Direct 3d returned an error out of video memory - not able to play without crashing

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to install Sims 2 on my mother's brand new iMac. I partitioned the hard drive and installed Windows 10 Home on the partition via Boot Camp. I then installed The Sims 2 on the Windows 10 partition from discs rather than from Origin. I ended up using the discs so I could install the game directly onto the C:\ path rather than through Program Files. That was to solve another problem I had with trying to put clean/empty neighbourhood templates in my game. I couldn't make it work via Origin. Even after installing the clean hoods, the game would re-generate the characters. Something to do with VirtualStore and the way Windows 10 makes stealth backups of old files and over-rides your attempts to change the original files in Program Files....

Anyway, after attempting to fix the Virtual Store problem, I decided it might be easier to just install the game via CD's onto the C:\The Sims 2 pathway, avoiding installing to Program Files.

When installed via Origin previously, the game worked perfectly. It was also working perfectly mid-way through the installation process. I tested it when I was up to Pets (I think) and no crashing or problems. So I continued with installation. I have all EP's and SP's installed.

Now I can't get the game to run without crashing either as it loads a neighbourhood or as it loads a family. I have tried all kinds of compatibility settings with the shortcut with no success. Quite a few times I have received this error: "direct 3d returned an error out of video memory"

This is a brand new (weeks old) iMac that is specced up to the hilt with memory. I don't think the error message makes any sense.

I have looked at the config-log but it doesn't say my video card is missing. I am attaching it as per instructions. I am also attaching a couple of screenshots of info about this set-up's video card that may be useful? It's a Radeon Pro 580


  DESKTOP-GBD2O3A-config-log.txt (Size: 10.12 KB / Downloads: 501)
   
   
   

I have The Sims 2 installed via CD's on my older iMac (2011) which is also partitioned with Windows 10. I am able to get my game to run normally. So I'm sure there must be a way to achieve this on my mother's new iMac but I really need help!

Thank you so much everyone!

Hi Everyone,
Just to update my situation, I thought the game wasn't crashing when I was loading it via Origin's Ultimate Sims Collection. However, I uninstalled my CD installation of The Sims and reinstalled the Origin version. Unfortunately, the game is crashing still, and I am getting this same "out of video memory" error message on some of the crashes.

I hope someone has some ideas about this. I've spent days trying to get this game working now...and googling the issue gets no cures for the problem that I can see.

Hope someone can help me!

Obviously, the game does not understand that your Graphics card has 8GB of video memory. It uses only 32MB, which is why it reports the "out of video memory" problem.
You should go into the Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\Config\ folder, open your "Graphics Rules.sgr" in a text editor, and find the line where it says "seti textureMemory 32". It should be somewhere in the first 50 lines or so. Change it to read "seti textureMemory 8092", then save the file, and copy it into the CSConfig folder as well.

This should at least fix THAT issue, as far as the Game is concerned. However, if Direct 3D also understands it, is a question that I cannot answer. Let us know how you fare, OK?

Hi Boiling Oil,
Thank you so much for reaching out to help me. I edited the Graphics Rules file as you suggested and re-loaded the game. I can get as far as trying to put a family in a house and the game silently black screened then crashed just before the house loaded up.

So I'm able to access CAS and the neighbourhood but unable to play any family.

Its very frustrating as this is a great machine with a wonderful screen that I hoped my Mum would really enjoy playing The Sims on.

Any other suggestions?

Edited to add: I just tried loading the family for a second time and the game crashed with the Out of Video Memory error again :\

Hi valentinegirl,

Yes, I *do* have another suggestion. Which is that you do NOT put any spaces in my name the next time. I'm @BoilingOil, not @Boiling Oil. (see? the system doesn't recognize the second version...)

It's obvious that direct 3D is not impressed with our change. I'm sorry that I have nothing better to offer you. In all likelyhood, only @celebkiriedhel can fix what went wrong.

By the way, did I just notice that you have two accounts here? One as @Valentine, and another as @valentinegirl? I hope that I'm mistaken, because the staff may not like this.

Hi BoilingOil

I didn't realise I have two accounts here. I am coming back to The Sims 2 after several years hiatus. Maybe one is an old account? I can't remember.

I apologise about mis-spelling your name. I don't mean to upset anyone! I hope the staff will contact me to resolve the second account if its a problem.

Hi valentinegirl,

Don't worry too much about misspelling my name. Almost everyone does that, making the honest mistake of thinking that it's right that way. Until I tell them that it's NOT.

The Valentine account is one that you made very recently, I think. Because it has only ONE post: the top post of this thread! The valentinegirl account that you used for all the other posts here, including this last one, is the older. Your wish has come true, though. A member of staff HAS contacted you.

Let me re-introduce myself @BoilingOil, general moderator of LeeFish.nl
Shall I try to re-assign the top message to you @valentinegirl, and then delete the newer @Valentine account?

Thanks for understanding, BoilingOil. Maybe what happened is I tried to log into this forum from my Mum's computer then on my computer. I've been going back and forth between the two computers trying to resolve this problem for her.

Yes I would appreciate it if you can assign the messages all to this account, "valentinegirl", then deleting the "valentine" account.

Thanks a lot!

Is Kiri around in the forums recently or is she on a summer break? I hope you don't mind me asking

I will see what I can do, ma'am

As for Kiri, I'm not certain. We all miss her terribly when she's not here. Alas, she has encountered quite a few setbacks in real life: sickness, losing loved ones, depression as a result of the latter.
If she has a good day, she will resurface. But nobody except the Fates know when that will be. We can only pray for her if we are of the religious persuasion, or send waves of positive energy her way if we are not. I do the latter. Also, remember that she lives Down Under, so her timing may be a bit different than ours.

Update: as far as the re-assignment of the top post, I have been unsuccessful so far to even find an option to do that. I wish it were as simple here as on Simbology
So I've *reported* the top post with a note that says what I think needs done. Now we can be certain that the other moderators WILL see it. Let's hope that one of them knows how to fix this.

Thank you for trying to help out with the double identity BoilingOil.

I am sorry to hear that about Kiri. I hope we see her soon around here and that she has a really wonderful year in 2018. She deserves all happiness.