Test Your PC if its compatible with Sims 3

[Magicflute]

^ If it doesn't work and you can't get a refund, you could always sell it on ebay!  I'm sure someone there would buy it!

[cwf1701]

How do we know the test is 100% accurate?

It said my comp couldn't run the Kitchen and Bath stuff but my computer when I installed it and played the game did just fine so I don't think it's entirely accurate.

in my case, i did the test on a machene running Windows 7 RC (build 7100) and it told me it failed. and Windows 7 is the next version of Windows (after Vista). they will have to update their datalists before windows 7(retail) come out in the fall.

[Zggs]

I have a pretty good feeling that my computer can run it, if I uninstall maybe 3-4 EP's and the SP's I have just so I know it will run smoothly...and I am going to be pissed if I buy it and it doesn't run and Wal-Mart won't give me a refund ...so heres hoping lol!

Ooo...I got it from Wal-Mart too!  I uninstalled everything Sims 2 and unnecassry things to make sure that Sims 3 will run.  And thanks for all the info Chaavik!

[ninacessna]

uh im so happy now mine passed! i went through heck trying to see if mine was capable of running it. best buy tried getting me to buy a 4 gb ram or somthing crazy like that when my laptop is an alienware!! thank you so much 4 posting this!

[SimGirl20]

Thank you Chaavik for posting that helpful information! I will do as you suggested but I fear even if I un-install all my TS2 games that my computer STILL won't be able to run the game as all the memory is stored in the harddrive and there is no way I am going to risk messing up my system trying to install RAM because I am a n00b when it comes to something like that and knowing me I will most defiantly FAIL lol...but maybe if I do un-install my games my computer will run the game...I'm going to be really upset if I un-install all my games and it still won't run

[Chaavik]

If you know a relative or a friend who's a computer whiz, they might upgrade the machine for you. I do know that Best Buy will install the upgrades for free if you buy memory sticks at their store. Or maybe they used to, but they shouldn't charge much for a memory stick upgrade. If you're lucky to have CompUSA in your area, you can get it done for free if you buy a memory stick that your machine can handle.

You can also buy a USB (external) hard drive and hook it up to act as a backup for your machine and to provide extra space you need for virtual memory or paging file system however your Windows version use.

[SimGirl20]

...So basically, un-installing un-used programs won't free up RAM right?

[Chaavik]

No... Uninstalling old programs you don't use anymore frees up the space on your hard drive. Your machine uses some space on the hard drive for its own virtual memory or paging file system to run efficiently. The more space you have on your hard drive, the more efficient the machine will be in using the memory to run a program better.

You don't have to uninstall. It's a suggestion to improve the performance of your computer and to squeeze every bit of free memory out of the hard drive, video card and memory.

[SimGirl20]

So I am wasting my time uninstalling my Sims2 games that I know will go unplayed until the intial novelty of the new game wears off for me right? well I don't know I still really want to get the game but I am going to be super p-o'd if I get it home and install it and find it doesn't run..I just seriously don't trust that site and am more than likely going to buy it anyway and if I find it doesn't run I'll probably break down and buy additonal RAM for my computer but I am just really hoping that it will run when I do get to get it

[Chaavik]

Not really a waste of time uninstalling what you don't use anymore, but most importantly, you need to know your computer's specs to know what to look for when you look at the game:

RAM
CPU - Examples are Pentium (P4), AMD (Semptron, Athlon, etc.) and its speed
Video Card
Hard Drive space
DirectX 9.0 (at least)
Windows XP SP3 or the latest patched version of Vista


If you're in doubt, wait around first and hear what people has to say about the game first. Find out if they have similar computers to yours and get their opinions before you plunk down $50 to $80 USD for Sims 3.

[roerzman]

You will need ram and lots of it, plus a decent graphics card and cpu. These min. specs may be ok. for the base game if toned down but once you start to import CC. it will be a different ball game.
No you wont you say, of course you will. Why do you think the characters are so pig ugly and clothes so bland? You will find when the game is released there will hundreds of downloads available at the sims store, all miraculously created that day.
Once you you start to download their CC. free or VIP. you can throw these granny computer specs out the door.

[SimGirl20]

Well, on the system requirements test my computer passed over the minimum mark on all of them except for the RAM part, which worries me..because to hear the test say it my computer has only 446MB of RAM installed which could be a problem for the game as it has to have a Gigabyte of memory just to install?! and as for harddrive memory I have 665 GB of memory so the marks on that section were all the way to the fullest on the scale from low to high/minimum to maximum so I am just really torn on what to do..I talked to my boyfriend today and he told me he doesn't see why if I un-install my TS2 games that the 3rd one won't run after having that much space freed up, so I think I'm going to go for it and if it doesn't run then I'll buy additional RAM as my last resort for running the game

[roerzman]

You need ram. random access memory. it comes in sticks and is the easiest thing to install as far as hardware goes, you should have at least 2 gig. but you could probably get by with 1 gig.
Your hard drive allocates memory as required and as explained by Chaavic. Depending on how many applications you have running in the background, your pc. will begin to slow down as windows searches for more memory on the hard drive if you don't have enough ram. Windows accessing the hard drive for more memory is not ideal and will eventually lead to hard drive failure.
I'm afraid there are no software short cuts for inadequate hardware.

[Chaavik]

Keep in mind that some people are not computer savvy and may not know what some of the software terms or even hardware terms meant.

Keep it simple:

Make sure you have plenty of RAM and hard drive space on your machine to run the basic programs like Sims 3. It is a guarantee that the game will hog your memory and hard drive space. 1 GB DDR/DDR2/DDR3 memory sticks aren't expensive. They run around $40 to $120 depending on the brand names. Around this time of the year, there aren't many sales on hardware parts for the computers. They usually have them later in the summer or early fall when companies roll out new stuff in time for Christmas.

[SimGirl20]

Well, I've thought about it and I have come to a very hard decision and it is this I am going to buy the game the day it releases but I am going to have to stick it back and not look at it for almost a month until I can get some RAM because theres no way I am going to mess my system up by not having enough available memory its going to hurt but I'll most certaintly have to wait atleast a month to get more RAM after paying nearly 60$ for the game I just really won't have the money to buy RAM and the game all in the same month...