Sims 2 Black Loading Screen - Possible Driver Issue

[benjamin2010]

Ok, I will try to explain this without rambling and without sounding too much like a newbie.

P.S. I have read all of MTS's help guides and have tried everything short of uninstalling the game (which I cannot do at this time). I know this comes up sometimes.

OK, so my problem. I decided to do a bunch of updates to my computer this afternoon and several of those involved graphics drivers updates. I have not done any for the year I have had this computer. Now when I try to run the game, the screen is only black, but does not crash the computer. I can hear and actually still play the game, but the screen never changes from black.

I have gone through the graphics/drivers MTS help page and have done all recommended procedures. Here are some stats for you, if that helps:


Card: Intel (R) HD Graphics 3000
Memory: 916 MB
Display: 1280x800 (32 bit) (60HZ)
(Not Updated) Version: 8.15.10.2246 (I believe)
(Auto Update) Version: 8.15.10.2696
(Manual Update) Version: 8.15.10.2761 (Latest Version)
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
Model: Macbook Pro 8,1 (Running Windows via Bootcamp)


I have not deleted any drivers because I cannot find the files anywhere on my computer. After the original graphics update, I went to Add/Remove Programs and saw that the Intel Graphics Driver version listed was still 8.15.10.2246, not the supposedly updated version of 8.15.10.2696, which showed up when I ran dxdiag.

I am purely at a loss. I have tried so many things and I fear I will screw up my computer if I continue without any guidance. I would simply go back to the old version of my driver but I cannot find it on Intel's website, nor through a google search.

Anyone with advice for my problem is so greatly appreciated. I will cry myself to shreds if I can't fix this! :(

[Mootilda]

First, your computer isn't really up to playing the game. One possibility is that you've overworked your computer enough that it is starting to show the damage that you've caused by running the game on an underpowered machine.

However, let's assume for the moment that's not the problem. Since you updated your drivers and they don't work, have you considered updating to a different version? If there's a problem with your current version, any other version may be an improvement.

Did you get your drivers from Windows Update? If so, that may be your problem. Windows Update is notorious for bad drivers. Get your driver update directly from Intel.

[benjamin2010]

Thank you for your reply, Mootilda! How do you mean my machine isn't really up to running the game? The computer does sound like it goes into overdrive mode after a few minutes of gameplay. I hope to one day soon get an actual PC (buying a Mac was definitely a mistake...) and transfer my huge folders of stuff to another computer. But anyway.

Yes those drivers did come from Windows Update originally. I then downloaded the most recent ones from Intel, which still did no good. So finally I got brave and used Add/Remove Programs and just removed the driver, thinking I would have to go back and redownload a new one.

However, upon restarting my computer, I ran dxdiag and saw that the driver had somehow been reset to the the original one that will run the game. I don't know how or why, but I do know I'm not updating them again!

[Mordant17]

Your machine's not up to running the game because you have integrated graphics, which is not a real graphics card.

More info:
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Onboard_Graphics
http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Your_Computer_is_Like_a_Car

[MattShizzle]

Yes, Integrated Graphics cards suck. For some reason that's what the manufacturers use. When my last one died I went to Best Buy and asked specifically for one that DOESN'T use that. They only had one model and were out of it.

[Mootilda]

The most important thing to know is that you can actually damage your computer by running the Sims 2. One day, your computer may just stop working, although you're more likely to have major graphics problems before that happens. Be sure to read the articles that Mordant17 linked.

[benjamin2010]

Oh wow I had no idea about any of this stuff! I knew my computer wasn't doing the best job with the game because my Sims 2 on this computer has always shown neighborhood water as blue blocks and never as anything that looks like water. Everything else works okay, but the game will make the computer very hot at times.

I bought my original Macbook in 2010 and played the Sims 2 on it, and that Macbook had an Nvidia graphics card which worked much better (although I have read there are many troubles with them since). It experienced a major graphical malfunction and had to be replaced with this one in early 2011, which meant I got a new/improved model.

Anyway I will be investigating other options soon concerning this situation. I don't think I can install any additional graphic cards to a Macbook but I will contact Apple or see if anybody else knows the answer to that one.

[Darby]

Be aware, too, that even if you're able to upgrade your graphics (which isn't likely), your computer also only has about 1GB of RAM, where you really need at least 2GB, if not 4GB in order to be able to run the game really well.