Error codes 12 and 13 along with crashing.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

Four days ago I started getting Error codes 12 and 13. I know how to fix the problem when it arises: Just erase the .bad file and restart the game. But they're popping up left and right making it very hard to enjoy the game. I can't save.

And just recently, (starting last night), I've been experiencing crashes along with the error codes.

So, I did some research and I found out that The Sims 3 sytem requirement page does not mention my operating system which is Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit.

And I got thinking that maybe the problems I'm having with The Sims 3 is related to a compatibility problem. Does anyone know if this is correct? I tried running in compatibility mode but it's not working.

Someone mentioned I wait until another patch is released. And they also suggested I re-install the game. But other reports tell me that re-installing did absolutely nothing for their problems. (They're problems are identical to mine.)

I had AwesomeMod installed but I removed it thinking that maybe it was the cause of my qualms. But that's not the case because the problems returned today.

I was referred here to ask for help. I would appreciate any solutions to these issues.

Thanks.

[Phthon]

I am also running on Vista 64 with absolutely no problems...probably something else.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

Yes, it's probably something else.

Maybe it's mods? I don't have that many on though and most of them are just pattern mods, house mods and five mods that fix little things here and there.

Do you think the mods could be the blame? I mean, there aren't any updates for them and I did install that new patch.

[Slymenstra]

Just wanted to add that I started to have the same crash today.  I have Windows Vista 64 bit too.  I had gotten these crashes back with the leaked version, and no mods.  I now have the retail version and only use Awesomemod.  This is my first error 12 crash since retail came out.  I am patched as well.

My saved file was marked as bad and was ruined.  The only thing was weird to me before the crash was I tried to use familyfunds cheat and it would not work.  I had testingcheatsenabled but for some reason it didn't work.  Then I tried to save and...blah.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

On another forums that I'm asking help at is reporting the same problem. What gets me though is that a lot of people aren't experiencing these problems. It's like a 50-50 chance.

My sister has the same exact computer build as I do and she hasn't experienced any problems whatsoever with TS3. Granted she doesn't play as much I used to but that shouldn't make a difference.

This morning I was playing and everything went great for a bit and I thought my problems were over! But when I went to save, the game crashed.

Edit: Spelling

[Emma]

I think you mean granted, not granite. *giggles*

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

I think you mean granted, not granite. *giggles*

Yes, I do. Sorry about that. 

[chaos]

How often are you saving? This has happened to me (the error and inability to save, not the crashing), but only after I forgot to save my game for a really, really long time. In that case, it was a memory issue, not a bug.

[tizerist]

I got error code 12 whilst trying to save after changing graphics settings.

[Slymenstra]

Mine was stupidly long...2 or 3 hours.  I was building and playing and totally forgot to save.  I normally save more often.  I imagine it is my fault. I am working on remembering to save more often!

Since the crash I have played a lot and have saved every time I think about it, and no crashes.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

How often are you saving? This has happened to me (the error and inability to save, not the crashing), but only after I forgot to save my game for a really, really long time. In that case, it was a memory issue, not a bug.

It may have been a memory issue a couple of days ago but it's definitely not one now. I was saving every ten minutes at least. Then I cut it down to five just yesterday because I thought of the memory issue but it still didn't work. Error codes and crashing were occurring. The crashing seems random though. I'll be able to save about ten times and then, BOOM, I get a crash.

I noticed that it happens almost every time I leave CAS. My two babies grew into toddlers and needed a better wardrobe so I took one into CAS and spent about fifteen minutes there, (I used to spend forty-five minutes dressing a Sim and I also spent hours making families with no problems), and as soon as I left CAS I clicked on save and the game crashed while saving.

I cleared all the cache and tried again and it still crashed. I saw a performance difference, however, after clearing the cache. Especially in CAS. It lagged pretty bad before the crash I mentioned above. But it went back to it's normal, sickly state after ten minutes.

Every once in a while I can get out of CAS alive and am able to save but that's only if I changed three outfits and no more. But, again, that's only occasionally. It still crashes often even if I only changed one outfit or none at all.

That's only one of the many scenarios I can give you. There are more. My Sims are sleeping and I go to save and the game crashes. It's as if it's random.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

Mine was stupidly long...2 or 3 hours.  I was building and playing and totally forgot to save.  I normally save more often.  I imagine it is my fault. I am working on remembering to save more often!

Since the crash I have played a lot and have saved every time I think about it, and no crashes.

That's probably a memory issue that was mentioned above. But see, I remember spending countless hours on the game for two weeks just creating Sims and houses, editing the town, etc, and I haven't experienced any problems at all.

I don't know why they're popping up all of a sudden.

[crunk]

Have you checked your hardware? Is your computer recognzing all of your ram?

Purely conjecture, but maybe worth checking into...?

[kiki]

Another throwing in 2c to confirm it's not an x64 Vista issue - I've actually found that TS3 runs on x64 like it was made with x64 Vista in mind as standard platform...no problems at any stage.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

Have you checked your hardware? Is your computer recognzing all of your ram?

Purely conjecture, but maybe worth checking into...?

Yes, my computer is definitely recognizing all it's ram. Here's my specs just in case you would like to know them:

Phenom II - X3 720 @ 2.8 GHz
eVGA GTX 260-216 Core
G.Skill DDR3 - 1333MHz / 4GB
Windows Vista x64 Premium

At the moment I'm checking all the mods that I have installed for updates, just in case that's the problem. (I compile a list with all the mods I've ever installed on all my games.) So, hopefully the problems will be resolved and I'll be able to start playing like a normal person again.

Another throwing in 2c to confirm it's not an x64 Vista issue - I've actually found that TS3 runs on x64 like it was made with x64 Vista in mind as standard platform...no problems at any stage.

Thanks for your input. Other people are telling me the same thing. It was just a theory on my part that maybe a compatibility issue was causing it these problems but like everyone is pointing out, it's obviously not the case.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

I just got back from the game and I experienced a crash. I played for five minutes then sent my Sim to the wardrobe. After spending five minutes there, (and editing all his outfits), I exited, saved, but the game crashed midway the saving.

There is a really easy way around these error codes. I used to get these at least three or four times a day but now when I get them it doesn't matter. First delete the "bad" saved file in Sims 3/Saves. Then go back into the game (don't shut it off at all, the bad file will delete with the game on) and go to Edit Town. Pick a lot, go into buy mode, change something, go back into Edit Town and save. This has worked for me every time.

I tried this exact same 'solution' but it doesn't work for me. I'd say out of the two hundreds time I've received the error codes only twice has this solution worked for me. At the moment, however, I'm not getting error codes I'm getting crashes.

I've noticed that I've been getting these crashes after exiting CAS. I like giving my Sims different clothes but every time I exit the wardrobe and go to save the game crashes. I have no idea why.

Maybe it's because of all the patterns I've been downloading? I have a lot of these blank squares in my 'Misc.' section of patterns. Nothing happens when I click on them, they're just there.

Does anyone think it could be a problem with the game not being able to read all those patterns?? I don't think so personally but I'll welcome any suggestions! I have a lot of them. About sixty patterns at least. Now, a lot of them are from packs and not just individual mods.

And I only download stuff from ModtheSims and the Sims 3 Official Site.

Tomorrow I'm going to removed the entire mod/package folder and then I'll see what happens.

[Emma]

This is reminding me of when I was playing with the Spore Creature creator. I could play for hours, creating the little monsters but as soon as I went to save the game would hang forever. I think it was something as simple as updating my graphics card, but I'll see if I can find out what the advice was, exactly.

[edit] I think that is all it was. Can't find the exact info, but I just looked at the Spore site and apparently the crashing issues in the CC was fixed with a patch.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

You can avoid many crashes by not using save & exit -- first save, then exit.

Yes, I know. I never save & exit. I always click only save and I manually click exit. I could click save & exit in the past, (just last week), and nothing ever went wrong. Now, all of a sudden, I can't even click just save without it crashing on me.

Thanks everyone for trying to help me!! I appreciate it. I still don't know what's going on and if anyone thinks they have a solution then please tell me. I'm going to try some other things and if the problems are solved then I'll post an update on what I've done.

Thanks again.  

Edit: Added another sentence.

[Phthon]

hmmm...if it is a memory problem then I probably won't have it. I've got 12 GB of ram and I am using the new Intel 8 proc chip. I've got 2 video cards running 4 monitors...sorry just bragging.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

hmmm...if it is a memory problem then I probably won't have it. I've got 12 GB of ram and I am using the new Intel 8 proc chip. I've got 2 video cards running 4 monitors...sorry just bragging.

Ha ha! I'd brag too with a beast like that. 

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

Alright, I have an update of sorts for anyone interested:

It crossed my mind that mods were causing these problems.

I actually removed all of the mods except the patterns and the game has not crashed once. I played for forty-five minutes or so and did many of the things that normally caused me crashes. I did, however, experience the error codes but I kept on trying to save and finally it worked!!

When I came back later and played again I did not experience any crashes but, again, I experienced the error codes. This time, instead of wasting time trying to save, I went into "Edit Town" and added an entire house, tried to save and it worked, then I just deleted the house.

So, hopefully, the crashes have stopped completely, (I won't get my hopes up just yet because I did do this before), and hopefully I have a short-term 'solution' for the error codes until EA releases a patch that actually fixes something worth while.

Thank you everyone for trying to help me and giving me your advice!! It's appreciated.

[bartleby]

Four days ago I started getting Error codes 12 and 13. I know how to fix the problem when it arises: Just erase the .bad file and restart the game. But they're popping up left and right making it very hard to enjoy the game. I can't save.

And just recently, (starting last night), I've been experiencing crashes along with the error codes.

So, I did some research and I found out that The Sims 3 sytem requirement page does not mention my operating system which is Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit.

And I got thinking that maybe the problems I'm having with The Sims 3 is related to a compatibility problem. Does anyone know if this is correct? I tried running in compatibility mode but it's not working.

Someone mentioned I wait until another patch is released. And they also suggested I re-install the game. But other reports tell me that re-installing did absolutely nothing for their problems. (They're problems are identical to mine.)

I had AwesomeMod installed but I removed it thinking that maybe it was the cause of my qualms. But that's not the case because the problems returned today.

I was referred here to ask for help. I would appreciate any solutions to these issues.

Thanks.

I started having "unexpected error while saving" a couple of days ago and that also creates a .bad file in my saves folder, where the backup file should be - my game won't crash, but it won't save either and that looks as bad as crashing to me, as I'm force to quit... my operating system is Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit.
What I'm doing to avoid losing a lot of info is saving a lot often… but it's annoying the same way… when "unexpected error while saving" occurs I just quit, delete the bad file from the saves folder and play again.  The error says "look at the readme file for more information" or something like this… I searched for it in both program files and my documents Electronic Arts folders but can't find anything related or with the time and date of the error/s.

[bartleby]

How often are you saving? This has happened to me (the error and inability to save, not the crashing), but only after I forgot to save my game for a really, really long time. In that case, it was a memory issue, not a bug.

Hi. Can't be that, because I save often and also have that problem (without the crash, just the inability to save). I save every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes. But I did notice the error occurs when I've been playing for more than 3 or 4 hours… never in the first hours. At least, until now.

[Nin_the_Destroyer]

I started having "unexpected error while saving" a couple of days ago and that also creates a .bad file in my saves folder, where the backup file should be - my game won't crash, but it won't save either and that looks as bad as crashing to me, as I'm force to quit... my operating system is Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit.
What I'm doing to avoid losing a lot of info is saving a lot often… but it's annoying the same way… when "unexpected error while saving" occurs I just quit, delete the bad file from the saves folder and play again.  The error says "look at the readme file for more information" or something like this… I searched for it in both program files and my documents Electronic Arts folders but can't find anything related or with the time and date of the error/s.

You can find the readme at Program Files>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Support>Readme. The readme gives absolutely no information on how to fix the saving problems though. It just says to contact them if you get the error.

At the moment I'm doing some more testing on why I had crashes. I removed some mods and now I'm slowly adding them back and I believe I found the culprit. I won't mention the name of the mod just in case I'm wrong. I wanna try it out some more.

[Nimrod]

Four days ago I started getting Error codes 12 and 13.

I've had the error code 12 problem for quite awhile now.  Rather than crashes, my problem is that saving results either in code 12, or if it is successful, the save takes an excruciating amount of time, 10-15 minutes now, actually.  As for that one problem, I think it has something to do with save file sizes and the amount of sim weeks in the game.  Of course, the older the town, the larger the file.  Check your save files and see what size they are, I've noticed that around 55-60MBs, they become unstable.  I recall a similar problem with the base TS2, having something to do with memories and bloated save files.  The Prez fixed that problem before any patch did.  Apparently, this time, there is no time or there is disbelief or whatever, because I haven't been able to obtain assistance with the issue.  I seriously doubt that programmers nor creators have very large saves, simply because they're busy modding or creating and only have time to test their stuff in their test town... 

If you start a new town, you'll see that the save file is much smaller and you'll see that the error code 12 will not be an issue.  I can't attest for the code 13 because I haven't experienced it to date.

As for your crashes, delete *cache.package files in your documents\the sims 3 folder, move the mods folder, move your save files to a backup location, start the game, exit the game.  Put your mods folder back, move the save files you want to use back and all should be well.  I would avoid the older towns and maybe try a new one, just to see if the crash issue is resolved.

FYI, try this save file viewer, check what's going on within your files. (Ooo, and I just noticed that there is a new version with basic editing!)  For a look at what the viewer is, check this thread.  Of course, I think the problems there, if they are a problem, is the cause of lag more than anything.