A serious error has occurred...

[Alexina]

I've spotted that one guy has commented on what sounds like the same issues I have at http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,18226.msg524619.html#msg524619 however since the topic is 3 years old I got a big warning about regurgitating old stuff.

This is something that I've read around on other forums of people complaining about, although nobody seems to know of a fix for this issue or are giving random suggestions that work for some and not for others.  I was hoping someone here might know something a little more solid to what causes this and how to work around it.  I didn't start getting this error until I started downloading packs and a few packages for multiple storage of items and I'm wondering if that may have caused some file corruption or if using some of the testingcheatsenabled codes might've messed something up.

So what happens is this - it's usually random but I've noticed it tends to happen some time after I've hit the 2nd generation in my family and when there's been a few glitches prop up such as a ghost hunter not getting credit for banishing ghosts or an NPC telling me they're heading out and it's time I left too even though none of my family is at their home.  After I've saved/quitted and then try to play the world again I get EA's very own blue screen with the error "A serious error has occurred while loading Twinbrook.  Please restart the application" (or sort of similar to that) inside a speech bubble and get sent back to the select a world screen.

Now like the guy from the age-old topic posted I can keep attempting to load the world and eventually it may load up, sometimes it works ok but other times I've noticed my family has befriended a duplicate of themselves and can even invite them over to visit!  If the latter happens then a world of weird errors can occur such as if there are any family members not at home when it occurs then shortly afterwards they disappear from the family altogether including their portraits and their duplicate cannot be interacted with despite being a friend of the family, and if I try and invite the duplicates before anything happens and delete them then next time I log into the world I enter an empty home with no ui.

If anyone has any insight on what causes this and how to fix it without having to reinstall everything and start over I'd love to hear your feedback.

Update: Well seems nobody else here has any insight on the cause, however someone elsewhere mentioned about only saving then quitting instead of doing save and quit prevents the error from propping up next time you log in.  It does seem to work, but since it's a random occurrance I cannot confirm that this will 100% prevent the error from making a surprise appearance in the near future.  It's something to keep in mind for anyone else suffering with the dreaded serious error of doom.  Doesn't work after all.

[Madame Mim]

So you've decided that if somebody doesn't answer a forum question in 5 and a half hours it's because they possess no insight. Have you considered that:
a. You answered your own question when you pondered the possibility it was your CC causing it.
b. You haven't made any attempt to isolate the problem before you came here expecting us to jump to and fix it.
c. What the hell is your configuration/patch/CC version anyway.
d. SEARCH MOAR!

[wizard_merlin]

So you've decided that if somebody doesn't answer a forum question in 5 and a half hours it's because they possess no insight. Have you considered that:
a. You answered your own question when you pondered the possibility it was your CC causing it.
b. You haven't made any attempt to isolate the problem before you came here expecting us to jump to and fix it.
c. What the hell is your configuration/patch/CC version anyway.
d. SEARCH MOAR!

Did you actually mean 5 and a half hours or did you mean 5 and a half days?  The original post was 2nd Feb and it is now the 7th, or 8th, depending where you are.

The 4 points as to why no one answered are still valid, as they are with most of the noobie idiots, and you could also add that no one bothered to read it due to its length and boredom level, also the identification of the actual problem isn't very clear, I have seen mud clearer than the problem description offered here.  Not to mention the OP talks about, and mentions, a 3 year old thread while the linked thread isn't quite 12 months old yet.

[jezzer]

Not to mention TS3 only came out in 2009.  Was this a PSYCHIC thread from three years ago?

[Madame Mim]

Obviously time is relative in this thread. I wonder where the black hole is.

[Zazazu]

Somewhere to the left of your shoulder.

[Madame Mim]

I dread the answer, but, left of my left shoulder or left of my right?

[jezzer]

I wish the OP would come back so I could poke it some moar. 

[Alexina]

Ta-da!  And nope it seems saving then exiting doesn't fix it after all.  My own question is not answered as I thought it was, and what's more I'm even getting it after a fresh new world only seconds old.

Don't start with the "search moar" crap Madame Mim.  I did well before I started this topic and found very little in relation other than a year old topic which had similarities to what I have but just like this topic didn't get any answers just lots of people trolling.  If you had this particular situation mentioned before in the past several hundred times that there's at least a dozen answers only a page away then I'd understand you getting hissy with me, otherwise you're just being a troll and not really helping with my situation.

I was hoping if someone here would have stumbled across this in the past and would say something in the grounds of "oh yeah, I had this issue once and it was caused by bla bla bla", especially considering I'm using a lot of mods and packs that aren't approved by EA that were downloaded or linked from this forum.  I have every single store item downloaded in Sims3Pack formats by mistyk, the shiftable objects mods, the awesomemod, the Treeag put away all books/fridge items/scraps and book of talent mods, Buzz's dig site fixer and mood fix all latest versions and the most recent patches for Ambitions/WA/LN.  I don't know what else I'm supposed to do or what else I'm to provide or how to provide it.  I aint psychic to know what exact information people want and I'm not a techie junkie either.

[gamegame]

Please post your system specs, patch versions, list of mods etc. You didn't provide the necessary information.

[Alexina]

In pure agitation I uninstalled every single pack I had and left in the mods thinking it was the packs.  Guess what?  "A serious error has occurred..."  So I took out all mods except awesomemod... "A serious error has occurred..."  I've practically stripped everything off it including official content, including awesomemod (yay, CD required again), cleared out all the backup and download folders, and you know what?

"A serious error has occurred..."

What a crock of shit.

Don't know where I'd find the patch information as there's nothing anywhere that says what version it is.  It's the latest one via the launcher, that's all I can tell you unless it's hidden in some secret file somewhere.

System specifications (at least this is what I assume you want from dxdiag):
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 2/13/2011, 13:39:06
       Machine name: ********
   Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.101026-1503)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: System Product Name
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 07/16/10 16:19:59 Ver: 08.00.15
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU         950  @ 3.07GHz (8 CPUs), ~3.1GHz
             Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4088MB RAM
          Page File: 2638MB used, 5533MB 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
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode

Update: On a side note I tried making a fresh new world after uninstalling all the mods, and when I reloaded it hey presto it worked!  Might've been a coincidence, but then did further experiments by deleting the world, adding awesomemod, starting a new world, going back to main menu and then reloading the world again.  Guess what?

"A serious error has occurred..."

Hmm... Awesomemod broken?

Nope not Awesomemod's fault, it was a coincidence.  Tested again fresh new world, no mods at all, and the frickin error triggers once I reenter the world.  EA's shit is broke.  I've had enough, gonna go play a REAL game and make coffee mats out of the TS3 CDs.

[Narmy]

Just reinstall the whole damn game, you're probably making it worse by directly deleting files/folders.

[kissing_toast]

So first its AM's fault, then Ea's. How about PEBCAK.

[Alexina]

So first its AM's fault, then Ea's. How about PEBCAK.

Actually I thought it was originally either Treeag's mods or some of the Sims3Packs I had installed, didn't think it was AM's fault at all until I uninstalled all the packs in a fit of rage and deleted all the other mods first.  Just surprised me the world worked after AM but it was just a coincidence it worked that 1 time, never doubted AM since it's the only mod I know that gets a regular update and maintenance.

Trying a full reinstall of the game incase pigs might fly.  Not sure about installing any other content though, might just this time stick to AM and whatever I legitimately own.

btw no problems with PEBCAK... that is all except for frequent 24/7 migraines, plantar facitis in my left foot, IBS, stomach ulceration, ADHD, POD, anxiety, depression, and a tendancy to want to cut off peoples' heads with a blunt butter knife and see how far up their asses I can squeeze it.  Some people think I'm insane, like my psychiatrist, but Mr Sock Puppet doesn't think so.

[novelty]

 EA's shit is broke.  I've had enough, gonna go play a REAL game and make coffee mats out of the TS3 CDs.

I recommend committing yourself fully to the above course of action.  Because, well, ya know, FUCKING OW already.

[Alexina]

 EA's shit is broke.  I've had enough, gonna go play a REAL game and make coffee mats out of the TS3 CDs.

I recommend committing yourself fully to the above course of action.  Because, well, ya know, FUCKING OW already.

you're just being a troll and not really helping with my situation

[novelty]

 EA's shit is broke.  I've had enough, gonna go play a REAL game and make coffee mats out of the TS3 CDs.

I recommend committing yourself fully to the above course of action.  Because, well, ya know, FUCKING OW already.

you're just being a troll and not really helping with my situation

Maybe if you took a moment or two off from THREAD SHITTING in the horror you could look up the meaning of troll.

[Alexina]

Maybe if you took a moment or two off from THREAD SHITTING in the horror you could look up the meaning of troll.

I know what a troll is, and considering you haven't really posted anything that contributes to figuring out what was going on with my install of TS3 and have instead only posted something short of insulting and with sarcasm that classifies you as a troll.  Now stop your "thread shitting" in my topic and go take your comments somewhere else.

Anyways... TS3 uninstalled and reinstalled very slowly doing the updates inbetween each pack to ensure it's fully updated (not sure that makes any difference or if it's gonna make it worse but will see.)  Fingers crossed I won't be starting over the same family tomorrow, otherwise EA's gonna get a very angry email from yours truely.

Not to mention the OP talks about, and mentions, a 3 year old thread while the linked thread isn't quite 12 months old yet.

Whoops, that's my error.  I was probably a little sleepy when I read the topic and got the day and year mixed up and thought the 08 meant 2008.  Not used to seeing a date format with the year in front.

[jezzer]

EA's gonna get a very angry email from yours truely.

If this will keep you from further Davining every little detail of your life in here, then I am all for this course of action.

[spockblock]

btw no problems with PEBCAK... that is all except for frequent 24/7 migraines, plantar facitis in my left foot, IBS, stomach ulceration, ADHD, POD, anxiety, depression, and a tendancy to want to cut off peoples' heads with a blunt butter knife and see how far up their asses I can squeeze it.  Some people think I'm insane, like my psychiatrist, but Mr Sock Puppet doesn't think so.

[Alexina]

Oh, you don't know half of it jeremy.

[novelty]

Oh, you don't know half of it jeremy.

Such as when you have brain surgery scheduled to have your plantar warts removed?

[Kyna]

Don't know where I'd find the patch information as there's nothing anywhere that says what version it is.  It's the latest one via the launcher, that's all I can tell you unless it's hidden in some secret file somewhere.

You need to patch every EP & SP you have installed.  The launcher doesn't do this.  The Sims 3 Patch Downloader utility over at MTS will check if you're missing any patches, download them and install them.  You can also use it to check your version numbers.

This may or may not solve your game issue, but at least you'll know your game is properly patched, and you will be able to give a direct & non-rambling answer to the question: what patch versions are you running.  Your tendency to  ramble makes most of us want to skip your posts.

BTW, don't presume you are alone in having health issues.  Many people live with health issues.  Having health issues doesn't make you particularly special and listing them doesn't make us feel sorry for you - it's more likely to make us point and laugh at your attempt to play the "speshul snowflake" card.

[Tangie]

It's obviously too late now, but in addition to making sure you are fully patched, and ensuring that you have no background programs interfering, you could have renamed The sims 3 folder in My docs. This recreates all the folders the game needs without any of your downloads, saved games, or CC, and without having to reinstall the whole game. Then you could have added/reinstalled the downloads, CC, worlds, and saved games gradually, which may have isolated the problem if it had to do with add-on content. I had to do this after installing Late Night. I felt it was actually not a bad thing to purge all that extra crap on occasion, although I never isolated any single cause of the problem. I suspect it just had to do with the changes made by LN.

All that said, I am sorry to say your saved game is likely corrupt and unrecoverable. If this is occurring every time you try to open and try to save a brand spanking new game, then yeah, I'd be writing EA and giving them a rant, too.

ETA: Doppleganger sims are occuring for many players, I have seen them in my last 3 saved games; and I see other strange bugs on a regular basis. Just today I probably encountered a half dozen or more when I played one of my neighborhoods, although I haven't played the ghost hunter career in awhile so I have no idea about that error. Sims getting stuck in interactions, or actions not completing. I need to keep better track! Anyway, not sure it's just the bugs that are the problem, it's the serious error that is your problem.

[Alexina]

Don't know where I'd find the patch information as there's nothing anywhere that says what version it is.  It's the latest one via the launcher, that's all I can tell you unless it's hidden in some secret file somewhere.

You need to patch every EP & SP you have installed.  The launcher doesn't do this.  The Sims 3 Patch Downloader utility over at MTS will check if you're missing any patches, download them and install them.  You can also use it to check your version numbers.

This may or may not solve your game issue, but at least you'll know your game is properly patched, and you will be able to give a direct & non-rambling answer to the question: what patch versions are you running.  Your tendency to  ramble makes most of us want to skip your posts.

Cheers, had no idea the launcher was that unreliable.  I'll go check out MTS, got faced this morning with "A serious error has occurred" on what is now a fresh new game on a fresh reinstall of last night and the only mods I have are AM and the 2 by Buzz to fix dig site and unhappy mood bugs.

Update: Nope, seems it's not the issue.  All of the expansions and the base game are all up to date according to the downloader, so guess I did it right by running the game once after each install.

TS3 1.19.44.010002
WA 2.14.4.010002
Amb 4.7.4.010001
LN 6.2.4.010001

No idea what's causing the error then.  Gonna start writing that email.   In the meantime giving a reinstall another shot, this time running ccleaner first to clear every single trace of crap off my harddrive and I'll use that patcher instead of running TS3 each time to patch it up.

BTW, don't presume you are alone in having health issues.  Many people live with health issues.  Having health issues doesn't make you particularly special and listing them doesn't make us feel sorry for you - it's more likely to make us point and laugh at your attempt to play the "speshul snowflake" card.

It wasn't an attempt to make anyone feel sorry for me, I don't need pity.  Someone was hinting that there was maybe a problem with me and not the game itself, I was responding in my own way in saying other than all the things that are wrong with me there's nothing else.