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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 15th Dec 2017 at 8:54 AM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Windowed Mode on Windows 10
I searched high and low for a solution to this problem before posting this and nothing seemed to help/work. I'm playing the game on Windows 10 with Nvidia (i manually select to use it each time I open up the game) and I'm looking for a way to play the game in windowed mode. I've tried adding - w or - window and it's still full screen on my laptop. The game works beautifully otherwise and there's no problem. If I can't play it in windowed mode it's not the end of the world, but I used to on Windows 7 and it'd be really convenient to be able to do it again. Thanks.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 17th Dec 2017 at 12:06 AM
Make sure to remove the space between the hyphen and the w. It should be -w not - w.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#3 Old 17th Dec 2017 at 3:37 PM
I think also there should be a space before the hyphen?

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Mad Poster
#4 Old 18th Dec 2017 at 2:13 AM
It should be (path to your latest Expansion Pack) -w

Here's mine as an example. My game is installed on Drive K. Yours may be on Drive C or some other drive. If you use the Ultimate Collection, the path/folder tree may look a little different.

"K:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\TSBin\Sims2EP9.exe" -w
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#5 Old 6th Jan 2018 at 6:49 AM Last edited by havesamantha : 6th Jan 2018 at 7:01 AM.
Hello again. Thank you for the suggestions, I've tried it and it pops up windowed but the screen is just white and it doesn't seem to prompt the game to begin. Is there something that I'm doing wrong? I can hear the start up noises, but no picture.

Mad Poster
#6 Old 6th Jan 2018 at 8:03 AM
I use Windows 10, the UC and have a Nvidia card and have no problems with windowed mode.

The shortcut for UC is (normally) here: C:/Program Files (x86)/Origin Games/The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection/Fun with Pets/SP9/TSBin (It is the Mansion and Garden icon).
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#7 Old 6th Jan 2018 at 8:17 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
I use Windows 10, the UC and have a Nvidia card and have no problems with windowed mode.

The shortcut for UC is (normally) here: C:/Program Files (x86)/Origin Games/The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection/Fun with Pets/SP9/TSBin (It is the Mansion and Garden icon).
yes thank you I’ve tried this and it shows me the image I posted above. A white minimized screen with all the correct noises but no graphics/way to click anything.
Theorist
#8 Old 6th Jan 2018 at 9:46 PM
Quote: Originally posted by havesamantha
yes thank you I’ve tried this and it shows me the image I posted above. A white minimized screen with all the correct noises but no graphics/way to click anything.


It doesn't work for me on my windows 10 laptop either, havesamantha. Instead of a white box I get a black one. I searched for a solution too but couldn't find anything -- it works for some and not for others it seems.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 12th Jan 2018 at 7:06 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Honeywell
It doesn't work for me on my windows 10 laptop either, havesamantha. Instead of a white box I get a black one. I searched for a solution too but couldn't find anything -- it works for some and not for others it seems.
Maybe that's the case, it's so strange. I wonder if anyone will come up with a fix.
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 24th Jan 2018 at 11:34 PM
Quote: Originally posted by havesamantha
Maybe that's the case, it's so strange. I wonder if anyone will come up with a fix.


I have had this problem for years, since Windows 10 came out.
I have spent a lot of time looking for some solution, but the only thing I have found are people who have the same problem.
I also use a nottebook, with Windows 10 and Nvidia card.
I could never get the game to run in window mode, I thought that with the passage of time some solution to this problem would appear, but I see that there is still nothing to solve it.
My knowledge about computer science is not very advanced, but I am almost sure that the problem is not the graphic card, but the operating system.
The only solution that I have found is to reinstall Window 7.
Not actually evil.
#11 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 4:00 AM Last edited by CatOfEvilGenius : 26th Jan 2018 at 6:03 AM.
@Honeywell and @havesamantha - are you playing the game from Cd? I think so since it says M&G rather than Ultimate Collection. There was someone else, was it @alljoj maybe, who also had white screen? Let me go look through the forums when I'm at my desk again (Yes, it was alljoj) - Edit. @ZeusSims sorry forgot to add you too


I play Ultimate Collection on Win 10. Have got it running w/o crashing but I use UC, not M&G. Have some questions/suggestions. Have you done all of the following? Probably yes already, but I'm just being thorough so I have to ask.



1) Put the dedicated graphics memory number from dxdiag in graphics rules sgr (should NOT be 32)?
And use the dxdiag number in your graphics rules sgr?

2) modified sgr to allow driver to manage memory?

3) modified video cards sgr to add your card? (video cards sgr instructions)

4) made sure your sgr files are in Config AND CSConfig?

5) clean graphics driver reinstall using DDU? (graphic driver clean reinstall video instructions)
Do NOT use GeForce Experience, it can hang or may install your drivers not quite right

6) are you using the 4gb patch made with CFF? (CFF 4gb patch instructions)

7) If you have nvidia and an integrated card, be sure to use the nvidia, not the integrated! (instruction video)

8) Make sure your computer is beefy enough to be playing Sims 2. (Kiri's lovely config file instructions)
CPU needs to be 3000+, RAM needs to be 512+



It may really help if you post four files with very useful info. Thanks in advance to anyone who posts!


a) dxdiag.txt - see step 1 above for how to get this file
b) SOMETHING-config-log.txt - see step 8 above for where to find this file
c) graphics rules sgr - see step 4 above for where to find this
d) video cards sgr - see step 4



————-

Edit again

Yes, Win 10 is likely a problem. Even more now with update 1709 but if your issue goes back way before January, 1709 is not the original problem. 1709 may just maybe make things even worse.

Forgot to ask - did any of you successfully run Ultimate Collection on Windows 10? If you don’t have it, you CAN still get it from EA if you have your CD codes. Call EA or Origin and ask. I got UC a few days ago.

Origin UC used to work ok from what I hear but then Origin updated it and Windows updated to patch 1709 and the combo broke UC for some simmers.

Do NOT install Ultimate Collection and games from CD. The games from CD will stop working. Uninstall them if you want UC but UC is broken on Win 10 1709 for some so stick with CDs if you can get CDs to not white screen

Sorry if this is all old news for you. I don’t know what all you’ve already read. Probably all that stuff but thought I’d ask.

--------------------
EDIT: heavily edited to put in links, info buttons, and generally improve readability

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 4:20 AM
I appreciate your help Cat.
But you must believe me, at the time, I tried everything, the possible and the impossible, I also asked Kiri for help, but there was nothing to do.
As I have read in the previous comments, it is very strange, since some people play the game in window mode and other people do not.
Not actually evil.
#13 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 4:31 AM
Quote: Originally posted by ZeusSims
I appreciate your help Cat.
But you must believe me, at the time, I tried everything, the possible and the impossible, I also asked Kiri for help, but there was nothing to do.
As I have read in the previous comments, it is very strange, since some people play the game in window mode and other people do not.


I completely believe you and I know Kiri is very knowledgeable. However, would you mind if I took a look at those four files anyway? The two sgr files, config log, and dxdiag file? I trust Kiri but a fresh pair of eyes doesn’t hurt. Up to you, I won’t be offended if you don’t.

——-

@alljoj - folks here seem to have a similar issue to yours, may want to follow this thread

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Theorist
#14 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 4:57 AM
@CatOfEvilGenius I don't normally use my laptop for Sims (I needed a new cpu and motherboard and was without my computer for a few weeks) and not being able to play in windowed mode was a minor thing for me.
I installed a few packs (NL & SSN) from disks, applied game patches and played. With the exception of not being able to run the game in windowed mode everything worked fine. The only thing I had to do was adjust my screen resolution. I attached the system and display info from my laptop if that's helpful for anything.

Again, I don't need any help myself running the game but if there's additional information I can give or anything I can do that would be helpful for others I'm happy to help.
Screenshots
Not actually evil.
#15 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 5:26 AM
@Honeywell - Very glad the game works for you! Especially since I have you in fave creators and if you couldn't play or create, we'd both be sad I noticed that you have an earlier graphics driver version, 382.05, while I have 390.65, and you have Win 10 home, I have Win 10 pro. Your game works. (Mine does too, now, sort of, but I never had white screen and am not on a laptop with an integrated card, so your machine is more relevant here.) I am curious what the other folks in this thread who are having white screen have. It may be significant. There might be more to be gleaned from your system that might help others maybe. Would you mind pressing Save All Information in dxdiag, save the file to desktop, then upload your dxdiag.txt? And there are three other files that might maybe help.

* dxdiag.txt files (Save All Information in dxdiag)
* SOMETHING-config-log.txt file found in Documents/ ... /The Sims 2 ... /Logs.
* Graphics Rules.sgr
* Video Cards.sgr these last two are in TSData/Res/Config (and also in CSConfig) for your latest thingie (M&G for CDs, Fun with Pets for Origin UC)
that's in your C:/Program Files (x86) folder, NOT in the Documents folder (again, sorry if you already know where they are, just being thorough)

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Theorist
#16 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 5:58 AM
@CatOfEvilGenius Thank you and happy to help (all four are in the zip).
Attached files:
File Type: zip  hw-laptop.zip (31.4 KB, 48 downloads) - View custom content
Not actually evil.
#17 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 6:07 AM Last edited by CatOfEvilGenius : 26th Jan 2018 at 6:39 AM.
Thank you Honeywell for the data!


Other folks, it may help to pool some data from these four files from your systems. Thanks in advance to anyone who posts!
Please see post 11 for details about where these files can be found.

a) dxdiag.txt - see step 1 in post 11
b) SOMETHING-config-log.txt - see step 8 in post 11
c) graphics rules sgr - see step 4 in post 11
d) video cards sgr - see step 4

==========================================

So here's what I'm seeing in Honeywell's data (game works for Honeywell)


from graphics rules sgr
-------------------------------------------

This part here can be changed to allow the driver to manage it's own memory.
Change the false to true. It may help with some issues (helped me with crashes, but I never had white screen)

# never trust the driver to manage its own memory
boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager false

Lots of stuff here that I'm not sure about but might be very relevant.
For example, the line below. How does it relate to data from dxdiag and
could this line be a culprit for folks who are having white screens if its value is not right?
Just a guess, but I'd look at anything with numbers and see if it matches up with what we
see in dxdiag. Should it always be 1024 * 1024 for everyone?

intProp deviceLocalVideoMemorySizeDefault ($textureMemory * 1024 * 1024)



from config log
------------------------
There is lots more in there that I'm not listing, just the stuff I know to look for,
but more may be important than what I've listed.


* Honeywell is running Sim 2 EP 5, so not M&G, something earlier

* NVidia Geforce 940
however, Honeywell's video cards sgr file has not been updated to include this card,
may help to do this (Kiri recommends it), see step step 3 in post 11 of this thread


* CPU: 4050 - beefy enough since it is > 3000
* RAM: 2048MB - beefy enough since it is > 512mb

* NVidia driver 382.05 - may or may not be helpful info, some drivers are more stable than others,
the current version is 390.65

* 2160 mb texture memory - Interesting that this is 2160 and not 112. 2160 is display memory
in dxdiag and 112 is dedicated memory. I thought Kiri said to use
dedicated, not display, but maybe only in the case where the sgr
can't find a value and uses 32? Could display instead of dedicated
be fine if you're not having the 32mb issue?


* HW programmable is at 3, that's what it should be for high res, high quality graphics

* enumerateMultisampleLevels true - edge smoothing is enabled, yay


from dxdiag
---------------------

lots of info in there about display devices that I'm not listing but could be important

* Honeywell's machine has Windows 10 home, 64 bit, and has update 1709
all three (home, 64 bit, 1709) may be useful pieces of info based on my recent reading
of leefish, MTS, and other stuff here and there

* CPU i5-4210H, 2.90GHz clock, quad core

* 112 mb of dedicated texture memory
* 2160 mb of display memory

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Lab Assistant
#18 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 11:24 AM
Of course I am not offended, on the contrary, I would like to help if possible.
But at this moment it will not be possible, since I had to reinstall Windows 10 for other issues outside the Sims world and I do not have the game installed. (very soon going back to Windows 7 and installing The Sims)
Also, I do not know if it would be useful for me to provide those documents, since my operating system is in Spanish and some may not understand.
What I can do is tell you what card I have on my notebook: Nvidia Geforce GTX 970M, obviously it is an integrated card, and I think that there could be the origin of the error.
As additional information I mention that this notebook had installed factory Windows 8.1, with that version I also did not play the game in windowed mode.
EDIT: I would also like to make clear, that the version that I use is the original version of disks, no collection, no special edition.
Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
#19 Old 26th Jan 2018 at 2:13 PM
Silly question maybe, but has anyone with it not working tried changing the compatibility?

I run UC, Windows 10 (yuck), Nvidia card, and in window mode.
Screenshots
Attached files:
File Type: 7z  DxDiag.7z (24.1 KB, 11 downloads) - View custom content
Not actually evil.
#20 Old 27th Jan 2018 at 10:51 PM
Quote: Originally posted by HugeLunatic
Silly question maybe, but has anyone with it not working tried changing the compatibility


I use compatibility for XP sp2, run as admin, -w and also -CPUCount:1. It runs windowed but only the noCD exe runs without crashing. Can only run from a desktop shortcut directly to the Sims exe. Launching from Origin won’t let me set compatibility.

Has anyone here tried disabling or removing Game DVR yet? I have not but it is next on my list to try. No darn Windows junk trying to record video in the background plz. May only affect full screen but I suspect maybe it breaks other things so want to nuke it.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-...creators-update

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Not actually evil.
#21 Old 27th Jan 2018 at 10:57 PM
See above please and here’s another idea from Overwatch forums.

I think this is for folks with dual cards. Some gamers suggested card info is not getting properly updated after a driver reinstall. To force the info to update, they suggest 3 steps

1 clean reinstall of driver
2 disable NVidia gpu in device manager, then later, enable it again
3 change screen resolution to force the graphics info update to occur.

I have not tested this myself and don’t have dual cards.

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 30th Jan 2018 at 12:07 PM
Ms. Cat, i have the same problem, or at least a similar problem(my computer has issues starting anything in fullscreen mode). Could you look at my files as well?
Attached files:
File Type: zip  Config.zip (29.9 KB, 11 downloads) - View custom content
Not actually evil.
#23 Old 30th Jan 2018 at 3:05 PM Last edited by CatOfEvilGenius : 30th Jan 2018 at 3:27 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Nyanchan
Ms. Cat, i have the same problem, or at least a similar problem(my computer has issues starting anything in fullscreen mode). Could you look at my files as well?


Sure, let's take a look. I have suggestions but if you are having the white screen problem in windowed mode, I don't think we've found a solution yet.

1) You need to put your nvidia card in your video cards sgr database file. Instructions at leefish here. Your 960 nvidia does not appear to be in your video cards file.

not like this

card 0x1401 "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960"

like this, no NVIDA, and make sure the 0x number is correct by following Kiri's leefish instructions

card 0x1401 "GeForce GTX 960"


2) Sims says you have an NVidia but your dxdiag says Intel graphics card. You have both? NVidia and integrated Intel? When you go to NVidia Panel (right click on desktop, select NVidia Panel), which one does it say you are currently using? Make sure you select the NVidia card. Then run dxdiag again and look at the Display Devices part of dxdiag. Does it say NVidia card there now instead of Intel card? I do wonder if that changes on dual card machines. Anyone know?

3) Once dxdiag shows your nvidia card, assuming it does, look at the Display Devices again. Look for a line there that says dedicated memory. Write down the number on that line. Now open your graphics rules sgr. Do a ctrl-F, search for textureMemory, and look for lines like this:

seti textureMemory NUMBER

Make sure that number is the dedicated memory line from dxdiag for your nvidia card, not your intel card.

4) You can try letting the graphics driver manage its own memory. This was needed for my, but may not help with the white screen issue on dual card machines. Find these lines and change them like this:

not this

# never trust the driver to manage its own memory
boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager false

use this

# DO trust the driver to manage its own memory
boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager true

5) Make sure you copy both graphics rules sgr and video cards sgr to BOTH Config and CSConfig in your latest EP's folder. That would be Fun With Pets for Ultimate Collection.

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 3rd Feb 2018 at 8:41 PM
Quote: Originally posted by CatOfEvilGenius
Sure, let's take a look. I have suggestions but if you are having the white screen problem in windowed mode, I don't think we've found a solution yet.

1) You need to put your nvidia card in your video cards sgr database file. Instructions at leefish here. Your 960 nvidia does not appear to be in your video cards file.

not like this

card 0x1401 "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960"

like this, no NVIDA, and make sure the 0x number is correct by following Kiri's leefish instructions

card 0x1401 "GeForce GTX 960"


2) Sims says you have an NVidia but your dxdiag says Intel graphics card. You have both? NVidia and integrated Intel? When you go to NVidia Panel (right click on desktop, select NVidia Panel), which one does it say you are currently using? Make sure you select the NVidia card. Then run dxdiag again and look at the Display Devices part of dxdiag. Does it say NVidia card there now instead of Intel card? I do wonder if that changes on dual card machines. Anyone know?

3) Once dxdiag shows your nvidia card, assuming it does, look at the Display Devices again. Look for a line there that says dedicated memory. Write down the number on that line. Now open your graphics rules sgr. Do a ctrl-F, search for textureMemory, and look for lines like this:

seti textureMemory NUMBER

Make sure that number is the dedicated memory line from dxdiag for your nvidia card, not your intel card.

4) You can try letting the graphics driver manage its own memory. This was needed for my, but may not help with the white screen issue on dual card machines. Find these lines and change them like this:

not this

# never trust the driver to manage its own memory
boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager false

use this



5) Make sure you copy both graphics rules sgr and video cards sgr to BOTH Config and CSConfig in your latest EP's folder. That would be Fun With Pets for Ultimate Collection.


2) i have both yes, when i turn it onto nvidia though it goes whitescreen. with the intel one its just glitchy.

when i checked the dxdiag in the mansion and garden folder(my latest ep) i get this.

Number: 0
Name (driver): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
Name (database): GeForce GTX 960M
Vendor: NVIDIA
Chipset: Vendor: 10de, Device: 139b, Board: 09261025, Chipset: 00a2
Driver: nvldumd.dll, Version: 22.21.13.8253, GUID: D7B71E3E-50DB-11CF-A853-2B2918C2DB35
Driver version: 8253
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Monitor aspect: 1.778350, 16:9
Screen mode: 1920x1080x32BPP,60Hz
Texture memory: 2160MB
HW T&L: Fixed function:1 Programmable:3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Texture stages: 8
AppControlledAA: 1

but its still a white screen. i did the whole seti texturememory NUMBER and that didn't work either.

I'm looking through the graphics rules but i cannot find the boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager line anywhere. its not in graphics rules, config, dxdiag, or video cards. do i need to add it? to which one?

i tried adding it to graphics rules, but its still a white screen. i did just kinda put it in there between these like so

Code:
option EnableLotImpostersInLot
	setting $On
		boolProp enableLotImpostersInLot true
	setting $Off
		boolProp enableLotImpostersInLot false
end
	   # DO trust the driver to manage its own memory
   	boolProp enableDriverMemoryManager  true
option EnableNeighborhoodOccupantsInLot
	setting $On
		boolProp enableNeighborhoodOccupantsInLot true
	setting $Off
		boolProp enableNeighborhoodOccupantsInLot false
end
Test Subject
#25 Old 3rd Feb 2018 at 11:49 PM Last edited by Epi7 : 4th Feb 2018 at 11:58 AM.
I recently came across a program called DxWnd . With it it's possible to force fullscreen programs to run in windowed mode, and it already has a support for The Sims 2. I have tried it myself and got the windowed mode working with it. You can check how to use it from my answer to the Leefish thread here (you can skip turning on the expert mode and the debug mode, they don't have anything to do with using the windowed mode). I hope this helps someone.
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