Hi, I was having the same issues as everyone else - running windows 8 and could install the base game no problem, but it crashed when trying to install university expansion pack after asking to insert the base game to update

I installed the grumpy loader program (thanks so much! ) and updated the files through that instead, and it worked!! Thought I'd post to let anyone else having these problems know this works!! Thanks again for the program, worked perfectly!! Now I can play Sims 2 on my new laptop

No, I'm definitely aware of graphics chips issues. Sims 2 did a lot of damage to a previous computer of mine - I learned the lesson the hard way. I did some research and ran some checks before I confirmed that I definitely have the ability to run this game without any risk.

But yeah, if people are having similar issues, really any graphics problem at all, it's definitely a sign to just stop playing altogether.

Where I find the Managed DirectX?
I didn't find in the the link provided

Here:
http://sims.ambertation.de/realdown...anaged+direc+tx

So all you do is download Managed Direct X and it's supposed to work?

Edit: I ran the game in compatibility mode with and without Managed Direct X. I still get crashes. However, the game works with CC disabled if you run it in Windows 98 compatibility mode.

Patch from previous page is gone and university didnt work. However using the iso images for university worked better than the original. I have got a two disk version of university, and nightlife. everything else is one disk. Going to give up soon unless the patch can be re uploaded.

Just curious though, is anyone eles problem the updater which goes through, then stops working when its nearly finished?
I love my new computer, but its missing sims 2

If I may say Microsoft seems to have the habit of releasing a terrible operating system after they release one that is actually decent. Windows XP was decent, Windows Vista was terrible, Windows 7 is decent, and now it looks like Windows 8 will be just as terrible if not more so than Windows Vista. I'm glad I'm using an older machine that still runs Windows XP, because at least I can run everything that I want to run without having to upgrade anything, with a few exceptions.

UPDATE: For people like me who entered this conversation late and cannot install sims, follow my instructions:

1. Go to page 8 of this thread and find the post with grumpy loader (if your antivirus deletes it like mine or says virus, its actually not so don't panic)
2. find yourself WinRAR and extract the program to where you would like- desktop is best
3. visit http://www.gamefront.com/files/list...ficial_Patches/
4. Download the first file
5. Install sims 2 base game (this does not require update and should install without problems. Compatibility mode should help, however i didnt need to)
6. Once installation has completed, open grumpy loader, and click load
7. through the program open the file you just downloaded (exe format) and press open.
8. make sure your base game disk is still in the drive. the updating should work.
9. now install your expansions in order and everything should be normal

works for stuff packs too. once the base game is updated, you dont have to do the same for the expansions.

I hope this helped

I'm just trying this now... I'll update when I've found out if it works or not.

UPDATE:
Clearly my brain isn't working at all today! I didn't leave the disk in when I updated and I got error messages. After installing Nightlife it said TS2 wasn't installed properly and now I'm reinstalling. This is not something to do if you're feeling ill. :P

Ok, attempt number two. While running the GrumpyLoader and trying to update the base game I got this error:

"Detected Error in Client Application:0xc00000fd

Would you like to ignore this error?"

I had yes, no and cancel as options. I clicked yes and got this error after a few moments:

"Detected Error in Client Application: 0x004a4e4b

Would you like to ignore this error?"

I had the same options and clicked yes again, then I get a message saying:

"The client application has exited."

So I tried to install Nightlife again and when I tried to update it I got the same error saying:

"The Sims 2 is not installed or improperly installed on your machine. Please install or reinstall The Sims 2."

The installation then terminated just as before. Am I doing something wrong? I had disk 1 of the basegame in the drive when I started the GrumpyLoader and put in disk 4 when it asked for it.

My desktop handles Sims 2 and 3 fine and it uses Windows 7, I have no desire to upgrade just because it the "new thing" that everyone has to have because everyone else has it. I just watched Tomorrow Never Dies recently and the media ghoul Carver reminds me so much of Microsoft it's scary. They release a new OS, full of bugs so people have to upgrade for years... i.e. what Vista was.

My dad still uses XP on his desktop and my mom's old laptop and he won't even bother with Windows 7, because if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I have been a proud XP'er since my birthday (Janurary 10th) I got a new x64 bit computer. Still getting a little hard to get used to, but It will definitely be AT LEAST 3 or 4 years before I buy it, because by then all the bugs will be fixed, it will be at a lower price, and I won't have to worry about compatibility. I'm not really the one to buy things on their first day of release or anything.

So I got a brand new computer - sadly, has Widnows 8 and very dissapointed. I tried the Grumpy Loader and worked like a charm to let me update them and install them all, but now after PETS, they start to crash at the loading screen. Any advice? I try as admin and still terminates, I try in compatibility and it asks if my disk is in the drive.. Thoughts? Hopefully this can be fixed soon. Its making me quite sad! :[

Edit: I got Apartment Life to load [with all installed except two of the EPs, but including University and Nightlife.] but it was odd as it had me insert OFB into the drive and has AL as the main screen logo. It loads, creates Pets, Magic, etc but then once it goes into Pleasantview it crashes. Hmm...

I am avoiding Windows 8 like the plague, very fortunate that my Windows 7 laptop is running all Sims 2 content no problems at all. And the handful of other games I play (Second Life, etc.) I have no interest in Win8 whatsoever. This fits a larger pattern of MS releases:

Windows 3.1: "back in the old days..."
Windows 95: good
Windows 98: meh
Windows ME/Windows 2000: just die
Windows XP: great (SP2 esp.)
Windows Vista: horrible nightmare
Windows 7: great
Windows 8: horrible nightmare?

I would not create a dedicated Sims 2 machine not running XP2 or Win7. Win7 is probably better at this point, as it will handle all that sweet, sweet extra memory and HDD space and CPU power for you. I can actually alt-tab out of Sims 2 under Win 7, check a web page, do whatever, then go back to the game, and it doesn't crash. I would never do that under XP.

Vista is the Goopy Gilcarbo of OS: ugly, stupid, useless, infuriating.

I do that with XP all the time. It's far more likely that the crashes you experienced with XP had more to do with hardware specs than XP.

As far as Sims 2 goes, I think one is as good as the other. I prefer XP in general, because each Windows OS is progressively more bloated with extraneous crap that I don't want.

That said, I'll probably upgrade once more, to Win7, when I absolutely have to. Then when Win7 becomes obsolete for general purposes, I intend to have two computers: One with XP or Win7 for Sims 2, and one with Linux for everything else.

You must have great RAM! I could never do that under XP. But I didn't mind. That I could do it now under Win7 is great. But I certainly agree, don't ever upgrade if you don't have to, and never let them come for your Sims.

Every iteration of all OS is bloated and horrible. That is true for iOS too. XP Service Pack 2 was a high point of PC gaming. Not sure if we will see that again.

Going by the pattern Windows 9 should be decent at least.

8GB, so yeah, it's pretty sweet.

Hello, just wanted a bit of guidance on what I should do now.

I went through the steps posted above but when I came to loading the patch through GrumpyLoader it said that my game was already up to date. I'm guessing that's not supposed to happen and I'm curious to see whether anyone else has come across this.

Thanks

I came across it when patching University and Apartment Life. Do you have collection packs or digital downloads?

I've got the proper disks, however I haven't installed any expansions yet so it's just to do with the base game.

Found this on EA Answers site:

I tried this, and it works! So in order to make this work, a little bit more sorted:
1. Get the old files named TSBin and TSData from a computer that has a working edition of Sims 2.
2. Put these over in Program Files (x86).
3. Install Sims 2 and expansion packs/stuff packs if you got any.
4. Have fun!

Edit: I have every expansion pack except for Apartment Life, and 4 stuff packs: Teen Style (What I think it's named), IKEA stuff pack, Home and Garden stuff pack and Family stuff pack (I'm not sure of all the names, I just translated them from Norwegian, so they might be incorrect.

Have yet to try this, will inform you of the results.

EDIT: Didn't make any difference, still was only able to play for a couple of minutes. It would be interesting to see whether this works for anybody else though.

I'm trying a different approach: Install everything up to AL (including all official patches) on my old Win7 machine
Then copy the whole shabang to the appr. folders in W8.
Then I'm gonna create the needed registry entries, keep my fingers crossed and start it up.
I'll let you know how that worked.

Edit: OK so far it worked to some degree. I must have forgotten to edit a certain key in the registry or I missed a line that needed a WoW6432Node added to the path (for that "Program Files (X86)" directory on 64-bit machines)
( My W7 32-Bit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES has to be changed to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\EA GAMES and that of course for all Sims 2 registry entries
so it made me re install all EPs but this time the update check came back with "Sims 2 is up to date" So far the game runs fine (knock on wood just due to much better hardware lightning fast
I'll let you know if there are any crashes/hangups in the game

I just got a new computer with the dreaded Window 8! I was able to shut off the Metro that made it look like a smart phone and also give me back my start up button. I love Sims 2 and have been playing it for years. Well I am having the same issue as everyone else, and yes, I have tried all the suggestions to get Sims 2 to work with Windows 8. Nothing works! I was able to install the Sims 2 and all the expansions, I was able to update the game, and even move my old files over. The game will load, but every time I try to make a new family, enter an a home the game freezes and crashes. I am thinking it is best to install Windows 7, which is compatible with Sims 2, any thoughts?

Thoughts..............Windows, give us our favourite game back!

Okay, I know, it isn't that funny.....