Troubleshooting Pointing Device/Selection problem

Um ...

I hope I haven't led you into a deep mire of quicksand. It sounds like you have done stuff out of order.

Uninstalling should have been done before any registry editing ...

If the registry entries are gone and the Program File folders deleted, then inserting the game disc should should trigger the set up install routine.

I am inclined, at this stage, to recommend that you make a back ups of all important data on that machine and then use the manufacturer's disc to restore the machine to its original condition. (Or reinstall Windows, if you have that option).

In the long run I feel this more thorough approach is the one I would choose over what is rapidly becoming a muddy sea of Hobson's Choices.

After restoring the machine perform the following tasks in the order described:

1. Install your anti-virus software
2. Run Windows Update
3. Get the latest drivers for your graphics card
4. Set a System Restore Point
5. Install TS2 and see how it works

 

Negative.

Nah, you didn't lead me to do anything I didn't want to. My registry was fine, because I made a backup prior to messing with it. I did what you told me to do; I reinstalled Vista from the factory restore disc, I haven't installed any updates aside from my updated video and sound drivers. But guess what? Sims 2 Deluxe STILL DOESN'T WORK! I lost a lot of applications and save files risking that format.. I got most of them back now but Sims 2 still gives me the same problems and issues as before. Sigh.

Any suggestions? 'Cause I'm at a loss.

PS - I didn't install any Windows Updates because 1. I'm on 28k dial up and 2. We hadn't experienced this issue with the Sims until I patched to Windows Update.

 

It's time to return to the original problem.

I hate to say this, but it looks to me like the problem lies with that touchpad ... or rather with the underlying connectivity of it.

TS2 is rather irritating in the way it uses the mouse. I use a cordless laser mouse hooked in via a USB and I frequently get annoyed at the antsy way I sometimes have to wait a fraction of a second for a mouse click to be actioned on screen. I have no problem when the optical mouse needs recharging and I change over to the PS2 Microsoft mouse (also cordless). I also have a Wacom tablet plugged into another USB socket, so I have 3 pointing devices all installed and active at the same time. TS2 is the only application that gives me the erratic mouse behaviour with the optical mouse.

So ... I am betting that your laptop is the problem. Specifically that touchpad and the way it is installed. It seems safe to say that, since the game will not now work despite a system restore to an operating system condition that matches the last known configuration that did work ... until the aforementioned touchpad breakdown and replacement.

Maybe it is time to put that laptop on ebay and go shopping :(

 

:(

I did try to set the compadibility mode and it doesn't do crap. It doesn't do crap for most of the games I play, to be entirely honest. It might be the touchpad, but why is it when I disable the touchpad entirely and use only the USB mouse the problem continues? I don't have this problem with any of the First Person Shooter games I play, I don't understand why I would have it with the SIMs. I've even played RPGs on this computer and not had any issues until recently. I just don't understand..

But now that I know what the problem is almost for a certainty, perhaps I can locate a more functional driver. This isn't my laptop, it's my girlfriends. I tried to tell her to take me shopping with her when she bought it, but she didn't wanna listen. And now who's paying the price? Yours truely!

Ugh.. Wish me luck.

 

Yeah but it is still physically there and connected and the insides of a laptop are scrunched up. As for the way TS2 uses the mouse ... who can say? I can only say that I have very minor (but definitely noticeable) lag issues which occur only with a USB mouse and TS2. Someone once told me (jokingly) that mouse drivers were written by spaced-out old hippies because they were the only people on the planet whose minds were wide enough to cope with the math ....

 

Ftw!

I uninstalled the Synaptics Driver from installed programs menu and I can still use the touchpad as well as the USB mouse. I've also noticed minor frame skipping in TS2 (what you refered to as latency) but I would think that has more to do with your CPU/GPU/RAM than your HIDs' drivers? I honestly don't know, but I know TS2 runs again and runs correctly so I'm completely happy.

You now have the answer to this problem. Although I did not enjoy the 2 weeks of frustration trying to figure this out, I did enjoy taking part in solving this issue. The sad part is, I NOTICED something screwy with the touchpad right before this crap started happening, so I should've been able to solve this problem before even bringing it to your attention. Slightly embarassing for me, to be honest. But I'm really happy this is all over and done and TS2 is working correctly again. Thanks for all ya'lls help and advice.

Keep up the good work!

 

Ah. I am so glad for you. I'm also happy to find that I was completely wrong but in the right kind of way :boggled:

Windows can be such a pain about device drivers, allowing you to install a suite of stuff that actually conflicts with the generic OS driver already installed. I generally leave the installation discs in the packaging and only get them out if the device I just installed isn't doing what I expected.

Tell your girlfriend she owes you one unforgettable experience.

 

Glad you figured it out!

As for your frames skipping for you, experiment with the low/medium settings for the graphics in your game. And make sure nothing else is running at the same time to keep the memory usuage down.

 

Hehe, you weren't ENTIRELY incorrect because if it weren't for your persistance in leading me back to the touchpad, we'd have never figured this out. And honestly, for once in my life, I'm not going to blame Microsoft for this.. I'm going to blame DELL for the HORRIBLE drivers they included with this piece of crap. Both the sound card AND the touchpad are trash on this thing and there's practically no end-user support for either. I'm done with Vista, I'm done with laptops, I'm done with touchpads. Back to my XP desktop until income tax time, then I'll come back to Vista if I can coax my desktop into running Crysis.

Again, thank you all so much for your help, especially you Mirelly.

I know chief. My girlfriend doesn't, and trying to teach her how to run the task manager isn't worth my time or frustration. This laptop isn't amazing in terms of performance; it's fair at best. The game's chugging because of the demand of resources it requires to run and the USB mouse I have isn't the greatest. There's a couple reasons it chugs, available system resources being one of the reasons. I'm not worried about it anymore; it runs and it didn't run before so my girl's happy and I'm happier that I'm not wracking my brain anymore.

 

Hi,

Please bare (sp?) with me as I am not very bright when it comes to computers...I have the same problem your girlfriend had. I tried uninstalling the synaptics driver from the add/remove programs on the control panel. Didn't work (maybe I only uninstalled the software?). Is there some other place to look for this driver? I haven't been able to play for about a month now because of the blue screen of death and now this with the mouse. I'm sorry your girlfriend had this problem, but am glad at the same time that I'm not the only one this is happening to.

 

I'm getting this problem too. We need to get Maxis and say, "Fix this, dammit!".

 

Ok I'll add to the problem. I went through this series of posts and replies extensively. reinstalls, reboots, uninstall of synaptics driver for the touchpad, new mouses even played with my mouse settings but I'm nowhere. Can we revisit this topic please?