Hi
I notice the setting screen in sims3 turns black
after playing for a little while and i get problems like some sims getting blurry and won`t look normal at all even though i pause the game, even the thumbnails of them won`t update, they go blank and the game can`t be saved. If i try, it either dissapear, or error code 12, or 13 comes up.
My pc is brand new and meets all requirements.
I don`t use any mods, i did once to get the superpc, but, it didn`t work as i`m not american?
I uninstalled it as it only gave me trouble, it was then the black settings started and it haven`t stopped. Any suggestions what to do, i have tried things without luck. Thanks for any help..

Please post a Quick Summary of your System Specs for us to check for issues. Sim 3 is a memory hog.
Below is a sample 'form' you can use to help you out. You'll need to copy and paste the entire template below, and fill it in.

==System==
* Operating System:
* System Manufacturer
* System Model
* Processor:
* Memory:
* Page File:
* DirectX Version:

==Display==
* Name:
* Manufacturer:
* Chip Type:
* Approx. Total Memory:
* Main Driver:
* Version:
* Driver Date:

==Sound==
* Description:
* Driver Name:
* Driver Version:
* Date:

==Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives==
* Drive:
* Free Space:
* Total Space:
* File System:
* Model:

I tried, lol.

==System==

* Operating System: WIN 7, 64 BIT
* System Manufacturer PACKARD BELL
* System Model IXTREME M5120
* Processor: AMD PHENOM(TM)2 X 4 820 PROCESSOR 2,80 GHZ
* Memory: 8,00 GB
* Page File:
* DirectX Version: DIRECTX 11

==Display==

* Name: NVIDIA GeForce GT 230
* Manufacturer: NVIDIA
* Chip Type:
* Approx. Total Memory:
* Main Driver:
* Version: 8.17.11.9745
* Driver Date: 03.04.2010

==Sound==

* Description:
* Driver Name: Realtek high definition audio
* Driver Version: 6.0.1.5874
* Date: 16.06.2009

==Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives==

* Drive: Ataqpi dvd a dh16aash ata device
* Free Space:
* Total Space:
* File System:
* Model:

Specs seem to be ok, shouldn't be the issue. Do you have any Custom Content in your game now?
What game version are you currently running? What settings are your options set at currently?
Have you tried steps from this thread. Though I dont think it will help the black screen stuff.
It may help you with the error 12 and 13 issues though.
Since you mention the PC being new, does that include the monitor?

Deactivated desktop composition today to see if that makes any difference. Yes, i have custom content and it`s tested
with sim3 dashboard, no conflicts there and i don`t use any hacks. The game is totally up to date, have all EP`s and all
patches. In your link it says in the topic "DasmX86Dll.dll not found", i don`t get that message, you think it`s a good
idea to try CFF Explorer anyway? Haven`t seen that thread before so thanks. The monitor is quite new yes, a great one.
One more crash and i think i`m gonna try CCF Explorer.. Thanks so much for trying to help.

That graphics card isn't fantastic, but it should be able to cope. Have you checked that it's not overheating? HWmonitor is a great lightweight tool for doing so if not - run it for 30 minutes or so while using the computer normally, screencap the results; then do the same while playing TS3 (either for 30 minutes or until it crashes). If you have trouble interpreting the results, post the screenshots here.

CFF Explorer may help with the crashes, so yes it's worth trying.

Well, it dissapeared on me again no error code this time, but, there was a bug with 3 sims turning black in the game,
one totally black and 2 partly black, any ideas what is best to do? I will try the overheating test now. Thanks.
------
I could attach image, but, i couldn`t get back to this post after i did that, so it couldn`t be uploaded? It was 75 c on the nvidia geforce gt 30 gpu core temperatures. That was the highest when playing sims,
but, if you let me know how to attach properly i can try again.
------
Installed CFF Explorer just fine and did what i had to do. Played sims3 for a while, saw a partly black sim, but, could save the game anyway. After a while it crashed to desktop without any warnings..

Black or partially black sims has been linked to custom content involving clothing or tattoo's. In order to better solve your problem, please go through the following as listed below:

• Sims 3 - Game lags or fails to load or is glitchy
  Issues
  1. Have you just updated to a newer patch or installed a new Expansion Pack and/or Stuff Pack?
  2. Do you suddenly find your game is failing to load past the loading bar or after selecting your save game? Or does it take hours to load when previously it only took minutes?
  3. Do you experience glitches like
     • missing books, traits, cannot carry out skill-related activities, etc
     • have long strings name with paths instead of the objects' names
     • missing previously installed content
     • and many more
  
  
  Causes
  Then, you have custom content that is not compatible with this new game version or is broken/corrupted by the patching/installing.
  If you have a core mod that is not compatible, the game would simply crash back to Desktop.
  
  
  Solution
  Move all your custom content from \Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages, or whichever game folder you maintained your Custom Content in, to the Desktop temporarily. You can also use MonkeyBars to disable the CC-Framework so the game will not read the \Mods\Packages folders.
  
  To determine if it is content-related, follow this FAQ on how to GameHelp:Remove_TS3_Custom_Content^wiki; don't forget the *caches and test using a New game.
  If the New game can load and has no issues, the problem is caused by your .packages CC.
  
  If you're still experiencing issues, rename \...Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 to something else, so the game will re-generate a new set of user's folders when you next load a New game to test.
  If the New game can load and has no issues, the problem is caused by your .Sims3Packs CC or some other files in your previous User folders.
  
  
  Fixing your game
  • If the problem is with .packages CC
    • If the new game can load, then read this FAQ on how to rectify the Lag issue and to find the problem content: Game_Help:Package_File_Lag^wiki.
      
    • If you have glitches, remove the hacks folder or the folder where you placed all the hacks or mods - tuning mods, object mods, script mods.
      
    • If your custom content does not show up, verify framework is still intact using MonkeyBars or Dashboard. Also verify on creators' downloads pages if the CC item needs to be updated for the patch/pack.
      
    • If none of the above helps in identifying the problem content, do the 50% method: split your CC into halves. Place one half at a time to test. If one batch is fine, then that goes in the good CC category, so you concentrate on the other half. When you have a batch that causes the same glitch, half that again, and so on...you might need to refresh caches each time you load the game Game_Help:Sims_3_Delete_Cache_Files^wiki.
  • If the problem is with .Sims3Packs CC
    
    • Try running Dashboard on the DCBackup folder to see if it can detect anything wrong with those .packages
      
    • Or if you want to test Sims3Packs one-by-one, you can use CUSTARD (Alpha testing, Windows only) by Delphy in the Modding forum
      
    • Otherwise, you'd need to revisit the site where you get the Sims3Packs from to see if if there's a new update or they need fixing, etc.
  
  Remember: during all the above testing, always load a new game to test (you can however load the same new game if you saved that). Never load a pre-patched or pre-EP/SP saved game as removing custom content and caches will reset all the custom content in that world to base-game items and it won't load them back if you happen to Save before you Quit.
  

Please follow the above - remove all CC, and try a fresh game. Most likely that will fix your issue and then it's just a matter of sorting out which file(s) are the problem.

On occasion you might be asked to do a long FAQ - please make sure you do all the steps and don't just skip over them. You'll often find that these long FAQs have all the details you need. If nothing in the above FAQs fixes your problem you may post again detailing exactly which you have done and which steps failed.

Thanks.. My progress so far, i found a totally black sim in CAS that i deleted from CAS. No idea who he was, but that wasen`t a .package file.
I disabled both .packages, and sims3packs from the launcher, wanting to try without any cc at all, but, then i couldn`t make any premade
sims as the hair option wouldn`t open and the sim would never stop loading either. I tried a few times as i could go back to the menu and
the result was the same each time till i also couldn`t go back to the menu as it didn`t stop loading. It also loaded forever if i clicked on
random sim. This only happens when it`s all been disabled though, i enabled back on sims3packs in the launcher and tried making a sim
and it worked normal again, i could choose hair and everything. I guess this isen`t normal, any ideas? I`m gonna play now with sims3packs
only and see if i see black sims in the game still or if the game dissapears again. Something obviously isen`t right..
-------
ok, made a totally new game and played with only sims3packs in the launcher, it saved fine all the time, no problems seen so far and i tested it for hours. Then i decided to try my old save with only sims3 packs, but, it crashed to desktop right away. Maybe something was wrong with that neighbourhood then since i didn`t try with .packages. Usally there`s so many teens and kids going to school that they don`t manage to get into the school. That seem to be a problem. Guess i`ll try with a brand new neighbourhood and also with .packages and see how that goes..

I did read in a post, dont recall where at the moment, that saved games tend to get glitchy when they reach 50MB or more.
The fact that you can start and play a new game is a good sign. Perhaps the saved game is borked somehow, not sure.
If you can play a new game with all cc in, then you might be better off just dumping the old save game and forgetting it.

Thanks, i didn`t know that. No wonder i get problems, one saving i have is 99,7 mb, lol.
-----
Played for hours today just fine, it saved nicely and the saving is only 26,9 MB. Without warning it crashed to desktop again though,
that`s because of the .package files? I see no conflicts in the sims3 dashboard and there`s no unnormality in the game now so far.
-------
ok, the game crashed to desktop as a sim was gonna check out an twizy car, that had driven away while the sim was doing other
things.. Hmm, maybe there`s a bug with that car?

Please answer the following:

Have you tried the Loading Crash FAQ to determine if there's a CC conflict or user files corruption? I`m still trying to understand..
What game(s) do you have and what patch version(s) are you running? I have all 3 and all patches.
For each of the games you have, Disc or Digital downloads? Discs
What changed from the Before all the crashing happened? Did you patch, add more CC, add a core mod, install a pack, etc?
I have had trouble with the game since i got it, so ivè done proper reinstalls a few times, i suspect .packages to be a problem
or maybe bugs in the game.

You mentioned you don't have mods. Do you mean hacks only or any custom content in .package format? But then your last 2 posts mention having them in game...
I don`t use core mods and i removed a face slider. I have lots of hair .packages and some default packages, but only 1 of each kind of those.

Have you tested as suggested in the Loading Crash FAQ with a new game, totally CC-free (ie no .packages or .Sims3Packs at all), with new set of user files?
Yes, i did that and then the game was buggy in CAS when i turned off the option in the launcher for cc.

If the black Sims are appearing with only Sims3Pack content installed, then you have bad Sims3Pack file(s) in there somewhere.
I tried the sims3 dashboard to scan the dccache folder and nothing came up, like it didn`t read the folder although i clicked ok.

If just patched, what patch version did you have before you experienced frequent crashing with this new patch version?
Ivè always had the latest.

Are you running the game in windowed or fullscreen mode? Always fullscreen, i haven`t tried the other.

Are you starting the game via Launcher or the .exe? The shortcut to H.E.L.S. on the desktop.

Do you have EADM installed and has it ran an update recently? (current EADM is ver6.0.4.10)
I think it`s updated, it works just fine, no problems there anymore and it doesen`t ask to install anything.

Are you playing on the default graphical settings or have tweaked it higher? I did changes, but, not just to high.

Mainly what setting is the "High Detailed Lots" on? 4 lots

What is the size of your saved game folder that has frequent crashing.. I deleted the problematic save, so i`m testing the game
again today, It crashed last on 34,5 mb when the sim tried to look at a twizy car that had driven away, so i suspect maybe
there`s a bug with that car? I haven`t seen anymore black, or partly black sims in the game now after starting a new game
and when i do again, the saving is probably too big so i can start a new game again. The game is way better already thanks
to the help i got on this thread there`s less bugs and i can save more often without problems. Thanks, i try to do my best
following english advice, i`m norwegian.

Dashboard tool only works on .packages. I don't think it is programmed to read .dbc files yet.

If you want to test your Sims3Pack CC content, and you still have the DCBackup folder containing all the Launcher-installed content in .packages format, you can try running Dashboard and loading this folder manually to test in one of its menu options.

-------------------------------------------------
I meant this Game_Help:Sims_3_Loading_Crashes^wiki. Can you do the FAQ, test on a new game without ANY CC, so we can establish if it is

1. a hardware issue or
2. CC issue or
3. Sims 3 game coding issue?

Yes, reading back all your Help threads over the weeks, we never did establish a baseline on just vanilla game with no CC, to see how it perform. Most of your previous thread had some relation to CC as the main cause of the issue. So, again, try that Loading Crash FAQ and we'll proceed from there.

-------------------------------------------------
If CC is disabled in Launcher, you have to start the game via Launcher. If the shortcut to HELS points to TS3SP01.exe, disabling CC using that option in the Launcher has no effect in the game.

When you have renamed the Sims 3 folder in Documents from the Loading Crash guide in that FAQ I linked above, this disabling of CC would be taken care of for you.

-------------------------------------------------
Let's try that Loading Crash FAQ first and we'll come back to tackling your responses here once we know what we're dealing with. We can take it slow...don't worry.

You can attach images under Additional Options. Use the Manage Attachments button.

Thanks for being patient and not giving up on me, it makes me want to try further to solve the problem.
Went to documents and made a back up folder of the sims3 game that was there and let the game generate
new files. I got the message "Graphic card not found in EA`s database", i think i got that message before
aswell and i went to settings and fixed just a few things. I don`t have any .packages or anything in the
way now, so i`ll play and see if it crashes. Usally i get problems if ivè been changing sims in CAS and then
try to save, i got some black sims on the thumbnails in the menu today, so i`ll try a totally new game now
and do things in CAS to see if there`s any changes and if it still crashes..
---
1 bug so far: Delayed/missing sound issue. Repeatedly clicking sounds. Fishing sounds (reeling) after sim was gone home.
no sound when learning a song, but, after..
---
Tried to save and now it got error code 16. Music and sound was delayed in the game and i have no cc in it.
Just a fresh start as suggested.. Any ideas what to do? Thanks..
----
Ok, i managed to save it later and i am playing it again today to do more testing.. I`m still trying the same game i saved yesterday
and now the sound was normal, no delay at all. The 2 songs my sim learned yesterday are still just duplicates of 1 song instead of 2 different songs.

that is common issue with singing. but are you sure its a duplicate? I know of one song that has 2 versions, one is romantic and the other isn't

He learned 2 different songs, from Egypt, but, they are one and the same song. Also i have a duplicate of the "stop with that" action,
but, atleast the game isen`t crashing to desktop anymore and ivè been playing for many hours today and yesterday. I haven`t seen
anymore partly black, or black sims playing without cc either. Sound haven`t been delaying today.

just out of curiosity, I want you to look at this thread by HP.
follow the path she named and see if you have anything there.

Is that safe to use? It wants to do changes in the registry.

Do you have anything in this path?
C:\Users\MyWindowsUsername\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Mods\Packages

It`s empty, i took those out and i don`t see any hidden files in there. I haven`t tried procmon though, it wants to do changes in the registry.

that would be normal for installing procmon. unless you are still getting lag or other issues in game, you really don't need to run procmon, unless you want to.

That was the sound lagging yesterday and today it was normal although i played the same saving. When i had cc in the game
and went to CAS doing changes, saving patterns there, it usally crashed when i tried to save the game. Because of this i have
started to save them to uploads so i can install them from the upload folder and then remove them when installed. I have tried
saving hair colours normally and maybe that was when i got error code 16. Do you think procmon may solve this problem?
I may want to try it, am just being careful with this pc, ivè had so much pc trouble in the past, also maybe thanks to securom
that came with sims2 expansions. I used to create, but, not anymore.. Before i asked for help on this thread i found myself daily
deleting the cache files, also in thumbnails, but, it took the game so much time to read all the thumbnails back, i think that
was a problem in itself. Is there a limit how much stuff one can put into the game?

No more black screens or black Sims?
So, it is bad CC, then?

ProcMon's function in troubleshooting is to identify which file is repeatedly loading millions of times that causes lag issues. If you don't have any lagging problems, you don't need to use ProcMon.

And you get saving crashes still? Which error code do you get?
This is on a brand new neighborhood (new game), on vanilla base game + WA + HELS? No CC at all in both .package and .sims3pack formats?

If you had not installed new items, there's no need to delete the thumbnails or caches.
In fact, deleting caches is only needed if you experience some in-game glitches or it has grown too big.
But I think the game has an in-built maximum limit to the filesize and will regenerate a new caches.
Now, how well it does this is another matter, altogether.

No more black screens or black Sims? I haven`t seen any so far, i`ll play again today testing some more.
So, it is bad CC, then? It could have been a too big saving file, that it got kinda corrupt and glitchy.
But, the crash to desktop have stopped and i haven`t seen error code 12 and 13 either now, so either
that was a saved file too big, or bad CC making the crash before. Maybe i should play till the saving gets
big so i see if the same glitches occour or not, before i try with any cc again.

ProcMon's function in troubleshooting is to identify which file is repeatedly loading millions of times that causes lag issues. If you don't have any lagging problems, you don't need to use ProcMon. Normally i don`t, but, sometimes the sound have been gone on and off, also in the past. Thanks to the sims3 dashboard the game runs kinda smoothly with cc, unless the town gets overpopulated and glitchy i guess..

And you get saving crashes still? Which error code do you get? It haven`t crashed at all now and i got 1 time a error code 16, it fixed itself, lol.
This is on a brand new neighborhood (new game), on vanilla base game + WA + HELS? No CC at all in both .package and .sims3pack formats?
Brand new neighbourhood, yes, no cc at all, i saved haircolour in CAS just to test though. I bought the game and both EP`s, i don`t know
what you mean with vanilla, but, i hope i explained ok. The game made new userfiles as i made backup of the old one before, so it`s all fresh.

If you had not installed new items, there's no need to delete the thumbnails or caches. I did when it crashed to desktop as i had played in CAS,
saving things there, so i got error codes, or a crash (minidumps) then and i thought it would be best to remove those all, lol.
But, now as i install them in the game i won`t be needing to do that so often i guess.

In fact, deleting caches is only needed if you experience some in-game glitches or it has grown too big.
But I think the game has an in-built maximum limit to the filesize and will regenerate a new caches.
Now, how well it does this is another matter, altogether. Yes, that was why i did, as i experienced daily glitches, with a town too crowded
and i had changed which families to play with and stuff in the same saving. Also once i played with a new town, adding frogs in
the ponds in the park and saved it like a new town to start on. Too much going on, no wonder savings got big, lol.