How I Prevent Desktop Crashes in the Sims 3

Even though I'm on an 8GB computer, here are my tips to preventing desktop crashes in the Sims 3, and that's what most of you can do when you experience a crash.

• Make sure your game is up to date. A healthy game might be always up to date, no matter how many CC you install. Or how many times you play it. In fact, don't overuse the CPU on your task manager, prefer to play in windowed mode because it's easier for you to access the task manager, by going through the taskbar>right click>open Task Manager. If you see just your mouse and the game just stopping working (with animations continuing), force closing it through the task manager.

• Prefer to play in Windowed mode. It's easier for you to access whatever you want by playing in windowed mode. Even the smallest crash can be present in Windowed mode. As mentioned previously, it's easier for you to access the task manager (and not only).

• Add the game to the Data Execution Prevention (DEP). This can prevent almost every crash of your game. You can go to Control Panel>System>System Overview (something)>Advanced System Settings.

• Save in different game slots. This helps preventing error codes 12, 13, and 16. I got an error code 12 two years ago and demanded the whole forum for an answer. Check your CPU in the task manager, if the app "eats" CPU or not. Do NOT overwrite save games, they may cause you error codes, so avoid overwriting save games, or overpopulate worlds! You can read about this one here. (I don't know the link)***

• Make sure you have lots of free space on your hard drive. A secondary drive is necessary for a gaming PC, since I'm on a laptop 1TB of HDD does the job right. You can save whatever you want, but even if you have VERY little hard drive (or SSD) space try holding off the usage of your PC or laptop and use it after a couple of days if you prefer. Easiest thing to clean useless files is CCleaner, google it and it's free to download!

• ***As for the save thing; save 1-2 times a week to prevent getting glitches on the family or the lot like duplicated lot instead of family icon or stand alone family icon with empty lot. It happens most when playing a sub world off the World Adventures pack (France/Egypt/China). I've had one with Moonlight Falls, but it didn't have to do with the World Adventures pack! Ever since I saved in Sims University & overwrote the file (quite some time later), NONE of these happened. Absolutely NONE of these, I mean. Because of a powerful laptop!

These are pretty much what I do when I play The Sims 3. Ever since it's a very demanding game and requires a powerful PC, make sure you do the following I stated above, they'll help you out, so watch out unexpected crashes and game on!

Joanne