Sims 2 Crashes PC - Help Gamers!

[katzdvd]

Very aggravated after several days of fighting this one...

Must install Sims so the kids can play...but...

Sims 2 crashes when game is started; screen freezes, mouse pointer disappears, & then screen goes black. This game worked fine for me before. The only changes I have made was installing new SATA 250 gb hard drive, which is my new boot drive. Partitioned 3 ways, game is installed on "D", same as before.

Same video card/drivers. (ATI All In Wonder 9600). After game hangs, pc is locked up for good - I have to press restart. I have checked error/system logs, & also log in Sims 2 folder - no error is generated. The ONLY thing that I can think of that I have changed from before is I now have NERO installed, since it came with the Benq drives. And all the current MS updates/virus updates, etc.

It seems like a video card issue to me, but I don't know...since it worked before...

Also have to install University, Open for business, & Nightlife, but thought I should get this problem ironed out first!

These SIMS Games have more issues than any programs I have ever used!!!

MAD katz

[Chewy]

is anything enabled in msconfig?

[volfann]

Hey Katz, I (my lovely mrs.) had similar issues with Sims 2.
She kept nagging me for a new vid card until I traced her issues back to when she installed Open for Business. She quit trying to use that disc and has had no further problems..Of course if it was working for you before it may be a different problem.. good luck..

[katzdvd]

is anything enabled in msconfig?

yes; mostly stuff like -
Zonealarm
Antivirus
Acronis (backup sftware)

About the same as before, I think.

Also, Nerocheck.exe is running. I will disable that too.

@ volfann

Open for Business. She quit trying to use that disc and has had no further problems..Of course if it was working for you before it may be a different problem

Thanks for the tip, but that's not it. All of the Sims games were working previously for me. Oh, I wish it were that easy!

[Chewy]

you might have hosed a driver when you reloaded?

everything up in device manager?

[katzdvd]

eveything looks good in dev. manager.

you might have hosed a driver when you reloaded

are you thinking of the vid. card?

Also, another thing; I was using an old SB live card when playing the gamses before, but now I do not have that card installed; I am using the onboard sound.

That is really the only other thing I can think of that is different.

Please don't tell me I need to reinstall the video card drivers - these things are a nightmare!

give me some more ideas...

[Chewy]

misery loves company, anony got me to load net then that damn catalyst control center for my souped up ati 9600, once I went into msconfig and turned off all that crap, it worked fine

solitare real fast

LOL vbg

[katzdvd]

...load net then that damn catalyst control center for my souped up ati 9600, once I went into msconfig and turned off all that crap, it worked fine

I hear ya. Nothing ATI related is running for me in msconfig.

the next tab over - "services". - I see "ATI Hotkey Poller" is running along with a list of other non ati items - could stop them?

[Dan]

Check your video card. I recently had problems with mine. All is well until I play a game and then it locks, screen shuts down (for safety) and I have to reboot.

After reboot all is well if I don't use any graphics intense programs. Checked my video card and the fan wasn't working at all, the card was piping hot!

Just a thought, hope it is something simple and less expensive though.

Did you get the latest catalyst drivers? Maybe they aren't agreeing with your card or just a driver problem like Chewy said.

[anonymez]

Please don't tell me I need to reinstall the video card drivers - these things are a nightmare!

sorry


get the ati uninstall utility from their web site, download & install the latest omega drivers, http://www.omegadrivers.net

[katzdvd]

get the ati uninstall utility from their web site, download & install the latest omega drivers

anony; after thinking about this problem for awhile, I went back thru my records, & I noticed that when the game initally was working was when I had first set the new card up & installed the original drivers that came on the cd with the card.


I do have the uninstall utility & will do as you suggested. I would like to use later drivers, if they work out; I don't want to go back to the cd if I don't have to.

Also, the drivers were a bit *buggy* when trying to capture from my camcorder...

will keep you posted on my progress - thanks for all the suggestions, guys!

regards, katz

[Chewy]

anony seems to have had some past experience(troubles) with ati drivers,
if I get the sob's to working, I don't touch them till my next clean install

my luck with nvidia isn't any better

[Dan]

Same here, I have had some issue with new drivers when they are first released.

[katzdvd]

well, followed anonys instruction;

after a minor confusing install (dumb on my part, probably) everything looks good! Game starts & plays just fine, kids are happy now!

Now, on to my second issue; what do I do about the video capture? The WDM on Omegas' site did not install any type of capture software, so should I install the one from ati.com?

I sure hate to do that now that things seem to be working well, but I do need to use the capture feature...

regards, katz

[Chewy]

windows movie maker?