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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Feb 2016 at 11:18 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 3, World Adventures, Ambitions, Late Night, Generations, Pets, Showtime, Supernatural, Seasons, University Life, Island Paradise, Into the Future
Sims 3 Won't start at all (Removed Mods Folder)
Hello, I have a problem with the Sims 3 game just starting up (the launcher works fine except for the installing/uninstalling sims3packs, has the same problem as start up) whenever I try to play the sims 3 the it starts up as usual, but it loads forever (I know when it works because when it works it takes only a minute for the maxis icon to show after I click play on the launcher, though no problems there), It basically loads in an UNENDING FASHION (the screen is black and the mouse has the loading form that is used on the desktop when things are loading, it stays this way FOREVER), I leave over night to buffer and not only has it not completely loaded it is also frozen in the process of crashing.

I have an Emachines with a AMD E-300 dual-core processer, an AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics card, 8GB Memory card, and a 500GB Hard Drive. Was originally Windows 7 but was upgraded to Windows 10 a few months ago.

as for the things I did to fix it I removed my mods folder, Deleted my cache Files (up to 12 times each after I had this problem, but no change), though I'm not sure if this I should include this or not but I deleted the files in my saves folder (it had files named like Appaloosa, Bridgeport, Isla Paradiso, and another but I can't quite remember what it was except it was the name of a world that was not from the store, from the exchange, or a custom world).
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In the Arena
retired moderator
#2 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 8:09 AM
Don't just stop at the mods folder and chaces, continue to step #3 http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title..._3_Game_Problem

What happens with new user folders? Can the game start then?

What version are you on?
The CPU (dual core @1.3GHz) is very very very very underspec'd for this game, perhaps it is just throwing the towel...
Instructor
#3 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 12:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Auronoi
Was originally Windows 7 but was upgraded to Windows 10 a few months ago.


This could be the same case like in this thread http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=570283

Have you update your hardware drivers to windows 10 compatible drivers? If not, then that's the most likely scenario like in the thread I mentioned above. AMD E-300 is ok for TS3, even an old single core Pentium 4 can run TS3 reasonably well
Site Helper
#4 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 12:34 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Auronoi
, though I'm not sure if this I should include this or not but I deleted the files in my saves folder (it had files named like Appaloosa, Bridgeport, Isla Paradiso, and another but I can't quite remember what it was except it was the name of a world that was not from the store, from the exchange, or a custom world).


Those were saved games.... They are gone now. I hope you weren't too attached to any of them.

In the future, moving them to the desktop or another location out of the Sims 3 folder would be a better option than deleting them.

I am Ghost. My husband is sidneydoj. I post, he downloads, and I wanted to keep my post count.
Group for Avatar Makers* Funny Stories *2017 Yearbook
In the Arena
retired moderator
#5 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 12:51 PM
Quote:
AMD E-300 is ok for TS3, even an old single core Pentium 4 can run TS3 reasonably well
I beg to differ. I really wish people would stop with this "weak machine is OK to run Sims 3 (or 2 or 4 or Medieval or whatever)". It can load the game, sure; maybe a few months or a year atmost, if the play sessions are kept to 2hrs per day, like once a week, maybe. But it CANNOT RUN the game smoothly, fully patched with all Packs installed, lag-free with no start-up issues beyond the 2nd year mark if you're lucky. I hate to give people false hope and then 2 months later shrug and say "I told you so...". I would rather people save their money for a much longer period to afford a better machine and experience a reasonably well-enough gameplay experience for 3 years or more on the same machine. Primarily because historically EA sucks at putting out quality, bug-free Games.

Statistics-wise, for the past 6 years while I help out in the Help forums, a lot of underspec'd machines show up here with "lag" and "crash" and "unable-to-start" reports much sooner than later; compared to almost never for a properly spec'd machine. Outside of user-errors and basic EA bug fails, of course...

I'm not trying to be dismissive of anyone's plight and brush it of as a "insufficient hardware that don't meet specs" issue; and I know it is disheartening to hear "your machine can't run it!" but you cannot workaround an "insufficient hardware" issue indefinitely; it would bite your ass sooner rather than later.
Instructor
#6 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 3:30 PM Last edited by PapaEmy : 9th Feb 2016 at 4:53 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by ellacharmed
I beg to differ. I really wish people would stop with this "weak machine is OK to run Sims 3 (or 2 or 4 or Medieval or whatever)". It can load the game, sure; maybe a few months or a year atmost, if the play sessions are kept to 2hrs per day, like once a week, maybe. But it CANNOT RUN the game smoothly, fully patched with all Packs installed, lag-free with no start-up issues beyond the 2nd year mark if you're lucky. I hate to give people false hope and then 2 months later shrug and say "I told you so...". I would rather people save their money for a much longer period to afford a better machine and experience a reasonably well-enough gameplay experience for 3 years or more on the same machine. Primarily because historically EA sucks at putting out quality, bug-free Games.

Statistics-wise, for the past 6 years while I help out in the Help forums, a lot of underspec'd machines show up here with "lag" and "crash" and "unable-to-start" reports much sooner than later; compared to almost never for a properly spec'd machine. Outside of user-errors and basic EA bug fails, of course...

I'm not trying to be dismissive of anyone's plight and brush it of as a "insufficient hardware that don't meet specs" issue; and I know it is disheartening to hear "your machine can't run it!" but you cannot workaround an "insufficient hardware" issue indefinitely; it would bite your ass sooner rather than later.


Well.. I didn't say single core Pentium 4 can run TS3 with all EPs and SPs like if somebody have core i7 extreme with all the heavy high-end stuff in their rig, because it did runs good, I set it up by my self for my niece, my sister won't buy her a new PC, so I helped her out at least how to make it work for the BG, and it's actually even runs good with WA plus AMB after I've patched it with 1.67 and some few mods from NRASS and Awesome Mod that helps the game performance, it was the last Pentium 4 model @3.0ghz LGA775 with 2GB ram, and X1600 Ati Radeon video card runs with XP as its OS. Well it's not much, but at least I can be happy seeing my 6 yrs old niece playing TS3 with her big smile on her face, well.. she didn't play it like most of us here I guess, she likes to dress her sims well in CAS with beautiful hair, clothing, make-ups etc.

The point I was trying to show here is, that TS3 is not actually so demanding on hardware, it depends on how we set it up to match the system we might have, at first I also don't get it why the game was so laggy and everyone here knows how buggy it was. TS3 even killed my GTX280 because it needs FPS limiter that I didn't know I need it at the 1st place. I almost give up to play the game, but because my daughter wants to play it so badly.. then I read all the technical help site here to understand how the game runs from technical point of view, so I went to the help site, I read all of them.. from CC to Installation, to Gameplay Guides, to Technical and Graphic Issues and Miscellaneous Issues and the answers are all there, I just read them and follow the advice and instructions, and finally I understand that TS3 is not perfect so it needs some tweaks to runs as is suppose to.

I personally don't assume that anyone would like to throw some money to build a rig just for gaming, not everyone here wants to build high-end rig especially just for TS3, so what I was trying to help is, what can be done with what they already have, and make them understand how their machine is capable playing this game, unless they want spend more money on their rig is their choice, even with the best cpu, rams, ssd, video cards etc.., TS3 will still be laggy and freeze sometime if it don't get tweaks, so the problem is not on the machine, but the game, TS3 is already broken when it came out from EA, and that's what the help site do here to help, but not everyone have the same technical understanding for tweaking the game so the game would run as is suppose to be.

If people around here basically acknowledge that the game, TS3, is broken out of the box, and that they need to read the help site first to run their game as is suppose to be, then it would be a different matter, if anyone here would help anybody that needs help then go ahead and help them out, but telling them to buy a new machine won't stop them coming back here asking for help when they need to, because the problem is that the game is broken, and now Microsoft pushing everyone to upgrade to windows 10, but they never tell them that they need to update their drivers with win 10 compatible drivers to make their machine works properly for windows 10.. lol
In the Arena
retired moderator
#7 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 3:52 PM
I think you kinda supported my point there about machines: don't make generalizations. You see that you now need to qualify your statement about Pentium CPU and a game with all EPs+SPs installed. Most Simmers would take that "even an old single core Pentium 4 can run TS3 reasonably well" statement to mean that someone out there is giving them the greenlight that they can now install Sims 3, patched to 1.69 and "run TS3 reasonably well" because this is the current patch we're at now. Just like all those folks who follow the Can You Run IT site suggestions blindly, with no context nor understanding that the site is only basing their analysis on the unpatch release version of the game with no EPs+SPs installed.

Also, not everyone would take the time to read like you did. Hell, people don't even read and follow the wiki articles that I link to most times, they think it is merely a "suggestion".

1. barebones machines not meant for gaming can run the game if all you're interested in is creating Sims in CAS and not legacy gameplay
2. if you want to run legacy games or have all Packs and CC under the Sun, then you'd need a beefier machine than a laptop that is meant to just let you surf the Interwebz and do emails
3. Sims games don't need a NASA-grade workstation, but it doesn't hurt if you have the money to throw away to support your hobby
4. you'd need to be a good reader and researcher to be a Simmer who have good gameplay experience

I did not even mention Windows 10, because to me the machine might not even be approved to run it, since the drivers won't be available. I didn't want to open that can of worms to suggest @Auronoi go back to the previous OS since it might cause more issues. My suggestion to do step#3 is to see if it is a simple user folder getting corrupted issue or confirm that the machine is done with Sims 3 when a clean user folder cannot load the game anymore.

I don't want to derail the thread to debate the weak vs expensive machines, so I'll just await OP's response....
Instructor
#8 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 5:38 PM
I know you didn't mentioned about the win 10, but it was mentioned above by the OP. Of course I supported your point about machines, but I wasn't trying to give the wrong interpretations about the old machine with TS3 nor here for debate as well, I just forgot that I didn't mentioned its limitation like I forgot that i didn't mentioned that my niece is not 6 yrs old anymore, she's now 8.. lol, but hey she still play it in that old pentium 4 up til now, and she does play some legacy gameplay as well, but maybe for her own world of gaming like going to school, fishing etc.. well she never play the game for more than 1 or 2 hours otherwise her mom would call me and yell at me "look what you did to my kids!!" .. lol

Anyway back to topic, the OP has win 10 installed, and that usually the case for people upgrading to win 10, is not like previous windows that people usually buy computer with its windows installed, and now they have to deal with win 10 proper installation since it's offered as free upgrade, it's different case for people that familiar and have technical knowledge about building rig and installing the OS manually, but for people that not familiar with its technical procedure it could be tricky for them and they would thought that after win 10 installed then that's it it's all set and done, well.. it's not, and this could lead to further misunderstanding about new problems, well it will give them problem if they don't have win 10 proper drivers for their system for instance, that's why I mentioned about win 10 above because they want people to upgrade to win 10 therefore they put it as "recommended update" but they didn't tell that users needs to replace their drivers afterward, well it's a different and newer system for God's sake.. it's not just an "update".. lol

Well anyway.. to the OP, can you please post your windows 10 build version here? Have you installed win 10 compatible drivers for your notebook/laptop or PC? Is it Acer or Asus or something else? Can you be more specific?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#9 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 6:32 PM
Not to to be rude but the sims 3 was working fantastically up until two days ago, I only had a bug which I'm sure everybody has (It involves building in build mode, and not being to load anything[do to infinite load it cases{it happened during the patch in november or december of 2015}]), this bug happened to me yesterday of almost a year of playing the sims 3 (the windows 10 was only during december of 2015, I first got the sims 3 in june of the same year, plus the two new memery cards that doubled or even tripled the memory of 4GB of memory, and that was only a week after my dad updated my operating system from windows 7 to windows 10, that was only like a month ago from today, again the problem happened yasterday (probably to clarify the the problem, or at least to show you whats happening to me, open up the launcher, click play the sims 3 [If those of you who bypassed this skip this step] from that point to when you see a difference in the picture[such as the maxis logo], the point between that is where I'm stuck), it stays in on that screen showing it's loading but it never actually transitions to the Maxis Logo, I've tried removing my Mods Folder, Nothing Changes, I've deleted all my Cache Files 12 times over, Nothing Changes, I remove my Saved Games (personally Idon't care so long as I'm able to just get my game to start, Besides, I'm pretty sure there's hardly anything there in any of them [I never really went all that far into the gameplay / or stayed that long in my saves {I've practically started almost 50/60 familys by now and haven't kept any of them}]) it's probably moot point about this but I'VE PLAYED THE SIMS 3 FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW AND ONLY NOW IS BEING UNRESPONSIVE!!!! (Aside from the launcher, that actually starts up as usual), I'm not asking for a debate on whether my computer can handle it, I' asking people to AT LEAST GIVE ME SOME DECENT ADVICE AS TO WHAT I CAN DO TO FIX THIS SO I CAN PLAY THE SIMS 3 AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (hopefully without further problems), (sorry if I'm sounding histarical, but frankly I'm shocked that there are ten posts (more or less) that are part of a debate that my computer can't handle the Sims 3 full Exp. S.P., S.C. [store content, I'may have a lot but it hasn't slown down so far, same for CC Sims3Packs {theres so much every time I try to Unstall some of it the Launcher crashes just loading the full list}])... please, I'm just asking for some help...
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#10 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 6:39 PM
Oh, and to clarify who did the upgrade to Windows 10, it was not me (JEEZ, I don't even know where to start with this stuff) it was my Dad, who just happens to run a SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER in ARGONNE NATIONAL LABS (he mainly uses the supercomputer to simulate evacuation routes (I beleave his team or group that did this was called TRACCE [somewhere along those lines]), still knows computers better than most dads,so don't start saying that the windows 10 installation was bad either.
Instructor
#11 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 6:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Auronoi
Not to to be rude but the sims 3 was working fantastically up until two days ago, I only had a bug which I'm sure everybody has (It involves building in build mode, and not being to load anything[do to infinite load it cases{it happened during the patch in november or december of 2015}]), this bug happened to me yesterday of almost a year of playing the sims 3 (the windows 10 was only during december of 2015, I first got the sims 3 in june of the same year


Ok, is this patch Nov/Dec is for TS3 patch 1.69 or for Windows 10 patch to upgrade to build 10586? Because if it's TS3 patch 1.69, there's a problem about that and there's a thread discussing about that patch in general section, and if the patch was for win 10 10586 update, some of your drivers could be blocked from running. I got Lenovo E-330 laptop, it's battery power management software was working fine in win 10 build 10240, but after Nov update to build 10586, win 10 blocked my battery power management to run in win 10 as well as for some other device's drivers so I have to do some tweaks to run them in win 10 10586.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 7:55 PM
The sims 3 patch, in terms of my operating system it works perfectly fine with my computer (though what exactly do you mean by drivers being blocked)?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#13 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 7:56 PM
Also I wasn't quite sure which patch level I'm on, though I'm checking that now.

Edit: Yep It's 1.69! (plus it's nice to get some help instead of a debate).
Instructor
#14 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 8:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Auronoi
The sims 3 patch, in terms of my operating system it works perfectly fine with my computer (though what exactly do you mean by drivers being blocked)?


Some of the hardware drivers were not able to be installed let alone running it that's what I mean, but we can go around it, if your computer is a desktop PC, I don't think you will have that kind of problem, but if it's a notebook or laptop then you could be because these are the ones that been block in some cases, like my battery power management driver and program for my laptop, and it's only happened in win 10 build 10586 (not previous build version which was 10240).

If you're sure that the patch was for TS3 and the patch was 1.69 (as you can check it in the launcher menu), then I think the problem is more related to the troublesome patch 1.69 itself, as you can found them here http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=567284 , I don't know much about this patch since I never patched my TS3 to 1.69 as soon as I know it has some trouble with the game after patching it to 1.69..

And in addition that you mentioned that your TS3 was running well under win 10 for sometime ago, then it shouldn't be about win 10 having trouble running your TS3 (though it could be in win 10 build 10586) as it was on the thread's link I mentioned above, because that was because of his/her laptop don't have win 10 compatible driver for win 10 to run his/her dual/switchable GPUs laptop.
Site Helper
#15 Old 9th Feb 2016 at 9:19 PM
*trying to stay out of the "underpowered computer" debate*

Have you read this: http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...r_is_Like_a_Car ?
It explains how a game that was just fine yesterday can suddenly start having problems due to overstressing the hardware....

Although it could also very easily be a problem with that silly patch.

I am Ghost. My husband is sidneydoj. I post, he downloads, and I wanted to keep my post count.
Group for Avatar Makers* Funny Stories *2017 Yearbook
In the Arena
retired moderator
#17 Old 10th Feb 2016 at 1:23 AM
Quote: Originally posted by ellacharmed
Don't just stop at the mods folder and chaces, continue to step #3 http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title..._3_Game_Problem

What happens with new user folders? Can the game start then?
I still didn't see an answer regarding my question...? You mentioned Mods, caches and Saves, but not the whole user folder...
I don't have further suggestions to try until I know how the laptop behaves with clean, new user folders.

Everything you described regarding the problem could be explained by the Car article in the wiki ghost_sdoj linked to. But yeah, I cannot help if I got no info. The Windows 10 upgrade + patch combo problem could be possible, but still need to rule out user folder corruption issue.

If game cannot even start with new user folders, then we look at the program files: maybe the patching process botch a file update and you need a clean uninstall and reinstall....so again, I cannot definitively give a suggestion until I get the outcome of doing step#3.

Or...did I miss it in all that rant?

The path to troubleshooting is usually, in determining what was recently changed in:
- user documents
- TS3 program files
- other program files like Origin updates, installing drivers or other software
- OS system + hardware (which is why I started off asking about user files and not Windows 10 upgrade)
- any specific changes to any of the above would also help.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#18 Old 10th Feb 2016 at 2:05 AM
Well to answer all of this, and I happen to be playing the sims 3 on a PC, and for the record I'm not sure what you mean by user files, the files I said I deleted were located some where in the documents folder (They were titled ISLA PARADISO, BRIDGEPORT, APPALOOSA, there was a fourth one but I'm fairly certain it was one of the Main Worlds, the ones from the basegame or EXP's), though I probably need clarification on what you mean by User Files (is it located in the Origin Games folder, or the Documents folder).
In the Arena
retired moderator
#19 Old 10th Feb 2016 at 2:26 AM
Sigh....I'd just mention people not clicking any links I link to...

I meant doing this:
- the renaming and then testing the game as if you've freshly installed the game, with no cc, no saves, no caches, nothing.
Screenshots
Instructor
#20 Old 10th Feb 2016 at 9:52 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Auronoi
Well to answer all of this, and I happen to be playing the sims 3 on a PC, and for the record I'm not sure what you mean by user files, the files I said I deleted were located some where in the documents folder (They were titled ISLA PARADISO, BRIDGEPORT, APPALOOSA, there was a fourth one but I'm fairly certain it was one of the Main Worlds, the ones from the basegame or EXP's), though I probably need clarification on what you mean by User Files (is it located in the Origin Games folder, or the Documents folder).


The TS3 user files is the one located in Documents folder, in Win 7 or 8 or 10 is Documents\ElectronicArts\TheSims3, but since you have patch 1.69 installed, I think it's best if you can removed the 1.69 patch, I read it somewhere that patching it back with super-patch 1.67 can removed/replaced the 1.69 to 1.67, but I'm not really sure myself because I never try that as I never patched my TS3 to 1.69, and if that's not removed/replaced the 1.69, you could try by uninstalling the whole TS3 BG EPs and SPs, clean all TS3 related registry in the windows registry, restart your PC and do a new fresh and clean TS3 installation and patch it to 1.67, you'll need TS3 BG EPs SPs original discs for this step.
Field Researcher
#21 Old 10th Feb 2016 at 8:51 PM
If I were you..........I would simply reinstall Sims 3 (by creating a new folder with the launcher) and then simply patch to 1.67 and forget patch 1.69. Just a suggestion.
Link for patch http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...lp:TS3_Patching
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