Collection - expansion pack working, stuff packs not showing

[Sandydog]

Hi

I have been trying to sort this problem out for some time, both researching and contacting EA Games. I have purchased the digital copy of Best of Business, and would like to copy the email I've sent to them today (one of many) to see if anyone here can help.

"We now have a brand new Samsung RV520 laptop, so have done a clean install of the Sims 2 DVDs, followed by the patch, followed by the Best of Business pack on Origin.**I am still having the same issue - launching the game through Origin will bring up the Launcher which shows no expansion/stuff pack icons highlighted.**Continuing to play the game, none of the stuff pack items show in the game, only the Open for Business items.

I really do not understand why nothing is linking.**The games are downloading to their own default directory (Sims to C:/program files/EAGames, Best of Business to c:/program files/Origin Games."

I've had to put about the new laptop, because EA grasped everything and eventually said it was my old laptop at fault, so now we've updated it's ruled that out.

I have tried running the game through the TSBin for the Best of Business, but the only way to get the K & B or H & M content is to run each Stuff Pack individually.

This has been very frustrating. EA take me through the same installations/uninstalls over and over again, but as this time it's a clean install I don't know what they are going to say. Apparently it has been escalated.

Thanks so much for ANY suggestions/help!

Christine

[Sandydog]

I would like to thank everyone for even taking the time to read my first post. I did get back onto live chat with EA, but I'm just asked the same questions over and over again. I wonder if the live chat people even know what comes in a collection! They have told me to post on the EA/Sims BB, and they have taken my phone number for someone to call me.

If anyone does read this again, I wonder if you wouldn't mind telling me whereabouts your Sims 2 and Expansion/Stuff packs are saved to?

Thanks again.

[Mootilda]

EA is clearly giving you very poor advice. An incompatibility between DVD and downloaded versions cannot possibly require you to purchase a new computer. I believe that some people have managed to get both DVD and downloaded versions working together, but I'm afraid that I don't know the secret; I have avoided Origin like the plague.

If you cannot get the DVD versions to work with the Origin versions, I can think of several things to try:

- First, have you registered the DVD versions of the game with Origin? If not, I would try that. Perhaps then Origin will allow you to use your games.

- If that doesn't work, then I would insist that EA give me the downloaded versions of my DVD games, since you have purchased them all in good faith and they have been unable to get them to work together. Uninstall the DVD versions and try using only the downloaded versions of the game. I have found that EA is usually quite willing to replace your DVD versions with downloaded versions without any cost to you.

I hope that this helps. It's EA's responsibility to make sure that their games work together, but you probably haven't even talked with an EA employee yet. Most companies outsource their "support", and these outsourced companies pay their employees to close issues quickly, rather than solve them.

The only other solution is to buy everything on DVD and avoid Origin. Now that we can get working for you.

[Sandydog]

I can't thank you enough for your suggestions, Mootilda. Fortunately, the new PC was due anyway!

I will try each of your suggestions. You're right about me not speaking to an employee. It's just been someone in a call centre going through a few prompts. When she told me to post on the BB, it was almost insinuating that this wasn't a technical issue (which they have pushed before). So I then suggested that okay, it's a billing issue, seeing as my purchase doesn't work!

Anyway, I'm incredibly grateful you've taken the time to help. Wish me luck!