Computer shuts down randomly while playing TS3

Hello, 

 I've never posted on here but I've gotten all my games from you guys so thank you so much for all your hard work!!
I hope you can also help me with this, please? 
Recently I downloaded and installed The Sims 3 again and I followed every step from the main guide. It isn't my first time doing that so I think I did it correctly. 
The problem is that after some time playing the game, my computer shuts down completely. No freeze in advance or anything. I have 144G free on my computer so I don't know why this is happening. The game runs smoothly with the exception of a maybe 5 seconds long freeze that sometimes happens. I don't use mods or any downloadable content. The Sims 4 (still installed) runs okay and never crashes or shuts my computer down. 
My computer tends to overheat so I take precautions for that, and they've worked for every other game I play for months! So I don't think that's the reason either...

I'm willing to try anything! Please anyone let me know if you have any advice, suggestions, ideas, etc.

Thank you in advance!

shala120 wrote:Hello, 

 I've never posted on here but I've gotten all my games from you guys so thank you so much for all your hard work!!
I hope you can also help me with this, please? 
Recently I downloaded and installed The Sims 3 again and I followed every step from the main guide. It isn't my first time doing that so I think I did it correctly. 
The problem is that after some time playing the game, my computer shuts down completely. No freeze in advance or anything. I have 144G free on my computer so I don't know why this is happening. The game runs smoothly with the exception of a maybe 5 seconds long freeze that sometimes happens. I don't use mods or any downloadable content. The Sims 4 (still installed) runs okay and never crashes or shuts my computer down. 
My computer tends to overheat so I take precautions for that, and they've worked for every other game I play for months! So I don't think that's the reason either...

I'm willing to try anything! Please anyone let me know if you have any advice, suggestions, ideas, etc.

Thank you in advance!

OK, to help me help you, what are your system specs (OS, RAM, VRAM)? What EPs/SPs do you have installed? What patch level are you at, 1.67 or 1.69?

Hi, thanks for answering! 

I have only the base game, Seasons and world Adventures. Patch level 1.67
Also I don't know anything about these things but I think this is what you're talking about?...
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
6.00GB
1024MB NVIDIA GeForce 315M

shala120 wrote:Hi, thanks for answering! 

I have only the base game, Seasons and world Adventures. Patch level 1.67
Also I don't know anything about these things but I think this is what you're talking about?...
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
6.00GB
1024MB NVIDIA GeForce 315M

The game should run fine with those system specs. What program(s) are running in the background (Anti-virus, news feeds, screen recorders, etc.) when your playing Sims 3? When was the last time your defragged your HDD?

I always close everything, sometimes 1 chrome tab left open but that's it.

I don't know what defragging means but I looked it up and some websites say windows does it regularly by itself? How can I check the last time that happened? Or should I just do it now manually regardless?

shala120 wrote:I always close everything, sometimes 1 chrome tab left open but that's it.

I don't know what defragging means but I looked it up and some websites say windows does it regularly by itself? How can I check the last time that happened? Or should I just do it now manually regardless?

When files are written to a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) they are written to the closest "empty" space(s), which tends to scatter bits and pieces all around the place. Defragging moves the bits and pieces of files next to each other so that Windows can "read" them faster and more accurately. Windows 10 does it automatically (unless you're using an SSD). For Windows 8.1 and under you usually have to manually defrag unless you schedule it or you use a 3rd party program. I use Smart Defrag by IOBit, the free version does a manual defrag much better than Windows built in defrag utility.