"The Sims 3 has stopped working", EA folder created in Public, Error 12 and "A Serious Error has occurred while loading (town name). It is reccomended that you restart your game." [SOLVED]

Ok, so hello everyone!
First of all you guys are awesome!

My game is being a bitch! And I am so done with The Sims 3 right now because i can't get it to work properly. If one error is solved the other occurs.

I have these errors: "The Sims 3 has stopped working" (crashing to desktop), EA folder created in Public, Error 12 and "A Serious Error has occurred while loading (town name). It is reccomended that you restart your game."

It seems like The Sims 3 stopped working crash comes from updating to 1.36, but IDK.
My Electronic Arts folder is created in C:/Users/Public/Public Documents for some reason.
The error 12 was kinda solved when using NRaas's Error Trap and the last most recent thing is the "A Serious Error has occurred while loading (town name). It is reccomended that you restart your game." whenever I load a new town or one that was already created it gives me this error! (Maybe has something to do with the fact that My Electronic Arts folder is created in C:/Users/Public/Public Documents. I even tried to un-check the "Read Only" option on this folder but somehow when i go back it's checked again. I also tried using the backup folder in saves to see if it will work but nothing works! I'm SO frustrated since I am trying to fix this like for 3 days now.

Now, I did not have them all at once but in the last week or so.

I've tried the CFF Explorer and the 4gb_patch. I followed all the DEP steps
I've downloaded the Patch installer and updated all my games!
I've downloaded the Ultimate fix and the manual patch.
I've re-installed all of my games just as you described and in the right order (even if it doesn't matter, just to be sure). When i uninstalled The Sims 3 I also removed the Electronic arts folder completely just to be sure.
I've closed programs in task manager (selective start up).
I use Game Booster.
I've set my Sims 3 game's priority to high when its running. (for extra memory)
I've removed all CC from my mods folder and all Sims3packs to see if that was the issue.


I've literary tried everything there is to possibly fix the game!

I have all Ep's and Sp's. Which to Pets are legit copies. I also think the crack is causing some kind of issue or i'm not doing it the right way (From the Ultimate Fix I use the #Crack folder and not the Diesel stuff pack, etc etc one, if i do it says I'm running a fake copy of the sims or something and it gives me the showtime load up screen instead of the Diesel one).

These are my computer specs:

Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.120402-0336)
Language: Dutch (Regional Setting: Dutch)
System Manufacturer: HP-Pavilion
System Model: KN463AA-ABF a6432.af
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/26/08 10:59:48 Ver: 5.21
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E4600 @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 1005MB used, 5333MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18107 32bit Unicode

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 8800 GT
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0611&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A2
Display Memory: 1776 MB
Dedicated Memory: 497 MB
Shared Memory: 1278 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor


I'm going
(Ik spreek Nederlands dus als iets niet duidelijk is wil ik het ook wel vertalen, maar ik dacht engels hebben meer mensen wat aan als ze hetzelfde probleem ondervinden)

Lady ElDi wrote:Hello,

Wow that does sound messed up!
Are you on a public/shared computer/network?
Is your game version 1.36?
Did you get a new version of errortrap when you updated the game?

It really does, doesn't it! Haha, thats what it feels like. Messed up!
The main problem now is that I get the "A Serious Error has occurred while loading (town name). It is reccomended that you restart your game." error. Which causes the saved game not to work. If I throw away the entire Electronic arts folder it works just fine, I start a new game and play for a while and when I save it saves but when I exit and start the game again it gives me the error upon loading any game, even a new one.
My game version is 1.36 and i downloaded the 1.36 Error trap. I didn't have the error trap before.
My network is private as for now. I went to check and apparently I still had to choose if i want it to be a private or public network.

Nope, no .bad file. I wish it was just that. I'm kinda running out of options. I've already set al the .exe files in Windows 95 compatibility mode and I always run as Administrator. I also used the Unlocker mentioned on MTS (I cant put external links because i'm new). I mostly solve these problems myself with a bit of research but after now 4 days of figuring out what to do I'm out of options. My PC should be fine handling the Sims 3 it always has (even though the system requirements changed along with Ep's) So frustrating!

EDIT: I've noticed that my CurrentGame.sims3 folder disappears completely. I'm now running a test making the CurrentGame.sims3 folder myself and putting the "saves" town files into the CurrentGame.sims3.. (EDIT: Still getting the error) But could it be that it has something to do with the CurrentGame.sims3 folder deleting itself after quitting the game? (I believe it's not supposed to, it always stays in The Sims 3 folder even after wuiting the game right?)

Hi there,

It works! Yay! Thanx a million!! I even saved the game and went back to the main menu and loaded the game again to see if it would give me any error and it didn't.
I believe I checked the Win 95 compitability because of the "The Sims 3 has stopped working" error. And after that I got the "a serious error occurred....."

Also checking the Win 95 compitability made my Electronic arts folder go into C:/Users/Public/Public Documents so that's solved now too. My game files are back in my regular Documents folder!

I'm running a test now with every setting on max, with my mods.. I've set the speed to 3 and move around a lot with the mouse to see if it'll give me any "The Sims 3 has stopped working" Error.. I hope it doesn't! I'll keep you updated.. Thanx again!!! X

EDIT: I still get the "The Sims 3 has stopped working" Error which was where the problems started...
I'm about to go nuts..
EDIT: I suddenly remember changing the virtual memory of my computer before I re-installed windows recently. I don't remember having problems with the "the sims 3 has stopped working" My assigned memory was 3060 orso and I changed that to 4605 MB which was recommended. Let's see what it does.. (Edit:Did not work either)

EDIT: I've noticed the Sims3 not being in the DEP list, even when I did select them all. I read somewhere that you have to add one at a time and then reboot. What I did was each time I added a sims .exe file I clicked apply and Ok. This way the files stayed in the list. After doing that I rebooted my system. I also downloaded 3booter en fpslimiter which I used to use a long time ago when my Sims 3 would crash upon startup. And I downloaded .Net framework 4.
I can play the game very carefully now but "the Sims 3 has stopped working" still shows up when I make like quick moves with the mouse or zoom out too fast or when the game is in speed 3 and I move around with the mouse a lot or when I'm in create a sim and the clothes or something are loading and I click on the sims to turn it around.
It seems to me that this is a memory issue.
I have 3GB of memory and I remember reading somewhere that even if I would upgrade my memory it would'nt work because I have a 32bit computer and the max amount of memory it reads is 4GB. I don't know what to do.

Hi,

Thats weird.. I think i'll never understand The Sims.
I already added them all to the DEP list. I'm running tests now to see if running the game in Windows Xp SP2 compatibility works (EDIT: still crashed after trying to load some clothes in CAS). Last night it seemed to work but I was playing very carefully and not for too long of a time. I'll test today..

EDIT:
32-bit Operating Systems
If you have a 32-bit version of Windows, an additional step is required in order for The Sims 3 to use more than 2 GiB of virtual memory. If your computer has at least 3 GiB of RAM installed, follow the instructions on the Insufficient Memory Crashes article. That article also contains information on how to determine how much RAM is installed.



Insufficient Memory Crashes article


Windows XP, Server 2003
Open System Properties.
Right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
Select the Advanced tab.
In the Startup and Recovery area, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery dialog.
In the System Startup area, click Edit to open the Windows boot.ini in Notepad.
Make sure to disable Word Wrap from the Format menu (you do not want a check to appear next to it).
Find the [Operating Systems] section. Each line below this header represents an operating system installed on your computer.
At the end of each line under [Operating Systems] add the following after /fastdetect (or whatever is at the end of the line):
If you have 3072 MB of RAM installed: /3GB /userva=2560
If you have 4096 MB of RAM installed: /3GB
Save the changes and close Notepad.
Close all open dialogs and restart your computer.
In case of trouble
Repeat the above steps but instead of adding /3GB and /userva, remove them.

Windows Vista, Windows 7, Server 2008
Open the Command Prompt with administrative rights.
Open Start.
Open Programs.
Open Acessories.
Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
Type the following and hit enter:
If you have 3072 MB of RAM installed: bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVA 2560
If you have 4096 MB of RAM installed: bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVA 3072
Close the command prompt and restart your computer.
In case of trouble
Repeat the above steps but use the following command instead: bcdedit /deletevalue IncreaseUserVA

I remember doing this a long time ago, can't remember if it soved my problems back then.. Let's hope so! I'll keep you updated.. (I've been playing Sims since it first came out, I was 11 and I'll be 23 in 9 days so I've had my portion with Sims errors and stuff).

//EDIT

Problem solved!! This worked! It appears that you have to take the steps above first if you are running on a 32 bit version to allow your pc to activate "the app can handle more than 2 GB of memory" option . The sims 3 is running now since 11 in the morning and it's 17:18 now and no crashes or errors whatsoever! I tried to trigger an error by clicking on random things while the game was still loading clothes or houses or anything else and zooming in and out in high speed and moving around a lot and all crazy things, but no crashes ThanQ God!! Hope it stays this way and hope this helps other people too!