Game crashes to desktop

[Esther1981]

OK, I can't play my game anymore. I open it and it crashes to desktop almost immediately. I've been PMing Pam and this is what I've done so far. 1.  Click on the Start button in the lower left corner.  In the search box, type "%temp%" and enter.  When the new window opens, select all the items on the right  side and delete them.  If you get a notice that a file can't be deleted, just skip it.  This will clean out a lot of unnecessary temporary files from your computer. I deleted over 1,000 files. 2.  Run a disk cleanup from the System Tools menu.3.  Run a defrag from the System Tools menu.4.  Clean out the DCBackup folder again, and also clean out the Screenshots and Recorded Videos folders. And I cleaned out my cookies and caches in my browser. I have tried it with 2 different saved games and I even tried it with a new game all with the same result. I am running Vista. Pam is the one who suggested I make a topic here in hopes someone else will have more suggestions.

[The Illuminator]

Do you get to see any error message or does the game just crash to desktop without giving you any information or reason?

[Esther1981]

No error message or anything. The first time I was looking in the treasure chest and it just quit the second time I was looking at the family tree, and with the new game I was just standing there.

[Esther1981]

Ok, I just opened the launcher which is something I hardly ever do and there was an update. So I updated and hoped it would fix it and it didn't. I opened my game, let it run on 3 times speed. It ran about 2 seconds than crashed to desktop. So I'm going to have to uninstall reinstall and hope that fixes it. I can't do it til the weekend, so hopefully I don't go too insane without them!

[The Illuminator]

Maybe you should re-install it and you should try my method of playing the game without a disc. If there is something wrong with you CD that might work.

[mtglady]

Esther, if you use CFF and/or DEP make sure your settings are still the same.  I have heard that some have lost their settings after a computer update or by using certain programs to 'speed' their computers up.

[Esther1981]

Esther, if you use CFF and/or DEP make sure your settings are still the same.  I have heard that some have lost their settings after a computer update or by using certain programs to 'speed' their computers up.

I don't know what CFF is, but I did check the DEP and it said it had to be on, and it is. I don't use programs or anything to speed my computer up. I also don't use mods or CC, I know I've said that before but I thought it bears repeating. Illuminator, how do you play without the CD?

[The Illuminator]

I posted an instruction in the Technical Help board. It's a sticky.

[Esther1981]

Ok, I definitely don't have the computer whiz trait. I followed the instructions, took the CD out but now I don't know how to get it to run. I tried hitting autorun and it brought up something in notepad? I took a pic of the icons in the new folder.

[The Illuminator]

You should use the autorun one with the EA icon. The autorun you tried are instructions for your pc that tells it how to autorun sims 3.

[gerrr00]

I also tried it that way, but could not get it to run either.  Have you tried playing it as a digital download?  If you have the EA download manager, and you have activated all your games on it, you can download it through that, install, and play, all without needing the disk.  Your Sims games are good for 5 computers.  I use the disks, and my daughter doesn't.  Just be warned, it takes forever to download.  Fast Lane was over 3 hours.  The Sims3 probably a lot longer.  Just an idea to try out.  Good luck.

[Esther1981]

You should use the autorun one with the EA icon. The autorun you tried are instructions for your pc that tells it how to autorun sims 3.

That brought up the launcher and it said no disc!

[The Illuminator]

This may be a stupid question but have you copied all data into your C: drive?

[Esther1981]

I opened EADM hit browse more games, typed in Ambitions hit download and it's trying to charge me! I already paid for the disk!! Yes, I opened the disk, copied all 26 files, opened my C: and made a new folder and pasted.

[gerrr00]

EADM you need to click the sign in tab, after that go to activation, from there you can put your codes in from your games.  Once you put in the code the game will show up in the tab that has your user/email address across the top.  Click on start and then it will download.  Once that is done, you can install.  But you have to activate the game to be able to use it.  Hope that is a better explanation.  I'm rooting for you!


EDIT: I just remembered that I updated my EADM, now it looks different.  If you have the new one, it will pop up with the log in screen.  Log in.  On the right side of the EADM there is the a little tool/gear, click on that.  Go to redeem game code.  That is where you put in the code.  Once it is accepted, your game should show up in the list.  If not, click on the tool/gear and choose refresh my games.  Then you can download and install from there.  Sorry if you saw the above post and got confused, I just updated my EADM last night and completely forgot they changed the layout.