Sims 2 crashes on new computer Hi. I just got a new computer and installed my Sims2 game and expansion packs (University, Nightlife, Open For Business and Seasons) on it. When I open the game, I can see the neighborhoods. When I click on a lot, the game starts to load the lot (it goes to 4 bars across the top) and then crashes. I get a message that reads "Application crashed. Application will now terminate." My computer specs are as follows: ------------------ System Information ------------------ Time of this report: 3/26/2007, 13:44:05 Machine name: LISAPC1 Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.061219-0316) Language: English (Regional Setting: English) System Manufacturer: NVIDIA System Model: AWRDACPI BIOS: )Phoenix - Award WorkstationBIOS v6.00PG Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3600+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~1.9GHz Memory: 894MB RAM Page File: 301MB used, 1866MB available Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) DX Setup Parameters: Not found DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode --------------- Display Devices --------------- Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 6100 nForce 405 Manufacturer: NVIDIA Chip type: GeForce 6100 nForce 405 DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03D1&SUBSYS_26021019&REV_A2 Display Memory: 512.0 MB Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz) Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200 Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9148 (English) DDI Version: 9 (or higher) Driver Attributes: Final Retail Driver Date/Size: 8/16/2006 02:35:00, 4496128 bytes I went to the NVIDIA site and downloaded the latest driver, just in case mine was outdated (my computer is not even a week old). I have a writemaster Lightscribe DVD/CD-ROM drive. Any advice/help offered would be greatly appreciated. I hope I've included all the information you need...if not, please let me know. Thanks! Lisa
Have you made sure that background programs (such as virus checkers, internet access, browsers, art programs, etc) are shut down so that they are not interferring? Is your duocore set up so that it is seen as a single core? Your computer is new, but it also is rather borderline for running a lot of high end graphics now that you've added Seasons. (Seasons is a real CPU and graphics card hog.) Your computer is better than some of the old ones, but with a duo core, it may only be using part of your CPU. (I have an AMD duocore that had that problem until I got an "optimizer" for it. Supposedly there are better things for the new Intel Duocores, but I don't know where you'd find them. The AMD one was on the AMD site. Perhaps the Intel one would be on the Intel site.) Did you test at each stage before installing the next EP? Perhaps it would work fine without Seasons. One thing I will tell you is that Seasons and some of the NVidia cards are incompatible. Maxis is working on this with Nvidia to see if there is a solution which makes the game ok with NVidia cards. It may be that your driver isn't meant to work with cards in the 6000 range (instead of the newer/faster 7000 and 8000 range cards.) Backing off to an older driver or one specifically meant for the 6000 range cards might be necessary.
yes. I always do that before starting Sims 2. I don't know. I certainly didn't do this, but I don't know if the person who built my computer did. I told him that I will be using the computer to play Sims 2, which he was familiar with. I went to this site--www.systemrequirementslab.com. My computer exceeds the minimum requirements to run Sims 2-Seasons. It barely failed the recommended requirements for playing the game. I don't know how reliable the site/info is. It seemed to support what I already knew about my computer. I have since uninstalled everything. I reinstalled just Sims 2 and tried the game with the same results. After posting this message, I found this thread in another forum. http://forums.worldsims.org/showthread.php?t=11342 It is exactly what I experience with my game.
Minimums are just that: minimum to power things even if there are no downloads and everything is set at the absolute minimum and all background activities are turned off. Recommended is the minimum for having an enjoyable game. So, if it failed that "recommended" then you are going to have problems unless you turn things down and off. As I said, Seasons is a real problems for machines, especially those with Nvidia cards. (I have SLI 2 Geforce 7950s and still sometimes can't do things. For instance, on all but my smallest lots, I have to turn "snow on the ground" off.)
Thank you for your help--I forgot to mention that in my last reply. I uninstalled all the expansion packs and tried to run the basic game. It is the same result. I know that my computer has the recommended requirements to run that, especially since my 2 1/2 year old eMachines computer could run it. Is it possible that my DVD drive is the culprit? Could my installation disks have been damaged? If I had an idea of where to look I could at least start ruling things out.
Dual core users might want to check out this thread at MATY (Caution: MATY is an external site and your language experience may get <ahem> richer. Just don't blame me or World Sims, OK?)
