Suddenly started a few days ago. I have tried various things to fix it, and each thing I try moves the time when it happens. But it is usually so near the start that it could pretty much be labelled "can't play at all".

This is what I have tried so far, attempting to run the game between each step:
1) Delete entire My Documents part of game, so I start as new user with no CC and default ini.
2) Uninstall Sims and all ancillary EA tools and ensure all folders are gone. Reinstall just unpatched basegame from disk.
3) Get latest graphics drivers
4) Reset graphics card to factory defaults
5) Run long graphics performance soak test - no problems, runs at lovely cool temperature too.
6) Checkdisk. No errors
7) Overnight all-options memory test. No errors.
8) Rightclick game "Run as Admin"
9) Followed all steps in http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...p:TS3_Uninstall (thank you Armiel)
10) Run HWMonitor and had the results checked as OK by Delphy (thank you Delphy)
11) Double-checked voltages in BIOS
12) Swapped out mouse, as it had been always shortly after clicking that it crashed. This caused it to change when it crashed to when I hadn't just clicked.


Any other diagnostics I can try?

Last edited by Inge Jones : 22nd Sep 2011 at 01:46 PM.

Does the event log give any clue as to the cause of the shutdown? Under Win7 it's found under Control Panel -> System and security -> Administrative Tasks, I forget where it is in older versions.

It sounds like temperature probably isn't the problem, but it might be worth running HWMonitor for a while to see if any other components may have heat issues.

Well we discussed this in chat eventually, but just to recap for readers of this thread, I ran HWMonitor and it showed no problems. I checked the 12v thingy against BIOS as there was some question over the validity and BIOS passed that ok.

No log is written to eventlog as the shutdown is too sudden, but it does log the fact the last shutdown was unexpected, after coming back up.

The only other thing I can think of to try would be to check your other drivers (sound, mainboard etc) too, in case something is amiss there. I've known Windows to automatically update manufacturer's drivers with Microsoft generic drivers, so it's worth checking what Microsoft update has been doing lately.

Unpatched base game also crashed, Inge? I was thinking of DEP, but if unpatched 1.0 is crashing...
Does the PC crash when doing other stuff, non-TS3-stuff?

First thing to do, as the Event Viewer has no useful information, is to disable Auto-restart. At least then, you'd get to see the screen if there's a BSOD, and note down the filename and STOP code.

What is the graphics card? And what version # is the latest driver that you have? And yes, as Simsample noted - is it by M$FT's Windows Updates or via the OEM's website?

A few days ago is when this started? I think I had my PC auto restart due to a Windows update, too. The PC was actually left on to run the weekly AV scans, and the next morning it was on my logon screen. But I haven't had any crashes apart from the last Nvidia driver (v280.26) doing its black screen and then the "just recovered blablabla". I had to do the workaround (changed the Power Management mode) as somehow the Windows Updates had reset it.

Yes, unpatched basegame also crashing. How do I disable auto-restart? I did follow some instructions for doing that, but it still autorestarted! So how would you do it?

As for drivers, I updated (from the manufacturer site after the windows update one didn't help). That was no good either so I reset to factory defaults. Still no joy. So basically if I can catch ANY sort of error it would be a help.

Crashing only in TS3, although I also can't run TS2 in about the same timescale due to it completely ignoring me trying to start it. It acts like I didn't even click it. That's the exe, BTW, so not a dead shortcut.

Windows 7? http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windo...t-windows-7.htm
If not, there's a link for other Windows versions towards the end in the Tips.

And factory defaults? By uninstalling the driver first in Safe Mode? Or just resetting the card's settings?

I just reset to defaults, but as far as I know the fault began to happen not coincidental with updating drivers.

Ok I found another way in to the unticking autorestart as it wasn't as described in that article. I did that but it still restarted. I think when it turns off it is too sudden for the fault to be intercepted by the operating system.

Last edited by Inge Jones : 22nd Sep 2011 at 05:18 PM.

Can you play a movie?

Uninstalled the drivers in Safe mode, yet?



If auto-restart is turned off, the fault does not need to be intercepted, Inge. As the screen would stay until you manually turn-off or press the reset button. This does not happen in your case?

Last resort is a System Restore which I never liked as it messes up rather than restore in all cases I used it. Or, when you boot up and press F8 at boot time, is there an option for "Last Good Working Condition" (or something like it)?

No, the computer screen goes black, everything sounds like it's being powered down, and then it acts like I just turned it on and goes through its bootup routine. I've had driver issues before and they never result in this type of undetected shutdown. I can play YouTube and news website flash movies without issue. I can try the original driver from the disk that came wuth my graphics card, in safe mode, but something seems quite creepy and illogical about this whole thing. I think it portends the end of the world!

Oh, don't use the original!
Redownload it, but uninstall the borked one first via Safe Mode.

I think it's just cleaning its clock in time for Pets. Or make you practise the doom and gloom drill so you're prepared, see?