Make sure you are not using any overclocked hardware components. If you have overlooked any of your hardware components, such as the graphics card, RAM, or CPU, reset the overclock settings to default. Incorrect overclock settings can overheat the hardware components, causing the system and games to crash instantly.
1. Delete Cache and Junk Files
Cache files are created by the application to reduce loading time. They contain data that the application frequently requires or that users often access. Hence, if they become corrupted, the application will behave unexpectedly. Therefore, we recommend clearing the cache files and junk files of the game by following these instructions.
2. Run Sims 3 as an administrator
If you haven’t run Sims 3 with administrator privileges, try doing so, because when a user runs a program with administrator permissions, it gains full access to essential files, such as DLL files for DirectX and Microsoft Visual C++. Both are required to run Sims 3 smoothly. Therefore, make sure to attempt running Sims 3 as an administrator before proceeding with other methods.
3. Install or Update DirectX
DirectX is a collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that are used to facilitate communication between games and hardware components, such as graphic cards and audio devices. It is an essential component that cannot be compromised. Meaning, DirectX contains many DLL files that store pieces of code used for various different tasks. Hence, if the DirectX DLL files become corrupted, you will encounter crashing problems. Thus, try updating DirectX using the following steps.
4. Configure Compatibility Settings
Compatibility settings allow users to run a program with older versions of Windows, such as Windows 7, 8, and 10. So, if there is a compatibility issue with the current Windows version, you can try running Sims 3 with older versions of Windows. To do so, follow the instructions.
5. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables
Microsoft Visual C++ is a code compiler for the C languages, which include C, C++, C++/CLI, and C++/CX. Many applications and games are written in C languages, and The Sims 3 is one of them. This game requires all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ to be installed in order to run smoothly. Hence, if you are missing any Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable or have corrupted Microsoft Visual C++ DLL files, try reinstalling them using the following steps to fix the issue.
6. Update the Graphics driver
Using outdated GPU drivers could be one of the main reasons for experiencing frequent crashes. If you don’t have a habit of updating GPU drivers, you should check for driver updates, as an updated GPU driver plays a significant role in providing smooth gameplay. To update the GPU drivers, you can either use a GPU manufacturer’s vendor application, such as Nvidia or AMD Radeon Software, or just go to the manufacturer’s site to download the latest driver. We will stick with the first method to update the driver.
7. Perform a clean boot
A clean boot is a troubleshooting technique that can be used to determine which third-party application or service is causing the issue. For instance, if there is an application or service running in the background, interfering with the The Sims 3, and causing it to crash unexpectedly, then performing a clean boot can be used to determine and disable that application or service starting with Windows. To perform a clean boot, follow the steps:
8. Verify the Game Files
Having corruption in the extracted game files could also lead to crashes. Since we have looked into every possibility that could crash the Sims 3, none of them worked. So we can try to verify the game files as a final solution. Verifying the game files will restore all the corrupted files, which could fix the crashing issue. The following steps may vary depending on the launcher you are using.
