My Sims 2 game is suddenly crashing at random times. I get the error '0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION' in my logs. The entire install is only about 2 months old. I have all EP's & SP's. (Unfortunately a number of them are the collections AND through Origin)

-I have tried the entire FAQ, but it's not working for me because I cannot re-create the crash. I zipped up my sims 2 folder, then took out my downloads folder and one by one added each subfolder in and started the game and took my sim to all the community lots I have, especially the large ones, waited for the witches to come, got in the photo booths, anything to TRY and stress my system. Doesn't work. After hours, the entire folder is back in game and there was no crashing.

-My game is fully patched.

-I opened the case and cleaned it out. Nothing is running hot, anyway.

-My drivers are up to date.

-I have turned off background processes.

-My system meets/exceeds the requirements. See attached dxdiag

-I've deleted all cache files

-I've run HCDU

-I've run simPE's GUID scanner and deleted any files that might be an issue.

-I keep my computer in perfect shape by cleaning junk files, checking for registry errors, broken shortcuts, etc. including defragging on a regular basis.

-I don't have any symptoms of failing memory or video card, such as blue screens, blurry textures, etc. I also have absolutely no problems outside of the game.

I am really at a loss as to why this is happening. It only happens a couple times a day, usually but not always, while on a community lot. Generally after I've been playing for a few hours (why I wondered about the overheating possibility, but it seems not to be the problem at all because I took a couple hours off then restarted the computer and it crashed immediately (once)), and then it'll run fine again with no crashes for a couple hours. Case in point, after 3 crashes today the first at 2:21, the next at 4:49 then next at 7:09, I then spent from 7:30 to almost 10:00 and nothing, in & out of the game, trying my hardest to get it to crash.

Any ideas at all?

ETA: I've also put the .exe in the DEP exception list and run CFF Explorer on it as well. And I don't have any savedsims, custom music, or custom paintings (the ones in the sims 2 folder, not meaning downloads)

Last edited by courtneyshea : 21st May 2012 at 05:09 AM.

Hmm...What about other applications running in the background? Not just ones you have open, but scheduled tasks that are supposed to run without bothering you? The stress on the system may not come from within the game.

Courtney's computer should be able to handle all the stress thrown at it, then double it and plus some.

Just a theory, but do you have any default replacements? A corrupted one could be killing your game when a sim wearing it tries to walk onto a lot.

Well, I thought I had figured it out because I was crashing every time I went to a community lot within 1 hour, so I decided to try one more time with the 50/50 on my downloads. I have two subfolders that I add a lot to constantly, plants and wall art, so I took out wall art and it still crashed. But that time I lasted about 4 hours on the lot before it happened. Then I put wall art back in and took out plants. Went to lot and no crash...then played game as normal for several hours, including more community lots, no crash. I was getting hopeful (which is a big deal because with every post I read, and every solution I try, I hope and my hope crashes and burns eventually). Then yesterday, after basically a RL day and a half (obviously not playing the whole time, I do gotta sleep!), it crashed. I nearly cried. Then it didn't crash for 4 more RL hours of play. including 3 community lot visits. *so exasperated*

I have already taken out all my default hair (right after this post) and clothes (a long time ago), other than a few "fixes", but I appreciate the advice. I will probably try the other defaults today. I can always add those back in, if they aren't the issue.

I just don't get why my computer LOVES TS3 so much and hates TS2, when I'm the opposite! Why can't we be on the same side? I love you, computer! Just be with me!!!! :D