Error 12 and sims3.bad Folders

[xFezIsAFreakx]

I was ecstatic yesterday as I managed to play right up to where I wanted to be, in order to take a New Years photo for my legacy. I've been having a lot of problems recently that didn't allow me to play (overheating, and we needed a new fan which there kept on being problems with arriving) so this made me really happy. I went off to install the New Years items and then started my game again and continued to play, about four saves later I got an Error 12 not allowing me to save. I just shut down the game and had a look at my saves in the Sims 3 folder, and there was dreamer.sims3, (which is dated back in October!!) and dreamer.sims.bad! I also have a repeat of this for dreamer2 which is my second save, because I alternate between the two specifically not to let things like this happen. >_>

I tried to delete the .bad files and play with the dreamer.sims3 but they are dated months ago and I already had to replay a few chapters of my legacy because of having to factory reset my computer, so this is really not the way to go.
I restored the .bad files and renamed them to .sims3, dated yesterday, but the game would shut down to the desktop and I would get 'sims 3 is not working'.

Is there anyway I can fix this without having to play from September/October? It is going to be absolutely gutting if I need to play from then.

I copied my Sims 3 folder right after the error came up so I have a copy in my documents folder to try any techniques anyone suggests on.

Please help.

[loveSims]

Did you make backups Fez?

[Yarakisagoa]

Unless you have a backup of your game. Otherwise, sadly, as long as I know, you'll have to start it over .

P.s: is your game up to date? Since the 1.29 patch, I have no problem in saving game (yet). Remember always make a backup. Because who know, that's what surprise means ). And here is a few tips when saving to avoid the problem(s):

1. Pause the game before save. (I dont know why I do this, but I think it'll help)
2. Use the "save as" to save it to 3 (or more) diference save files. I'm doing this just for the backup as i said above.

Good luck .

Edit: According to the Readme.txt file, Error Code 12 is a "World file save failure".

[cathyknits]

If you have a .backup, instead of a .bad, that should be fine. Error 12 usually means something failed on this particular save - the two things that seem to do it to me are a) playing for too long in one sitting (4-5 hours or more) and b) doing architect jobs - but doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem with the underlying game file. It should be okay to go back to the last save that worked...and when it worked, it should have made a .backup of itself.

[xFezIsAFreakx]

I just played from the old file.. and it happened again, but only after I went to change my sims outfits! It happened last time when I changed a sim's outfit, too. Does this mean my Create-A-Household is bugged? And yes, I'm all patched up.

If you have a .backup, instead of a .bad, that should be fine. Error 12 usually means something failed on this particular save - the two things that seem to do it to me are a) playing for too long in one sitting (4-5 hours or more) and b) doing architect jobs - but doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem with the underlying game file. It should be okay to go back to the last save that worked...and when it worked, it should have made a .backup of itself.

No, the .backup is dated months ago, that's the problem.

Unless you have a backup of your game. Otherwise, sadly, as long as I know, you'll have to start it over .

P.s: is your game up to date? Since the 1.29 patch, I have no problem in saving game (yet). Remember always make a backup. Because who know, that's what surprise means ). And here is a few tips when saving to avoid the problem(s):

1. Pause the game before save. (I dont know why I do this, but I think it'll help)
2. Use the "save as" to save it to 3 (or more) diference save files. I'm doing this just for the backup as i said above.

Good luck .

Edit: According to the Readme.txt file, Error Code 12 is a "World file save failure".

I do pause before I save the game, and use save as, as I mentioned in the first post. I couldn't use three save files, I use two. Three would be far too much for my laptop to handle as it is a huge save file.

Did you make backups Fez?

Yes, but I just played from it and it happened again after I used the create-a-household to make a new outfit for my sims.

[kiko94]

A thread I did a while ago that should help you understand your issues
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,8266.0.html

[xFezIsAFreakx]

A thread I did a while ago that should help you understand your issues
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,8266.0.html

Thank you, Kiko! I read the Error 12 part but.. I literally used resetsim * about one sim hour before this happened (I do it regularly), it wasn't lagging at all before this happened and also I don't think it could be to do with having to much store items (I have no third-party CC) because I was able to play for hours with all that stuff before hitting this.. I think it is to do with Create-a-Household because this only happens when I save after changing any of my sims' outfits.. I'll try again tomorrow and see if it occurs again when I'm changing the sims' outfits.


I will also try waiting a while and playing for a bit, and zooming out to edit town.


EDIT: Actually, I was wondering.. for anyone that has had this error before, is it natural for a .bad file to come from it? If not, then it could be something else that is harming my game..

[CharlotteDaBookworm]

Every time I get error 12 it makes a .bad folder. One thing you can do is minimize the game and delete the .bad folders then try saving again. Works for me.

[xFezIsAFreakx]

Every time I get error 12 it makes a .bad folder. One thing you can do is minimize the game and delete the .bad folders then try saving again. Works for me.

Hmm, good idea! Never thought of it! I will try all of these tomorrow, thank you all so much.

[Sunnysabjes]

Every time I get error 12 it makes a .bad folder. One thing you can do is minimize the game and delete the .bad folders then try saving again. Works for me.

It doesn't work for me... I keep getting the error... any other solutions? I'm getting tempted to just reinstall the game and not use the new patch... It kinda messed up the game...

[xFezIsAFreakx]

It doesn't work for me... I keep getting the error... any other solutions? I'm getting tempted to just reinstall the game and not use the new patch... It kinda messed up the game...

Delete any CC? I deleted some recent store items of mine and that did the trick. (Forgot to post about it here)

[Sunnysabjes]

Delete any CC? I deleted some recent store items of mine and that did the trick. (Forgot to post about it here)

You mean stuff from the store or downloaded thing from other sites? I recently got rid of all my downloaded hair and stuff, I had way to much .

Edit: I just checked and got more downloaded stuff that didn't come from the store then I thought. I'm uninstalling ti now and then trying again!

[xFezIsAFreakx]

You mean stuff from the store or downloaded thing from other sites? I recently got rid of all my downloaded hair and stuff, I had way to much .

Anything you don't use very much or use the least. CC is just any items not included with base game or any SPs or EPs. Personally, I'd delete the third-party CC as they can cause problems with the game, but as I didn't have any of that anyway I just deleted a recent collection I had got from the Store that I don't need anymore.

[Sunnysabjes]

Anything you don't use very much or use the least. CC is just any items not included with base game or any SPs or EPs. Personally, I'd delete the third-party CC as they can cause problems with the game, but as I didn't have any of that anyway I just deleted a recent collection I had got from the Store that I don't need anymore.

As soon as I get some thing uninstalled I'll give it a try. If it will let me, it says it uninstalled, but it just shows up under installed content XD Wow this is getting weird...

[xFezIsAFreakx]

As soon as I get some thing uninstalled I'll give it a try. If it will let me, it says it uninstalled, but it just shows up under installed content XD Wow this is getting weird...

Do you mean the Third-Party CC or the Store Content that doesn't show up as uninstalled?