Sims 3 keeps freezing/crashing in Create a Sim

Hello, this is a first time post.

I just bought Sims 3 and was really excited to start playing it, but I have run into issues:

I updated the game the first time to 1.36 and once I got into Create a Household and was creating a sim, it would freeze, bug out, and crash. I looked online for fixes and found that I wasn't the only one with this issue. I have tried everything to get it to work, but each time it still freezes and crashes in Create a Sim.

I looked at your "Ultimate Fix" that should deal with most issues, but it still freezes and stops the game in the Create a Sim.

Is is possible I am not applying it right? I reinstalled the game and turned off manual updates. I installed Sims 3 pets (which applies its own update but not 1.36). I do steps 10 through 14 as I have Sim 3 Pets. I do not use any other folder other than the Pets one and # Crack. I apply the pets then do the manual update and then apply the # Crack. Is there anything else I should be doing?

I also make Sims 3 a DEP exception and have change the nVidia settings the Force Vertical Sync. I also run the game as administrator. I haven't done the New Store Patch update yet, I'm holding off until I know for sure what will fix this.

I know it is a patch issue as I reinstalled the game and did not update and the game worked perfectly fine, I had no issues.

I know it isn't my computer, it is brand new and more than exceeds the recommended requirements:
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Intel i7-3610
nVidia Geforce GTX 660M
8 GB memory

Any idea would be appreciated, thank you!
Casobs2

OK it sounds like your using the old fix, as the updated fix is only 5 steps long now. Please go HERE and follow the directions exactly

And your right, its not your system specs, my GPU started crying when it saw the specs on yours

Dracos66 wrote:OK it sounds like your using the old fix, as the updated fix is only 5 steps long now. Please go HERE and follow the directions exactly

And your right, its not your system specs, my GPU started crying when it saw the specs on yours

Thanks for the assist BTW. Ok, So I went to that link and followed all the directions:

*********START***********Read each step carefully!***********START*********
Updated on: 12-07-2012

1. Install The Sims 3 and all expansions you like, but install AT LEAST one of the following expansions: Diesel Stuff, Katy Perry Sweet Treats, Showtime, Master Suite Stuff, Pets, Town Life Stuff, Generations.* (You may skip all the "# Crack" folders. You DO NOT need to use any "# Crack" folders!)
2. After you've installed all the games you want, download and apply this manual patch: https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1870-can-t-update-the-sims-3-to-v133-fix-manual-patch
3. When it finished updating your game to the latest version, re-download the latest version of our Ultimate Fix: https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t752-the-sims-3-ultimate-fix-should-fix-most-of-your-problems
4. Open the "# Crack" folder in the Fix and drag & drop the .exe and .dll file in there to: C:\Program Files (x86)\The Sims 3\Game\Bin and choose "Replace" on the pop-up that appears, telling you the files already exist in that folder.
5. Start the game and... ENJOY playing!

*********END***********Read each step carefully!***********END*********

I did every step like it say, and still I log into the game, go to Create A Sim and within 5-10 minutes, the game freezes and I cannot click on anything. It may come back for a minute, but then it freezes and then bugs out. Then Windows tells me that the game has stopped working.

I won't lie, I am getting particularly frustrated with this issue. I have never played a game with this level of crashing ever before. And to not be able to find any solution thus far is particularly frustrating. This game should be flying on this platform, but I cannot get it to work.

I am also concerned as Task Manager indicates that Sims 3 is using nearly 3.5 GB of memory, which is enormous for any program, let alone a game.

Are there any other solutions out there I can try? I am getting to the point that I will only play this without any updates... but that's like buying a brand new car that will only work with a tape player installed... whats the point?

Casobs2

//MOVED
Hello,

Don't worry, we'll solve this problem eventually!
Please try these: https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t4692-game-lag-possible-fixes , especially step 6.

Let us know how it went, good luck!

6. Game lag caused by other processes.
If your system only just meets the requirements, you can improve
performance by closing any unneeded processes running in the background.
This is especially true for the low(er) end pc. There’s a topic about
Gamebooster here.
Gamebooster will stop those processes for you. Everyone may benefit
from temporarily turning off the real-time scanning option in the
anti-virus options.

I do not believe this is the issue, my computer MORE than exceeds the the requirements of the game.

In case you need to reference, my computer has:
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (fresh install)
Intel i7-3610 Quad-Core HT
nVidia Geforce GTX 660M 2GB memory
8 GB memory RAM

Besides, it isn't lagging when its on, it works great, but then it just stops without notice.

Also, I have done a fresh install of Sims 3 and Pets and have not done ANY updates. So it updates to 1.26.89.013001 with pets installed. And again, I still have the same issue. I go into Create A Sim, and then after about 5 minutes, it freezes, bugs out, then stops working.

I read online that most people were having these issues with 1.26, but again I am still having the issue.

Any other ideas? I do not know if talking with EA will help, you know how they can be... I am this close to returning the game, this is very annoying as you can understand.

Hello,

Don't stay on patch 1.26, but re-do these instructions to get back to 1.36 (currently the latest version): www.games4theworld.forumotion.com/t1171-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-3-correctly
DO NOT skip any steps!

After doing so, please do step 6 of that guide. I recommended it with a reason. If you don't try, you never know what would've happened if you did.

Of course I understand how annoying this is. But if you want this problem to be fixed, you have to stay calm, patient and cooperate with us, as we try to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
Oh and, you might not want to bother contacting EA. No, seriously, lol.

Admin wrote:Hello,

Don't stay on patch 1.26, but re-do these instructions to get back to 1.36 (currently the latest version): t1171-must-read-how-to-install-the-sims-3-correctly
DO NOT skip any steps!

After doing so, please do step 6 of that guide. I recommended it with a reason. If you don't try, you never know what would've happened if you did.

Of course I understand how annoying this is. But if you want this problem to be fixed, you have to stay calm, patient and cooperate with us, as we try to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
Oh and, you might not want to bother contacting EA. No, seriously, lol.

When you mean step 6 of that guide, do you mean on the Ultimate fix guide or of the game lag ones?

Also in the Ultimate fix, why do we replace the files in The Sims 3\game\bin folder before with one set of files from pets, then the update, then update the crack files? What are those files doing? Also I has question about the steps. Which ones specifically should I follow? I have the base game, so that's step three. I have pets, so that's step 10. then I update, and then step 12 with crack files. but I am replacing the same files each time. can you clarify?

If i understand it a bit more, maybe I can understand why the Sims 3 keeps crash after all these patches. Cause what I do not understand is what is in the EA patches that is cause the game to crash in the first place when the base game works perfectly fine without them.

Is there a program that I can run that will record what the game does when it freezes?

I am sorry if I am coming off as panicked, honestly I am trying to remain calm through this. Thanks again for your help, you guys are trying to help and I appreciate that a lot.

//EDIT

BTW, I tried to see if maybe the pets was the issue. So I installed the game again and updated it without the pets expansion and it did the exact same thing. Get through one sim, then it bugs out and crashes.

So now I know for SURE that it is the patch and nothing else. So next I'll try to do the installation step again for the fix. I will try to do it exactly the way that they are stated. Then I'll see what happens...

First I have some real life siming to do, IRONING!!! YAY!!!

//EDIT

OK! So I tried to reinstall it as described for the fix with the manual install and everything...

Still stops during create sim. I even put all the graphics setting down to lowest setting to see if that would help... still no dice.

And it still uses 3.8 GB of memory on the lowest settings, that is still very large. I even make sure that non essential programs are off.

I don't know, I am out of ideas. Plus I'm tired, I am going to go to bed, I have been trying to make this work all day and nothing seems to be working.

Maybe tomorrow will have more luck. Thanks again for your help guys.

Hello,

There are still a lot of things we can try. I assume you did not use the GameBooster as recommended.
Can you get to the first menu in the game? Before starting the CAS?

Hello again,

No I do not use any mods or anything, I bought the retail version of the game. The Sims plus Pets version to be specific.

Also, I realized that the base game folders had different files. So I tried to reinstall, put the base game files in the bin folder, then the pets game files in the bin folder. Then I manually updated the patch, then put the crack files in the bin folder as explain in the ultimate fix.

No I did not use any Gamebooster, what is it? you think it might help? Link?

Also I can get to the main menu in the game, and all the way to the town part, and it works perfectly fine, great actually. But when I go into Create A Sim, after I create one person quickly, it freezes then bugs out, then stops the game to windows.

I even put the graphics setting to its lowest.

I got to go to work now, so I wont be able to respond until the evening.

Thanks for the help guy!

Do you think I should return the game and get the cracked version? Maybe it will work then...

First I will uninstall and reinstall and then JUST use the manual patch and see what happens.

Considering that I do have the retail version, is there anything that I can try to fix the issue? Any known fixes that help out with this particular issue?

//EDIT

Well I have tried all the fixes I can find... Its been 3 days since I
have bought the game and I am no closer to playing it now as I was then.
So I will return the game tomorrow after work, EA has really let me
down.

Thank you all for you help, you guys were very helpful.

Have a great day!!

Hello,

EA has never been really helpful, they only want to sell. Problems with the game are your problem, for them.

Anyhow, please do return the game and get the Games4theworld version.
When you've downloaded everything you want, please contact me via the Forum's chatbox when you see me online on the Forum. I'll try to fix the game for you via TeamViewer. That's usually a success.

Hi!
I have the exact same issue and I tried everything it mentions on the lag post.
It is weird because when I'm playing without to edit a sim or plan an outfit averything is fine.
I know it is not the cc because I uninstalled everything but still had the issue.
I now am on 1.55 patch and had on only the main game with ambitons and late night.
This wasn't a problem for me since I decided to try the Stylist Profession.
Is there anything else I can try?
Thank you very much!

Hello!
I have the same problem as casobs2 I'm using 1.55 patch...I did download all Sims 3 games from here and followed all instructions when installing them but when I start making first sims games crashes, to be specific it crashes when I click on cloths =/ I un-install everything and install everything again using fix and 1.55 patch and it still crashes in same place. I don't know what to do anymore =/ Anyway thanks a lot for game

IvyNiNi wrote:Hello!
I have the same problem as casobs2 I'm using 1.55 patch...I did download all Sims 3 games from here and followed all instructions when installing them but when I start making first sims games crashes, to be specific it crashes when I click on cloths =/ I un-install everything and install everything again using fix and 1.55 patch and it still crashes in same place. I don't know what to do anymore =/ Anyway thanks a lot for game

 I had the same issue and I made my sim doing only the absolutely necessary like bodytype and skin colour and face, then moved on to the traits and created it. Then in the game edited one outfit at a time saving every time... I know it's frustrated but my game is playing fine otherwise. Imagine I now playing the Stylist Profession and try to make as less clicks as possible in the CAS and saving every time before entering and all this after I did everything that sais here https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t4692-game-lag-possible-fixes and I manage to play quite a long time before it crashes, while before all these steps it was crashing every 20-30 minutes. It helps if you know what you want to wear and avoid browsing a lot... I know those are not really technical solutions, but still...

s_crazy_c wrote:

IvyNiNi wrote:Hello!
I have the same problem as casobs2 I'm using 1.55 patch...I did download all Sims 3 games from here and followed all instructions when installing them but when I start making first sims games crashes, to be specific it crashes when I click on cloths =/ I un-install everything and install everything again using fix and 1.55 patch and it still crashes in same place. I don't know what to do anymore =/ Anyway thanks a lot for game

 I had the same issue and I made my sim doing only the absolutely necessary like bodytype and skin colour and face, then moved on to the traits and created it. Then in the game edited one outfit at a time saving every time... I know it's frustrated but my game is playing fine otherwise. Imagine I now playing the Stylist Profession and try to make as less clicks as possible in the CAS and saving every time before entering and all this after I did everything that sais here https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t4692-game-lag-possible-fixes and I manage to play quite a long time before it crashes, while before all these steps it was crashing every 20-30 minutes. It helps if you know what you want to wear and avoid browsing a lot... I know those are not really technical solutions, but still...

 Hi  I was thinking the same so I tried to do just that but I couldn't create Sim but ok I'll use one of the in game Sims...I could play only for 20 mins and it crashed I tried that 3 times before I got so furious and deleted game. I decided to install game again but this time I didn't use all expansions (Ambitions, Fast Lane, High End Loft, World Adventures, Late Night, Pets, Supernatural, University Life and Island Paradies is what I used) and I followed all instructions and it worked  it didn't crash but I didn't play for a long time and if I have more problems I'll update...it looks like problem was in one of expansions I didn't install this time =/ I can't be rl sure...
Thanks for help   

Update: 05.07.2013.

Game works perfect, it looks like I had problem with one of expansions =/

I have only Ambitions and late night... But still I have the problem

Where did you get them from?