Okay, now I did exactly all that, and no change with crashing.

Is this normal, I took this screen right after uninstalling and restarting?

Yes, that's normal but I'm not seeing anything marked "Graphics" like you noted before.

Click the box that says "clean multiple cleaning filters". Move the following to the box on the right:

3DFX
3Dlabs Wildcat 4
3Dlabs Wildcat REALISM
3Dlabs Wildcat VP
ATI
ATI CCC
ATI Hydravision
ATI IGP
ATI MMC
ATI Remote Wonder
ATI TV Wonder
ATI Uninstall Utility
ATI WDM
Intel Extreme
Matrox Graphics
Nforce chipset
Nvidia
Nvidia Stero
Nvidia WDM
S3 Savage
SIS Graphics
XGI Volari

Run the cleaner

Restart your computer

Install just these: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_186.18_whql.html

I did that, and no difference again.

Oh and with the graphics, I meant any application that had some part "graphics" in it's name, like SIS Graphics..

Then the problem is not due to drivers. Unfortunately, there are many things that could cause your game to crash.

It's possible that all the crashing that occurred before you replaced the power supply caused some additional hardware damage or operating system corruption. It's also possible the cards are not fully installed correctly and in either case that's beyond what anyone can help you with across the internet. I'll continue to do what I can but at some point you may need someone actually THERE to look at things.

Just to clarify before we go on.. Your original post had a lot of different problems, including having the entire computer crash and lots of graphics distortions (like yellow beams). Is everything in the first post still happening or is only your game crashing now?

I understand, I don't know much about computers, but I can always have my brother to check things thoroughly.

There could be something indeed wrong inside the computer, since my father has bought it from an auction of his workplace, where they sell off old computers. And in all the computers I've had that he has bought from there, is this weird problem: when shutting down the computer, after windows is closed, instead that the computer would shut down normally there appears a blue screen that says "Hardware malfunction - the system is halted" and has to be shut through power switch. It has never gave any inconvenience in overall use of the computer though.



Have you ever heard of that?

And yes, all the problems I mentioned in first post haven't changed at all in any point, they have carried on exactly the same.

I don't know if it's any help, but the yellow beams appear moments before the crashing is about to happen.

Oh dear.. that is not good. I think before we mess any more you need to make a backup of any data on your hard drive you do not want to lose. There are many reasons for that error, but lets start by checking your hard drive and RAM for problems. Also, please let me know if the computer already had Windows installed when you bought it or if you installed that yourself.

Check your hard drive by using this program: http://www.hdtune.com/ Click the ‘Error Scan’ tab and do NOT check the ‘quick scan’ box. You’ll want to not use the computer while it’s running or it might become slow and cranky. It shouldn’t take too long to run though. Once it is totally done, let me know if there are any red boxes or if they were all green. Red boxes mean your hard drive is damaged.

To scan your memory, use this program: http://www.memtest.org/ Burn the program to either a CD or DVD and restart your computer with the disc in the drive. It should automatically boot to the program. If not let me know because you’ll have to change the boot order but we’ll face that if we need to. You need to let the program complete at least one full pass. If you get even one error you can exit out of the program and that means your RAM is bad.

Windows didn't come with the computer, I installed it.

I'll just start doing some backup then!

Okay: we had another computer from an auction, and the crashing still goes on. We installed windows, and installed the graphics card from my previous computer, and changed the wireless internet adapter (after which the blue "hardware malfunction"- thing disappeared). The hard drive and everything else is new.

Here's the scan..


Should I do the other one too?

Okay, which computer are we dealing with now.. the new one? Lets deal with one at a time so you choose which you want help on. If you want help with the old one you need to go through everything I suggested in last post (test RAM and HDD) on the old machine. If you want to deal with the new machine, please post system specs of the new machine: http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?tit...:System%20Specs

I'd like to deal with the new one now..

=System==
Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)

System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System Model: HP Compaq dc7700p Convertible Minitower

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 1008MB RAM

Page File 762 Mt used, 1650 Mt available

DirectX-version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

==Display==

Name: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip Type: GeForce 9600 GT

Approx. Total Memory: 512.0 MB
Main Driver: nv4_disp.dll

Version: 6.14.0011.7516 (English)

==Sound==

Name: Realtek HD Audio Output

Few things..

1) Okay so you also got that one from auction and did a fresh installation of Windows, yes?

2) Did you do a fresh installation of the game or did you try to copy game files to the new computer?

3) Please let me know exactly what kind of crashing you get now. Is it the same black screen crash + computer crash/restart or is just the game crashing? What kind of errors do you get now? Please be as specific as possible.

4) Again, the stock power supply that comes with that computer that computer is not equipped to handle the 9600gt. Did you install the new Antec power supply in that one too? If not, do so now.

5) Also, please install the following drivers:
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads...&PFid=24&Conn=3
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_186.18_whql.html
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...Item=ir-57823-1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6a-9b6652cd92a3

1) Yes.

2) Installed the game, then copied all important files of my previous game downloads, packages, saves...

3) The crashing is exactly the same as before: rebooting, blackscreen crash, and crashing to desktop. When the rebooting occurs, a blue screen appears which has loads of white text in it, but it is there for such a short moment that I've never had time to see anything it says. Then it just reboots the computer.

4) For some reason the Antec power supply don't seem fit right in this computer, but I'll try it for a couple of times again.

5) Installed the drives.

Should I try to remove all cc and saves etc, then try if it crashes in fresh installed game? I've done that with my old computer, and didn't make a difference though.

Yes, I think it's important to remove all game data and start fresh. I really wish you hadn't automatically copied things over. It makes it harder to narrow down the problem... so reinstall like this:

1) Go to My Documents and cut/paste your user files from C:\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 3\ to your Desktop. (This is where your saved game data is so if you don't want to lose it make a backup first)
2) Uninstall the game from Add/Remove Programs. Then restart your computer.
3) Manually delete the entire 'The Sims 3' folder from 'C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3'
4) Enter your registry and navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall\ In the "Uninstall" directory, delete "{C05D8CDB-417D-4335-A38C-A0659EDFD6B8}"
Also delete the following folders:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\Sims\The Sims 3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Sims3
5) Restart your computer, then try to reinstall and play the game. Don't patch the first time. See if it works. If it does, you can try to patch.. if you want.
6)If that still doesn't work then go through steps 1-3 again. This time, instead of step 4, download and install this program: http://www.ccleaner.com/ Use the registry cleaner. When it prompts you make a backup of the files you are removing Then restart your computer. Now you can try to install again.




It may not take a standard ATX power supply. Is the power supply that is in the tower now the same size as the Antec? If not, then it doesn't take a standard ATX. If the Antec does not fit, you NEED to remove the 9600GT NOW. If you keep underpowering the computer you are going to end up damaging it. In fact, if you're still getting a BSOD remove the 9600GT anyway. BSOD are computer problems and that's one of the only two common things between the two systems.

1) Uninstall the Nvidia drivers FIRST through Add/remove Programs.
2) Then turn off the computer, take out the card
3) Turn it back on and install these drivers for the onboard:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...Item=vc-68806-1
4) restart the computer.

You may still crash to desktop because you don’t have enough RAM but the BSOD/entire computer crash should at least go away.

Okay, now I played fresh game without a patch, and no crashing, all was running smoothly!

I guess I could try with my own files now, to see if it works

EDIT... now that I think about it further, my saves had patches, and AwesomeM..

So naturally I can't play them without patching..?

Did you take the 9600GT out yet? Unless the Antec fits, the stock power supply is not strong enough to run it.

Try patching the game, but don't add back any of your files. Does it still crash?

Ooookay, now this is interesting:

I had to make a sim for upload, so I patched the game and put my files in. After I finished with it, I reinstalled the whole game, deleted all the old downloads, packages, saves etc..

Then re-installed, patched. The game worked fine, I played for an hour.

Then I put my user files (the same files as before re-installing) and the game launches, but gets stuck in the first loading screen, it simply doesn't load, just stays there.

I removed all my packages and made no difference, then removed AwesomeM and game loads but can't be played of course, since I removed AwesomeM.

How can it be, since all the files are the same as when I was playing happily and making my sim ready for uploading...?

I hope this isn't a wrong place to post this..

EDIT: oh yeah, the framework..!!

I'm not sure I really followed exactly what you did.. but it seems like there's an issue with Awesomemod causing the game not to load. I encourage you to seek support for Awesomemod at MATY because we can't provide support for it or any other third party content.

As far as specifically computer help..I'm sorry but I'm not comfortable providing you with support if you choose to leave the graphics card in there. The power supply is under Nvidia stated minimum requirements, and is really not strong enough to be running that card. Eventually something is going to get damaged. I don't want the damage to be confused with any advice given here so my suggestion at this point is to take your computer to a professional if you continue to get BSOD or other whole computer crashes. Sorry.