Device 0 Cannot Run This Title

Sapphire268

I have happily played Sims 3 for many years, and one on my new computer. A couple of months ago I got the error message 'Device 0 cannot run this title. No supported video graphics card detected. Please check your system hardware.'

My first thought was to repair the game in Origin. Then, I changed the settings on my NVIDIA graphics card to 'High-Performance NVIDIA Processor'. Still no luck. I checked the DeviceConfig.log, which was empty. I then backed up and deleted it. After that proved worthless, I backed up my whole Sims 3 folder from my documents and regenerated it.

I changed the files from the C Drive from GraphicsCards.srg and GraphicsRules.srg, to orig (or vice versa, my brain is muddled from doing all this tech stuff I know nothing about).

I ran my computer through systemrequirementslab/Can You RUN It for Sims 3 and everything seemed fine.

I checked, and I think this is all the info regarding my graphics cards.

Name: Intel(R) HD Graphics 520
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip Type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
DAC Type: Internal
Device Type: Full Display Device
Approx. Total Memory: 2125 MB
Display Memory (VRAM): 128 MB
Shared Memory: 1997 MB
Current Display Mode: 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic Pnp Monitor

That might have nothing to do with the card, but I'm just trying my best! My computer runs on Windows 10.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this, and thanks to anyone who tries to help! I just want to stop neglecting my sims.

igazor

Hi there. You can't use Nvidia tools on an Intel HD graphics chip. It's possible that you have dual graphics (is this a laptop?) and either the Nvidia card, if you have one in there, is failing or the game is consistently reaching for the wrong one.

I think we need to see a dxdiag report to get the full picture here. You would have to paste it into multiple replies by section as it would be far too long to fit into one or use pastebin.com and provide a link.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information

Sapphire268

Yeah I am using a laptop, and here's the dxdiag report: https://pastebin.com/7QDDQcEg

igazor

Okay, you do have dual graphics as I suspected and the game is not "finding" your Nvidia card. A few other things I see:

-- Your dedicated Nvidia card is a GT 920M. That card is not nearly strong enough to carry the game well especially on high graphics options or on high resolution. Don't know how many EPs you have in play, but the heavier hitting ones like Pets and Seasons especially, but also IP and ITF would typically be out of the question. The card just doesn't have the stength/throughput to keep up with the TS3 program. Forcing it to overwork can cause performance issues, game crashes, and could ultimately damage the card.

-- Your Nvidia drivers are over a year old. When Windows updates and device drivers get out of sync, so to speak, things stop working as they should.

-- Speaking of drivers, you have some kind of webcam in place with drivers from 2006. This may not be related to the issue at hand, but it's striking me as really odd. Obviously drivers from 11 years ago can't possibly have been made with Win 10 in mind. Do you know what this device is supposed to be?

@phoebebebe13 - Can you work out what this webcam thing is all about from the dxdiag?

-- You only have 4 GB of RAM total. That's really tight as Windows and other processes are typically going to use a large chunk of that for themselves, with not enough memory left over to service the game.

Now of course there is a huge difference between having some performance issues maybe with the game crashing on you, and not even being able to start it up in the first place whereas you could before. So even with the understanding that there are limits to how far this game can be pushed on that laptop, my suggestions:

1 - Update your Nivida drivers, preferably from the computer manufacturer's (Asus) support site.
2 - Re-do your Nvidia settings once having done so.
3 - Put back your original sgr files, if it all possible. If these are flawed, then neither graphics card/chip is going to work. It's okay if the game says that your card is not recognized, it's not okay if it says no card can be detected as you have already seen since then the game won't load.
4- Let's get some input on the webcam thing.
5 - If you have been "fortunate" enough (coughs really hard) to have gotten the recent Win 10 Creators Update by way of Microsoft, there are some steps to take to undo the mess it can make of older games like TS3.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/15902876/#Comment_15902876

Sapphire268

@igazor

It was the Nivida drivers being outdated causing the problem! I always thought that they automatically updated with the rest of my laptop stuff. Thanks for helping me figure out the (extremely simple) solution out.

I had no clue about those weird 2006 drivers. I'd like to get to the bottom of that, but have no clue where to start. Any advice for looking?

Thank you again! Now back to binge-playing Sims.

igazor

(sorry, accidental double-post)

igazor

Oh good, glad that's all it was, and you're welcome. The other reason for getting that error is that someone broke into your laptop and actually removed the Nivdia card, but that didn't seem very likely and then the dxdiag wouldn't have been reporting on its presence. Or that it had burned itself out completely, but that didn't seem very likely either and the game might have at least tried to load on the Intel graphics chip.

I don't have much experience with Win 10, but in prior versions Microsoft would often offer updated drivers through Windows Update in the optional section. It didn't/doesn't always provide properly suitable updates for those and not every user even knew they were showing up there. It's always best to go to the computer manufacturer for those, when feasible, and to Nvidia or the device manufacturer directly as a second choice.

The only thing I can guess on the 2006 mystery is that you have a standalone clip-on or a built-in webcam in place that is relying on those old drivers. It's showing up as USB2.0 VGA UVC WebCam. This means nothing to you? But if everything is working as it should now, maybe this isn't worth worrying about very much.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled sim-playing, apparently already in progress.

phoebebebe13

@igazor I don't have windows 10. I suggest paging chester if you need help with windows 10

igazor

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor I don't have windows 10. I suggest paging chester if you need help with windows 10

The only remaining question here is the 11 year old drivers we are seeing on a webcam in the OP's dxdiag. That would be just as unusual to see on Win 7 or 8, I think. Unless of course that's just the way it's supposed to be for that device?

phoebebebe13

igazor wrote: »

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor I don't have windows 10. I suggest paging chester if you need help with windows 10

The only remaining question here is the 11 year old drivers we are seeing on a webcam in the OP's dxdiag. That would be just as unusual to see on Win 7 or 8, I think. Unless of course that's just the way it's supposed to be for that device?

I don't know. I don't have an answer for this. Chester has windows 10 so maybe she knows . They can also call Asus or search their make and model laptop and see if they have drivers for the webcam

RecklessAngel13

Sorry, I'm new to the forum, how do I post something because I'm having some Sims 3 issues

igazor

RecklessAngel13 wrote: »

Sorry, I'm new to the forum, how do I post something because I'm having some Sims 3 issues

Hi there. Those with New Member status cannot start new threads on this forum, but may add to existing ones. If you are having tech issues, we have a master thread of sorts on the TS3 Tech board that you may post on.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/893122/thread-for-new-members-to-post-their-sims-3-game-issues#latest