Help! All a sudden my game isn't working right...

[kittyh1981]

For about 2 years my games have worked just fine then about a month ago I was getting an error "sims 3 unable to start game please reinstall the base game" So I did but it didn't work so I did what I really didn't want to have to do. I back up'ed all my CC and uninstalled all the games then re-installed. Then I ran the system requirement test just to make sure all was fine and I passed the test the highest you can pass it. Before I added an CC back I tried running the game and was super excited it started right up but as soon as I pick a town and it loads everything gets all choppy...all the graphics are chopped up...can barely see sims in Sim creator cause he/she is full of so many wholes. It says my games are up to date, I downloaded patches...and made sure all my drivers were up to date...don't know what else to do :(

[whiterider]

General - Post System Specs
We need more information before we can help with your issue.
Please post a Quick summary of your System Specs
Instructions on finding them are here: Game Help:System Specs.
Please Do NOT post your complete DxDiag report in your thread.

[kittyh1981]

General - Post System Specs
We need more information before we can help with your issue.
Please post a Quick summary of your System Specs
Instructions on finding them are here: Game Help:System Specs.
Please Do NOT post your complete DxDiag report in your thread.




Ok, I uninstalled and reinstalled all the games...there is no custom content and yet everything is still choppy and sims have holes all in them...I don't know why it is doing this all a sudden.. here is my system info


Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.120402-0336)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: DX4200-09
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) 9100e Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs), ~1.8GHz
Memory: 3838MB RAM
Page File: 3861MB used, 4043MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18107 32bit Unicode

[Ghost sdoj]

I don't see anything about a graphics card in there. DO you have a separate card, or integrated graphics?

[whiterider]

That model doesn't come with a graphics card - did you install one yourself?

[kittyh1981]

I don't see anything about a graphics card in there. DO you have a separate card, or integrated graphics?

Oh sorry! Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9610)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9610&SUBSYS_01551025&REV_00
Display Memory: 1916 MB
Dedicated Memory: 252 MB
Shared Memory: 1663 MB
Current Mode: 1360 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver Version: 8.17.0010.1124 (English)
DDI Version: 10
BGRA Supported: Yes
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 4/5/2012 22:20:04, 1067520 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D550-11CF-F177-5F21BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x9610
SubSys ID: 0x01551025
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C


The computer came with the graphics card I asked for the best one I could get for my price of 800.00 from the people at Best Buy. I told them I play sims 3 often and wanted the best graphics cards for my money. I update it regularly also.

[kittyh1981]

Also, here is results from Imsiminater system requirements test for the game:


Minimum

CPU
Minimum: Pentium 4 or equivalent
You Have: AMD Phenom(tm) 9100e Quad-Core Processor
PASS

CPU Speed
Minimum: For XP 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 processor or equivalent / For Windows Vista and Windows 7 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 Processor or equivalent
You Have: 1.8 GHz Performance Rated at: 3.60 GHz
PASS

RAM
Minimum: For XP 1 GB RAM / For Windows Vista and Windows 7 1.5 GB RAM (NVIDIA ION™ computers, the game requires at least 2 GB RAM)
You Have: 3.8 GB
PASS

OS
Minimum: Windows XP SP2 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7
You Have: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition Service Pack 2 (build 6002), 64-bit
PASS
Click here for the latest Windows drivers.

Video Card
Minimum: 128 MB Video Card, with support for Pixel Shader 2.0 (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 or above / ATI Radeon 9500 or above / Intel GMA 3-series or above) [GeForce FX series unsupported under Vista]
You Have: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
PASS
Click here for the latest Video drivers.
Features: Minimum attributes of your Video Card
Required You Have
Video RAM 128 MB 1.9 GB
Pixel Shader version 2.0 4.0

Free Disk Space
Minimum: At Least 3.5 GB (9.6 GB of hard drive space if installing with The Sims 3) of hard drive space with at least 1 GB of additional space for custom content and saved games
You Have: 323.8 GB


I was on the phone with EAGames support for an hour and 30 mins today..the could not figure out the problem either.




Oh sorry! Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9610)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9610&SUBSYS_01551025&REV_00
Display Memory: 1916 MB
Dedicated Memory: 252 MB
Shared Memory: 1663 MB
Current Mode: 1360 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver Version: 8.17.0010.1124 (English)
DDI Version: 10
BGRA Supported: Yes
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 4/5/2012 22:20:04, 1067520 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D550-11CF-F177-5F21BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x9610
SubSys ID: 0x01551025
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C


The computer came with the graphics card I asked for the best one I could get for my price of 800.00 from the people at Best Buy. I told them I play sims 3 often and wanted the best graphics cards for my money. I update it regularly also.

[kittyh1981]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3380619235400&set=a.1058480143374.2009137.1266994528&type=1&theater

This is what it looks inside my game, town and houses are even worse...

[Belzader]

There is a bug in the 12.4 drivers, which can cause issues like this on some cards, AMD have released a hot fix:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst124ahotfix.aspx
Though The Sims 3 isn't listed in the affected game, others have reported issues with the 12.4 drivers, so try the hot fix, if that doesn't work, uninstall and install 12.3.

[Mordant17]

Those can you run it tests are unreliable. Your graphics card can't handle the game. If you take a look at the system requirements (http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_System_Requirements) here on MTS, you'll see your card listed as a "maybe" for the base game and "no" for everything afterward.

I recommend you read the following:
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Onboard_Graphics
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Your_Computer_is_Like_a_Car

[kittyh1981]

Thanks guys but I figured out the problem..there was a bug with AMD they sent an automatic update to me that wasn't for my card and when I updated it messed everything up...I called them and they spotted the problem..had me uninstall the last driver update and then everything worked great! Thanks!

[Mordant17]

You should still check out those articles I linked. Playing without a real graphics card can damage your computer, even if it is working now.

[kittyh1981]

You should still check out those articles I linked. Playing without a real graphics card can damage your computer, even if it is working now.


OK I sure will! That's what I was worried about. Thanks.