Sims 3 error 12 - causes and solutions

The true scourge of many regular Sims 3 players is bug 12. The result is a complete loss of save. We’ll make a reservation right away - there are several reasons for this error, so we will analyze the solution options as they become relevant. In this article we will consider only the licensed version of Sims 3, error 12 on which is a consequence of the "glitches" of the game, and not the curvature of modders. There is no real cure for this error, but we can help you protect yourself and your game from it.

So where does the twelfth come from? The main reasons for its appearance are two:

1) Weak computer configuration. Sometimes a game simply does not have enough RAM (at least three gigs are recommended).

2) Additional downloadable modules / content. In addition to other funny consequences, such as hacking or infecting a computer, downloading various mods or hacks from the left sites may prevent you from playing Sims3.

How to deal with the first reason? This is obvious - just buy a new computer. If the problem remains after increasing the amount of RAM far beyond 4 gigabytes, then try tweaking the system. Before telling you what to do, we warn you - the following sequence of actions increases the amount of RAM allocated to the process. The security of your system is only at your fingertips. So:

1. Press "Windows + K" to open the command line.
2. We type the command "bcdedit / set IncreaseUserVA 3072".
3. Reboot.

It may help, but, I emphasize, maybe - in Sims 3, error 12 is very tenacious. If you are not lucky, “karma did not play”, then let me offer you a choice of several shamanistic tricks at the level of voodoo magic, which the community of the game felt for.

1. Remove the mods. Often they are the cause of all the problems.
2. Try to run the game in a window.
3. Try saving through Save As.
4. If the save is damaged and you have to start over, then before starting the game, delete the save folder in "My Documents". It will be created clean at the first start.

Now we’ll take a closer look at the second reason, namely, bad or unlicensed downloaded content. Everything is simple here. The publisher wants to make money on his product and therefore sews copy protection on it. But pirates and lovers of freebies break it. At the same time, very "gifted people" can accidentally or specifically write a piece of crooked code into a plug-in. Hence the problems. In general, one way or another, but in Sims 3, error code 12 most often means that you are a pirate.

If all else fails, then here's a tip. When in Sims 3 error 12 "kills" the save, you can try to use a backup. We do this: we exit the game, go to the folder with saves in "My Documents". Our files are there. A file with the extension ".sims3" is the main save, a file with the extension ".backup" is a previous clean version. The game assigns the name to them the same as you wrote in the save interface. Next, we follow the plan - delete the file with the extension "Sims3", change the file "backup" extension to "Sims3".

Summary: as you can see, the twelfth is very tenacious and occurs in a whole bunch of cases. Therefore, the best way to avoid it is to buy a licensed copy of the game.