The Sims 2 crash loading

[Chlover]

Having game crashing problems.

I formatted my Dell XPS M1330 laptop a few months ago, and everything was running smoothly, until I installed my "The Sims 2" game. Before the format, the sims ran perfectly, without a hitch, but now, it loads indefinitely when I try to get in a lot, or create a family. I can get on the game and into neighbourhoods just fine. A couple of times I actually made it into a lot, and once there, it plays just fine. The graphics are great and the sound works fine, but almost every time it tries to load into something, it just kind of stops.

Trouble shooting I've done:

1. I have been trying to find the problem on my own for about a week now. At first I thought it was because I didn't have the nVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS installed, but my computer doesn't seem to recognise I have it, and I have an Intel graphics driver anyway. I've done every thing suggested on forums and tech sites to fix a card that I'm not sure I even had. Great fun, really.

2. I formatted again, following the advice of a friend and tried to install nVidia before Intel graphics controllers, but that didn't work so I settled on Intel and decided that was probably all I had before the first format anyway.

3. I went into The Sims properties and adjusted the compatibility, as suggested on one forum, to XP Service pack 2 (I'm on Vista). After I did that it worked again for about 2 seconds, and then it was doing the same things again. I even put the "-w -nosound" in the target line in the properties to check if it was a graphics/audio thing, but I had the same problems... Only quieter?

4. I updated all the drivers on my computer I know about to update, and I've had windows run tests to make sure everything was working. Including going through Start > run > DXDIAG to check things out. No problems found.

I haven't downloaded any mods or hacks for the game, so I don't think that would be a factor. I haven't been able to determine whether it's a Vista thing, or the game itself. I tend to lean more towards the Vista thing because it worked fine until the format, and perhaps there's something I forgot to do.

The only thing suggested on a help forum that I haven't tried was enabling something in the BIOS... I don't want to mess with those if I can help it.

Anyway, My specs are:

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
System Model: XPS M1330
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06 (Had them fixed since the format. They used to be A02, I think.)
Processor: Intel Core Duo CPU T7100 @ 1.80GHz
Memory: 1014MB RAM
DirectX Version: DirectX 10 (All DirectX features are Enabled)
Display: Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family
Display Memory: 251 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Sound Drivers: Stwrt.sys
Provider: SigmaTel
Sound 2 Driver: HdAudio.sys
Provider: Microsoft
Device: Digital Output Device (HDMI)
Type: WDM

... If there has been a thread I missed that solves this, or if I put this in the wrong section, I'm terribly sorry. I tried to go through all the threads that looked similar to my problem. Thanks for listening!

I tried emailing EA, but their site told me "Problem processing your request, please contact the support team with this issue so they may correct it" Uh huh, as if that wasn't what I was trying to do in the first place, lol...

[dancinangel67]

You may want to find the number of EA Games becuase then you can talk to a rep and then they can help you figure what you need.. i never had this problem before.. sorry i can't help

[Chlover]

Well, thanks anyway. lol

[FreoHeaveho]

You have a 965 chipset, from a laptop, not sure which one. Did you install the chipset drivers when you reinstalled Vista? You should reinstall the appropriate chipset and graphics driver from here: http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/sb/CS-022768.htm

Download the chipset driver and install. Restart.

Download the graphics driver, install and restart.

Try the game again.

If this doesn't work, or you are not sure which chipset you have, download PC wizard from my sig and install. Go to file, save as, and click ok. Then save the text file and copy that text into this thread.

[Chlover]

Alrighty. First off, thank you for the help.

So, I installed the chipset off the support.dell site, choosing the one for my particular laptop model, and then I reinstalled the video controller. Sims still doesn't work.

I'm a little curious now though. There are two available chipsets. The Intel one, that I have installed, and another called Ricoh. When I tried to install that one, it said it was older or not as good as the Intel one, so I didn't think it was worth trying. Is it possible at all that Ricoh could make a difference?

Anyway, I installed PC wizard as you suggested, and this is what's in the file:

PC Wizard 2008 Version 1.84
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Owner: Chlover
User: Chlover
Operating System: Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Home Edition 6.00.6000
Report Date: Thursday 20 March 2008 at 23:03

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<<< System Summary >>>

> Mainboard : Dell Unspecified

> Chipset : Intel GM965

> Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile T7100 @ 1800 MHz

> Physical Memory : 1024 MB (2 x 512 DDR2-SDRAM )

> Video Card : Intel Corporation Mobile 965 Express Integrated Graphics Controller

> Hard Disk : Hitachi (120 GB)

> DVD-Rom Drive : MATSHITA DVD+-RW UJ-857G ATA Device

> Monitor Type : UN864133WX1 6BLkŠ²ÿ


- 13 inches

> Network Card : Broadcom Corp NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCIe

> Network Card : Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG

> Operating System : Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Home Edition 6.00.6000

> DirectX : Version 10.00

> Windows Performance Index : 3.5

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***** End of report *****

[FreoHeaveho]

Ok, what messages do you get when it fails? Restart? BSOD? Give me exact message if you can. Generically, this is what I would do:

1. Uninstall Sims 2
   
2. Restart
   
3. Set a system restore point.
   
4. Update to Vista SP1 (Windows Update)
   
5. Restart the required number of times.
   
6. Download and install this: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/conf...OSFullName=All Operating Systems&lang=eng
   
7. Restart
   
8. Download and install this: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/conf...OSFullName=All Operating Systems&lang=eng
   
9. Restart
   
10. Download and install this: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/conf...llName=Windows Vista* 32&lang=eng
    
11. Restart.
    
12. Download and run this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
    
13. Restart.
    
14. Reinstall Sims 2.
    
15. Download and install any appropriate patches here: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/
    
16. Right click on the Sims2 shortcut and go to properties. Go to Compatibility and select the "Run as Administrator" checkbox and click ok.
    
17. Restart (1 last time)
    
18. Run game
    
19. Post outcome and the exact error messages (if relevant).

[Chlover]

Alright, So I followed all your instructions to a T. Then when I tried it, it's still the same problem. I got into a lot once out of three tries.

There are no error messages. When I try to go onto a lot, it goes to the loading screen and the loading bar goes across the screen, as usual, and then once its at the end, all filled up, it just stays like that. The music keeps playing and everything, but the screen won't minimize or close and it doesn't do anything else. I have to keep it windowed so when it stops loading, I can right click and close it. When I do that, I get the "This program is not responding" message.

lol, this is such a pain! Thank you for the suggestions; sitting around and doing nothing was frustrating.

[FreoHeaveho]

I don;t know to be honest. Someone else may know. I have bump ed this thread up so that someone else may help. sorry.

[Chlover]

Thanks for your help anyway.

Maybe I should have mentioned this earlier, but My BIOS screwed up about a month ago, and I had to send the laptop back to Dell to have it fixed. Could whatever hardware replacements they made be a factor?

Anyway, I performed multiple diagnostics tests and everything came out good, so I'm going to try getting other games, and maybe I can narrow down whether its just my game thats broken, or if its my system.

[FreoHeaveho]

good luck mate. sorry i couldn't be further help. bump

[Kamuk]

I'm glad some one else has this problem,
I've just factory restored my Dell Inspiron 6400, GF plays the Sims2 and I.ve spent most of easter sunday trying to get the game to play. It worked fine before the factory restore. Now when she plays it some of the textures are missing and show what looks like filenames and code, selecting a family or house loads a game then crashes at the splash screen.

I can't understand it - its worked before the only diffference is Norton 2008 which I've also uninstalled thinking it could be that.

I can only think that the patch I had orginally downloaded to get it to work with vista is different to the current patch which is at fault.

[Chlover]

Hmm, do you have custom content for the sims, Kamuk? I've seen that being one of the major problems on the forums I've visited.

I tried my sims on my old laptop, an HP with XP OS. It works perfectly there. I was going to downgrade to XP on my other one anyway, once I can afford it, so maybe that will solve some issues. I'm hoping... If I can't play games, what the hell is a laptop good for?! Yep, I need a life

Oh well!

See ya!

XOXO

[Kamuk]

No it was a clean install - cured it now, Turned out to be a damaged install CD - I'd installed it a couple of times before I noticed that one CD was being used far too quick to copy anything from it.

Copied mising files from another PC seems to work ok now. Why the CD no longer works is a odd as its one of the CD that is only used on install (CD 2) so it's only ever been used once.

[spookshwbb]

I think I may know the problem. I also have the 965 chipset. Considering Intel came out with a new driver update about a month ago, I installed it, thinking it would make everything run better. I was wrong. My computer started to freeze up on the family screen and everything. I think the new update has something to do with it. So maybe you could try reformating your computer and NOT install the new driver update. I might try that also.

[Chlover]

Maybe I'll try going to the other chipset and seeing if that works. Thanks for the tip.