Game running really slow after installing Ambitions

[jmz95]

Hey all, what is the best and most efficient way to speed up my computer? Ever since I installed Sims 3: Ambitions the other day, the game seems to be running slower than ever. Does this have to do with it being a new game and having to process a lot of code, or is my computer just running slow now? My brother has complained every time he's played Ambitions that the computer starts to lag real bad and it just gets slower in general. I have all the graphic settings on the highest performance level (the lowest setting for the actual graphics) but the problem persists. There is nothing else running on the computer, and my brother's house is not incredibly big nor is it a huge family, only two people. Any suggestions?

[Pam]

When you installed Ambitions, did you do a clean wipe of the game and reinstall?  It might also help to do a Disk Cleanup and Defrag.

[jmz95]

When you installed Ambitions, did you do a clean wipe of the game and reinstall?  It might also help to do a Disk Cleanup and Defrag.

No I did not. I never had, and maybe that's why as I've installed the new EPs and SP, loading has just taken longer and longer. However, I do have a question about your suggestion: about how long would it take to uninstall then reinstall everything? Also, what do I have to do exactly to defrag and do a disk cleanup? Is there another thread here that explains that?

[Pam]

No I did not. I never had, and maybe that's why as I've installed the new EPs and SP, loading has just taken longer and longer. However, I do have a question about your suggestion: about how long would it take to uninstall then reinstall everything? Also, what do I have to do exactly to defrag and do a disk cleanup? Is there another thread here that explains that?

It took me one to two hours to do the whole thing. The best place to start is on the Technical Help board with the topic Start From the Beginning - Uninstall and Reinstall. I added instructions on how to do Disk Cleanup and Defrag. If you've never done a Defrag on your computer, it could take awhile for it to finish. It's a good idea to do this on a regular basis because it really helps keep the game running smoothly.  It's a pain because you have to download all of your Store items again and put your save files back in place, but it's worth it. I do it whenever I install a new expansion or stuff pack.

[jmz95]

Oh wow, well I won't be able to do that for a couple of days, my schedule is full from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep. I think the game has been running a bit smoother, maybe my computer had just been on for too long and it needed to clear the cache and stuff. Well, I will definitely have to do the stuff you mentioned, but when you say download all my store items and put my save files back in place, does that mean I have to buy the stuff again? Also, would I just put the save files in a different folder like on my desktop?

Haha never mind, I just read the thread for uninstalling and reinstalling the games, and I see what you said about viewing my purchase history.

[Pam]

Also, would I just put the save files in a different folder like on my desktop?

Right. Just put them in a spot you can easily find.

[samoht04]

I put mine in my Documents - where they still are at the moment, because Sims 3 takes ages to install! 

[Meurix]

I had the same problem when I installed Ambitions, but I thought it's because of my "High-End" 8 years old pc.
After a couple of days the game started to work normally.

Nice forum btw.

[NeoFelis]

I knew that Sims 3 would not run on my pc (over four years old and it was maybe middle-of-the-road when I got it, plus the CD-ROM and sound card had died and there was something making odd noises, so I needed another pc) which had a CPU running under a gigahertz. I made the best decision for my current circumstances and got a laptop after the new Windows came out. Sims 3 runs slower and slower, particularly since Ambitions. Saves take a long while to load and the graphics can surprise me with Sims sleeping in invisible beds and riding invisible motorcycles. It does load the missing graphics, first with the white shape, then the blurry version, then the sharp (as it's going to get) visuals. One of the biggest reasons I picked this laptop because I can double the RAM, though I'm putting it off. I've defragged, but I'd love to know from someone more technically inclined if it'll make a big difference to increase the RAM? It's not cheap, but I'd start shopping for it if it'll make a significant difference. By the way, loading saves from SV (for the Challenge) doesn't take very long at all, but the previous game set in Twinbrook takes a long time to load. The graphics issues I mentioned are worse in Twinbrook but seem to exist in both towns.

So, would doubling RAM to 8 GB from 4 GB (this is DDR2, if that helps) likely make the game run faster and smoother? Or am I stuck until I have the space and money for a new desktop? I really would appreciate if any of the pc-technically inclined would answer this. Obviously a real graphics card would help, but that's gotta wait until the new desktop. Whenever that is.

[Saltypaws]

I am not the most technical person, but upgrading to 8 gigs of ram is not the issue.  It probably is your graphics card, which is most likely the case in most laptops.  Some people have good luck with laptops, while others cannot get the sims to play on it and the more you save and the bigger the game files gets, the slower it becomes.  Metro explained the ram in another thread and I was trying to find it.  Let me look some more, unless Metro reads this first and replies.

[Pam]

Ambitions only needs 1.5 GB RAM for Windows 7, so I doubt that's the problem.  I agree about the graphics card, too.  I had to update the card in my desktop to get the game to run right.