcher?
Origin is not installed at this time? Do you login when you start the game at the Select Game screen?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 14th Aug 2012 at 6:06 PM
I'm pretty sure the 555M is capable, I can and do play much more demanding games on the highest settings without any problems. Besides, I played Pets for a few months with no problems. I only added Showtime after all this started.

I did try everything you've suggested so far. I bypass the launcher, I don't login, I don't have Origin installed. I changed the DEP settings back to default, rebooted, and just did the TS3W.exe exception followed by another reboot. I changed the .ini settings, only two of them needed a value change.

It's so strange that it all started after not playing for awhile. And then again with a new, clean install. All of my other games are working just fine.

Sorry I didn't mention the checklist, when I posted this it was late and I was at my wits end. I've always been able to solve my Sims problems, which seem endless. This one just stumped me.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#6 Old 15th Aug 2012 at 6:05 AM
Anyone else have a suggestion?
Site Helper
#7 Old 15th Aug 2012 at 3:27 PM
The fact that you can play games that claim to be more demanding is not really an issue. If you hang around in Help for a while and read the issues, you will begin to notice that The Sims is very badly written. It is actually far more demanding than it appears to be, or was intended to be. (Or even -should- be!) EA won't tell you that, because they want to sell you the game. They are quietly pretending that there is no difference to your computer between having just the base game and having a game with all the EPs, SPs and Store content, as well as 500 MB of other CC. (Other than they would prefer you to have the latter.) But anybody who has added a couple of EPs and a ton of CC to their game can tell you a different story.

I am Ghost. My husband is sidneydoj. I post, he downloads, and I wanted to keep my post count.
Group for Avatar Makers* Funny Stories *2017 Yearbook
Test Subject
Original Poster
#8 Old 15th Aug 2012 at 5:08 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Ghost sdoj
The fact that you can play games that claim to be more demanding is not really an issue. If you hang around in Help for a while and read the issues, you will begin to notice that The Sims is very badly written. It is actually far more demanding than it appears to be, or was intended to be. (Or even -should- be!) EA won't tell you that, because they want to sell you the game. They are quietly pretending that there is no difference to your computer between having just the base game and having a game with all the EPs, SPs and Store content, as well as 500 MB of other CC. (Other than they would prefer you to have the latter.) But anybody who has added a couple of EPs and a ton of CC to their game can tell you a different story.


Well the weird thing is I played pets for a couple of months with no problems. Took a 2 month break, and suddenly the game didn't work any more. If my computer couldn't handle it, it would have crashed before that don't you think? It can play it for up to an hour before it crashes, sometimes only 20 minutes.

I see your point though. Sigh.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 20th Aug 2012 at 11:26 PM
I don't know if that will help with any more ideas, but in my event log I see the most common error that I get is Exception code: 0xc0000005, and occasionally I get Exception code: 0x80000003. I also get either Application Error or Application Hang. Maybe these are too generic, I've done a lot of research. Just thought maybe it would offer some insight into my problem.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#10 Old 25th Aug 2012 at 1:59 AM
SOLVED!!!

So, I don't know which of these three things solved my problem, I did all of them one after the other without testing my game. Here is what I did.

After discovering that my problem might have either been a problem with VIRTUAL memory, or a memory leak from the sims, I did some more research. First of all, I changed the amount of virtual memory my computer can access by doing this: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/...-virtual-memory

Then I rechecked to make sure my NVIDIA card was indeed activating for the sims, and found that it was only activated with the ts3.exe. When in the game I would minimize and check, my card was active but I wondered if maybe it was deactivating for some reason. So I added the ts3w.exe as well.

Lastly, I downloaded and installed a few mods meant to clean up and manage the game. ErrorTrap, Overwatch, Register, and Saver from this site: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/ After opening a new game, I clicked on the City Hall and looked at each mods settings in turn. Read more on the website to understand what they do, but basically each morning at 3am it would purge the game of errors like stuck sims and too many vehicles. I love saver because it prompts you to save your game, you can decide how long the intervals are.

And like magic, I can now play for hours with no problems, on high settings. In the neighborhood, in CAS, I've tested it with everything I can think of. So it wasn't my computer specs after all! I think the biggest problem was the memory leak, because at one point I checked the task manager to see how much memory the game was using, it was just under 1GB. I checked several times, it stayed about the same in neighborhood and CAS. Then when I had a freeze that is always followed by a crash, I quickly checked the task manger and saw that it was using almost 4GB all of a sudden! That was my biggest clue.

Anywho, for those of you out there having similar issues, can't hurt to try! Good luck!
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#11 Old 25th Aug 2012 at 3:40 PM
Well done! Thanks for letting us know how you solved it.
In the Arena
retired moderator
#12 Old 26th Aug 2012 at 4:16 AM
Thanks for the Nvidia+ts3w.exe tip. And that having mods do help confirmation.

code: 0xc0000005 usually points to a DEP issue and especially the way Sims 3 handles memory.
Add to the info that you increased VM and that it helped, makes me think there's more to it. If using more VM eases the problems, means not using the physical RAM points to a possible RAM issue. You should run MemTest+86 on those RAMs. Too bad it is a laptop and you can't yank out sticks to test one at a time (if the laptop has a removable panel for the RAM for upgrade options then you should test RAM sticks individually). If you get BSODs (in the future), then this is also an indication of hardware RAM issue, and you should contact the laptop Support to get it checked or replaced while it is still under warranty.

Computers won't crash outright if the system can handle it, but not handle it well. Read Game Help:Your Computer is Like a Carwiki. The wear and tear would accumulate over time. That's why you have been able to play before, but now you start to get issues. Prolong playing on weaker machines is gonna escalate these issues.

I have 6GB RAM and I didn't have to tweak any VM settings to play. I also have no issues with mirrors and reflections (in one of the threads you posted in). All because my card is one of those with ALL Greens.
Test Subject
#13 Old 3rd Sep 2012 at 1:37 PM
Not sure I agree there. I'm running an ASUS N55SF with the same graphics card combo (Intel 3000/Nvidia GT555M) and have had the exact same issues as the OP. I'm trying out these fixes now, will edit/repost later with confirmation as to whether or not they worked for me. The fact that we both have the same card and the same issue can't be a coincidence :P
Née whiterider
retired moderator
#14 Old 3rd Sep 2012 at 1:52 PM
The TS3 memory problems are exacerbated by long periods of play without saving, so I would very strongly recommend the Saver mod.

What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact.
Test Subject
#15 Old 3rd Sep 2012 at 2:14 PM
Yeah, even w/o this problem, it seems like a useful tool to have at hand anyway
Alchemist
#16 Old 4th Sep 2012 at 3:18 AM
Quote: Originally posted by athardragon

Then I rechecked to make sure my NVIDIA card was indeed activating for the sims, and found that it was only activated with the ts3.exe. When in the game I would minimize and check, my card was active but I wondered if maybe it was deactivating for some reason. So I added the ts3w.exe as well.


How is this done? Checking the card is activating? How do you check that?
Test Subject
#17 Old 4th Sep 2012 at 7:59 PM
Quote: Originally posted by coltraz
How is this done? Checking the card is activating? How do you check that?


Open up the Nvidia control panel by double clicking the green nvidia icon in your system tray, then select "Desktop" in the top menu, and check "Display GPU activity icon in notification area". This displays a little icon in your system tray which lights up when the nvidia card is being used. You can also click on it to see which applications are using it

Also, as an update, I can confirm that following the OPs tutorial has fixed the crashing for me, although I can only run the game in windowed mode now - the game runs and plays audio in fullscreen but I get a black screen. Still, better than not being able to play it
Alchemist
#18 Old 5th Sep 2012 at 1:55 AM
Really? Weird. I have "Add Desktop Context Menu", and "Show Notification Tray Icon" under "Desktop" - that's it. Both are checked, and I've never had any icon in my system tray lighting up.
Test Subject
#19 Old 31st Jan 2015 at 10:56 AM
i tryed to take the mods folder and it works for me i deleted every mod i have then i just use peckage stuff without any poses or mods i hav a bad old laptop and my sims now never crash and slow loading
Test Subject
#20 Old 31st Jan 2015 at 10:57 AM
Quote: Originally posted by xreemahx
i tryed to take the mods folder and it works for me i deleted every mod i have then i just use peckage stuff without any poses or mods i hav a bad old laptop and my sims now never crash and slow loading
(( sorry for the bad English ))
Test Subject
#21 Old 31st Jan 2015 at 10:16 PM
Hey, when you changed the amount of virtual memory, what did you change it to? I've been having freezing, black screen, crashing, etc. I think it's linked with my graphics card, but I'd like to cover all my bases, hehe. Thanks in advance!!
Test Subject
#23 Old 16th May 2015 at 3:50 PM
HELP! my game keeps crashing and recently just freezing after a couple minutes of gameplay. I also can't download or uninstall anything that is .sims3pack (the sims 3 unable to start game service initialization failed (0x065d0274)) I have a Mac mid 2011 desktop with 4gb of memory...
I have tons of mods and poses and i want to figure all this out without getting rid of them forever
Mad Poster
#24 Old 17th May 2015 at 3:35 AM
Quote: Originally posted by cathrynp317
HELP! my game keeps crashing and recently just freezing after a couple minutes of gameplay. I also can't download or uninstall anything that is .sims3pack (the sims 3 unable to start game service initialization failed (0x065d0274)) I have a Mac mid 2011 desktop with 4gb of memory...
I have tons of mods and poses and i want to figure all this out without getting rid of them forever

Likely a moderator is going to show up, (rightfully) complain that it would better to start your own thread instead of extending one from years ago, and lock this one.

But before that happens, let me sneak in here and point out that playing TS3 on the Mac OS is quite a different proposition than playing on Windows. The Mac version of the game is limited so that it can only use 2 GB of RAM no matter what you do with it. I also have a 2011 iMac, gave up on working around the restrictions, and switched to bootcamping the Windows version when Seasons and Pets nearly killed my game completely.

But if bootcamping is not within your reach, here is a guide to playing TS3 for Mac put together by the ever-helpful Mac experts who hang out on the official forums that might prove useful.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/dis...ted-27-07-14/p1
Instructor
#25 Old 17th May 2015 at 4:36 AM
Thank you so much. I am going to try this as I have been having the exact same problem since I installed seasons and I tried everything you did. This is yet another reason I have not bought anything new from EA since 2012, they clearly don't care about the people buying their products so I don't want them getting my money. I am starting to think we need some form of regulations for this sort of thing since lying about system requirements borders on fraud. My computer has eight gigs of ram, a 4.3 GHZ quad core processor, and a 1 gig video card, given the system requirements listed on the back of the box the game should not crash and it shouldn't need fan made mods to work. I ran it without mods when i did a clean instal and that didn't help.

If EA would just test their games and tell me honestly if they would run on my system I would gladly pay full price for them, until then EA does not get once cent of my money.

Thanks again for your help.
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