Sims2 family members missing

[radical ed]

after backing up my EA GAMES folder from My Documents, i formated my drive and reinstalled xp and the sims. after restoring the files, i found that i am missing a few sims out of a family.
the loading screen for the family is still showing all of the members.
also, the thumbnail at the main neighborhood menu screen for pleasantview is white and the one for my neighborhood is a blank wire frame skin of the land.

thank you in advance

[pharoah]

you could try to delete the restored files,and restore them again.

[Indoril Nerevar]

Also, run through each of the steps listed under "Common Game Issues" in my signature, and see if anything there helps.

[Tiber Septim]

It sounds like either you missed a file or two in your backup or The Sims 2 stored a couple of files elsewhere for your missing family members. Not much you can do there except recreate them to the best of your ability.

As for the thumbnails not showing up for the neighborhoods, make sure the image files are in your My documents folder (same place your Sims 2 data is stored), try pharoah's suggestion of copying it over again, it may have missed a file, other than that all i can suggest is to reinstall the game.

[radical ed]

Originally Posted by Tiber Septim

It sounds like either you missed a file or two in your backup or The Sims 2 stored a couple of files elsewhere for your missing family members. Not much you can do there except recreate them to the best of your ability.

As for the thumbnails not showing up for the neighborhoods, make sure the image files are in your My documents folder (same place your Sims 2 data is stored), try pharoah's suggestion of copying it over again, it may have missed a file, other than that all i can suggest is to reinstall the game.

all of the files you need when you reinstall the sims to keep your saved games is in the my documents folder. i did have some trouble with the drive awhile back so it may be damaged data.
as far as the thumbnails, i simply mentioned that in case it had something to do with the other errors. the images are not kept in the EA GAMES folder in My Documents, also, you did not specify where in the ea games folder they would be.

recreating sims is a trying process and most simmers want to avoid it. mostly because it would mean that all the accomplishments with the family are gone.

i did not miss a file.
However, i do have an old backup of the family, so if worst comes to worst, i can use them.

with both backups, i cannot load the family unless i move them out of the the house and move them back in. the problem with that is all of the sims possessions are sold for simoleans. in the most recent backup (the one that is missing some sims), i had to do that but that time i had refurnished the house before moving the family back in. that way if i had to do it again, i wouldn't lose the furniture.
In the event i cannot repair the recent back up, where is the lot bin and family bin files outside of the game? that way i can copy them and use the new backup house with the old backup family.

Originally Posted by Indoril Nerevar

Also, run through each of the steps listed under "Common Game Issues" in my signature, and see if anything there helps.

there is no problem with the game itself.

[radical ed]

anyone?

[Tiber Septim]

Originally Posted by radical ed

the images are not kept in the EA GAMES folder in My Documents, also, you did not specify where in the ea games folder they would be.

C:\Documents and Settings\<Your User Name>\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Storytelling

Or

C:\Documents and Settings\<Your User Name>\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Thumbnails
The above is where the .pak files for in-game thumbnails are kept.

recreating sims is a trying process and most simmers want to avoid it. mostly because it would mean that all the accomplishments with the family are gone.

I understand it is a long process, i just can't stick to one person, i always create new sims and they are almost always identical .

i did not miss a file.
However, i do have an old backup of the family, so if worst comes to worst, i can use them.

Unfortunately this may be the case.

with both backups, i cannot load the family unless i move them out of the the house and move them back in. the problem with that is all of the sims possessions are sold for simoleans. in the most recent backup (the one that is missing some sims), i had to do that but that time i had refurnished the house before moving the family back in. that way if i had to do it again, i wouldn't lose the furniture.
In the event i cannot repair the recent back up, where is the lot bin and family bin files outside of the game? that way i can copy them and use the new backup house with the old backup family.

C:\Documents and Settings\<Your User Name>\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods
Within that folder is the folders for each neighborhood.
Within that is the folder for each individual Sim and Lot, i couldn't find where a 'Family' file is stored at all.

there is no problem with the game itself.

Hope this helps.

[Lord Sirian]

You might want to try reinstalling the game and copying in the backups again, also, you could look through the backups and see if there is anything there which shouldn't be, since you've already looked to see if what should be there, maybe another file is interfering.

[radical ed]

Thanks,
im goingt o try to package the family and move them to the old backup. hmm...i would still have to re-furnish the house though (i furnished the house with the sims on the lot, so when they move out their items will be sold). i will see what i can do as far as transferring files from one back up to another.

thanks