Loading certain lots crashes the game

[gummilutt]

I recently purchased the last two stuff packs I was missing, and was rather excited to play, but after installing them and loading up the game, it turns out that attempting to load up the family I play the most with, will crash the game.

It gets to the fifth "bar" of the loading process, and then crashes. The Stuff packs I was missing were Kitchen & Bath, and Mansion & Garden. I've tried installing both, just K&B, or just M&G, and same problem. I've done it with custom content, I've done it without, and no change.

Other lots seem fine, however, I only really played seriously with two lots, both of which do crash upon loading. The things they have in common are
1) Lot size. They are both max size.
2) Huge amounts of CC

Like I said, I have tried removing my downloads, and it's the same with or without. I've tried removing it before installing, I've tried removing it after. I've read through the guide to prepare for installation, and it seems to me I tried everything mentioned. I did most of the game help FAQ. I will admit I have not removed my user files (aside from clearing cache), as it's related to specific lots that are hard to replicate, and I figure it's obvious removing the houses will issue no crash, but that doesn't really help me =P

I should add that if I un-install the packs, and revert back to my pre-installation backup, it loads the family just fine. None of the sims on the lot were at work when last saved, and neither has a custom career. The stuff packs were both physical discs, and FT/AL are both download version.

Not sure what else to add, hopefully someone out there can help me figure this out, because I sure can't seem to.

System speccs (I hope I got it right, let me know if something is missing)

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.120503-2030)
Language: Swedish (Regional Setting: Swedish)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/05/10 19:13:52 Ver: 08.00.10
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 CPU @ 3.10GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.1GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4078MB RAM
Page File: 2908MB used, 5244MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled

Card name: ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x68B8)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_68B8&SUBSYS_03B61043&REV_00
Display Memory: 2797 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1014 MB
Shared Memory: 1782 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Allmän PnP-bildskärm
Monitor Model: L1919S
Monitor Id: GSM4AF0
Native Mode: 1280 x 1024(p) (60.020Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1132 (English)
Driver Version: 8.980.0.0
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail


Description: Högtalare (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0892&SUBSYS_1043841B&REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.6196 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 5/14/2011 11:05:20, 2484072 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
HW Accel Level: Basic
Cap Flags: 0xF1F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

Description: Realtek Digital Output(Optical) (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0892&SUBSYS_1043841B&REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.6196 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes

Drive: C:
Free Space: 85.8 GB
Total Space: 468.9 GB
File System: NTFS

[Mootilda]

Have you done the Game_Help:Game_Problem FAQ? At the very least, you should make sure that it's not a CC problem. Mansion and Gardens updates the game engine, which can make any of your hacks incompatible with your current configuration. Although, I notice that you have the problem with K&B and that would still be using your previous engine.

I gather that everything was working fine before you installed the new EP and SP? Is it possible that your lot was corrupted somehow during the process? Did you make a backup before installing the new packs? Does that backup still work if you uninstall the two new packs?

Did you get any errors during installation of the new packs? Installation errors can sometimes have subtle effects.

[gummilutt]

Have you done the Game_Help:Game_Problem FAQ? At the very least, you should make sure that it's not a CC problem. Mansion and Gardens updates the game engine, which can make any of your hacks incompatible with your current configuration. Although, I notice that you have the problem with K&B and that would still be using your previous engine.

I gather that everything was working fine before you installed the new EP and SP? Is it possible that your lot was corrupted somehow during the process? Did you make a backup before installing the new packs? Does that backup still work if you uninstall the two new packs?

Did you get any errors during installation of the new packs? Installation errors can sometimes have subtle effects.

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post, yes, I did do the Game Problem FAQ, all the way up until removing user files. I am aware that one is supposed to do all of it, but as I explained, the problem only happens with two specific lots and if I remove user files, then those are gone and I can no longer test if it does happen or not. If anyone has suggestions of how to test it when removing files, then I'd be more than happy to, I just don't know how. I did remove cache files.

The very first thing I did was remove all my CC and hacks, as I figured something was incompatible, but having CC or not makes no difference. After reading the installation-issues section, I also tried removing all CC before installing a SP, but it does the same thing.

Everything did work fine before installing the SP's. FT/AL worked fine when I got them, I only mentioned them in case mixing physical discs and downloads could be the issue. I did backup the game first, and if I uninstall the SP's and revert back to it, the lots load without a problem again.

I didn't know the lots could possibly corrupt without playing them, what could cause that? I don't know if it's helpful, but, whenever I make a house I like I move it to house catalog (without the family, house only) so I can place it as many times as I want. During one of the tests, with K&B installed, I placed the house again and moved the family from one of the houses that does not work in to the new house, and then it loaded just fine despite being at least 80% the same.

There were no errors while installing either of the games. I've tried installing each about 3 times, and haven't gotten any messages during any of the installations.

[Mootilda]

I believe that I've seen people use DVDs and downloaded games before without any problems.

Any file on your hard drive can be corrupted if your hard drive develops an error. This is pretty rare, but I'm having problems thinking of any reason why you're having problems with these lots, so I'm just trying to rule things out. You've got me stumped.

Have you checked the temperatures on your computer when attempting to load one of the problem lots?

[gummilutt]

Have not checked temperature no, I'll do that after I'm done with my own test. Currently testing to move out the family before installing, to see if I can load the lot without them in it. I doubt I'll be able to, but worth a shot I guess.

Glad I'm not the only one stumped by this. My only theory so far would be that with CC, there is a conflict, and without CC, it crashes because it overloads from trying to convert all the CC to what they were cloned from.

I know a file can corrupt at random, but what are the odds if that happening six times in a row? There's got to be some other explanation, but, what, who knows.

EDIT: My test with moving out family and then installing did not work. It still crashes at the exact same spot. And temperature of CPU is 78 celcius, system over all is 33.

[Mootilda]

Can you play the family alright without that lot? Have you considered giving up on the lot?

[gummilutt]

I did not test that with the family I care about, but the other one worked, so I imagine it would. However, I've spent at least 20 hours building that lot, perfecting details and making it look real, so if the choice is move the families or not install the SP's, then the SP's are out =P K&B sounds great, but, I can live without bath robes if it means rebuilding that house for the fourth time (long story xD).

I appreciate you trying to help though. I guess I'll just have to accept there's some weird error that I can't figure out nor fix.

EDIT: I got K&B to work. I decided to check more lots if they worked or not, and realized in a much smaller one that CC was not loading despite being told to, so I set it to activate CC and not ask upon starting, restarted the game, and suddenly it worked. I suppose it may have been CC not loading every attempt, and that being the problem, who knows. Either way, I'm not that bothered with M&G, so I'll leave it this way for now =)