At the moment it seems there is always something right around the corner.

It shouldn't be blocked, works ok for me. However, the file hasn't been updated for 1.50 and will break your game. I was hoping to update this weekend, but ended up having a surprise visit from my daughter and two very hot days in a row, so not much got done. So before anyone asks, I'll get to it in my spare time during the week.

I just realised there is a new patch out 1.50 is out today. If you are using that, then I'd imagine there will be a few mods out of date.

Are you using "Anach_AmbrosiaGroupServe.package"? If so, try taking it out. I'll look into the issue later today.

Butlers have always been a bit twitchy, which is why I prefer to make my own using a normal CAS Sim and Twallan's "Make NPC" option from Master Controller. I got tired of butlers vanishing, resetting their beds, losing inventory, getting stuck and being short on interactions.

As this was a very minor patch, I only did a quick file compare and it showed up nothing, so unless someone reports an issue, I'm going to assume that all is ok with this update. I've not had a chance to thoroughly play-test the game myself, as I'm still importing my old families to the new version of St Claire.

Are you running a corporate server? Why have you even got DEP enabled beyond its default setting. Set it back to it's Windows default of "Essential services only", and you'll still be protected against those elite hackers trying to piggy back dodgy files off system services, and at the same time you'll enjoy more application stability. Yeah Sims 3 and DEP don't get along, even if you have it in the exempt list it tends to crash, as do many other games, especially modded games. For most people it's more trouble than it's worth and if on the internet (like you), there are dozens of other ways you are more likely to get dodgy files on your PC.

From my experience, activity pause is generally caused by CPU overload, and that is usually down to the hardware you have and the amount of script mods you have installed. The older and bigger a town gets, the worse it gets.  All my mods are xml, and object tweaks, there are no script mods. Overall lag (continuous) is usually caused by bad custom content, or lack of decent hardware). The usual bugs you may encounter from an outdated xml mod is that something doesn't work right, or you're missing artwork, or text. A common one seems to be the life time wish vanishes from the HUD, or with some cases, a total game freeze or CTD when you click something.

It appears I managed to update the files for 1.47, although the wine may not have helped. I only found one file that needed updating (All buyable) with my quick compare, so if something doesn't work right, let me know asap.

Luckily I keep a backup on Dropbox already.

I must admit, I have never walked past an Apple store and thought to myself. Ya know, I really do have too much money, I should waste some by paying twice as much for a computer than I need to, besides, I want to make playing games far more difficult and inconvenient than it has to be, I'd also like to limit my hardware upgrade options, and annoy people on PC forums by posting about all the issues I have, all while looking at my really pretty computer that will make me super cool in the eyes of my hipster friends. Of course, as my grandad used to say back in 1985, Apple Macs will become the primary hardware for everyone in the next few years, so this will give me a head start on those naive and pesky PC users!

A lot of people seem to only play CAS, and never bother with the actual game. Much of the high detail CAS mods will never be seen in-game no matter how much you zoom in. While playing, the Sims just don't have that level of detail that you get in CAS. You aren't going to notice the minute differences in nostril flare. 

I can see pose packs being handy for people creating actual content and wanting to pose their Sims for screenshots featuring that content, but why anyone would want to play the game that way, putting Sims in boring static poses, I will never understand.

Is the marker movable and deletable once it's placed? I didn't check at the time I posted the instructions.

Yes. "The Sims 3 Showtime\GameData\Shared\Packages"  Open FullBuild_p12.package in s3pe, look for "proprietorPlacement_ftp" OBJD, export it to a package, open new package, change: FunctionSubCategoryFlags:0x0000000400000000 - Save and install into overrides.

Well that is part of what I was getting at, except that it's more like 3.5Gb and I was mostly explaining why the error code happens. I would imagine someone with 2GB of RAM would simply come across the error code more frequently as both Windows and Sims 3 would be fighting for that small amount of memory.

However, what you said was correct, a 64Bit OS can assign all available memory to all running applications, but can only assign approximately 3.5Gb maximum to 32Bit applications. Where as the 32Bit OS wont be able to use anything over that 32Bit limit.

I believe things will get interesting next year, as I expect we'll start to see 64Bit only games, like Battlefield 4. Sims 3 isn't the only game suffering from the 32Bit memory limit; Skyrim has the same problem when heavily modded. 4Gb of RAM just isn't going to cut it anymore. We are starting to see Graphics cards with 3-4Gb also. This means higher detail games, and greater game stability for modders.

Not only will a 32bit OS only use about 3Gb of RAM, but Sims 3 is a 32bit application, which means it wont make use of much more than 3Gb of RAM.

In my testing I have found that Sims 3 will become unstable and usually crash at around 3.4Gb of RAM (Same goes for CAW). However, no matter how large your save file actually is, the game itself seems to need around 300Mb free to save the game. If the currently memory usage plus the amount required to save exceeds the 3.4Gb total, then you will get an error code 12. The reason zooming out to map view often helps, is it can reduce the memory usage of the game just enough to allow the game to save.

Unfortunately there is no way around this unless EA release a 64Bit exe for the game or they come up with a better memory management system. CAW could certainly benefit from a 64bit exe, as with all store content installed, it will climb up to its 3.4Gb maximum before even loading a world to edit, which severely limits the use of store and custom content in custom worlds. As time goes on, this problem is only going to get worse.

Finally got around to updating for 1.42. However, as usual, I haven't tested these in-game yet, so be sure to let me know of any problems. Will update the modified Sunset Valley as soon as I can.

Honestly, the patches are really annoying me too. All I want to do is just sit down and play some Sims, but to be able to do that, I not only have to update all my mods, but everyone else's mods too, which means hours of editing custom configs and checking which files need updating (Last time took me a couple days). On top of that, I've just moved house and still unpacking, and as part of the house move I'm trying to reduce the amount of PCs I have, in an attempt to cut down on power consumption and noise. So I'm in the process of getting rid of my separate domain controller/fire wall/mail server and distributing it between my network file server and router. This means some domain transfer, active directory configuration, lots of database transfers and a bunch of other stuff I don't really feel like doing. Between all that, I've been trying to finish off Skyrim, and help my mother deal with my terminally ill grandmother. So the hours I do have free are are better spent elsewhere unfortunately. Wish I could wave a magic wand and just have it done for me, because I just want to play.

From the date on this topic, it looks like I haven't played Sims since mid July.

Unlikely since the most recent patch.

Those two shouldn't haven't changed. It's mostly the xml mods which are likely to have issues.

Damn this forum is slow lately.

I haven't touched the families or the standard lots in Sunset Valley, except to fix a couple lot edges. However, I also haven't used the default families, as I nuked them straight away when starting my game. So let me know.

I only just got the 1.38 patch and EP right before I started packing to move. It's been a long process, so I have a lot of updating to do. I only just got phone connected today. Still have quite a lot of unpacking.

I do! I have the EP now, and I'm all patched up, but I haven't got around to updating all my mods as I've been moving house, so been a bit busy to play games.

I do, as soon as I update and install the EP, which I haven't yet done.

Never seen that, I'll check it out.