Can I fix a corrupted save without a backup? *answered (with a no)*

GreenCats

Today I got an Error Code 12 for the first time in ages. I'd saved just 15 minutes before, so I quit without saving, thinking I'd simply clear my cache, delete the .bad folder, rename the backup, and replay those 15 minutes.

But there is no backup folder! Can anyone help me?

The last time I saved under a different name was about six hours of building ago.

GreenCats

Here are the files in the .bad folder. Would it be possible to replace some of these with equivalents from a working version of the same town? If so, which ones?



Edit: Tried bringing in the .dat, .data, and travel files (all at once) from a much earlier save. No luck getting it to a load: got the 'a serious error has occured' error message. I'm assuming that the other two files contain information specific to the save so can't be replaced?

KatAnubis

I've never seen anyone talk about repairing the .bad file.

There should be two files besides the .bad one. One is the backup and the other is just the previous save, although if it's too new or you used the backup file already you won't have a backup file. While they usually recommend that you go to the backup to make sure that you're past the Code 12 problem, you can actually just delete the .bad file which will allow your regular save to work.

I actually usually use that file rather than the back up. I believe that when the backup file was suggested, it was because we didn't realize that it was a computer memory problem but assumed it was a cumulative error problem. However, if your memory is overtaxed at the time of a save (too long between saves, too much happening just before a save, the game doing something like dawn or dusk or Midnight while you're trying to save, lots of things in the Sims' lives like too many friends/relatives/memories) then you are all too likely to get a Code 12.

When you use the regular save, rather than the backup, you go back to the last time you saved. If you use the backup, you go back to the save before that one.

I've found that if I save my family and their house to the library, then start a new game using that family (which makes them lose their previous relationships outside the household, and the kids start with a C in school, but lets them keep their jobs) that I go back to not getting too many Code 12s.

Another thing is that if you have a 86 bit operating system (rather than a 32 bit) and more than 4 gb of RAM installed, that Code 12s rarely happen because there will be enough RAM to handle it. (I've had to deal with this a lot because I have a 32 bit OS which will only see a little less than the 4 gb of RAM I have. After about 2 generations in that neighborhood, I have to move them or I get a Code 12 every other save. But as long as I make sure that I save regularly and that when I save the time passage indicator is going smoothly and rapidly, I don't get it at all until then.)

GreenCats

@KatAnubis

Thank you for the reply

There's no .backup folder, and no regular folder without the .bad extension. I don't know why; I definitely haven't used the backup, and I created this save name around six hours of gameplay (spread out over multiple sessions) ago.

I should have thought to save my builds to the library, but on the rare occasion that I get a Code 12 (I have 12gb ram, save very frequently, and don't tend to play for really long sessions, so it doesn't happen often) I can usually just rename the backup and carry on as normal, and on this occasion I unthinkingly closed down my game without checking my saves folder. I'm feeling pretty stupid right now!

I do know how to restore the .backup (but I don't have one), roll back to a differently named save (but I'd lose those six hours of building), and am aware of most of the precautions to minimize the chances of Code 12 occuring. Do you have any suggestions for someone who doesn't have a normal or a .backup file to help me out in this particular situation?

Thanks again!

phoebebebe13

It is actually better to save as rather than save. Save overwrites and old save while save as creates a new clean save. When you use save as you however don't get back up files. I have never gotten error code 12 using save as but keep previous saves t go back t in case something happens to a current save. I save all my builds to library. I also build in a new clean game and then add it to my current game when Im done with the build. I never build in my current game.

I too have never found anyone asking to repair a bad file and I dont know if that is even possible.

@igazor have you ever found a way or know anyone who has been able to repair a bad save? Thanks

GreenCats

@phoebebebe13 I was using save as, but just overwriting the same file name, if that makes sense. I'd usually change the name much more frequently; really not sure why I wasn't this time!

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

When you use save as you however don't get back up files. I have never gotten error code 12 using save as but keep previous saves t go back t in case something happens to a current saves.

Interesting! I did not know this. That explains why I have no backup then.

TadOlson

I've always used save as and given different file names to the saves and even made a back up file this way.You can get a back up save from save as by just giving it a special file name and reserving it as your back up save.I've been able to recover from mistakes by making test saves for testing things out and by making a back up before they travel.

ceejay402

greencats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! soo great to see ok im deep in sims 4 patch bug testing right now but ill carve out sometime to see if i can add anything helpful.

igazor

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor have you ever found a way or know anyone who has been able to repair a bad save? Thanks

I've actually tried to do this myself in the past and unfortunately concluded it's an exercise in futility. When the so-called save gets the ".bad" extension, it means the game has deemed it as totally corrupt or, more commonly, it's simply incomplete even if the nhd file size looks about right. The data needed to be deemed a good save either just isn't there or is scrambled up to the point where it's really not usable or fixable.

phoebebebe13

GreenCats wrote: »

@phoebebebe13 I was using save as, but just overwriting the same file name, if that makes sense. I'd usually change the name much more frequently; really not sure why I wasn't this time!

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

When you use save as you however don't get back up files. I have never gotten error code 12 using save as but keep previous saves t go back t in case something happens to a current saves.

Interesting! I did not know this. That explains why I have no backup then.

I just always build outside the game I playing. save builds to library and then add to the game Im playing. Saving frequently is a must when building too and as igazor posted there is no way to fix a bad save so keeping previous saves is a good idea so you don't loose your entire game. .

phoebebebe13

igazor wrote: »

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor have you ever found a way or know anyone who has been able to repair a bad save? Thanks

I've actually tried to do this myself in the past and unfortunately concluded it's an exercise in futility. When the so-called save gets the ".bad" extension, it means the game has deemed it as totally corrupt or, more commonly, it's simply incomplete even if the nhd file size looks about right. The data needed to be deemed a good save either just isn't there or is scrambled up to the point where it's really not usable or fixable.

I I had a hunch you have tried this. Thanks for your input

ceejay402

igazor wrote: »

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor have you ever found a way or know anyone who has been able to repair a bad save? Thanks

I've actually tried to do this myself in the past and unfortunately concluded it's an exercise in futility. When the so-called save gets the ".bad" extension, it means the game has deemed it as totally corrupt or, more commonly, it's simply incomplete even if the nhd file size looks about right. The data needed to be deemed a good save either just isn't there or is scrambled up to the point where it's really not usable or fixable.

at least we know its been test thanks igazor

greencats if possible try saving the normal way every now and then instead of save as. i also would like to pick your head about how you got the error to begin with if im recalling your specs correctly being gaming level there are few things i think of that may prevent this in the future. ill follow up later. hope all is well

GreenCats

igazor wrote: »

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

@igazor have you ever found a way or know anyone who has been able to repair a bad save? Thanks

I've actually tried to do this myself in the past and unfortunately concluded it's an exercise in futility. When the so-called save gets the ".bad" extension, it means the game has deemed it as totally corrupt or, more commonly, it's simply incomplete even if the nhd file size looks about right. The data needed to be deemed a good save either just isn't there or is scrambled up to the point where it's really not usable or fixable.

Thank you for the reply. Well at least now I know and the mourning process can begin, lol. I won't waste any more time fiddling about with the files then; if you couldn't figure it out, I certainly won't be able to.

GreenCats

ceejay402 wrote: »

greencats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! soo great to see ok im deep in sims 4 patch bug testing right now but ill carve out sometime to see if i can add anything helpful.

Really good to see you! Feel free to drop me a PM or an email any time you want to chat

I hope the bug testing for TS4 is going well, and that you are also finding time to enjoy the game.

ceejay402 wrote: »

greencats if possible try saving the normal way every now and then instead of save as. i also would like to pick your head about how you got the error to begin with if im recalling your specs correctly being gaming level there are few things i think of that may prevent this in the future. ill follow up later. hope all is well

This is great advice; thank you! I will do this in future, and also go back to renaming the save file more frequently.

I really don't get this error very often at all. I tried to save just as many sims were arriving for a wedding party, and after lots and lots of CASt-intensive decorating, so I wonder whether there was just too much going on. I had saved 15 minutes before with no problem (though of course I can't use that save because I overwrote it with the bad one).

Yes, my specs should be fine. Don't have them in front of me but I think 64bit os, 3.4Ghz processor, 12gb ram, dedicated graphics card. I have dual monitor setup, so I guess that taxes things a bit more. To keep Code 12 at bay, I have Nraas Error Trap, save at least every half hour, quit and reload if I'm having an especially long session of more than an hour or two, and don't switch households unless I have to. But of course any additional advice would be welcome! No Code 12s are better than infrequent Code 12s!

GreenCats

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

I just always build outside the game I playing. save builds to library and then add to the game Im playing. Saving frequently is a must when building too and as igazor posted there is no way to fix a bad save so keeping previous saves is a good idea so you don't loose your entire game. .

Me too usually! But in this case the family was slowly redecorating various venues they'd owned, making use of unique objects they'd made or found.

igazor

My specs are not as spiffy as yours sound, but they aren't that far behind and I get the occasional Error 12 after a prolonged re-design spree as well. And it's even often, thankfully, the second save after such that fails. The limitation we face when we already have plenty of system resources to go around, as opposed to those attempting overly ambitious play on less suitable systems and that you probably already know, is that TS3 (all TS games) are 32-bit programs and cannot withstand or recover from a spike in RAM usage above a certain limit even for a fraction of a microsecond. We always say that 4 GB is the absolute max it can use, but in reality that limit is closer to 3.7 GB with certain variations for exceptionally high graphic-intensive activity.

But who wants to play with one eyeball constantly glued to a RAM usage monitor or some equivalent for other resources? The game's developers could have done us a huge favor if they had programmed in a warning that it's time to save (as), quit, and reload, take a break, or something when things start getting dicey instead of allowing us to be slapped hard in the face with an error like that after it's too late. Or they could have somehow throttled the whole thing for us beyond a certain point to save us from our own enthusiasm in such situations. Ah well, would have been nice anyway.

GreenCats

That's a really nice idea, @igazor! I can imagine a feature like that would have saved many simmers a lot of frustration!

KatAnubis

Wow! It's amazing you got a Code 12 with a system like that, Green Cats! I get them quite frequently (as I mentioned in my first post to this thread), but then I have only a 32 bit OS (so my RAM is really limited.) I, too, wish that they'd put in an indicator so that we wouldn't wait to save.

I've never found "save as" to be all that helpful except when traveling, and then I only do it when I'm moving from the home lot to the vacation lot and then back again. And I always have a "new" name to it, just in case. But the old save becomes the .backup file, and if you get a .bad file, the regular save file is the save you tried just previous to that one.

Sorry you had this problem. But it's lovely that there are so many experienced folks around!

And ceejay402, good luck with the bug catching. I used to do it for the TS2 EPs, but I never had time for TS3 when they asked me (and then didn't have a good enough computer to do them.)

GreenCats

Thank you very much for explaining that @KatAnubis! I guess using 'save as...' but not changing the file name is pretty useless - and actually a bad idea because, as you say, you don't get the .backup file that way. I'm pretty paranoid, so I save like every fifteen minutes, and I'd somehow got it into my head that using 'save' was bad. Will go back to using that now I think, with a 'save as...' (and name change!!) just at the end of each play session.



I managed to redo some of the building I'd lost. It was much easier (although also less interesting) the second time because I knew what I had in mind.

I tried to use Nraas MC's 'Instant Baby' option to replace the infant my family had lost but weirdly the baby came out with a 0-slider face, even though neither of the parents have that. Weird...I'm sure I've used that option before with no problems. I've used pollinate instead now, and will just wait out the pregnancy.

igazor

Many of us frequently get offspring like that in our games, more typically a clone of one parent or the other than total 0's, even with regular births and NRaas StoryProgression's Advanced Genetics in place. I usually wait until they are a child and then re-roll the offspring's genetics with MC's Play with Genetics function a couple of times until I get a combination that looks more reasonable.

GreenCats

@igazor I don't think it was the clone issue, although I do know what you mean - I get that a lot too! No, this baby had all its sliders at absolute zero, while neither of parents had any of their sliders at zero (apart from a couple of custom sliders I'm not using). It was very weird. I thought maybe I accidentally clicked on the name of an NPC rather than the intended father, so I tried a second time to make sure, and the second baby was a pudding face as well! I have no idea what happened

The baby brought about via pollinate was born at the hospital just a minute ago and is 'normal', i.e. looks like his parents and is not a body-swapped changling pudding pod-sim.

I had forgotten about the Play with Genetics function - thank you And I had never actually looked at Advanced Genetics, but reading about it now it sounds like it's something I want turned on! A very little bit of variation could be a good thing I think. I don't have the Population module installed right now, so I'd better correct that ASAP