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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 8:08 PM Last edited by gazania : 19th Jul 2013 at 8:28 PM.
Default Kitchen and Baths and Pets
I just tried posting this twice already, and I think I posted in the wrong place. This is not computer or tech support. It's a stuff pack issue.

If I messed up again, PLEASE point me in the right direction.


After waiting eagerly for K&B, I fired up the installer. It loaded everything fine, avowed that everything was up-to-date. I'm up to Free Time.

The instructions then told me that I would need the latest update for my expansion, since I have an expansion newer than Pets. What the .... it just told me that my game was up to date. And I've patched everything. Everything is 100% copasetic ... no arrring. I have physical copies of the EPs, as well as Teen Stuff.

It then tried to download an update related to Pets, but shut down and informed me that there was an error, and that I would need to reinstall Pets. The installer then shut down. Just like that.

I tried four times. I even tried with Free Time in one of the CD drives. (I remember earlier expansions called for an EP to be in the drive.)

My daughter has already started playing the game, and rather likes her pets. Will she have to lose them if I reinstall?

If so, I would just say "Screw it" and stick with the free custom content. Lesson learned. No more SPs. I read that Ikea has a similar problem, only with Seasons.

Has anyone encountered this, and is there a plausibly easier way to handle this? When I searched this forum, I saw someone had the same issue and got the instructions on how to uninstall. But is this some sort of Securom v 7 issue? (My Pets came out before then.) If so, reinstalling isn't going to do a bit of good. Won't it constantly refuse to acknowledge the EP? Unfortunately, the OP never came back with an update. Probably got disgusted trying to install this SP.

To say I'm ticked off is an understatement.

I DID go through the trouble-shooting steps. I know the drill by now. This isn't a custom content issue, though I did read those steps as well, just to make sure. The issue seems to be covered toward the end of the trouble-shooting guide, but I DID patch, and I really do agree that reinstalling would be the last option, per the walk-through. Oh, BOY, would it.

So, IS there any way to fix this without reinstalling one or more expansions and possibly finding out that I've done this in vain?

Specific message: "This patch is for The Sims 2 Pets, but you have a more recent expansion pack installed. To make sure you have the latest update, you may need to download the latest update for your latest EP."

I've done that. However, it did not come off the official site, but from here? Is the game getting ticked-off because of that? That doesn't make sense.

Then after the game attempts to update (is this a K&B-specific update, or a general Pets update?), it tells me I might have to reinstall Pets.

I'm concerned that because my Pets is pre-Securom v 7, the game may not recognize it if I reinstall. At this point, I'm not sure WHAT to think!

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 8:43 PM
Which order did you install your games (and patches) in?
You might have switched around a couple, and they got all mad at you for doing so (they usually don't, but EA logic... yeah...)

The big question is this: Are you "allowed" to install it if you disregard the message? It probably doesn't mean a thing. Maybe it includes the Pets patch and tries to install it, but finds a newer patch has already been installed.

Also, do you have any collection packs? They can cause more trouble than they're worth...

As for where the help section is: http://www.modthesims.info/forumdisplay.php?f=31
And installation FAQ is here: http://ww2.modthesims.info/wiki.php...lp:Installation
Just so you know
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#3 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 8:51 PM Last edited by gazania : 19th Jul 2013 at 9:13 PM.
The EPs were all installed in order. I did install Teen stuff AFTER FT (I got that one first because my daughter liked it, then decided I would like K&B a week or so later. Oh, oops, I guess.). Could this be why the game is getting all PMS-y with me? Definitely is affecting my decision to buy any more SPs. Ever.

No, I am not allowed to install it. The installation aborts, party over.

The help section seems to deal with computer/tech issues. I thought it was pretty specific about that, and that's why i removed my post there, but I could be wrong. Right now, I feel quite confused.I have to admit ... in all the times I've installed an EP/SP, I never quite came across this problem. I am Googling .... I don't seem to see any other way to get around this. (I am omitting the nasty epithets I'm uttering right now! )

No collection packs.

I've already backed up both the game in My Documents AND the folder in My Computer on my desktop, just in case I have to reinstall. But because of my daughter's fondness for her pets, I admit to being reluctant. Pets is her favorite expansion, and the last thing I want to do is mess things up for an SP.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 8:57 PM
Given that Help section has a sticky about installing/uninstalling, I think it is safe to assume that they want threads related to it to be posted there. Not the end of the world if it is out of place though, I suppose.

This is just what I would do, not saying it is the sane thing to do, but I'd uninstall everything again and install them in chronological release order. And save all patching until all of them are installed. I haven't had any problems when doing it that way, but I realize that doesn't make it a true fact for everyone. But if it is refusing to install, then it sounds like you are stuck.

Just keep fingers crossed it lets you uninstall.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#5 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 8:59 PM
At this point, I'm up to the "Oh, !@#$ this" stage and sell the game on Half or Amazon ... maybe recoup some of my money. (Good thing it was a used game, so I didn't pay full price.) Securom gets me nervous as well ... I've read horror stories on how hard uninstalling can be if it's on the computer. So much for trying to do things the right way.

(Sorry ... that was snarky.)

I'd write something else, but I think I would be reprimanded for it. Is K&B THAT much worth it? I might just get AL sometime in the future and call it a day!

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Mad Poster
#6 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 9:09 PM
I'm a little confused as to what is going on. You say it won't install, but you also said it wants you to reinstall Pets. If the problem is that K&B won't install b ut the game works, then I'd leave it for now and deal with it when you are less frustrated. I assumed that the game is not running at all since you say it wants to reinstall Pets.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#7 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 9:25 PM Last edited by gazania : 19th Jul 2013 at 10:18 PM.
No. The game still runs great, though I did take great care to make sure any traces of K&B were gone. (CC cleaner and checked registry entries, per the instructions.) The game never had a problem, which is why I am really puzzled. I've read here of people who installed out of order and claimed they didn't have problems. I thought I saw a discussion on that some time ago. Guess I'm just one of the lucky ones!

Teen Style installed perfectly, and I did that after FT, too. (I am REALLY late to the SP party, it seems.). No problem. But I'm guessing there's some sort of Pets-related content on K&B. (Checks booklet ... doesn't see anything, but maybe some sort of picture was based on a Pets mesh?)

What happens is this:

I plop the CD in the drive. It gives me the usual prompts ... English, Serial No., etc. All is fine.

It starts downloading. It even sticks the icon on the desktop. Just when it's about done (95%), it gives me the prompt that it's checking for updates. All is fine. Everything is updated. The installer says so, not I!

It then gives me the message: ""This patch is for The Sims 2 Pets, but you have a more recent expansion pack installed. To make sure you have the latest update, you may need to download the latest update for your latest EP."

OK, fine. I have all the updates, nice and neatly patched. I mentally tell the game to move on.

Then I get the attempt to download some sort of Pets patch (which was why I'm trying to find out if this was a K&B-specific patch or just a regular update). I've already patched Pets a few expansions ago, so initially, in my naivete, I muttered to the game, "It's patched. Now finish up so I can play!"

The game aborts, tells me to reinstall pets, and everything disappears, even the icon. There are no registry entries, and only a few stray files on CC Cleaner. No folders. Just .... poof.

Remind me to thank the free custom content creators will all my heart. Again.

Guess my next thought is, "Is it worth the effort?" Is K&B that great an SP that it would merit a partial reinstall? Right now, I admit to not being in the best frame of mind to agree!

EDIT ... It might be an out of order problem. But then, why did Teen Style have no problems? I installed that out of order as well. Perhaps the installation fairy gave me one free pass before the game decided to get nasty!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/i...23142134AAB8ole

EDIT again: Thought I had the answer. Almost. But I didn't get any notations as to just where the K&B patching failed. Wonder if it's in the logs? It may not be, since the game simply uninstalled. (It is such a tranquil feeling when you see the installation bar go the other way.)

http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...me_Patch_Issues

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Field Researcher
#8 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 10:30 PM
If you decide it's worth the effort, uninstall Pets (backup first) and reinstall without the patch. I'm sure you'll enjoy all the new things for your kitchens and such.

If you decide it isn't, then don't. Put it somewhere in case you decide you want it installed later. It's a Stuff Pack, how much can it add to the game?

I would recommend going to the expansion pack discussion thread if you have trouble deciding.

I'm thinking all through the night
I could be yours just like before
Rewrite another try
'Cause we've had the loneliest time
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#9 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 10:45 PM
Yes, I guess you're right.

I just tried again, and apparently, it DOES stop at a file. Let's give it one more shot. After all, I'm realizing that it's the same as a patch issue if the SP is trying to patch. It's very possible that a long time ago, there might have been an issue with a file. I'll back up the file (ALWAYS back up), put in the original file from the EP, and see if that works, per the instructions in the last link about patch issues.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Field Researcher
#10 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 10:57 PM
I've had the problem when installing new EPs and SPs after having played and not installed anything new for months where the installation would abort at the end. I still don't know why it happens, but the only solution was to uninstall everything and reinstall. It seems like that might be the best route in your case. backup your current folder so your daughter doesn't lose her progress. Check Wikipedia for release dates of the EPs and SPs and install in that order (I used to have a file of this info, but I deleted it, sorry!). Then patch. Open up the game after installing each EP to check that it's working, but I wouldn't do any thorough playing. Assuming all your games are disc copies, it shouldn't take too long.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#11 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 11:36 PM
OK, fortunately, I THINK I found the problem.

As the game was stalling during that bit with the patch yet again, it occurred to me ...

While going through a patch ... a PATCH. Duh. Really, I'm getting dimmer as I get older. I tried to install a fifth (or was it sixth) time, and stopped the installation right at the point where it went wonky, scribbling the name of the file furiously. Oh no you are NOT going back to desktop, you stupid game!

I tried the same instructions as those in the Patch Problem link, replaced the file where the game hesitated and I'm crossing my fingers... after ten minutes of play after finally installing the K&B SP, things SEEM OK. (Uncrosses and knocks wood for good measure.) So it wasn't a dread Securom issue. (For once!) It MIGHT have been a corrupt Objects file in Pets that I never even realized was there. After all, while installing, it's all, as someone else wrote, "Next, Next, Next". If an issue came up, I might have hit "next", saw everything worked, and went on with my life.

So the SP isn't going back to Amazon .... yet ... my daughter still has her ladies with cats ... and after ten minutes, nothing exploded. I will need to test more, of course.. My instructions to my daughter, since I have to leave for more mundane real-life pursuits, is to play the game for at least a half-hour, focusing mainly on the "Cat ladies". She seems to be more eager to do this than do the dishes .... wonder why?

Thanks, everyone! Hopefully, my bitten-off fingernails grow back shortly!.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Mad Poster
#12 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 11:37 PM
You could try and re-patch your game from start to finish. You can force it to patch and do it in order of release. See if this will help you.

All my Beginning Hoods here at MTS. http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=7749491
All my Beginning Hoods as Shopping Districts plus Old Town. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=523417
MooVille, a tribute to Mootilda and her fabulous lots http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=534158
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#13 Old 19th Jul 2013 at 11:38 PM
I think we were onto something. I do think it was a patch-related issue. Let's hope so!

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#14 Old 20th Jul 2013 at 2:29 AM
You haven't put on a wrong version of a patch? I'm thinking there might be a Pets one but another for the Fun with pets collection, also some might have been for the older style drive and some were for DVD drives. Do you think there is something wrong with your disk? If you frequent a video store they might just clean it for free/nominal price.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#15 Old 20th Jul 2013 at 2:57 AM Last edited by gazania : 20th Jul 2013 at 9:41 PM.
I do not believe so. I was VERY careful when downloading any patch. As in obsessively so. If I wasn't sure which one to download, I checked both MTS2 AND Sims VIP to make sure I wasn't using a Collection one by accident.

It might be some sort of "burp" in my disc. I'll have to take a look at it.

EDIT .. Shrugs. I have no idea. The disk looks fine. I know I did not alter the Pets files in any way ... didn't know how to back then.

But now the game works great with the SP. The game patched ... something .... once I replaced what I guess was a corrupted objects file. I'd be real reluctant to tamper with anything more at this point! As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Thanks, all!

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
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