Newest patch plus update prevents saving?

[heather3.0]

Did you register your games?  If so, you may be able to download them from Origin.  When I was having trouble with my Supernatural disc, that's what the EA help guy recommended to me.  I had never downloaded a game before, I always bought the disks, and yet all the EPs I had were there in Origin and could be downloaded.  Of course, I had purchased all of them directly from EA as well.

I don't know if downloading is an option for you or not, but it's worth checking as I hate to think of the cost of having to buy everything all over again.  Good luck with your new computer.  I recently bought a new computer because my old one (bought for Sims 3 years ago) was struggling with the game.  And I'm really glad I bit the bullet and got a new machine.  It's made a world of difference.

Hi there! I have all of my ep's via origin but I bought the original sims 3 as a disk way back when. So, thankfully I'll only have to replace the sims 3 base game. I never registered it and I'm seriously kicking myself in the caboose right now! Lesson learned though 

Oddly enough the last time I tried to save in build mode it was raining...perhaps there is something to the idea that saving in build with weather going on causes probs. Can't be sure though as I can't remember what the weather was like during previous crashes.

Either way I've decided to move my sims to a desktop that has a server processor..I have plans to update memory and video/graphics cards if necessary. I have to check and see what's in there when I open it up. I saw there's a new family tree challenge that ends in March and I am nearly foaming at the mouth to start that one...ID might have to go on back burner til that's been accomplished. 'Til then I'll live vicariously through you guys and your stories 

This site has been amazing and everyone is so helpful and friendly!! Thanks again!!!

[Korva]

Since this is a well-known and extremely irritating bug, maybe the ones responsible for the challenge will allow you to use the workaround (move out family with home, bulldoze lot, plonk house plus family back) if you ask them? That method has a few problems, though. It apparently nukes Sim-made paintings, at least ones on the lot -- I think they should be safe if a Sim has them in her inventory. It also deleted the elixirs in the storage space (not the display shelves) of my alchemy cabinet. I don't know if inventions or sculptures would be affected as paintings are.

They really need to fix this bug.

[heather3.0]

UPDATE:

I moved sims 3 and all ep's to a new desktop instead of my laptop. The new desktop has a high quality processor in it and a radeon 54(something) can't remember graphics card. I found a wiki page with a list of a ton of graphics cards that read either (no) for incompatibility, (maybe) for possibly will work with good processor, and (yes) good quality for the game. Mine is a maybe and it retails at 30 bucks. I'm not sure exactly which solved my problems i.e. new card or new processor or just being on a desktop vs laptop, or the combo of all three, but I HIGHLY recommend just updating what you have if you're like me and play sims pretty much everyday. It's so worth it.

My speed 3 in the game would run nearly as slow as speed one. Now my sims move so fast at speed 3 that it's hard to follow them. Also, when switching from a residential location to a community location by map, it would take a while for the objects in the new location to appear and turn from grey to their actual colors. Now it immediately changes. The quality of the game is overall much better and I am so happy with this. Mind you I did not re-install seasons ep because of all the problems with it. Hopefully they'll fix the issues soon. Until then I'll leave off seasons just in case the problem with saving after build arises again.