Updates Jul 22, 2014 This thread is now locked since there's nothing new to be learned. If you need help with the FAQ, please create New Help thread with the answers to the questionnaire at the end of that FAQ (reproduced below).

Updates
Patch 1.42 appears to have updates for ATI/AMD cards. See post #19

Issue
Do you have these problems?

• Crashings with a new Graphics card that you just bought?
• Graphical glitches on a new uber-level Graphics card when you should have been able to run the game on High settings?

Solution (or things to try)
If you have issues with a new GPU that is supposed to have worked, or you're seeing graphical glitches on an uber-level GPU, try the suggestions in Game Help:Getting new graphics cards recognized by the game^wiki.

This thread is for the questions and issues arising from following that FAQ. So, here again are the questions I need answered when you post. If you don't provide them, I'll point you back here. Unless, they aren't applicable.



Reminder
Note, that this is not the definitive solution if you have crashings. It is mainly if you have crashings for a new GPU that has ALL GREENs on the Game Help:TS3 System Requirements^wiki, and yet, it behaves as if it has ALL REDs or mix of REDs and YELLOWs.

If you have generic Crashings, not due to a new GPU replacement (or new system with supported GPU), then please work through the Game Help:Sims 3 Crashing Checklist^wiki, and start a new, separate thread for your issue with all the information asked for.

Very helpful info. My card is working fine but ran thru the tutorial just for the sake of it.

If I could, might I suggest adding the path to the DeviceConfig.log for those not aware of its location.

Thanks for posting!

Thanks for catching that! FAQ edited.

I have changed my graphics card to a HD 6670 and the computer works fine with latest drivers from AMD. When I start the game there is however an error and the game don't start:



My card is in that Requirement list:
Radeon HD 6670 / OEM Yes

I followed your guide but first thing is that the DeviceConfig.log is emty. Anyway I run dxdiag and found out I have this ID in GraphicsCards.sgr:
card 0x6758 "AMD Radeon HD 6600 series".
You had a similar card:
card 0x6739 "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series".

In the GraphicsRules.sgr file I searched and found HD 66 in three places like you did.
So why is my card not recognized? Is the indentation in the GraphicsCards.sgr file significant?
At the beginning of the script the processor is checked. What more is checked? Here is my system:


dxdiag says:
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 9/19/2012, 12:47:46
Machine name: TARGA
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.120504-1619)
Language: English (Regional Setting: Swedish)
System Manufacturer: TARGA
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3700+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.2GHz
Memory: 3072MB RAM
Page File: 643MB used, 4346MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS.0
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: AMD Radeon HD 6670
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x6758)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6758&SUBSYS_E195174B&REV_00
Display Memory: n/a
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.7270 (English)
DDI Version: unknown
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/28/2012 04:01:10, 305664 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: Saknas
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 7/28/2012 06:05:12, 6646784 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2418-11CF-9D68-9FC1A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x6758
SubSys ID: 0xE195174B
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Not Available
D3D Status: Not Available
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

That's done by us, not EA.

If the card is on the .sgr files, the fact that the error states "No supported video graphics card detected." may be due to something else.

Changed to a HD 6670 from ...? What was the old GPU?
Does Windows Device Manager recognize this card? Or does it have a Yellow Exclamation mark?

All that "D3D7 Test Result: Not run" lines? And "DX Setup Parameters: Not found"...
Is DirectX current? If you don't know, update DirectX.

Removed Options.ini and let a new one gets generated at next load of the game?
Failing that, done step#3 of the Game Problem FAQ?

The card is in your list and also in the GraphicsCards.sgr file although the text is indented with a TAB for some cards.
I changed from an ATI x1600. I removed all drivers before the change.
It's recognized by WDM.
DirectX, well that need to be checked.

It must be someting special with that computer or the installation of the card because I installed the card on another compurter and the game works fine.

The first computer has Windows XP 32 bits and AMD processor while the one that works has Windows 7 64 bits and an Intel processor.
I'll try your hints on the computer that failed.

New questions:
AMD xxxx 3700+ is equvalant to an Intel 3.7 GHz. At least AMD says so.
Will the GraphicsRules .sgr script compensate for the Intel/AMD difference in clock speed? I remember it was not in The Sim 2.

Is the game really using more than one core in a multi core processor?

This is from the DeviceConfig.log of the AMD machine. It gave me a 2 on my superduper singel core processor AMD Athlon 64 3700+. Thats not fair as it is more poverful than Intel P4 3 GHz.

1.This is for ATI X1600 + AMD Athlon 64 3700+
GPU: 3 GPU Memory: 3 CPU: 2 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 2211 Threading: 1

2. This is for AMD HD 6670 + Intel Pentium 4 3 GHz
GPU: 5 GPU Memory: 4 CPU: 2 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 2992 Threading: 2

3. Result with AMD HD 6670 + AMD Athlon 64 3700+
GPU: 5 GPU Memory: 4 CPU: 2 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 2211 Threading: 1

If I move HD 6670 as intended, do you think I can raise the setting in the .sgr file to a 3 or 4 for case 3?

Thank you so much for this informative guide. This allowed me to input my card data. And I have the same card as you do, so I could follow your steps exactly. Cheers!

I solved my problem!!!

I have Windows XP 32 bits with 3 GB memory.

I did this change to get more memory for the game to get rid of the Error 12.

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...to_applications

With this new graphic card AMD HD 6670 and newest drivers, 12.8, you can't do that change in boot.ini file!!!!

I did all of your recomendation including reinstallation DirecX drivers. When I tested DirectX with dxdiag I saw that Direct3D-acceleration wasn't active. The actvate button was dimmed out.
I then run 3DMark06 and it did not start and I get the error D3DERR_NOTAVAILABLE. After som googling I finally faund out the problem. The explanation is that 3D accelation takes more memory or it is a bug in the graphic drivers from AMD (again).

@redredwine, glad it helped you.

@Morphar, I did point out DirectX in my response did I not? Well, in any case, glad it's solved now.
You're still able to launch the game on a single-core machine? Mine took 1 hour to load the loading screen when I tested it with WA on patch 1.8/2.3 eons ago.

Last time I monitored CPU usage was on 1.36 I think and it did spike all the cores on my Quad-core machine and if the DeviceConfig.log and .sgr files are to be believed, they do have coding to take advantage of multi-thread-capable Processors, and that does show in the CPU usage as well.

Incidentally, my card model (an any other new cards as well) is still not listed in the .sgr files in Patch 1.39. So, this workaround is still applicable.

It's worth keeping in mind that hardware problems may be an issue. A few years ago on a new, high-power computer with a very good graphics card, I would get visuals freezing while playing The Sims. A couple of minutes after starting play the picture would start freezing for a few seconds, then it would jump and be okay for several seconds, then freeze again, etc. Picture was fine with every other application. After weeks back and forth with EA tech support, it turned out the fan in my graphics card was busted and it was overheating.

That's interesting, CmarNYC. Usually if a GPU has fan issues it would fail whenever a program utilizes the GPU's processor and need the fan to keep it cool. When this happened to me a few months back, I get BSOD crashes whenever I try to watch a video in VLC, or run benchmarks, or even Alt+Tab between multiple windows in quick succession.
In Sims game, this is characterized by graphical glitches like messed-up thumbnails, spikes, etc.

This guide is for when one don't have issues in any other programs outside the Sims. But I understand what you're cautioning folks about. It does help to cover all the bases, though.

Mainly out of curosity.
How does this affect if computer have switchable card?
My laptop have 6520G/7670M, the first is as might be understod the one intregrated on CPU
It looks like game use the 6520G one becuase it listed that in DeviceConfig.log but only as matched, i cannot change which it use since computer use crossfire, i can only set to high performance or power saving in ccc, high performance setting what i have understood should change to the 7670M one.
Adding the 6520M to GraphicsCards.sgr didn't change the game settings in any way, i might add though that they was proberly set to the settings for the 6000 serie as they where quite high.
So i'm abit confused.

I have no idea, I don't have one to test.

(I hope this is the right area to post this)

After installing a new video card & a bigger power supply to my computer then experiencing better performance but not what I would have liked, I posted in the Technical Computer area for help. Before buying what I had bought for a video card, I had printed out the recommended cards from this site (by using the FAQ on that). To make a long story short, in that other thread a link was suggested to help my game recognize my new card:

http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...by%20the%20game

I did everything in the steps that above post said then loaded the game. It was then that my game began experiencing what was described in the "Cause" which is for the Options to have everything to the lowest. BEFORE I tried the solution in the above thread, my Options were normal.

And when I do load the game and get to the point of seeing the entire neighborhood where you choose a family to play, the neighborhood of course is a light blue with darker blues where perhaps a river might be. When I choose a family, the textures, etc are all low.

When I first had loaded the game & got the strange looking neighborhood, I logged out and went back into that file:

Computer/program files(x86)/electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Game/Bin

and removed the

GraphicsCards.sgr and GraphicsRules.sgr plus the two copies that I made from the instructions in that above thread. I loaded the game again thinking that it would remake the files (like if you remove the cache files, the game remakes them)

Nothing changed, still had the weird looking neighborhood view.

I put the files back in (which I had put on my desktop) and I'm still getting the weird neighborhood view & the options that I reset will not save.

I hate asking for help, but obviously I need help this time.


In my DeviceConfig.log mine says:


=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): ATI Radeon HD 4200
Name (database): Radeon HD 4200 [Found: 1, Matched: 1]
Vendor: ATI
Chipset: Vendor: 1002, Device: 9710, Board: 2ab1103c, Chipset: 0000

next step:

If you open GraphicsCards.sgr and search for 0x9710 (use your own Device ID#, of course), it won't be there. (It WAS there-see below)

card 0x95C0 "Radeon HD 4250"
card 0x9715 "Radeon HD 4250"
card 0x9710 "Radeon HD 4200"
card 0x95C5 "Radeon HD 4200 Series"


*sighs*




Here's a thought that I don't know if it would work or not since I can't seem to understand the above FAQ and the steps past what I've posted:

IF I were to:

*remove all my CC
*uninstall all my games
*re-install all my games
*put the CC back in
*load the game to play



Would it be possible that it might be okay? As far as the problem with not being able to save the OPTIONS? (I think I want to cry)

• Sims 3 - Game Problems
  Please go through this FAQ and follow the instructions, doing each step in order and not skipping anything:
  • Game Help:Sims 3 Game Problem^wiki
  Most issues with the game can be resolved by following those steps.
  
  

/program files(x86)/electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Game/Bin?
If not a typo, can you tell me if Rabbitholes and multi-level curved Roads and multi-lane Highways exist in TS4? ;)

The DeviceConfig.log is for some other card: ATI Radeon HD 4200. Not the new GT 610 that you purchased.
If you noted the line with "Found: 1", so in essence, Sims 3 does not even know the hardware has changed!

Move the DeviceConfig.log, the Options.ini file to the Desktop, Game Help:Sims 3 Delete Cache Files^wiki and load the game. Or even better if you do step#3 of the Game Problem FAQ and rename the folder and let the game start over on a clean slate to test the new card. So, in the event anything goes wrong, your CCa nd Saves are backed-up.

Hey there

Thanks for this guide. I bought a brand new Radeon 7770 graphics card, and was tearing my hair out in frustration at my game running WORSE than before until someone pointed me in the direction of this thread.

I followed your instructions carefully, and I now can see all my trees and plants (I couldn't before), but it seems to be at the cost of paths and flooring. Paths now appear to be just a blurred block of flat colour rather than the nicely detailed brick or stone or whatever.

I'm wondering if I've missed something. I'm not sure what to do. I'm not really very technologically minded either :/


EDIT: Ahh never mind. I was having a middle-aged moment :/ It all works fine now... except the lag, which I seem doomed to have to cope with forever.

THANK YOU!

Good to hear, @Neashaleigh!
Did you remember to refresh Game Help:Sims 3 Delete Cache Files^wiki and Thumbnails? The game may still be linking to the images from the previous GPU in the caches?
Have you also updated drivers? What was the previous GPU, by the way?

As for the lags, you've tried the world fixes? Check my profile page for the downloads for various EA premade worlds.
There's also the Game Help:Intermittent Freezes^wiki FAQ, if you haven't tried the suggestions in there.

A bunch of AMD cards updated in the 1.42 patch, but as you can see the red area only shows the top part for "ATI"; afraid Nvidia cards are still not current.

I got stuck in your tutorial on Sim Wiki with editing the "Graphic Rules.org" file. I use "Nvidia GeForce 410M" and I have no clue what model was before my card.

The GraphicRules.cfg have settings for 400 serie (4??)
So unless game haven't set all bars to minimum (no settings found) as default, you proberly won't see any diffrence by changing anything in it.

If you still wanto try to change you can use the settings for 2?0M (medium card setting), there's also settings for 3?0M (high card setting) so it's upto you which one to use, higher settings stress card more.
Though do the change under same pre-set = if you decide to use the ones for 2?0M place it there(medium card setting), for 3?0M place it there (high card setting).

I have a GeForce GTX 550 Ti. I did everything according to the wiki, and now it reads it all correctly, but when I load a vanilla game (patched to 1.42) the game is dark, like what happens after I alt-tab on my laptop. This has never happened before this patch on this desktop. If anyone has a suggestion, that'd be great.

@Lady Darkness,
if the name is already present, go by device ID#, as that is more accurate. What is the device ID# for your card as shown in the DeviceConfig.log file? And does it report "Found:0"? If not, your issue (whatever you're experiencing) is not related to this.

@masonn,
do you have switchable graphics?
Did you remove these files, so they would be generated anew after all the tweaks?
- DeviceConfig.log
- Option.ini

Edited: Alright, I managed to do everything now with help from my brother, but when I opened the game to test it said that I had an unrecognized video card. I looked at the DeviceConfig, and it said "Found: 1, Matched: 0". Do you know what I could have done wrong? Sorry to bother you.

I as well just upgraded to the Geforce GTX 550 TI. My info in device config: Name (database): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti [Found: 0, Matched: 1].

I was able to update the first step but I am confused on the graphics rule piece. Am I looking for GTX 5? I do find this : or match("${cardName}", "*GTX 5??*") so do I need to rename anything ? Or am I looking for something else?