Hey,

I got Late Night and after fixing the DEP issue, it ran perfectly. Now all of a sudden I keep getting LAA related crashes. I've changed nothing in my game and my mods folder is empty. On top of that I keep getting error codes 16 when saving, even when using "save as..."
I also checked the patch downloader and the Sims LAA program and the base game and the three eps (I don't own any sps) are patched and set to true for LAA.

Thanks a lot!

There is no need to use LAA with the new patch/Late Night. It's already able to use more than 2 gigs of RAM.

What os are you on ? if you have a 32 bit system, you will need to do some extra steps.

Thanks for the replies!

Oh I know that I'm not supposed to need LAA, I only checked what it said because I keep getting LAA related crashes even after patching.

Yes, I'm on Windows Vista 32 bit, what else do I have to do?

• General - Post System Specs
  We need more information before we can help with your issue. Please post your system specs - instructions on finding them are here: Game Help:System Specs^wiki.
  
  If it is not specifically asked, please provide the Quick summary only.
  
  
• Sims 3 - Game Problems
  For generic game related issues, please see this FAQ:
  
  Game Help:Sims 3 Game Problem^wiki
  
  

Depends on how much RAM you have. Are drivers and DirectX also updated?

You have ruled out CC conflicts, by doing that Game Problem FAQ?
There are more suggestions in dealing with crashes in the Related Pages section of that FAQ at the bottom.

Is EADM still installed? Do you have disc or digital versions?
How are you starting the game? Via Launcher or the ts3ep03.exe directly?
If you're saying that LAA utility is causing the crash, then uninstall it and start the game by bypassing Launcher. Game_Help:TS3_Bypassing_the_Launcher^wiki
And which town are you playing?

My System Specs are:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell XPS430
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.3GHz
Memory: 2814MB RAM
Page File: 1819MB used, 4023MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 11

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x950F)
Display Memory: 1659 MB
Dedicated Memory: 508 MB
Shared Memory: 1150 MB

Driver Name: atidxx32.dll,atidxx64,atiumdag.dll,atiumdva.dat,atiumd64,atiumd6a,atitmm64
Driver Version: 7.15.0010.0119 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/27/2008 09:26:16, 1559552 bytes

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: IDT High Definition Audio CODEC
Driver Name: stwrt.sys
Driver Version: 6.10.6017.0001 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 6/26/2008 08:11:22, 380928 bytes

------------------------
Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
------------------------
Drive: C:
Free Space: 51.8 GB
Total Space: 700.0 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: ST3750630AS

Yes, I did read the LAA FAQ, but was not sure I was supposed to still do any of that (especially the bit about changing your cmd) because of the new patch supposedly making everything in there obsolete.

I read the other suggestions too and I'm fairly certain nothing of that will help me. My computer might not be strong, but I was able to play the game with no problems at first, so I don't know if that has something to do with these crashes.

EADM is installed and I'm using a digital version of LN. I'm starting my game directly, not through the launcher.

I'm not sure what you mean, I'm not saying the LAA utility is causing the crash, or maybe I misunderstood you. The Crash Log Analyser tells me the cause for the crash is "Large Address Aware (LAA) - Update the game to..." and then is stating a version that I've already updated to. The crash log in the documents folder says the crashes were due to "ACCESS_VIOLATION writing address 0x00000000"

I'm playing the new town that came with Late Night.

• Sims 3 - EADM Issues
  If you encounter issues while downloading Store/Exchange items or when trying to patch or Launcher won't even start, then maybe the issues is not the Launcher but EADM. Please try the suggestions on this FAQ article:
  
  • Game Help:EADM Issues^wiki
  
  
• Sims 3 - Uninstall
  This Game_Help:TS3_Uninstall^wiki link has the step-by-step instructions to guide you through uninstalling The Sims 3, and its packs (EP/SP).
  
  If you're reinstalling because you're reverting to an older patch, or just do not want to use the Launcher/EADM to patch, read this FAQ Game_Help:TS3_Patching^wiki once through before patching and then follow the guide.
  
  

Exactly what I've been contending all along. So now, how do we dig through all the BS to find the root cause? Which tool is in error that is telling people to patch something that is already patched?
Is it the CLA at fault or LAA or the Patch Downloader or EA's patcher?

And your drivers are 2 years old - that needs updating. http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downlo...n_vista-32.aspx
Also update DirectX, just to be thorough.
The Audio drivers need some digging...

My suggestion at this point? Update drivers and DirectX as above. Then...

If you had done the DEP, put that back to default settings.
If you had done the LAA using CFF, undo it. OR. If you had done the LAA using that LAA tool, undo it.
If you have CLA and LAA, uninstall them.


Read the guide in EADM FAQ and backup your EADM cache so you don't need to redownload Late Night files (plus whichever games are also on Digital versions), when you uninstall EADM.

Uninstall everything and start on a clean slate. I would also suggest to just update manually from the wiki page of current patch links and you don't need any external tools.
Then, before restoring any saves or CC, test the base game on vanilla settings with a newly downloaded EADM (if your base game is also Digital Download), before installing LN. If that is fine, then go ahead and install the next EP and patch that and then test load again, until you finish with Late Night.

Remember to test with Sunset Valley and Bridgeport both when you have installed Late Night.

We'll proceed from there if CTDs still occur.
What I'm getting at is - don't do any DEP or LAA stuff after re-installing, as yet.

Thanks a lot, I will try doing that!

Okay, I updated my drivers and DirectX, unistalled everything and reinstalled the base game and patched it (not via the launcher now) and now it crashes again. The log says "type: ACCESS_VIOLATION writing address 0x1fc8b940
address: 0x1fc8b940 <unknown module>" so I suppose I will have to change the DEP again, right? Otherwise I probably won't be able to test if any of the other saving errors and crashes still happen.

Do you have Ambitions?

• Sims 3 - Verify Gameversions + Framework
  What is your gameversion?
  Windows OS: Game_Help:TS3_Patching_Find_Gameversion^wiki
  Mac OSX: Game_Help:TS3_Patching_Find_Gameversion#info.plist^wiki
  
  Copy and paste the indicated line from the skuversion.txt or info.plist from the following locations, for whichever games you have (adapt as appropriate for OSX):
  C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin
  C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 <EP or SP name>\Game\Bin
  
  
  Quote:
  

  BG: GameVersion = WA: GameVersion = HEL: GameVersion = AMB: GameVersion = FL: GameVersion = LN: GameVersion =

  
  

I do have Ambitions, I haven't installed it yet though. So right now I only have the base game installed and patched to 1.17.60.009002. So should I just keep installing the rest of the eps and see what happens?

And thanks for your help and sorry for being such a bother.

Hello Aye. Seems like we have a similar problem and we have been both messing around with DEP & LAA. See this post http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=423998. I'm now uninstalling and reinstalling everything and following closely ellacharm3d's suggestions. Update please on your outcome as I will with mine. lots of luck.

At least I'm not alone with my weird problem, haha...hope you have more luck than I did up to now though.

Okay, I uninstalled everything (base game, eps, LAA, CLA) and reinstalled Sims 3. I started the unpatched base game and it worked, so I manually patched it to 1.17.60.
After patching my game crashed a few seconds after loading a neighbourhood/a family and in the crash log it states "The log says "type: ACCESS_VIOLATION writing address 0x1fc8b940
address: 0x1fc8b940 <unknown module>" That is considered a DEP related crash, right?
So I installed and patched WA, same crash. Same goes for Ambitions and now Late Night.

I have no CC, old saves or old saved sims in my game and have not used the launcher or EADM. Should I now try changing the DEP and see what happens? Right now I can't play the game at all.

It seems the "unknown module" crashes have something to do with the patch, because they didn't occur when I was playing the release version of the base game.

Well, tried my luck last night but no such luck. I stopped at WA after fully patching it, when the dreaded freeze reared its ugly head again. Unlike before though, the freeze came only after about 20-30 minutes. Unlike before, I can still move the Sims mouse cursor (not the Windows standard mouse cursor) but still can't alt+tab or ctrl+alt+del my way out of the locked up game.

Should you go back to DEP? Well as for me I wont, even if I don't have a clue whether or not its the cause or a contributory factor. Just on the principle that if I've tried it before and it didn't work no point in going back to it. Einstein once said that Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and each time expecting a different result.

Me? I'll wait for further advise and suggestions from the wonderful people here like Ellacharm or HP et al. My advise to both of us is to stop proceeding any further installation or tweaking while waiting for more advise.

Cheers mate!

You have updated graphics driver and DirectX, aye? Can you post the updated specs? Just to confirm the drivers "took" and got updated.

I need to know the gameversions (for all games) to confirm if we can do away with EADM, and to confirm the patched gameversions are all on the same level.
Also, did you redo the DEP on ts3.exe when it crashed or not yet?
Did you start the game via Launcher or bypassed it?

I have a suspicion the CTDs are due to Ambitions Lots being improperly placed; but if you're even experiencing CTDs on base game with no Ambitions and Late Night installed, we have to look elsewhere.

We need to establish if the crashes are caused by the game-engine or external forces like
- cc issue (checked - since you have a new user folder)
- pre-patched-saves (checked, since again - new folder)
- Launcher issue (bypass it to test)
- eadm issue (only for retail disc - uninstall it to test)
- AGS (don't use it to test)
- anything done to the game executables like DEP or LAA (don't apply it to test)
- anything else I'd forgotten(?).

Yes, I have uninstalled my old driver and installed a new one and DirectX should be updated too.

System specs:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell XPS430
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.3GHz
Memory: 2814MB RAM
Page File: 1854MB used, 3991MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 11

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x950F)
Display Memory: 2164 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1013 MB
Shared Memory: 1150 MB

Driver Name: aticfx32.dll,aticfx32.dll,atiumdag.dll,atidxx32.dll,atiumdva.cap
Driver Version: 8.17.0010.1047 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/29/2010 02:55:02, 536576 bytes

Hope that is alright?

Game versions:
TS3 1.17.60.009002
WA 2.12.8.009017
AMB 4.5.6.009017
LN 6.0.81.009017

I did not redo the DEP or changed anything. I downloaded all the patches manually and have not used the launcher once since reinstalling. I started all my games directly from Game/Bin. EADM is installed, but my digital versions of WA, AMB and LN were bought and downloaded from another site, not EA. Does that mean I don't need the EADM at all?

After installing Ambitions I didn't add any new lots and clicked cancel on the prompt to place new community lots, so Sunset Valley hasn't been changed since I installed the unpatched base game.

Just to clarify again:
-no CC
-no old saves
-haven't used the launcher at all
-EADM is installed, base game is retail disc, all my eps were bought and downloaded from a different online shop that's not EA
-no AGS
-no DEP or LAA or anything for that matter

Uninstalling the EADM now to see if anything changes.

And thank you again for your help!


Edit: Uninstalled the EADM, still the same crash

At what point does the crash occur?
Does it crash at the same point for a Sunset Valley game as it does in a Bridgeport game?

Even after clicking cancel on the Community Lot placement prompt, did you just do a quick pass to ensure no Lots are placed? Or didn't even have a chance to do that before it crashed?

Was the EADM allowed to update itself and Adobe Air when you had it? Well, I guess moot point now. You can start a digital download game by not having EADM? Kewl!
Or did the other store have it's own game launcher of some sort?

I guess it is time to do the DEP thing. Game_Help:Crash_workarounds^wiki
Do the LN exe only and test that.

ps: updated specs info is sufficient just like that, thanks!

The crash occurs as soon as I start any neighbourhood or family. It loads the family and crashes after 10 seconds. So I can't check if any lots are placed. But as far as I know the Ambition lots are already placed in Bridgeport? But I'm not sure if I remember correctly. I don't know if that can affect Sunset Valley though...I haven't placed anything there and I don't think the game places new lots by itself, right?

Adobe Air was not updated, but I think the old version of the EADM installed with TS3 and then the newest version with one of the eps.

And yeah, from where I got the game you download one exe and three rars, unrar everything with the exe and have all the necessary files to install the game. No other launcher needed. I think you basically get a folder on your computer with everything that's usually on the disc.

Okay, I will do the DEP tomorrow and see what happens. Let's hope for the best.

Don't start any Household, yet. Do the sweep of the neighborhood first.
The game does place Ambitions Lots in the 'hood, as long as you have Ambitions, I believe.

You mentioned loading a family, always the same default EA family? You have been loading the same save game for all this testing?
Granted, not a pre-1.17-save or a pre-LN-save; but still a saved game? I mean, not a newly started game all the time?

After doing the DEP step, if still crashes on a newly started Bridgeport game, try Game Help:Late Night Crash^wiki.

Which online game store is this? Have you asked their Customer Support?
Is it all the 4 games that you purchased from them? Or just the Digital versions?
Could it have been a bad download? Have you redownloaded?
OK, wait! Is this the first time you're installing the Sims 3 and playing on this PC?

No, I have no save games, I just load a random EA family. I can get into a town and click on a family, the game crashes after loading a family.

The store can't really help, they know even less than I do, haha. I've downloaded WA three times and Ambitions twice, so I'm pretty sure it's not a bad download.

And I've already had a history of crashes. I got TS3 when it came out and it worked. Then I got WA and couldn't play at all because it kept crashing after a few in game days, same with Ambitions. (I kept some of the old crash logs and most of them were unknown module ones) Then I reinstalled everything and suddenly it worked perfectly. I could play for hours, have big parties, visit all the WA locations etc. with no problems at all. I then installed LN and got the immediate crash after loading, so I did the DEP. After that I could play for about two rl days with no problems at all but then the weird crashes and saving error codes started occurring.

Okay, after the DEP thing I can now play the game for at least half an hour, didn't have much time to test. I'll probably have some more time next week to see if I'm still getting the weird LAA crashes.

Oh, so never had a good gameplay experience on this machine?
I should have asked this earlier when I saw the GPU, but I thought you had been playing for months without issues. If you look in our Game_Help:TS3_System_Requirements^wiki page, you'll see any dual GPU card (with "x2") doesn't get a good Yes label, but a Maybe.

You still get crashes after
- updating drivers,
- uninstalling EADM,
- bypassing Launcher,
- doing DEP,
- has no CC,
- loading new games and playing with default Households,
- done the sweep on the map for Ambitions Lots?

Did we try on Windowed mode? Or disabling some background processes (not so sure as you did play for a bit with WA)?

Then, we can conclude it is hardware causes...

I could play with no problems at all after the first reinstall (up to WA). Didn't even have to do the DEP. I think the crashes before that might have been due to bad CC too, but I can't say for sure. The problems started again with LN. Maybe my computer can't handle that many eps?

I haven't really tested this new install with the DEP, so I've not given up yet, haha.

I'll try playing in windowed mode. And I usually try to play with as little background processes as possible.

But yeah, at this point I think you've done everything you can to help me! If I'm still getting crashes I'll just have to wait till I can afford a better computer.

Thank you so, so much!