The Sims 3: Crashing to Desktop Solution

After much trial and error I found that The  Sims 3 wasn’t crashing to the desktop, Windows was closing it. I installed a memory monitoring program and a mini DUMP viewer. Using these 2 programs I was able to find the problem. I had all the symptoms like slow saving game, running slow and various other issues.

After viewing the Dump file I found I was getting a 0xC0000005 Access Violation error which suggest maybe bad memory. But my memory is good. Further research led me to DEP (Microsoft‘s Data execution prevention). Don’t turn it off!  Go into the setting and turn it on for all programs except the ones that you can add to the list and add TS3.EXE to it.

I have Windows XP SP2. Vista and Windows 7 may be slightly different.

To access this go to Start > Settings >  Control panel and select System. Click on the Advance tab and click on the settings button for performance. Click the TAB for Data execution prevention and click the option to [Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select] and add TS3.EXE to the list and ok it and reboot.

Hopefully this will fix your problem.

You may have to add other programs to this list that you use also because this turns on DEP for ALL programs and not just for Windows.

0xC0000005 Access Violation Link
http://www.updatexp.com/0xC0000005.html

DEP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Execution_Prevention

[Click here for another solution]

About Lee

I'm a gamer, a writer, an artist, a graphic designer. I love rock music and old-school R&B.

Posted on August 11, 2009, in Technical, The Sims and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 38 Comments.

  1. so… I just have put the TS3.exe? how about the TSEP05.exe? or the others?

  2. heyy, does this work for mac?

  3. Hey, I tried doing this and I got to the part to adding TS3.EXE and my computer doesn’t reconize that file (its not there). Any suggestions?

    • I also have the same issue. I type in TS3.EXE, but it doesn’t recognize the file. It says, “File not found.” So, what do you all suggest that I do?

  4. Thank you so much!
    You solved all my problems :D
    Not one crash anymore!!!!

  5. vista tutorial plz..

  6. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! I tried this and it fixed my crashing problem!! I have been trying to fix the sims 3 for weeks and nothing I tried worked, but changing the DEP setting for this worked! I’m kicking myself nor not thinking of this before because I had to do this for 2 other games in order to get the patchers to work for them.

  7. Hello!

    First, thank you about posting solutions. I haven’t tried them yet though, because the crash only happens, when I’m playing with one saved game. The others are fine.
    Of course, the problematic one is my fav. It crashes after 20-30 sec, and I got error 12′s a few times. ‘Save as’ isn’t a solution.
    Maybe something is corrupting the save?

  8. Hello there.
    I already try this one. But it didn’t work.
    I already try the other one, it also didn’t work.
    Can u help me Lee.
    I’m dying to play this game.

    • Have you tried all of them? Even the other ones I’ve linked/listed?

      • yeah i already try bunch of things. from modifying the compatibility mode to changing the video options on the txt file. I have another option that is to download a new crack from razor 1911. but i doubt it. it maybe someone’s prank to put viruses to my computer.

  9. TS3.exe is located where you installed the game. Sims3/game/bin and it should be listed there. There will be a similarly named .exe for each expansion you have, each located in the expansion’s install folder in the same place it’s located in the main game folder (i.e. Ambitions will be in Ambitions/Game/Bin). These .exes will have names like TS3EP01.exe or TS3EP02.exe. Add the .exe for the main game and each expansion you have to the DEP exception list.

    Once you’ve done this I also recommend rebooting your computer and downloading and using Delphy’s Sims3 Dashboard to clear the game cache.

  10. You do not know how happy I’ve been doing. He could not play or five seconds while traveling anywhere, and live exactly the same way. Now I can play and also with the graphics to the max and without risk of leaving the desk.

    Thanks thousand!!!!!!

  11. I’m with Jane, i cant find a file named TS3.EXE… Ive tried to add a folder that was an exe and it wouldnt let me… I tried adding a folder that wasnt an exe and i still didnt work…

  12. This didn’t work for me. there was no file called ts3.exe. can u help?

  13. Lee … I love you! This really worked for me! THANKS A BUNCH!

  14. this fixed my problem in vista using the TS3EP2.exe on dep

  1. Pingback: The Sims 3: Crashing to Desktop Possible Solutions | Asilee Sims

  2. Pingback: The Sims 3: Game Update for 1.12/2.7/3.3 « Asilee.com

  3. Pingback: EA Download Manager - How to Back Up game - Page 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net

  4. Pingback: The Sims 3: Crashing to Desktop Possible Solutions « Asilee.com

  5. Pingback: The Sims 3: Ambitions Glitches, Bugs, and Errors « Asilee.com

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 209 other followers