just took a look at the compaq site & heres alist of what could be on your pc:
■ Support for the following optical drives:
❏ 8X DVD-ROM Drive
❏ 24X DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive
❏ 8X DVD±RW/R and CD-RW Combo Drive
❏ 8X DVD±RW/R and CD-RW Dual Layer Combo Drive

maybe it would be a good idea to try and clean the disk with a soft cloth and water. and try again. (i know you've said the disk isnt scratched but it's worth trying again)

also check and see if the following update:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...item=ob-31831-1

Went to Compaq site and checked for updates. Downloaded suggested update. Washed and dried disc and still no change in drive. When disc is inserted, the drive blinks and makes the sounds like it's going to run, but then will not.

Goto the drive manufacture's website and do the same thing.

How do I ifnd out who the drive manufacturer is?

Never mind, figured that part out, but there doesn't seem to be any available updates for my driver

Try searching their support forums for similar problems.

I'm not getting a website for them. Just listings of compatible software with it. Unless I've put the wrong thing into the search engine.

"TSSTcorp CDW/DVD TS-L462A"

Is that the maker and type or should I be looking for something else?

I found their website: http://www.tsstorage.com/index_e.html.

I also found this thread on another site thats almost a 100% match to your problem: http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/...corp-drive.html. They don't yet have a solution.

just found this bit of gumpf it might be worth looking at in the laptops manual
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00563764.pdf

--------------------------------------------------
Setup Utility Device Security
From the Device Security menu in the Setup utility, you can
disable or enable an optical drive or a diskette drive.
To disable or reenable system devices in the Setup utility:
1. Open the Setup utility by turning on or restarting the
computer, and then pressing f10 while the Setup message
is displayed in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Select Security > Device Security, and then press enter.
3. Use the arrow keys to select an item. Then:
❏ To disable an item, press f5 or f6 to toggle the field for the
item to Disable, and then press enter.
❏ To reenble an item, press f5 or f6 to toggle the field for the
item to Enable, and then press enter.
4. When a confirmation prompt with your preference selected is
displayed, press enter.
5. To save your preferences and exit the Setup utility, press f10,
and then follow the instructions on the screen.
Your preferences are in effect when the computer restarts.

I tried the whole Setup thing with no luck. I can't find anything in the manual either. Maybe I should just swap the game or something....

If the disc works with other drives, its good. But still, try it anyway.

Hmmmm.I just can't even think of what the problem could be. I can run the original game but not this.

have you ever downloaded any text files that alter any thing? that have to be placed into C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Nightlife\ or any where similar.
i remember there was a problem with installing if there was a file that had been altered in those folders. but i cant remember which file or folders it might be in.

What kind of text files? I've got my share of downloads for the Sims 2, but I'm not sure of anytihng that would interfere with the installation.

perhaps a nocensor blur hack of some kind? or any other that replaces a text file in the main directory of the game.
i cant remember at the moment where or which is the one i'm thinking off.
it would definately be one that you had to place in somewhere other than downloads or saved sims folder.

I don't have a nocensor blur but I had some hacks, like a triplets/quads hack and such. I disabled them with Clean Installer. Shouold move them out of the folder al thogether or are they ok disabled?

just found this bit of info:

3. If you have used the sims2.exe file (to get rid of the blur) or have altered any Maxis base game files in \Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2\TSBin\Sims2.exe, you will need to restore them to their original state. The University installer may look for these files to update.
and heres the link
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=71074
also this link may be worth a look
http://www.modthesims2.com/forumdisplay.php?f=125

cant help any more tonight i gotta go to bed sometime i dont know where you are but it's 1:45 in the morning now. i check back tommorrow to asee if you solved the problem so please post if you fix it

When I went to Run, and put in D:\autorun.exe a little window pops up and says, "Windows cannot read from this disc. The disc might be corrupted or formatted for another system."

Does your compuer at home have a CD+R/RW drive?

can you right click on the drive and click explor with the disk in. then you hopefully should see all the files on the disk.
*******************
i just tried D:\autorun.exe
without a disk and what i get is a popup telling me theres no disk
***********************

It's a CDR at least, probably a CD+R/RW. My friends computer on campus(which also reads the disc) has a DVD drive in it like my laptop.

I'm thinking the easiest way to do this it to make copies with your drive at home and use them.

I will try that. Thank you!

Tried that, and nothing comes up.

Made copies of the discs and tried them in my computer. THey show up, and even the languge chooser pops up, but when I click on ok for it to progress, it says insert Disk 1. Any other plans y'all?

try going to the help & support on your pc type in autorun and look under microsft knowledge base. especially the following:
CD-ROM May Not Run Automatically in Windows XP
CD-ROM May Not Run Automatically in Windows
The Autoplay feature may not start the correct Autorun command from a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM
Error Message: Windows Cannot Find Autorun.exe

also
try these links:
http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cf...rch=1&x=66&y=14

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/cci/ea/cd_troubleshooting.php?p_sid=<?%20echo%20$p_sid%20?%20%20%20>

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cf...&p_sid=WgR_YQYh