Crashing problems

[FoxgloveUK]

I don't know if I am posting this in the correct place but I have dreadful crashing problems, which EA support can't help me with.  It's too long an issue to go into here, but if there are any techies out there that can help, I'll be forever grateful  

Thanks in anticipation

[BlueSoup]

Well, you need to give way more info as to what is crashing and when.

[FoxgloveUK]

Well, you need to give way more info as to what is crashing and when.

OK - I didn't want to post a long diatribe as I wasn't sure it was the correct place to do it.  Anyway...

I have all EPs but my problems only started when I installed OFB.  I'm fairly convinced that the installation process has caused the problems.  It kept changing the video display settings while installing (but changed them back afterwards).  Since then my Sims are unable to go to any community lots (either by taxi or car) as it crashes (usually back to desktop but sometimes it will wipe out the PC).  It crashes for no apparent reason, as well.  All of a sudden the PC will rumble and off it goes. Pets seemed to help other problems I had but not the crashing thing.  

I have done everything EA support said, but still have this problem.  I have been playing it without custom content or hacks, have all the latest drivers and my machine is very good spec.  I always play it with nothing else running, I clear out my cache and temporary folders and delete the groups.cache file before I start.  I'm lucky if I can play it for more than ten minutes without it crashing. I've even formatted the PC, but still it crashes.

I think that's about it...

[BeosBoxBoy]

foxglove - have you checked your RAM to see if it is bad?  I use a free piece of testing software called Memtest86, you can read more about it and get it here:

http://www.memtest86.com

What you are describing sounds very much like one of three things:

1) you have a memory chip that is bad - either system RAM or Viideo RAM
2) you have a cooling issue - most likely the video card fan isn't cooling the card sufficiently (although this would usually reboot the computer)
3) your power supply is not strong enough for your video card (again this would usually reboot the computer)

I would ask you to detail your system fully, because what you are telling me is only enough to make blind stabs in the dark.

[FoxgloveUK]

I would ask you to detail your system fully, because what you are telling me is only enough to make blind stabs in the dark.

I'll check the RAM in a sec.  I built the PC about a year ago and when I formatted the HDD last week, I also checked the fans and made sure everything was seated properly.

I have an Asus A8V Deluxe Mobo, AMD Athlon 64, a gig of RAM, Radeon 9600, Realtek AC97 and DirectX 9.0c.  Anything else you need to know?

The memory test was fine...

[BeosBoxBoy]

have you done a manufacturer's test on the hard drive to see if it has errors?

I find extensive bug reports for that motherboard and games & over-clocking issues.  If you read between the lines on these forums, you will begine to see that the Asus A8V series has substancial design flaws that may be the source of your problems:

http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=3117082&postcount=1

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=47232

http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6442

[FoxgloveUK]

have you done a manufacturer's test on the hard drive to see if it has errors?

I find extensive bug reports for that motherboard and games & over-clocking issues.  If you read between the lines on these forums, you will begine to see that the Asus A8V series has substancial design flaws that may be the source of your problems:

Hi Beos

Yes - I had the hard drive checked.  I'm wading through the forums now but it isn't looking good.  Two questions I would love someone to answer - why did EA Support not suggest the over-clocking problem, do you think; and I never had any problems at all up to OFB being installed but is there a remote possiblity that the installation problems could be a cause of the crashing?

Incidently, I have been playing today and the game isn't remembering my settings (new video driver, but at least the screen looks better)

Thanks

[FoxgloveUK]

Hi again

I broached this subject with EA support and this is what they said:


We have not seen any specific issues with Asus motherboards. But I'm pretty sure it is some type of issue with OFB and your system. OFB did add a bunch of new items in the neighborhood section and raised the requirements for The Sims 2. Even though your system should be able to run it fine we have seen some strange issues that this expansion causes which the others don't.


Now isn't that really helpful?