Game suddenly crashes and shuts down

Jassieteacake

I find my game suddenly crashing and shutting itself down, then returning me to desktop.

This happens when I go to the Winterfest festival, get kidnapped by aliens, or other slightly bigger game 'events'. My game is lag-free but I am devastated that I can't go to festivals or ever see aliens kidnap my sim!

Could I please hear any advice on what could be wrong and how to fix this?

My dxdiag is:

---

System Information

---

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100216-1514)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System Model: HP Compaq dc7700 Convertible Minitower
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 3064MB RAM
Page File: 694MB used, 3707MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

---

Display Devices

---

Card name: Radeon X1650 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x71C7)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_71C7&SUBSYS_30001787&REV_9E
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6719 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/22/2007 10:07:58, 268800 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/22/2007 10:07:38, 2417664 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-3287-11CF-086E-0A103FC2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x71C7
SubSys ID: 0x30001787
Revision ID: 0x009E
Revision ID: 0x009E
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV8_B ModeWMV8_A ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Is there any other information I've missed out?

Please help

Jassieteacake

Do I have a rubbish graphics card? I've just had a look on here (http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_System_Requirements), could the Radeon x1650 be the root cause of the crashing?

Jassieteacake

Bump? Anyone?

bob007

The very first thing I see is a video driver from 2007 which makes it way out of date. The video system is weak for anything more then the base game. You have ddr2 memory and only 3gb. Windows XP can access 4gb of memory. You posted the most important but I'm guessing the hard drive is on the small size.

Microsoft will end support for Windows XP Pro on April 8, 2014
Memory is now DDR3 (faster)
Video card is weak (wimpy) and really doesn't have the power for the new packs
TS3 seems to use a computer resources very hard and any help seems to make the game run better.
processor technology is much faster today.

Any upgrade video card will probably require an upgrade in the power supply.

Jassieteacake

Thanks so much bob! Really appreciate the insight.