Sims 3 - Factory Reset: Fix Your Game with 1/4 the Time of a Reinstall

[Esther1981]

Have you checked your DEP? Don't delete it just yet. Here is a topic you could check. Also, with DEP open the control panel, open system, Click Advanced System Settings.  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. Under Performance, click Settings. Click the Data Execution Prevention tab, and then click Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select. Add the files from the base game and also the last EP or SP you have onto that. Hopefully it works.

[iCastl]

Thank you for this! I'll try it right after I shower  (back to the recycling bin  )

EDIT: Okay this will have to wait at least a day! I went out to take my  laptop to the computer geeks so they would clean out all the dirt and  dust in it.... I get it back tomorrow, this will hopefully speed up my game when I get it to work though 

[Esther1981]

You're welcome. I hope it works for you.

[MoMoll]

Moons, you just became my BFF!!!! I followed your instructions and save from having to reinstall!

[MoonsAreBlue]

Moons, you just became my BFF!!!! I followed your instructions and save from having to reinstall!

Haha, I'm so glad it worked for you!

[iCastl]

Hello Esther and Moons
Just wanted to let you know I finally fixed my problem. After performing a factory reset I forgot to relocate my .exe files dor the DEP.
I did this and I also changed the properties in my .exe files in order for them to run in compatibility mode.

I'm not precisly sure which of these two method worked, but my sims is no longer crashing.

Thank you Esther for being so helpful
And thank you moons for officially making my game WAAAY faster.

[MoonsAreBlue]

I'm glad your game is working! Happy faster simming.

[Esther1981]

You're welcome iCastl! Glad it's working!

[Noodles]

I was having some trouble with my game, but because it was not really glitching or anything serious (just unusually slow loading of lots and objects and occasional crashing), I didn't want to do a re-install; I also wasn't too happy of the idea of doing a factory reset because of the hassle of downloading all my store content again. I finally did it 2 days ago, as the loadtimes were starting to be ridiculously long for my PC's specs.

And I'm so happy I did it! It wasn't too much trouble at all (I copied the store content I wanted to keep from the old Downloads folder and just installed them again and they worked, no need to download them again), and it helped SO much. I could almost see my sims cry tiny little happy tears (or maybe it was just the nerdy me) as all the loading and crashing was gone. I put the same save file in and it loads so quick and smooth. I couldn't believe this would work so well!

I hope you don't see this message as a pointless repetition (which it is I guess) but I just wanted to encourage people to try this if their game is not working as well as it used to, I put it off far too long! And there really isn't any harm done if you store your old folder somewhere when you do this. It was so easy and fast, too.

[MoonsAreBlue]

It's not pointless at all, Noodles! The whole point is to help people and see just how much it helps. I'll edit the original post later about not having to redownload. Enough people have said that copying the files works, so I feel comfortable to add it now.

[SassySimmer]

I just have a very quick question (sorry if it has been asked I did scan but didn't see anything relating to this), I have done this technique and it is fabulous.  But I was just thinking as there is a new stuff pack coming out how does it affect game play if you have more than one sims 3 game folder and install a new stuff/expansion pack?  For example, I have separate folders for dynasty's, building contests, etc.  Or do you think that it won't have any affect at all?

[MoonsAreBlue]

It shouldn't have any effect at all. When you play your game from "The Sims 3" folder the first time after installing, the game does not give you any errors or anything, so it should be fine when you exit and switch to "Sims 3.2" or "Sims 3.3" or however many you have!

[SassySimmer]

It shouldn't have any effect at all. When you play your game from "The Sims 3" folder the first time after installing, the game does not give you any errors or anything, so it should be fine when you exit and switch to "Sims 3.2" or "Sims 3.3" or however many you have!

Awesome, thanks Moons.

[GlazeyLady]

Thank you for your post!

I was unable to install my store content until I went through the steps in your post - I'd even uninstalled and reinstalled, spent over 2 hours on chat with EA support, and tried a bunch of other things. 

It may be that a new store content patch actually fixed it, but it didn't tell me there was a new store content patch until I did the factory reset.

Thank you for sharing!

[Carl]

After installing Showtime and encountering multiple bugs, several freezes and a few hours of lost gameplay, I just tried this for the first time. I would have had my page about magicians done yesterday if not for all the issues I've had. If I make it through the rest of the writing process without any more issues I'll be advertising this thread on the guide so everyone who visits knows about it lol.