How big are the four .cache files in your MyDocuments\Electronic Art\The Sims 3\ folder?   If they're stuffed, you could delete them and see if that helps.  They're called  compositor.cache, simCompositor.cache, Script.cache -  I can't recall the last one (I just deleted mine after I shut down the game). 

There is a cheat which allows a Sim to buy a home at no cost (freeRealEstate), but I'm not aware of getting a credit for buying an unfurnished home. 

Another government stimulus package, maybe?

Who said my Windoze wasn't up to date?  The question was whether it had been updated recently.

Google will show you the way to Advance SystemCare.

Nope.


Nah, I think it's something more insidious than that.  I've used Norton Utilities for years.  It was great software way back when.  The last incarnation I purchased was the 2005 Symantec SystemWorks.  I stopped using the a.v. program a couple years ago but continued to use the utilities.  That is, until this weekend when it refused to load and a popup appeared telling me I needed to activate the same software I purchased years ago, then refused activation unless I paid forty bucks.

That's blackmail, so I banished Symantec and installed Advanced SystemCare, plus their defragger (both free).

Last night I played my Riverview family and ran them through CAS for wardrobe changes.  No CTD.   Did the same with my Sunset Valley family tonght.  No CTD. 
Coincidence?  Maybe.  I guess only time will tell.

What does it do to the game? The Ursine character was the first Sim I played when I was exploring the game.  Tried changing her clothing but I recall the option didn't exist.  I played her through the pregnancy then created my own Sims.

It's my understanding that the CasPartCache, compositorCache, scriptCache, and simCompositorCache are temporary files (like the accessory and groups cache files in TS2) which regenerate when the game is started.  I didn't begin to delete them until after the first of the CTDs, and that was done on some advice here and at MTS2.  Since it has had no effect, will leave them in.

The odd thing is that I can get through all the steps of creating a new Sim, including three sets of clothing in each category, with no issues.  The CTDs happen only in-game.

Hi Motoki.  Was good to see you back after your long hiatus.

No Peggy hair in my game.  The only stuff I've downloaded here came from the store.

I do have a mods folder in the program files folder, but that only contains HP's hair and my game was doing its CTD dance long before I added that folder.

Like Pavlov's dog, I've learned to save immediately after futzing around in CAS and use the reload time for a bathroom break. 

Will try moving out the TS3 folder, but I keep wondering about those errors related to the TS3.exe file.

My unpatched legal game runs pretty well on my rig (Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.40GHz, 4G RAM, ATI X850X card, two internal fans, Windoze XPSP2).  Graphics are good;  no lag.   No awesomeness installed yet, just a few goodies from the pudding factory.

I delete all the cache files from the TS3 folder within my docs before I start the game using the TS3.exe shortcut.

All would be well in Simstan except just about every time I go into CAS to change the clothing choices, I get a CTD.    

I've looked around in the TS3 folder and note that each time this crash happens, two files are created.  They are always called "xcpt D3585F61" followed by the crash date. One is a text file, the other a MDMP file and both include the time of the crash.

I've copied  the exception information from two of the five CTDs I've had:

[Exception info]
date: 2009-08-06
time: 22.38.22
type: ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x0000002c
address: 0x004dbc05 "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe":0x0001:0x000dac05

(22.38.22.mdmp)

[Exception info]
date: 2009-08-01
time: 19.41.03
type: ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x0000002c
address: 0x0069583b "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe":0x0001:0x0029483b

(19.41.03 mdmp)

Of the five text files, two show the following type:

[Exception info]
date: 2009-07-18
time: 18.21.01
type: INT_DIVIDE_BY_ZERO
address: 0x007c3774 "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe":0x0001:0x003c2774

I'm clueless about what these exception errors mean and if there's something I can do to avoid them.  

Is there an interpreter handy?

I've never used the launcher.  The secondary account also uses the .exe file.  Or it's supposed to.

Guess I'll better go cootie hunting tonight...

I'm running with 4GB RAM and an ATI X850XT card - game and graphics (set to high) are fine except that I get a CTD after I've used CAS to modify clothing or appearance.  I discovered that if I immediately save after exiting CAS, no crash. 

That said, I allowed the 12-year old to play TS3 under a different account on my computer.  CTD.  I saw two warning popups claiming that a script running under Internet Explorer had stopped running (this appears only in the secondary account).  WTF???   EAxis up to no good in the background no doubt, because I disconnect my DSL modem before starting up the game and never use IE.

The crashes continued each time she tried to play until I changed the firewall setting by not closing it down completely, but setting it to block all Internet activity.  That's worked for her.   

My firewall is set so that no EAxis program has permission to access the Internet.  Since it appears to continue trying, I'll have to experiment with the ZA kill command.

Spell check is your friend.  So is your space bar and apostrophe key.  Literacy is a plus here.

I've used the launcher to install items from the Pudding Factory - most without issues, although some seem to be borked and don't show up.  Had no idea whether Riverview was installed until I started a new game and found it was.

I've not patched and have no intention of doing so.  EAxis breaks things.  In Pescado we trust (for the most part).

No EADM, legit boxed version.   Windoze XP SP2.  No Pace.

The final verdict is that it's a TEST file.

  [Emphasis supplied]

In other words, she's looking for beta testers.  Too bad EAxis didn't do the same.

You can turn the interior grid on or off.  It's the square next to the day/night toggle.

Aracelis, I'm presuming you're running Windoze.   Go into your control panel, click "system," then "hardware," then "device manager."  You should see a listing for  DVD/CD-ROM drives  - open that icon and you'll see the brand(s) you have installed.

I don't know why you couldn't access the TS3 site - not sure if you have to register to read the babbling, but you might try that as there were 11 other pages on the issue you're having.

Typical of EAxis - here's the first page of 12. 


I'll be installing TS3 Monday.  Am debating whether to first buy a bottle of aspirin or a bottle of booze.

The cycle redundancy problem is one of the hot technical topics at EAxis:  http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/947.page

Not at all confused.  But yes, the saga of the Queen Bs could have been purely coincidental.

Both Bluesoup and Brynne had the dubious distinction of being favored by Pescado (at different times, of course).  Their drama didn't start until those roles ended.  Drama is repetitive at MATY, but with different players. 

By chance did you read through your Dell manual before installing the ATI Radeon (presuming it did not come installed on your computer)?  I mention that only because on my rig, the manual stated I had to install a card fan if installing a new graphics card that used over 75 Watts. 

Since you're saddled with Vista, your system is much newer than mine, but I thought it worth mentioning given your problem may be heat related.  The reviews of the ATI Radeon 1900 card indicate that it runs hot.

Paris?  Could it be?  The intellectual level is about the same.

Okay, I got home from work and fired up the computer the 12-year old uses. It's an old Dell Dimension 4100, maxed out with RAM (512). Windoze ME, Pentium III processor, an ATI Radeon 9200 card and Symantec SystemWorks 2005.  Since I've disconnected the modem, the a.v. and ZA firewall were removed from the startup.

This old tub has the base game, NL, OFB, Uni, Pets - and against my better judgment, I gave into the pleas and added Seasons.  I was surprised that Seasons even ran, but it does.  There's plenty of CC and select hacks.  No crashes, black screens, or other issues.  Doesn't run the game fast, and I don't think the fishies can be seen, but the kid put in 40 fruit trees, spent days spraying, and managed to get a Plantsim, so she's happy.

Maybe the newer versions of Norton cause issues.  Don't know.  As suggested above, the screwups are most likely related to EAxis code.  They have a long standing reputation for that.

Huh?  I've run Norton's a.v. program since my first desktop way back when (using version 2005 right now) and have never had any game issues (or virus). Just their a.v. and utilities, which I rather like.  My firewall is ZA.   No Nvidia card though; I run an ATI X850XT which does a dandy job.

I haven't patched since the infamy of the Petz patch (which I ditched).  Pescado's fixes work better than patches.  Do have Seasons and BV, which both run fine.  No problems with the awesome mods I'm running.  I do not have FT.  I'm not even sure I want EP7.  Of late I don't have much time to play and after reading the threads here about FT, I figure I can do without the new EAxis cooties.  At least until my curiosity gets the best of my better judgment.