Please help to stop my game from crashing!

[cp675]

I just built a new laptop and am having problems not playing Pets, but being able to play it for more than 15-20 minutes. Luckily the computer is so fast that it boots the game back up quickly,but with no autosave I often lose gameplay if I forget to save every 5 minutes.
Hopefully someone can help! I have a feeling it is the display/graphics adapter, and I have changed some settings around after I started having these problems to no avail. Perhaps someone on here can help me.
My computer
HP Pavilion Laptop running Windows 7 Home 64-bi w/ 2nd gen. Intel DUal Core i5 Processor w/ Turbo Boost. Graphics: 1GB Radeon HD 6470M DDR3 Graphics (I know not great, but maxed out upgrade option for this PC which is only 4 lbs.) Memory: 8GB DDR3. 750GB 7200rpm hard drive.
Games Installed: Sims 3, World Adventures, High-End Loft Stuff, Ambitions, Outdoor Living Stuff, Generations, and Pets
Problem: Game crashes w/ error message - "Sims 3 Pets has stopped working a needs to close"
Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:   APPCRASH
  Application Name:   TS3W.exe
  Application Version:   0.1.0.1266
  Application Timestamp:   4ecd813f
  Fault Module Name:   StackHash_044f
  Fault Module Version:   0.0.0.0
  Fault Module Timestamp:   00000000
  Exception Code:   80000003
  Exception Offset:   3e070104
  OS Version:   6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
  Locale ID:   1033
  Additional Information 1:   044f
  Additional Information 2:   044f5d804e095772eddecffc100bd7ae
  Additional Information 3:   090f
  Additional Information 4:   090f780a3fcb2b345a1ea6624af3957e

Please let me know how to resolve/if I need to send this thing back for something more powerful

[Frey]

I had this same issue after installing pets. Googling around I found 2 possible solutions: changing the DEP settings, and doing a factory reset. I use windows vista so the directions can be a little different for your computer, but here's a thread about how to change the DEP settings: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,7291.0.html .

For a factory reset follow these instructions: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,7507.0.html

The DEP thing seems to work for most people, but in my case it didn't. A factory reset worked though. Good luck!

[MoonsAreBlue]

Have you mainly been playing in Appaloosa Plains?

[iCastl]

I just had this problem a few hours ago... What I did was change the DEP setting and set all my sims .exe files to run in compatibility mode for windows 95. Has been working fine after that.

I can't find the website that gave step by step instruction on this but it shouldn't be too difficult to  google

[Frey]

Have you mainly been playing in Appaloosa Plains?

I don't know about the others, but I was... and most people I've read about having the same issue were, too. Actually after fixing it I found out my game was bugged right from the beginning because the consigning store and the beauty salon lots were empty and after the factory reset, they were there. I had noticed they were missing at first but I was too busy trying the EP and I didn't pay it too much attention.

[MoonsAreBlue]

Try deleting parking spots on community lots. That helped my crahing problem in Appaloosa.

[Pam]

This topic isn't related to Pets, so I'm moving it to the Technical Help board.