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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 2:57 AM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Game suddenly won't run.
This is just great.

I was playing the game earlier today with no problem. Just now I try to start it up, and it won't run. It doesn't give me an error message, nothing weird happens. I click the icon, it shows up in taskmanager for a few seconds, then vanishes. I've tried launching it from the disk. Same result. I found some alternate launcher that opens up some kind of window showing your expansions and stuff packs. Still same result. I delete the cache files. Same result.

The thing is, this computer can't go online. So it didn't update or get a virus or anything. Literally NOTHING changed. It worked before, now it doesn't, and it doesn't give me the slightest hint as to what's wrong.

I did have an issue before getting it to run, but I just set it to compatibility mode and it fixed the problem. Now even that does nothing.

I don't know what to do. The thing literally gives no hint at all as to what could be wrong. I didn't even turn the stupid computer off in between those times (and yes, I did try a restart to get the thing to run, first a full shut down for 20 seconds, then a restart, no difference).

Could someone perhaps tell how I can get the stupid thing to give me some kind of log or error message so I at least have a hint that could possibly have gone wrong???
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 3:28 AM
Delete the cache files - you don't mention that you did. (In your documents folder; delete the groups and accessory cache files. The game will create new ones when needed).
Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 3:37 AM Last edited by xBlackHeartx : 14th Dec 2017 at 4:11 AM.
I said I did that. It made no difference.

edit: If you anyone wants a more precise description of what happens.

I doublt-click the icon, like I always have. A window pops up asking me if I want to run the program. After that, nothing. If I open taskmanager, i can see the program in the list of tasks taking up processing power. After about 5 seconds, it drops to 0, the disc starts spinning, and my cursor changes to a spinning disk. After about 2 seconds, the game vanishes from taskmanager and everything returns to normal. Nothing else happens.

Other programs do run fine without problem, including stuff that's actually older than that game!

And I'd rather not change my entire sims 2 folder again. I'm trying to play a game in strangetown. I doubt I could transfer that to a new folder.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#4 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 4:08 AM
Can you list all the files that you deleted? If you ran body shop other files will have been created that also need to be deleted.

If you are on UC, make a backup and repair your game in origin.

If you are on disks and maybe also the UC try right clicking and running as administrator.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 4:12 AM
I have run as adminisitrator. I deleted all the files that said 'cache'. I did run body shop, hoping that running that might fix something and let the main game run. No luck.

I guess I can go and do that again. Maybe create yet another new sims 2 folder just to see if that fixes anything. If it does, I don't know what I can do about my saved game.
Mad Poster
#6 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 4:23 AM
Did you use bodyshop at all? Cigen and Content Registry will need deleting.

This is going to sound stupid, but - sometimes my game doesn't start and the solution is to open the disc drive with the disc in it and close it again. The symptoms are usually different, but who knows? It's worth a shot.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 4:33 AM
Well, I did open and close the disc drive, but I just did that to make it auto-run. I did a lot of things.

Right now my next step is to make a whole new sims 2 folder, and see if that does do anything.

One question though: if that does fix it, can I transfer my strangetown neighborhood from my current folder to the new one? I did make some modifications. Such as changing the weather, and giving it a university. I also moved into one of the pre-built houses, so I've been filling it with new stuff and reorganized the kitchen a bit to fit in an extra counter. I also replaced the shower with a bath, so I did sell something that can with the lot. I haven't actually used anything from the build menu yet though (aside for selling a tree, temporarily, just to see if I could fit a driveway on the lot). I have thought about expanding the house though. As of right now its simply not big enough to support a multi-generational family. But that's going on a tangent. The point is I did change strangetown a bit.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#8 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 4:36 AM
Body shops creates files named other things besides cache, that's why I was asking what exactly you deleted. Apart from group and accessory cache there will be Cigen and Content Registry.

You can transfer over whatever you want to. Do not however paste Strangetown over the top of Strangetown, delete and replace.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 9:33 AM
Okay, I just tried deleting the sims 2 folder.

First try, same result. It didn't even make a new sims 2 folder. Then I ran it as administrator, then it came on and made a new sims 2 folder. I then tried to transplant my hood into the new folder. Deleted strangetown, then copy-pasted my hood in. It wouldn't run. Figuring that my hood could be corrupt (though I can't imagine how) I deleted the sims 2 folder again, wouldn't run. No matter how many times I tried. I tried to restore the backup, that didn't work. Restored the sims 2 folder I had put in the recycle bin. Still didn't work. After alternating between these three folders, it finally started up again. I then tried to run it again without changing anything. I couldn't get it to run.

So now its just randomly deciding to quit on me. I don't get it. And I'm still getting no error message.

I'm starting to think that I may just need to re-install this game on this machine. I have talked to someone about why my old comp can't go online anymore. He told me it sounds like the thing has registry errors. And yes, it does have other errors from time to time. Like my anti-virus refusing to work because of a missing driver. Or my backup program giving an error message on start-up, but running fine anyway. Well, aside for the fact that it seems to be making a back-up constantly all day. But I think it did that before.

I don't know how old the comp is, but when I replaced the disk drive, it had a label on it saying 2009. So it can't be any older than that. But I'm starting to think that computer is just too old and I need to just abandon it for good.
Constant Contestant
retired moderator
#10 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 12:28 PM
Are you running it from a disc? If so check your disk. Does it have scratches on it, is it dirty? I had to buy a new disc to run mine as the original disc wore out!

Want a specific style of house or community building? Why not take a look at my profile and see what I build and then come ask me to make it!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#11 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 1:22 PM
It kinda has marks close to its outer edge. But most of the disc looks fine. I don't find it surprising that that part of the disc would have some markings on it, considering that's the part that's in contact with the tray when you put it in.

That would be real crap if I had to somehow acquire another copy of the game. But I was thinking of getting mansions and gardens. Maybe that will fix my problem?

Then again, I should probably test to see if other discs work. There might be something wrong with the disc drive. It was made in 2010 (and I pulled it out of a 'new' computer too).
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#12 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 1:36 PM
You don't need to delete it, just rename it, far quicker and you won't lose anything. left over registry keys can mess up installing and running the game. before you put Strangetown back did you load and play one of the fresh game hoods?

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#13 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 1:59 PM
I did look into the strangetown hood, just so I could see the name of my house.

And I just tested my disc. It appears that it is busted. I was able to run another game that requires a disc (Magic the gathering battlegrounds, if you care), and it ran fine. I was able to start the game up multiple times. I then put the sims 2 disc back in. It wouldn't run.

Odd, considering that my mtg disc does have some marks on it.

I wonder if I could get my disc cleaned? There is a place here that does that, but they don't sell computer games. I don't think bringing in a computer disc to be cleaned would be any different, but still.

I did however think of a back-up plan. Could I run the game with one of my other discs if I used the any game starter? If I could, then I could perhaps make do without apartment life until I can get a hold of mansions and gardens. Of course, I know this wouldn't let me continue my current playthrough, but I could still at least play the game. I was actually thinking of doing an earlier version of the legacy or apocalypse challenge too. But either way, at least I could play the game again, as soon as I find my other discs, which I should be able to do today (I have to make room for some more storage, so I'm going to have to go and reorganize some boxes today anyway).
Mad Poster
#14 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 2:27 PM
You can try with Any Game Starter, anyway. It draws data from the program files and needs the latest disc from the configuration you're playing in order to run; i.e., if you install an "everything through Freetime" game it will need the Freetime disc in order to run. If nothing else this would give you more information.

One possible problem that could prevent it is, that some of us need two discs - the latest one for the AGS configuration, and the one I normally run on - in the drive in order for AGS to work. I believe that the reason this is true for me is that I have one compilation disc (Deluxe) in my setup. Fortunately, since I have two disc drives, this is a small nuisance. If you only have one disc drive, or if you have two drives but the problem is a borked AL disc, though, it may prevent the AGS solution from working.

If the problem is the AL disc, installing and running off M&G should work fine. AL shouldn't be that hard to replace, either.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Test Subject
Original Poster
#15 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 2:53 PM
Apartment life doesn't really mean much to me. The only thing I've ever really used from it are witches, which I found disappointing. The only good thing about them to me is the unique items they can craft (evil witches can make some nice gothy stuff). Oh, and I always that the thrones were overpowered.

I decided to look on origin just now to see if I could acquire a digital copy of the game. All they had was the sims 3 and 4. How annoying. You can buy spore on origin but you can't get the sims 2? And I'm guessing those sims 3 titles on there have been there since they were released.
Mad Poster
#16 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 8:32 PM
Perhaps you can still get the Ultimate Collection out of them.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#17 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 9:32 PM
I recommend you go to ebay and buy a new disk then go over to Leefish and talk to them about starting the game in other ways.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Scholar
#18 Old 14th Dec 2017 at 9:42 PM
If you want to learn other ways to start the game, you could pm me and I will tell you.

"Oh look, my grandchild is now an elder. They grow up so fast. Gee, I wonder when I'll finally graduate college." Sims 2
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