Win 7
Intel Core i7-4770k
AMD Radeon r9 200 series

So a bit of back story first; I decide to start up the Sims 3- when suddenly I begin to hear a loud high pitched whining coming from my computer; which promptly shuts down immediately after I enter game's the main menu. After a bit of searching, I learn that it's likely my computer's poorly oiled/loose fan going overboard trying to keep everything cool. A bit more searching reveals that the Sims 3 has a penchant for going absolutely mental and turning graphics cards that are well above the minimum requirements into expensive charred bricks.

So I forcefully enable vsynch to be always on (As the Sims 3 apparently likes to try and run at 1500 FPS when you're not looking) through AMD's CCC and hope the problem has been fixed- which it wasn't; I only managed to get to quickly create a test Sim and move them into a house (Which began to show off a variety of other glitches, but that's for another help thread) before another computer shutdown. So then I learn that deleting the PACKAGE files within Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 is meant to help improve stability- Same result. After scouring half the internet, I learn that NRAAS mods Errortrap and Overwatch might help. After installing them, the Sims 3 still stubbornly decides to crash.

It goes without saying that I'm quite happily able to run most other games without my computer going down in flames. Help for this most infuriating problem would be most appreciated.

It seems like you don't have FPS limiter installed yet, you need FPS limiter to protect your video card to run TS3, http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s...p?topic=15585.0

Thanks for the help Emy(And Nitro), but after I installed the fps limiter you linked to, and started 3booter, nothing happens- Using the outdated install instructions, double clicking 3booter succeeds in opening Origin. Am I just being really stupid and missing something obvious?

you need to download both of the 3booter-win.zip and fpslimit.zip (in the next thread says "NEW UPDATE"), unzipped them and place them together in the root directory of your TS3 BG (C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3, NOT inside of the Game\Bin\ folders), there should be 3booter, FPS_Limiter, Hookhelper.dll, and Limiter_D3D9.dll, and then launch the game by clicking the 3booter, it should be working, but if that's still not working, you might need to download awesome updater along with awesome mod altogether.

Once it working and the game run properly, to check if your FPS limiter is working when the game are running, hit ctrl+shift+c and then type "fps on" in the box and hit enter, you should see number on top of your right corner screen, by default it should be "30" fps, if you see this, then it's good to go

PS: You might need to make a shortcut for your 3booter and place it on your desktop, cause you need to launch the game from here onward so the FPS limiter are also launched.

Edited: Or you can try an older one on here http://www.4shared.com/file/rpNSxwj...Limiter_02.html but you need to join them to be able to download it. With this one you need to read the instruction first how to set the FPS_Limiter_GUI to your TS3.EXE or TS3W.EXE and set up the max FPS for it, this one can be set up for TS3 CAW and TS3 CAS (stand alone) also.

Thanks for the help everyone, finally got the game running with afterburner (The on screen display is also a boon for any other game ).

Here's to the upcoming graveyards of tortured sims and the legions of sinister plumbots.

Another program which works well is Rivatuner Status Server; you can set a global fps limit or limit programs individually. On my system Sims3 would cause the vid card fans to sound like a 747 spooling up beside my desk within 60 seconds, with RTSS limiting fps to 30 the game runs smooth as silk and the fans idle quietly.

Would this help with my laptop overheating when I attempt to play TS3? The game doesn't shut down but sometimes I get a line or two on the screen that's not normally there.

It probably won't hurt. Never play TS3 without an FPS limiter, especially when the graphics card is a good one if I remember correctly. That line means your graphics card is might be close to dying a fiery death, so it might already be too late.

The first line showed up shortly after I bought the laptop.

I think it's actually a screen issue because the lines don't show up in screenshots. And I can play TS2 with all EPs/SPs perfectly.

My graphics card is a good one so I definitely need that.