Crash during Live Mode

[kingdonlwt]

Since I installed Ambitions, my game has been closing without warning after a few minutes of play. I've tried removing custom content, deleting caches and playing a new game. CAS and build mode work fine, but a few seconds into playing in Live Mode, the game closes. I also tried that with just the No Build Sparkles mod, but the sparkles were still there.

It seems a lot of people have had problems, what's going on?!

==System==
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
System Manufacturer: Custom
System Model: Custom
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) 9950 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Page File: 2143MB used, 2203MB available
DirectX Version: 2143MB used, 2203MB available

==Display==
Name: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9440)
Approx. Total Memory: 1274MB
Main Driver: atiu9p64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,atiu9pag,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Version: 8.14.0001.6105 (English)
Driver Date: 07/04/2010

==Sound==
Description: SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.2002
Date: 4/5/2007

==Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives==
Drive: C:
Free Space: 225.7 GB
Total Space: 953.9 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: SAMSUNG HD103UJ ATA Device



Someone has said that people with this problem did not have the framework setup properly, what does that mean?

[kingdonlwt]

I have tried deleting mods, caches and user files, nothing helps

[whiterider]

Well, first off, you really don't have enough RAM to be playing Sims 3 at all - you have 2GB, the minimum for computers running Windows Vista/Windows 7 is 4GB. Lack of RAM can cause all sorts of problems, including crashing; but there are other things we can try before advising you to upgrade (although if you can upgrade your RAM, you should do so regardless).

Not having the framework setup correctly refers to the CC framework - mods/packages, Resource.cfg, etc. Not having it set up correctly will, as you say, cause mods like the no build sparkles mod to not work. Did your other CC work before you removed it?

Is this just the one save, or all of them? Have you tried making a new save with no CC installed, to see if the crashes still occur? You said your game closes without warning - so there are no error messages, no weird graphical glitches, etc?

[kingdonlwt]

My computer is supposed to have 8GB of RAM but it has a BIOS issue that I havent got round to fixing, but I've used this computer on the sims for 2 years and it hasn't done this before. I'd be very surprised if it turned out to be that, but I'll look into it.

CC has always worked on the other EP's, but, if I remember correctly, the first time I installed Ambitions I went into CAS, created a sim, then put him in a house, immediately began to redecorate, and was confused when the CC didnt appear to be there. I finished decorating, went on Live mode and walked him into town, chatted to someone then it crashed. I have since been on a different save where i'm building something to upload, and it worked absolutely fine for about 3 hours, before I saved and closed it when I was bored. CC was not present there as I'd removed it in a vain hope for Live mode to work.

This happens on all saves, and yes I've started several games with no CC, and the latest one with no user files, and as soon as I went on Live mode it crashed. The game will run on Live mode indefinitely until I move the camera about (i think) and then about 3 seconds later it will freeze for maybe a second, and close the game, leaving me at my desktop, with no graphical glitches or messages.

Hope that answers you :)

[kingdonlwt]

Right, now running 8190MB of RAM, tried it out, thought it was going well, started moving the camera violently to catch it out, all working and then .. :| crash. grr.

[kingdonlwt]

Fixed the CC error by changing the resource.cfg file for a new one, still crashing though, specifically, it seems, when I move over my sim's kitchen...

[whiterider]

If it's just the one room that's crashing, then that's probably a CC issue - unless you're still playing with no CC?

[hatosan]

I suggest that you get the new Windows, Windows 7 32bit or 64bit. Why? Because of Windows Vista™ Home Premium. And why again? To be frank, Vista does not support RAM more than 4GB except for Windows 7 even though you are using Vista Professional. To make worst, you are using a Home Edition which by right, it does not perform at optimum level which have may have cause the problem and that is why you can only see 2Gb of RAM is in use instead of 8GB.

Due to some problem with Vista 2 years ago, Microsoft came up with the enhanced version which they called Windows 7. From your system specification, I have no doubt with Windows 7 and is very stable and it can fully support all the devices that you had mentioned. I tried all sort of games, even the old school 80's game and it performed flawlessly in Win 7. Until then, the problem will keep persist until you do something like upgrading or changing to Win 7. by the way, I'm using Windows 7 64bit and I don't have problem except for Error Code 12, thanks to EA.

[kingdonlwt]

Nope whiterider, still no CC, the house has only just been bought, unfurnished. I'll try a new game and do the same test on Live mode.

EDIT: it *may* happen when reflections are present

EDIT: Scratch that. Just started a new game on Sunset Valley, chose Crumplebottom and moved the camera about a centimetre and it closed.

[werismyki]

What are your ingame video options set to?

[kingdonlwt]

which would you like?

[werismyki]

pull up the options, take a screenshot, and attach it to your post

[kingdonlwt]

Here are my graphics options:

[ellacharmed]

What Catalyst version is the GPU driver? I can't match the version strings on any AMD Catalyst page. Was the previous driver version uninstalled first, and in safe mode, to be well safer[sic]? AMD has now added videos on how-to ensure a successful driver update.
Have you tested with different graphical settings? Throttle down some of those "high" ones to medium, or even low. Depending on your GPU and monitor size and screen resolution, I've read and tested some "high" settings have no visible differences to the naked eye and the eye candy rendering except to slow down gameplay or cause crashings.

Did you start over with a brand new user folder, or just with a vanilla, cc-free(no .packages and .sim3packs), new game? ie did the 3rd step in the Game Problem FAQ (see Loading Crashes link from Help menu up top)?
I mean, the options.ini file or the dccache folder may become corrupted, after driver updates and/or tweaking in Options and CC additions & removals that trigger the crash in Live mode.

Also, another thing you might want to test is to disable/mute the sound options to check for outdated sound drivers - it's listed as 3 years old.

Oh, and since you have more than 4GB of RAM, have you tried the CFF and/or DEP tricks? Link in "read this first" sticky called "Crash Workarounds".

Failing all of the above, you could try 2 or more of the programs in Downloads by ford(can't remember his full UN) that is supposed to tackle the LAA and crash problems, well essentially doing all those things that have been suggested above via a program (or two); except for tweaking in Options, or updating drivers, or recreating user files, or muting sound.
Erm, well..maybe you don't need those programs, after all...it only automates the LAA thing done by CFF Explorer, well not really automates since you still need to download, install the program and click a button, but it would handle the backing up and stuff that you might otherwise forget.

[kingdonlwt]

Catalyst version is 2010.0406.2133.36843 and I really dont know about the previous driver being uninstalled properly.

Yes, I renamed Sims 3 folder to Sims 3 Backup and started afresh.

I'll check the visual and sound options now.

Whats CFF and DEP?

[tortadellatazza]

I've been having the exact same problem,but I don't even have ambitions yet. I've tried everything including changing DEP settings,deleting cache files,checked over and over for conflicting cc,reinstalled everything,ran it without cc, and limiting my cc to a handful of files I know are safe. If I enter buy mode immediately upon entering the lot its fine, but as soon as I hit live mode,after a half a second it crashes. :cry:

[werismyki]

see the Game Help:Crash workarounds Guide

[ellacharmed]

Catalyst versions are in 10.x series now. Current latest being 10.8.
Where are you downloading these drivers from? You should get from here http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

[kingdonlwt]

I did the CFF/LAA/DEP things and noticed my windows update wanted to update a graphics driver, so I don't know what did it but one of them worked, I can finally play Ambitions :D

Thanks for the help everyone.