Upgrading a graphics card?

[Frey]

Hi! 

My game has crashed twice already today. I ran Crash Log Analyzer (an .exe file that, when executed, will tell you why your game crashed), and it said I needed to "upgrade my graphics card or check it out for instability". What does "check it out for instability" mean? Is there anything I can do to improve my graphics card's performance? I have an Nvidia Geforce 310 M, which
I've been using for a month now with no issues... and I have no clue about why it decided to wait a month to tell me I had "insufficient graphics capability". I have all expansion packs up to Pets and I'm running the 1.29 version, since I'm not getting Showtime yet and don't want to risk the new bugs. I guess if my game is already broken, I could update it anyway and see what happens... but I'm not sure.

I already cleaned my cache files, updated Direct X,  restarted the computer and I will defrag the computer tonight... but is there anything else I can do? I mean, like updating the graphics card or whatever? I'm new to non-integrated graphics cards so I have no idea what to do. I could eventually get a new card, but I want to try all other options first.

Oh, and I already have ErrorTrap and Overwatch, compatible with 1.29 patch, and my last uninstall/reinstall was a month ago.

Any suggestions?

[MoonsAreBlue]

You use a laptop, right? Laptop graphics cards are almost impossible to upgrade, and that's if you can even find a card that would be compatible with your laptop. Do you have Norton installed? I uninstalled it and it seemed to help stop some of my crashing.

[Frey]

I use a laptop, yeah. I still can't figure out why the game would run with a GMA 4500 and not with an Nvidia though. I use the free version of AVG, because Norton and McAffee made my laptop run a lot slower.

I really don't get what's wrong though. I went to the Adapter tab were the Graphics info is, and I found this:

Available graphics memory: 1242 mb
Memory dedicated to video: 512 mb
System's video memory: 0 mb
System's shared memory: 730 mb

Isn't the dedicated memory supposed to be over 128 for the Sims to run? What does the 0 mean? I'm sorry these things aren't called like that in english, my windows is set to Spanish  .

[Figwit]

Frey, I don't know if you should put all your faith into that report. Sometimes programs just choose the most likely explanation.  Your graphics card should be adequate for Sims 3.

I would recommend updating to the new patch.  You could also post your error logs for Twallan to look at, at NRaas. 

[Frey]

Frey, I don't know if you should put all your faith into that report. Sometimes programs just choose the most likely explanation. 

Yeah, I was figuring that was an option.

I will update the game then... I really didn't want to do it yet but if it's already broken then I guess it doesn't matter  .

 

Thanks to both of you anyway! If my game keeps doing this stuff I will be able to give lessons about fixing crashes soon, LOL.

[Figwit]

Sometimes I think the crashes are more tied to the phases of the moon than anything else. 

[Frey]

Totally! Seriously, Moons is a witness: my game has been crashing permanently for 2 months, and for like 100 different reasons! I fix one thing and two days after, I get another crash for who knows what else.

If this doesn't get fixed by the patch I will be considering asking a job at EA's customer service, as a crashing expert. Seriously  . I bet that would be a much better job than being a part-time student and part-time translator  .

[wednesday21]

The best you can do is to update your video card drivers. There was a bug with outdated sound card drivers with Showtime so just to be on the safe side update the video card drivers too (check the Nvidia site for that or go to device manager if you're on Windows, find the video card driver and select "check for updates").

May I ask the manufacturer and the model of your laptop computer? In any case, if it is not very very new to the market, upgrading the video card should be impossible. Though it's not necessary either - geforce 310m should be able to run Sims 3 on low/medium settings pretty well (don't put it on high/very high).

Note that crash log analyzer only says "likely cause" and it has only four descriptions to crash issues. There can be numerous causes for Sims 3 to crash and the approach should be different for each user/computer. I haven't tried this program myself but I wouldn't trust it very much.

In the end, I know this sounds too harsh but you should probably get a new computer if you are having such constant crashes. I can relate - that's precisely what I am currently doing; saving up money for a new and better notebook computer.

[JudesSims]

Where do you find that, Wednesday? Mine only has two options. Disable 3D Vision and Enable 3D Vision.

[Frey]

Thanks, wednesday! I have no idea what model the computer is because I didn't buy it. It was my mother's laptop, but my old laptop's integrated chipset was near as dead so me exchanged them so I could keep playing (moms are the best, aren't they?  ). Anyway, it's a 2009 Samsung running Windows 7, 2 GB of RAM, Intel Core i3 processor (it says 2.13 Ghz)  and an Nvidia Geforce 310M with CUDA (no idea what that is LOL). That's pretty much what I know. It's not very new, but my mom only used it to check her e-mail once a month so it's like as new.

I just noticed that my Direct X was still at a 2006 version. No idea how in seven hells that's possible since the computer was bought in 2009 (and it was a brand new model back then) but I updated it to the newest version and I also installed the 1.32 patch, so now we'll see how it goes, it's loading right now.

The best you can do is to update your video card drivers. There was a bug with outdated sound card drivers with Showtime so just to be on the safe side update the video card drivers too (check the Nvidia site for that or go to device manager if you're on Windows, find the video card driver and select "check for updates").

You mean the Nvidia Geforce panel under Appearance? (in the Control Panel) I went in there but there's nothing about updating it. Should I look somewhere else or just assume my drivers can't be updated?

In the end, I know this sounds too harsh but you should probably get a new computer if you are having such constant crashes. I can relate - that's precisely what I am currently doing; saving up money for a new and better notebook computer.

Yeah, I know that, and I can't wait to do it!  but I'm going to study in Germany next week (I live in Chile) so let's say that I'm absolutely 100% broke, LOL.

[wednesday21]

My mistake. I'm on winXP and I always do it the device manager way but I see win7 doesn't have that option. Usually, to update your video card driver your best bet should be checking the Nvidia site for updates but apparently Nvidia stopped updating the drivers for this series a while ago, so yeah.

I've looked up your video card however ([urlhttp://www.geforce.com/Hardware/NotebookGPUs/geforce-310m]here[/url] is where I got my info) and quoting the description, "Whether you play the top games like The Sims 3 or edit HD movies, GeForce 310M GPUs accelerate your computing experience." It's actually a strong card and I don't think it is the problem. I think the problem is caused by something else.

Your notebook sounds very much like mine the only differences being I run winXP, I've got 1gb less ram and my chipset/card/whatever is Intel gma4 series which is actually supposed to be worse than any decent Nvidia card out there. I too bought mine in 2009.

I apologize, but I can't think of any suggestions at the moment that could help you. I'd recommend just cleaning out your game regularly...delete CC and mods you don't need/use; same with expansion packs. I for one uninstalled Ambitions and all of the stuff packs because they were just sitting there and I haven't touched them for about half a year. I just kept those I really use and let's say my game runs so much better. Though I guess the best choice for us "simmers with old notebooks" is to get back to The Sims 2 until we get our hands on a new PC.

[MoonsAreBlue]

The best way to see if your graphics card has an update would be to go to the Samsung website in your case and look for downloadable drivers. You'll have to find the ones specific for you computer model, but I bet there's been an update or two since 2009. And the chances are that it hasn't been updated at all because the automatic search your computer does is very unreliable. I know because I also have a Samsung laptop lol.

[Frey]

OK, I'll check that then.... but I have no idea what model the computer is. Is there anyway I can find it out? Like in the control panel or whatever? 

Thanks again 

[MoonsAreBlue]

You'll be able to find it on the bottom of your computer. Look around the barcode and stickers. Mine is actually in small white font on a clear background in the middle bottom.

DxDiag will also work, but I find it easier to just look on the computer.

[Frey]

Yay! It's an NP-R580 

Well, Showtime arrived to my country way earlier than it should have so I bought it today and installed it... and so far so good! I did a factory reset before I installed it though so maybe that's why. Appaloosa is still crashing, as always, but the rest of the game works fine (fingers crossed that it will last!).  I will check the drivers anyway though, maybe that will prevent future crashings.