How to save graphic settings?

[morg1291]

I know my husband means well, but he likes to update my graphics card drivers wtihout first telling me, and then by doing so, it seems to reset all of my settings in the sims 3.  is there a way to keep this from happening?  is there a settings file in the sims 3 folder that I can backup? 

[SimAd]

Yes. Or not any more, as may be in your situation.

When you update the graphics driver, the game sees the new graphics driver as a new device, and deletes all the settings resetting them to default. Now this is really not needed, but alas, the game does it. You should do the following:

- before the update make sure you have a COPY of the file "options.ini" which is in your Documents\The Sims 3 folder, for example on your desktop
- after the graphics driver is updated, when the game starts, it'll make a new factory default options.ini
- you can edit that file using Notepad. Edit the new options.ini and find the line that starts with "Lastdevice = <blah>". Copy that entire line.
- now edit your old options.ini, and find the same line. Paste the copied "Lastdevice = " line over the old one, making sure it's replaced
- save the old options.ini, then copy it to your Documents\The Sims 3 folder.

This way you'll retain all your settings.

[morg1291]

Thank you so much for your help. I always keep a back up of my sims folder. Can't I just use the backed up version of the options.ini file? 

[SimAd]

That'll do fine. All you need is a copy of the options.ini from BEFORE you started the game with the new graphics driver.