Pandikon
3rd Apr 2010, 10:30 PM
Okay, after much searching and hair pulling (by both myself and my baby niece who doesn't understand that Auntie's not inventing a new game for her to play) I've finally decided that I had to ask for help/advice.
And I'm warning everyone now, this will be long. I apologize in advance, but I am attempting to be through.
I've just recently gotten my dad's old computer to replace my own slowly dying one. It's not as powerful as I would prefer for running TS2, but it's a decided upgrade from my old system, which still did a good job of running the game with a minimum of problems besides the ones I created by downloading problematic CC. *shameface*
I installed Double Deluxe and University without problem, testing the game and BS after each install with no CC and they loaded like they should. I plugged back in my CC and ran the whole kit and caboodle again. Still ran like it should.
And then I think I pulled a boneheaded stunt that I may just have to live with.
In the process of installing updates for everything from the official site, I discovered that the online store had several items you could download for free. Since I'm always up for free stuff, I thought, "Sure. Why not?" I downloaded the EADM, TS2 Store Edition, and the free items without problem and tested out the game (without CC). That's when I first noticed that now, instead of the game loading with the Double Deluxe logo, that it was coming up as Celebration Stuff. It was a bit confusing, but as I explored the game I found out it made things available that normally wouldn't be until later expansions, such as ceilings, sims being able to walk to different locations, choosing different hair for different outfits, those sorts of things. Then I tried it again with CC and was floored since it would normally take 30-45 minutes to load the game but it instead only took 10! o.O! Big bonus if you ask me. I also eventually found that I didn't have to have the disc in my machine to load the game. Again with the cheering.
...
And then I tried to load Body Shop... And nothing. Bringing up Task Manager showed that BS was loading for about 5 seconds, then would close. I tried removing my CC and tried again, but that didn't do anything. Next I tried completely removing my user files and letting BS recreate the ones it needed when it loaded, still no dice. BS still wouldn't load and the files never recreated.
In looking through the forum here and the archives, I found one post that gave me some ideas: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=378638 Like the OP suggested, I made backups of BS from each expansion and the base game (4 in total) and tried them one at a time in SP4's CSBin. The BS's for EP1 and SP4 did as before and wouldn't load, BS of the base game errored, but the BS from EP2 would attempt to load 1-3 copies of it if you looked at the Task Manager, but still nothing would happen.
It wasn't until I accidentally moved EP2's BS to the desktop that I had success. I had a pop up that warned about EA's TOS and once I hit OK (or I agree... whatever it was as I can't recall exactly what it was asking) BS loaded. After doing the Dance of Happy, I shut it down and attempted to load it again. Nothing. I moved the program back to SP4's CSBin, double clicked it, looked at Task Manager, watched it trying to open many copies, moved the program back to the desk top, BS loads, though this time it was without the popup, but it still had the little caution sign as the icon on the task bar instead of BS's own icon.
To make a long story short (Too late.) every time I want to load BS, I have to jump through a series of hoops, say a few prayers, do the Hokey Pokey and turn myself around just to make it load. So my question is (Finally, I know): Is there any way (short of getting rid of Store Edition which I am surprisingly happy with otherwise considering so many hate it with a passion) that anyone can come up with that I don't have to go through all this nonsense, for example, get a newer EP/SP? I think I can keep living with the aggravation since I don't run BS often, and when I do, it's normally a marathon run of creation.
I've got my System Specs written down if anyone really needs them, though I don't know if they'd be much help given the nature of the problem.
Again, thank you in advance for any and all suggestions
And I'm warning everyone now, this will be long. I apologize in advance, but I am attempting to be through.
I've just recently gotten my dad's old computer to replace my own slowly dying one. It's not as powerful as I would prefer for running TS2, but it's a decided upgrade from my old system, which still did a good job of running the game with a minimum of problems besides the ones I created by downloading problematic CC. *shameface*
I installed Double Deluxe and University without problem, testing the game and BS after each install with no CC and they loaded like they should. I plugged back in my CC and ran the whole kit and caboodle again. Still ran like it should.
And then I think I pulled a boneheaded stunt that I may just have to live with.
In the process of installing updates for everything from the official site, I discovered that the online store had several items you could download for free. Since I'm always up for free stuff, I thought, "Sure. Why not?" I downloaded the EADM, TS2 Store Edition, and the free items without problem and tested out the game (without CC). That's when I first noticed that now, instead of the game loading with the Double Deluxe logo, that it was coming up as Celebration Stuff. It was a bit confusing, but as I explored the game I found out it made things available that normally wouldn't be until later expansions, such as ceilings, sims being able to walk to different locations, choosing different hair for different outfits, those sorts of things. Then I tried it again with CC and was floored since it would normally take 30-45 minutes to load the game but it instead only took 10! o.O! Big bonus if you ask me. I also eventually found that I didn't have to have the disc in my machine to load the game. Again with the cheering.
...
And then I tried to load Body Shop... And nothing. Bringing up Task Manager showed that BS was loading for about 5 seconds, then would close. I tried removing my CC and tried again, but that didn't do anything. Next I tried completely removing my user files and letting BS recreate the ones it needed when it loaded, still no dice. BS still wouldn't load and the files never recreated.
In looking through the forum here and the archives, I found one post that gave me some ideas: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=378638 Like the OP suggested, I made backups of BS from each expansion and the base game (4 in total) and tried them one at a time in SP4's CSBin. The BS's for EP1 and SP4 did as before and wouldn't load, BS of the base game errored, but the BS from EP2 would attempt to load 1-3 copies of it if you looked at the Task Manager, but still nothing would happen.
It wasn't until I accidentally moved EP2's BS to the desktop that I had success. I had a pop up that warned about EA's TOS and once I hit OK (or I agree... whatever it was as I can't recall exactly what it was asking) BS loaded. After doing the Dance of Happy, I shut it down and attempted to load it again. Nothing. I moved the program back to SP4's CSBin, double clicked it, looked at Task Manager, watched it trying to open many copies, moved the program back to the desk top, BS loads, though this time it was without the popup, but it still had the little caution sign as the icon on the task bar instead of BS's own icon.
To make a long story short (Too late.) every time I want to load BS, I have to jump through a series of hoops, say a few prayers, do the Hokey Pokey and turn myself around just to make it load. So my question is (Finally, I know): Is there any way (short of getting rid of Store Edition which I am surprisingly happy with otherwise considering so many hate it with a passion) that anyone can come up with that I don't have to go through all this nonsense, for example, get a newer EP/SP? I think I can keep living with the aggravation since I don't run BS often, and when I do, it's normally a marathon run of creation.
I've got my System Specs written down if anyone really needs them, though I don't know if they'd be much help given the nature of the problem.
Again, thank you in advance for any and all suggestions