Revision as of 12:38, 8 June 2010

Sims 3 Game Problems

Problem(s)

Do one or more of the following apply to you?

Loading Issues:

• The game crashes when loading - with or without an error message
• The game starts loading and then disappears or crashes
• The game loads super slow, or does not fully load, or loads to a black screen.

Game Issues:

• The game crashes or disappears while playing (crash to desktop) - with or without an error message.
• Gameplay is glitchy or strange - actions disappear from the queue, sims pop out of what they're doing, go invisible, or pretty much any weird, unexpected behavior in-game.

Possible Solutions

This FAQ will walk you through the basic troubleshooting steps for loading or gameplay issues. While this guide doesn't cover every possible thing it could be, it will diagnose (or rule out) the most common problems.

Make sure to do every step below, in order! Don't just read it without trying it or skip ahead! If the first thing to try doesn't work, go on to the second one, and then the third, etc.

Delete Cache Files

Cache files are temporary files that are saved by the game to make loading certain information faster. If these files have incorrect or corrupted data, it may prevent your game from loading. The game will regenerate fresh copies of these files each time it loads, so deleting them is perfectly safe, and it's normal for them to reappear.

• For full instructions on deleting your cache files, see: Deleting Sims 3 Cache Files

Now try running the game. Try to load The Sims 3. Does it work? If so, you just had some corrupted cache files and it should be fine now. Continue playing and don't worry about it.

If deleting cache files didn't work...

Remove Custom Content

Custom content that can be corrupted, conflicting, doesn't work with your game version, or otherwise have problems - so it may be the cause of your issues. To determine whether it's custom content related, you'll need to temporarily remove your custom content to test.

1. To remove your mods, open your \Mods\Packages\ folder located in the following path.

.

2. Select all of the files within the Mods\Packages folder. Right-click and choose CUT (or CTRL-X).

3. Paste (or CTRL-V) those files somewhere you can find them. Suggested is making a new folder on your computer's Desktop to hold them temporarily.

4. Delete your cache files (yes, again - they will have regenerated after you ran the game to test).

Additional notes (OS-specific):

Windows 7 / Vista

Go to this path and ensure that it is empty as well. If you have an Expansion Pack or Stuff Pack, you may want to verify the content for those respective folders in the Virtual Store are removed as well.

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages

Now try running the game. Try to load The Sims 3. Does it work? If so, one or more of your mods was causing a problem - maybe there was a conflict between two core mods, or something got corrupted or just otherwise didn't want to work. To narrow down what the problem might have been, you can put back half of your mods at a time, delete your cache files again, and test, then test the other half, etc., and continue dividing in half till you find what the problem mod(s) are. If you do identify a mod or mods that are an issue, check back with their creator(s) to see if there's an updated version.

If testing without mods didn't work...

Remove User Files

It's also possible that something in your user files - saves or otherwise - is causing a problem.

1. Open your DOCUMENTS\Electronic Arts\ folder, full path below.

Rename the folder in it called The Sims 3 to The Sims 3 Backup - you don't need to delete your cache files this time.

Now try running the game. It may take a little longer to load than normal this time, since it is making fresh new copies of all of the standard user files (as if you had just installed). It may also run fullscreened if you had normally had it windowed, and the graphic options will be turned down - that's normal, and nothing to worry about. If you're able to load the game with fresh user files, then it was something in the user files that was the problem. You can then go in and copy-paste individual folders from your The Sims 3 Backup to the new The Sims 3 folder to see which is the problem. Recommended is trying your Saves folder first.

Still Not Working!

Still having problems after trying all of the above, or unclear on any of the above steps?

Please post a new thread in our Sims 3 Help Forums where we may help you try to troubleshoot your problem further.