[FAQ] Troubleshooting Steps

[crinrict]

Please also start your own thread.

Here's some guidelines: http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-3/READ-FIRST-Help-us-Helpers-to-Help-you/td-p/255562/

[fatalitygr2]

When you say : Make a backup of  theSims3 folder in Documents\ElectronicArts to an external drive : are we supposed to delete the first file on which we made the backup?

[MelissaSh]

I actually have MORE problems since I made the backup and factory reset everything. When I open the Island the option to choose a household that already lives there is now GONE. When I log in at the beginning instead of saying my name it says hello USER you have this many sim points. It also no longer lets me take screen shots. I take them and when I go to paste they all turn black. Also the problem of it freezing when I try to move in a family still exists. I feel like I wasted my money on something I can't even play and am extremely disappointed. 

Edit: I have been online in a support chat for the last hour. They say my drivers are out of date, but I have updated them recently and have no problems in other neighborhoods. I am not happy that I wasted my money on a game I can not play.

[crinrict]

@fatalitygr2: Not sure what you mean. Backing up is just an extra safety step. When you rename the folder you put stuff back after the game created a new one and you work with the renamed one. The folder on the external drive (or anywhere else) can then be used should anything go wrong with the process of putting back stuff.

@melissash: 

1. Not able to choose family: You're in tutorial mode now, go to edit town to switch back out of it

2. Just logout and back in

3. Not sure about the picture issue. Is this when you use the ingame option or using print screen ? Mine have been black with print screen in forever. I use a tool for those.

4. Could you make your own thread for the freezing issue. Try to explain what happens in as much details as possible. Could you also post your Computer's DxDiag in that thread.

To gather a DxDiag on your computer, please follow the steps here: http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-3/HOW-TO-DxDiag-for-Sims-3-PC-Only/td-p/1049584/

[erikadeclercq]

The issue I'm having is when I click play after opening the launcher all it does is stay black screen with the loading sign. I've waited up to 3 hours and gave up. I uninstalled everything and installed it again and put my downloads back and I played it fine. When I shut it down to go to bed, I tried playing again it did the same thing. It started doing this close to after I updated the game. I have no idea what to do. I can't play it on my desktop I can only play it on my laptop. I have a windows 8.

[maliasanchez]

I think the fact that EA Games expects players to simply remove all of their cc from their game because they couldn't get the new patch to be compatible is somewhat inexcusable. If EA Games is willing to refund everyone for their paid cc then I might understand, however by disabling the use of cc just for a stupid spiral staircase is not a fair trade. It would seem as though a consumers only option is to uninstall, and re-install back to the previous patch and restoring to factory settings still does not fix the issue surrounding cc. I think after reading the majority of these posts regarding the issues surrounding 1.55, I'm just going to uninstall and re-install using 1.50 as it worked fine, and I had no issues. As far as fixing the patch goes, I will just wait until the guys at Mod the Sims comes up with a fix as they seem to have more solutions than EA Games. After all the research I have done, uninstalling, re-installing, moving this folder here and there, clearing my caches, and downloading programs to check all of my "corrupt content" just to fix my game; EA Games should cut me a check for my time.

[lelalicia]

when i click play on sims 3 on my pc it sais sims3launcher not working? i tryed to uninstall it and i couldnt find sims 3 ?_? please help

[steamup56]

As in a matter of fact you will need to download the Launcher with the Game On the Mac, PC, etc. If there is the Laptop version in your Laptop it might freeze or crash try checking readme. Or try reading other answers at www.ask.com or Does the laptop version of the Sims 3 Crashes? with (?) sign thanks and your argument is invalid thank you!

[Nebulass]

Realy Thank you for this fix way. My game stuck was very different. It was stoping 3-4 sec. and work and again stoping when I was playing in the Sims 3. I know my pc not low for like that slow game play. So that fix way worked. I'm pleasure man. Thank you very much.

Best regards.

[Butterfly91698]

My game won't ;oad and I'm paying it for it. I need someone to hellp me as soon as possib;e/