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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 6:14 AM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2
Default Neighborho
Good evening. I've recently gotten my Sims 2 installed on my windows 10 computer, after a lot of struggle. I only have University Life installed along with the base game. It loads just fine, but I am not able to enter a neighborhood to create a Sims. The only choice I am given is to create a neighborhood., which doesn't work.
Any help would be appreciated
I remember having this problem the last time I wanted to start playing, and I believe someone suggested deleting something about a neighborhood cache, or similar? It was over a year ago, and I can no longer find the thread.
I really want to get back into playing. So would be greatful for any help.
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The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#2 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 11:29 AM
Well you can delete the cache files and also the neighbourhoodmanager file but I'm not sure how either of those would help. Cache files are in

C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2
and are any and all of the following:
groups.cache
accessory.cache
cigen.package
and the other one (sorry forgot) but they are the loose files in that location

the neighbourhoodmanager.package is in C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods

However, many people don't have issues with running the game on Win10 (I don't for example) so I wonder if it's something else. There are a number of Win10 specific issues for the game but they are well documented now and it might help you to run through them. You could start with this leefish thread:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6569

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#3 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 11:30 AM
You could try doing that, but if you haven't actually been playing the game it sounds like something is wrong with your installation. You could take a take a picture of your disk case and code and ask Origin for the UC, they still give it out.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#4 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 3:20 PM
The UC might not install any better! First, check the leefish thread and talk to other Windows10 users. Test all the suggestions you get. If they all fail, then you can uninstall, make sure everything's cleared out of your registry files (there's instructions for that in the Help FAQ), and install again, either off University Life or through Origin if having the UC attracts you.

What kind of struggles were you having with the installation? That might help us figure out what the problem is.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Mad Poster
#5 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 4:49 PM
Sounds like problems with japanese locale. Sims 2 doesn't work on it.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 6:58 PM
Default Thank you
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
Well you can delete the cache files and also the neighbourhoodmanager file but I'm not sure how either of those would help. Cache files are in

C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2
and are any and all of the following:
groups.cache
accessory.cache
cigen.package
and the other one (sorry forgot) but they are the loose files in that location

the neighbourhoodmanager.package is in C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods

However, many people don't have issues with running the game on Win10 (I don't for example) so I wonder if it's something else. There are a number of Win10 specific issues for the game but they are well documented now and it might help you to run through them. You could start with this leefish thread:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6569

Hi there! I will check that leefish out, thank you. However there are also a lot of us who DO have problems running the Sims 2 on windows 10. I distinctly remember either finding help, or having someone reply to a similar help post a year ago when I had decided to play again after about a five year hiatus, about deleting the cache thing. I'm not sure WHY it worked, I only know it did. And now that I am reminded by your post, I believe it was the group and or cigen cache. I at work now,but will post tonight if that works.
Thanks for your reply, help, and time!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#7 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 9:14 PM Last edited by maxon : 23rd Jul 2017 at 10:10 PM.
Default Thanks!
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
You could try doing that, but if you haven't actually been playing the game it sounds like something is wrong with your installation. You could take a take a picture of your disk case and code and ask Origin for the UC, they still give it out.


Hi! Thanks for the suggestion. This happened last year when I decided to start playing again, and it turned out to be fixed by deleting the mentioned info. So I don't think it was the installation. But I will keep that in mind.😃Thanks for your time!
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#8 Old 23rd Jul 2017 at 10:11 PM
Quote: Originally posted by monatoo
Hi there! I will check that leefish out, thank you. However there are also a lot of us who DO have problems running the Sims 2 on windows 10.

Yes, I do know that but I wanted to say that there doesn't seem to be a particular problem with the operating system as such. There do seem to be issues with different language versions though (what Annaminna said) and sometimes other settings. I hope you get it working.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 12:26 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
The UC might not install any better! First, check the leefish thread and talk to other Windows10 users. Test all the suggestions you get. If they all fail, then you can uninstall, make sure everything's cleared out of your registry files (there's instructions for that in the Help FAQ), and install again, either off University Life or through Origin if having the UC attracts you.

What kind of struggles were you having with the installation? That might help us figure out what the problem is.


Thank you for taking the time to help! I will look at the Leefish.
The problems I had installing on Windows 10 were the same ones most of us with Windows 10 have. The disk's install, and the end it asks you to put in disk 2 from the base game, to do an update, and at that point it freezes, and or uninstalls itself. But I figured out how to fix this problem.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#10 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 12:31 AM
Default Thank you
Quote: Originally posted by Annaminna
Sounds like problems with japanese locale. Sims 2 doesn't work on it.


Hi there. Whereas my base game IS actually Thai, it works quite well. One just has to change the language. I played it for about a year with no problems, before I took a break from Sims.
Thank you for taking the time to respond, though!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 4:07 AM Last edited by maxon : 24th Jul 2017 at 1:23 PM.
Default No ea games in my documents.
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
Well you can delete the cache files and also the neighbourhoodmanager file but I'm not sure how either of those would help. Cache files are in

C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2
and are any and all of the following:
groups.cache
accessory.cache
cigen.package
and the other one (sorry forgot) but they are the loose files in that location

the neighbourhoodmanager.package is in C:\Users\your name\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods

However, many people don't have issues with running the game on Win10 (I don't for example) so I wonder if it's something else. There are a number of Win10 specific issues for the game but they are well documented now and it might help you to run through them. You could start with this leefish thread:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6569


I was almost positive deleting the groups.cache would do the trick, as I remember that helped last time. Unfortunately, I don't have ea games showing in my documents.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#12 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 1:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by monatoo
I was almost positive deleting the groups.cache would do the trick, as I remember that helped last time. Unfortunately, I don't have ea games showing in my documents.

Well, it must be somewhere or the game wouldn't be working. Are you sure you're looking in the right My Documents (on Win10 there can be two locations)?

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Mad Poster
#13 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 3:32 PM
The default save locations may have to be changed - go to settings and then to storage. You may have to change it there to something like This PC.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#14 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 6:58 PM
Default Found it
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
Well, it must be somewhere or the game wouldn't be working. Are you sure you're looking in the right My Documents (on Win10 there can be two locations)?


I found it. But after I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, my base game won't even install. Goes through the whole process, and comes up with an error message at the end. I'm at work now, will post later.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#15 Old 24th Jul 2017 at 11:16 PM
monatoo please do not triple post or even double post when you can help it, it's against site rules. Please use the edit button if you have more to add if the thread does not need bumping.

It now sounds like your computer needs cleaning of stuck files.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#16 Old 25th Jul 2017 at 12:30 AM
Does CCleaner work on Windows 10?

At times the uninstallation process doesn't completely get all the info, and there can be bits and bobs left over. A registry cleaning program is sometimes needed to completely get all the info. Once those bits are gone, then the game usually can install without issues.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#17 Old 2nd Aug 2017 at 6:07 AM
Default I wasnt
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
monatoo please do not triple post or even double post when you can help it, it's against site rules. Please use the edit button if you have more to add if the thread does not need bumping.

It now sounds like your computer needs cleaning of stuck files.


Thanks for your help. I wasn't double or triple posting. I know that's against the rules. I've only replied to those who have helped me.😀
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#18 Old 2nd Aug 2017 at 6:18 AM
Just an FYI for anyone else who had/has this problem. ( I know I'm not the only one, as I've found others with it when I googled.) I finally got my game to load, and dieting those files WILL fix the problem of no neighborhoods.
That's groups.cache,accessories.cache,and cogen.package.
The path I used was different from the one mentioned in the first reply above. It's: C-program files (86)-EA Games-the Sims 2 university-TSData-Res-and content registry is usually at the bottom of that string- then go to User Data, and they other two are in there- not always, and not always all 3
Hope this helps someone
Mad Poster
#19 Old 2nd Aug 2017 at 6:35 AM
This is where your installation files are, not your user files. User files are in This PC/Documents/EA Games
Yes @Orilon CCleaner works just fine on Win10.

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#20 Old 2nd Aug 2017 at 7:00 AM
Default True
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
This is where your installation files are, not your user files. User files are in This PC/Documents/EA Games
Yes @Orilon CCleaner works just fine on Win10.


That is true, but that is not where those items are. Those items that when deleted, fix the no neighborhood problem, are in the path I mentioned. 😀
Mad Poster
#21 Old 2nd Aug 2017 at 7:03 AM
Well, that's good to know I guess. I never had to delete anything from my installation files...

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
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