A serious error has occured. [SOLVED]

by Guest Fri 07 Nov 2014, 04:16

I keep getting a "a serious error has occurred" in every single save file I ever try to load. It only works once after completely delete the electronic arts folder. So I create a new neighborhood and family. I would manually save 1st then quit without saving, but the minute I try to load the file again I get the serious error message and if i try loading a new world or neighborhood, it just errors again and again. I followed the steps in the layers file only has 2 things in it. Deleting caches doesn't do anything. I have tried copying the files from the currentgame and save folder right after it saves while playing a successful load I don't know if said saves can still be used anymore since the meta.data dropped from 38kb to 1 kb after I closed the game. I'm pretty sure my specs line up. I used ultimate fix.
Turning off my AVG anit-virus does nothing. As said before only deleting my electronic arts folder is then only thing that lets me play, but only once. If I quit and load back in an error happens and all saves can not be loaded period. Not being able to access the currentgame folder during the error, but being able to access it when I'm actually playing after an EA folder delete might have something to do with it, but at this point I have no idea.

by **The_gh0stm4n** Fri 07 Nov 2014, 12:37

Darkdarkar wrote:I keep getting a "a serious error has occurred" in every single save file I ever try to load. It only works once after completely delete the electronic arts folder. So I create a new neighborhood and family. I would manually save 1st then quit without saving, but the minute I try to load the file again I get the serious error message and if i try loading a new world or neighborhood, it just errors again and again. I followed the steps in the layers file only has 2 things in it. Deleting caches doesn't do anything. I have tried copying the files from the currentgame and save folder right after it saves while playing a successful load I don't know if said saves can still be used anymore since the meta.data dropped from 38kb to 1 kb after I closed the game. I'm pretty sure my specs line up. I used ultimate fix.
Turning off my AVG anit-virus does nothing. As said before only deleting my electronic arts folder is then only thing that lets me play, but only once. If I quit and load back in an error happens and all saves can not be loaded period. Not being able to access the currentgame folder during the error, but being able to access it when I'm actually playing after an EA folder delete might have something to do with it, but at this point I have no idea.

Hello Darkdarkar and welcome,

To really rule out your anti-virus program, I would actually un-install AVG and then re-boot the computer. After that, play Sims 3 again and see if anything in your saving improves. Good luck !

by Guest Fri 07 Nov 2014, 22:54

Uninstalled AVG and old saves still don't work, even after I deleted the EA folder.

by **The_gh0stm4n** Fri 07 Nov 2014, 23:52

Darkdarkar wrote:Uninstalled AVG and old saves still don't work, even after I deleted the EA folder.

//MOVED

At this point, I can only suggest to un-install your Sims 3 base game and re-boot the computer. After the re-boot, re-install the base game, and then re-apply the steps from #2 to #4 here:

https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1171-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-3-correctly

See if this improves anything in your game.

P.S. you might also want to make sure to defragment your hard-drive before re-starting the game.

by Guest Sat 08 Nov 2014, 00:25

Defragment?

by **The_gh0stm4n** Sat 08 Nov 2014, 00:29

Darkdarkar wrote:Defragment?

If you right-click on your C: drive and go to "Properties", you need to look where the option for "Defragamentation" is. Under Windows XP, it's in the "Extras"-tab. But there is also specialized software for defragmentation (look on Piratebay for e.g. "Smart Defrag" or similar stuff).

Defragmentation can help improve general performance on your computer, and should be done regularly.

I'm honestly unsure what is going on, in your computer. And in the end, you might even consider "starting over", and simply re-install Windows - if possible for you.

by Guest Sat 08 Nov 2014, 04:11

Should I also uninstall expansions, or just the base game?

by **The_gh0stm4n** Sat 08 Nov 2014, 05:19

Darkdarkar wrote:Should I also uninstall expansions, or just the base game?

For now, un-install the base game only.

by **Sim Architect** Sun 09 Nov 2014, 03:20

Carlos wrote:
Darkdarkar wrote:Should I also uninstall expansions, or just the base game?

For now, un-install the base game only.

If it doesn't work, try using "Save As" instead of "Save" everytime you save your game, and never use "Save and Quit", but just "Quit" after "Saving As" manually... I had problems saving games before and since I started with this technique I never had problems ever again, plus I got multi levels of backup (you can always delete the saves you want to get rid of later)...

by Guest Sun 09 Nov 2014, 21:43

There isn't a save as button. It only appears after I save manually. I've tried it before and no success. If there's a difference between save and save as I can't test it since save as only appears after you press save and actually save.

//EDIT

Re-installation did not work while following the instructions. I loaded up and manually saved a new save and exited without saving. It was about as effective as removing my electronic arts folder from my documents folder. So the problem is either is with that folder or it could be a flawed expansion(I have heard that Sims generations might cause this if corrupted).

//Another Edit

I did a bit of experimenting and I can still create new saves without erasing my entire EA folder so the problem appears to exclusively be with the save file as any reload causes the error.

by **Sim Architect** Tue 11 Nov 2014, 03:12

Hello! I just made a video tutorial showing how you can "Save As" and avoid many issues.

About your issue with old saves, did you restore the whole Sims folder or just the saved games? I had some very old saves that would not work on my new installation. I had to copy the ENTIRE "The Sims" Folder and copy to my Electronic Arts one. Then, running the game would open the saves and I could export the houses etc. I guess my custom/store content was different or anything else was not compatible with the old saves. I was very glad with that fix, since I had more than two years worth of work that would be lost forever...

Please let us know if you got your problem solved. Have a great evening!

by Guest Tue 11 Nov 2014, 03:35

So do you have to go to the edit town mode in order to see the save as option, because while doing general gameplay the "save as" option only appears after I press the "save" button, because its the only option I see. As for trying to restore old saves, this happens on every single save I make. I can easily make a new save on any map, but the issue is reloading the save. I don't really care about recovering an old save because all my saves only last until I quit the game. Though I have tried the "save as" feature after it appears when I save and the result is the exact same every time.

As for my theory with flawed expansions, I stripped the game to the base and the error still occurs so its definitely the saves. I just don't know what about them is causing the error. If I could get a save that has no issues I could try and isolate if its Sims just f-ing up loading or a save file in the save is messed up when saving.

by **Sim Architect** Tue 11 Nov 2014, 03:54

Darkdarkar wrote:So do you have to go to the edit town mode in order to see the save as option, because while doing general gameplay the "save as" option only appears after I press the "save" button, because its the only option I see. As for trying to restore old saves, this happens on every single save I make. I can easily make a new save on any map, but the issue is reloading the save. I don't really care about recovering an old save because all my saves only last until I quit the game. Though I have tried the "save as" feature after it appears when I save and the result is the exact same every time.

As for my theory with flawed expansions, I stripped the game to the base and the error still occurs so its definitely the saves. I just don't know what about them is causing the error. If I could get a save that has no issues I could try and isolate if its Sims just f-ing up loading or a save file in the save is messed up when saving.

Sorry you're having these issues. So you save a game right now, then you quit the game. Then, you run the game again and, when you open that save your game freezes?

Maybe you could try to move your The Sims folder entirely to somewhere else and run the game. No success? Delete the new folder your game created, uninstall the game and all expansions and restart your PC.

After that, install the game (and expansions) EXACTLY as instructed in the topic below. If it doesn't work, please let us know so someone can assist you through Team Viewer...

How to Install The Sims 3 Properly...

by Guest Tue 11 Nov 2014, 04:07

It doesn't exactly freezes. It just says "a Serious error has occurred while loading(insert file name here) please restart the application" with a check mark which when you press sends you to the main menu and all saves that are loaded quickly end with the error. The game can only make new saves, but will error on reloads. Also I run everything on a laptop If this narrows things down then this is the situation. Also should I use the games4theworld download for sims 3 in order for everything to work, because the torrent I'm using isn't exactly from games4theworld(it says its credited with a lot of other people).

by **Sim Architect** Tue 11 Nov 2014, 04:40

OK. Let us know what happens on your laptop. In case you want me to try your files, upload them to a file server on line and send me a Private Message with the link, so I can see if they work on my game install. Other option would be for us to assist you using Team Viewer, I can't do it right now, but maybe tomorrow or so...

by Guest Wed 12 Nov 2014, 01:22

Someone play the hallelujah track, because I just uninstalled everything using a clean uninstall, re installed everything, followed the instructions, and everything works even the old saves.

Mod edit: problem solved, topic closed. Have fun !

- Carlos

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