Game Freezing in CAS (EP6)

[Dischorde]

I have been trying to get my game to stop freezing about 12 minutes in for the past two days and I have literally tried everything I could possibly think of (i.e. following all FAQs and whatever else came to mind) except uninstalling and re installing everything. Before I take the time to start re installing, I wanted to get a sense of whether or not that's likely to help at all.

I have all expansions/stuff packs up to Showtime. About 12 minutes after loading a world (i've been stubbornly trying to create a sim so its been in CAS every time) the game stops responding. The cursor still moves but I can't get anything to respond to clicking, all graphics have stopped moving, etc, and I'm always forced to use Task Manager to close it. If I click back into the game after starting up task manager I might get a couple more seconds of usable game time but then the screen goes black (or blue) and stays there, or flashes between the two.

I set the graphics to low, but that didn't seem to help in the least. Is it a graphics card issue? If so is there anything I can do? Its highly frustrating as I have just reinstalled all of this on to my new computer with 16 GB of RAM so I was thinking I could (i don't know, maybe) ACTUALLY play the game for once, but that seems too much to ask.

[EDIT: its updated up to 1.33, everything except for the sims store patch that was released yesterday]

Here are my specs:
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/15/2012, 16:38:05
Machine name: TYRFING
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.120305-1505)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
System Model: MacBookPro8,1
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2640M CPU @ 2.80GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 16294MB RAM
Page File: 2762MB used, 29825MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0126&SUBSYS_00DB106B&REV_09
Display Memory: 1696 MB
Dedicated Memory: 64 MB
Shared Memory: 1632 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (58Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: unknown
Monitor Id: MS_9003
Native Mode: 1280 x 800(p) (60.223Hz)
Output Type: Internal
Driver Name: igdumd64.dll,igd10umd64.dll,igd10umd64.dll,igdumd32,igd10umd32,igd10umd32
Driver File Version: 8.15.0010.2696 (English)
Driver Version: 8.15.10.2696
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 3/20/2012 01:31:56, 8087040 bytes

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers (Cirrus Logic CS4206A (AB 28))
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_1013&DEV_4206&SUBSYS_106B1C00&REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 65535
Type: WDM
Driver Name: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.01.7601.17514 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 11/20/2010 22:23:47, 350208 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
HW Accel Level: Basic
Cap Flags: 0xF1F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

Description: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (Cirrus Logic CS4206A (AB 28))
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_1013&DEV_4206&SUBSYS_106B1C00&REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 65535
Type: WDM
Driver Name: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.01.7601.17514 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 11/20/2010 22:23:47, 350208 bytes


------------------------
Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
------------------------
Drive: C:
Free Space: 125.2 GB
Total Space: 357.9 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: APPLE HDD HTS547575A9E384 ATA Device

Drive: H:
Free Space: 88.4 GB
Total Space: 356.7 GB
File System: HFSJ

[Mordant17]

Unfortunately, you don't have a real graphic card. You have an integrated graphics card (http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Onboard_Graphics) which is not up to handling the sims.

[Dischorde]

Thank you for the reply. However, I have determined that this is probably (ironically) a memory issue instead.

After reading your response, I tried out a variety of methods to lower the strain on the graphics, but that doesn't seem to be the problem at all. No matter how low I put the graphics settings (even including running the OS on performance-focused settings that makes it look like a bastard version of XP) there is no difference in the freezing, it still lasts around 12 minutes and freezes. It runs no better than on the higher settings and lasts no longer. Additionally, I find it strange that the Intel HD graphics 3000 can run Fallout 3 New Vegas without a problem, but not the Sims. Similarly, Fallout 3 (older than New Vegas) has the same sort of freezing problem on the Intel HD graphics 3000. Its still possible that it is related.

More importantly, however, the game always crashes once it reaches almost 4 GB memory. I managed to find one lone error report, and according to the error report analyzer I found somewhere here in MTS, it was an insufficient memory error. It says I need to have 4+ gigs of memory....ironic, since last I checked 16 is 4 times 4.

Likewise, it said I only had 48 MB free virtual memory. I have since made my virtual memory static and huge, but that didn't solve the problem either. Still crashed at right about 3,800,000 K memory.

It appears to be a memory leak to me. Just keeps hurdling up till it reaches the 4 gig limit and crashes.

I'm going to continue trying anything and everything I can find.

I will post here when the issue is resolved, but if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix my ironic memory problem, please reply.

[whiterider]

A memory leak is a possible cause, however it's not a common problem with TS3. Even so, even if you do get any memory problems sorted, you still won't be able to play well or, possibly, at all with that graphics chip. Sims 3 is a very resource-heavy game: it is harder on your graphics than Fable III, Skyrim, and a host of other games which you would naturally expect to be much more resource-heavy. It's just bad coding in TS3's case.
The fact that you had this blue and black screen issue strongly points towards a graphics chip failure. I really recommend you stop (trying to) play TS3 on that computer, because you'll be pissed as hell when the chip eventually fails and takes the whole motherboard with it.

[Dischorde]

The blue and black screen hasn't been happening anymore, it only was when I tried to get back into the game after it crashed in fullscreen mode. Now it just freezes after it reaches 3.8 GB memory.

Thank you for your input. If I get the problem sorted out I'll post.

[Also, just a btw, the game runs no better on lower graphics settings, and it is very clear and fast with no lagging whatsoever on the higher settings.]

EDIT:

I have gotten it to work now -- it functions perfectly since I just upgraded to Windows 8 x64. I'm running all the expansions and stuff packs (up to Seasons) on my 13 inch macbook pro. On Windows 8 64 bit CAS never seems to exceed 2 GB of memory use.

If you are running a mac and decide to go to Windows 8 64 bit DO NOT UPGRADE, do a clean install as apple has not updated the boot camp drivers and you won't have a functioning track pad or keyboard. There are workarounds HERE (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4237866?start=15&tstart=0) (read whole thread).