Cant install Thai expansions

[goannasbillabong]

:p Hi

I bought Family fun stuff, open for business, seasons, glamour life stuff, holiday stuff and night life from ebay.

I already own Sims 2, and Sims University and they both work sweet but they are australian versions. I followed the instructions from the ebay seller on how to change the language to english (by copying the cd and changing an english setting) so the games installed in english fine.

When I loaded all the extra add ons, I could load the games but not enter the lots, the game would just sit there so I uninstalled all and just reinstalled sims 2 and open for business (to try iron out the bugs)

Now it wont even enter the game but crashes at the start up (just after all the dancing and stuff) also there is an empty dialog box with a Red cross that appears, when I click the red cross the game just shuts down, so im assuming there is an issue with the start up.

The seller assured that the games load fine but im having huge hassles, any help would be ever so much appreciated.

Oh also im not sure if this is any help. im trying to load the games onto my lap top, it didnt have much harddrive space left so I bought a removable hard drive and loaded the games into that. But still sims 2 works find until I load a thai expansion pack.

Here is my system information:

1. Processor: intel (R) Pentium (R) M Processor 1.60 ghz
2. memory 502mb ram
3. XP
4. Free hard disk space - C: Used 18.1gb Free 37.5gb total 55.7gb.
E: Used 6.06gb Free 292gb.
5. as above
6. Direct X version: Direct X 9.0c 4.09.0000.0904
7. Display adapter: mobile intel (r) 915gm/gms 910gml express
8. main driver: ialmrntz.dll version 6.14.0010.3943
9. total memory 128.0 mb

Thanks ever so much for any assistance
Chantelle

[Jill Valentine®]

I don't know if this will help, but I think you should not have changed the setting of the CDs from thai to english. Not if the CDs have multilanguage support, and among these languages, english being presented.
If this is the case, and I don't know other versions of the discs but the Brazilian versions, I think you should reinstall the whole game, and not with a changed set CD, but install with the original CDs (or "original images" of the discs, meaning, not altered), and then do what I said in this thread:

http://forums.worldsims.org/showthread.php?p=124261&highlight=thai#post124261

This will change the language into the game without the CDs having to get messed up. But AGAIN, I don't know if Thai CDs have english US or english UK settings in them, and vice-versa. And regarding the link above, the coding is for English UK, and I don't know the coding for English US, plus Brazilian versions of the disc do not have English US anyway. I don't know which one is your location too.

You have to change the regkeys from the last EP or SP needed to load the game, with the exception of the new "celebration! stuff", as the game still needs to be loaded with SEASONS, but you'll then have to change the regkeys of "celebration". As a matter of fact, I think that what defines which of the EPs have to be modified to alter the game language is the line "EPsInstalled" in "the sims 2" regkeys (the original game). So, I did not test this, but I think that if you modify that line, say you change the final two names from "..., Sims2EP5, Sims2SP4" to "..., Sims2SP4, Sims2EP5", then, I think, you'll have to edit seasons regkeys to load the game in english, not the celebration ones.

Plus, if you have any game glitches because you installed the EPs and SPs in the "wrong order", I did not test it as well, but I think if people modify this "EPsInstalled" line from what set it currently has to the "right" order, the glitches will be gone too.

But I really don't know if this will help, since you'll install original+university in one language and the rest in another language, and I can't understand why you bought thai versions in the first place, specially if you could buy the games on local retailers, or in a local (meaning, your country) virtual shop.

So this regkey trick works, and I guarantee it. But it works for multilanguage CDs and for games which have been installed in the same language. I don't know how it will behave in your case.

[goannasbillabong]

Hi
Thank you for your help, im just a little confused as im not that knowledgable with computers!

When I install an expasion pack, so say I install Nightlife next, I go into the Registry and change the Language to English US and the locale to en_us (I looked in Sims 2 and it is US so I think from what I understood of your instructions is to do the same language?)

I am regretting buying the Thai expansions, I thought it was worth it to save a few $$ and on ebay it sounded like they were the same. Unfortunately I have paid a bit of money and dont want to wast the games. But I am sure I will never ever buy foreign games again!!

Cheers for all your help :o
Chantelle

[ManagerJosh]

On the surface it may be merely a registry change, however I think the changes are far more in depth than you realize.

[Jill Valentine®]

Yes goannasbillabong, that is it. So you just have to match the english regkeys from TS2 and University to your latest THAI expansion.
Like I said, I don't know if that will work, but if it does and if then, the game itself, runs without bugs, you're home free.

And yes, if it works, that's just it, no more depth. TS2 regkeys other than those I talked about, if messed up, can really hurt the game and maybe the system. And I'm not talking about the regkeys found in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\THE SIMS 2 <EP/SP NAME>" and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\THE SIMS 2 <EP/SP NAME>\1.0", but keys found in other locations. The ones in these two paths are editable, as they do not hurt the game and are self explanatoiry (did I spell explanatoiry correctly ?). If the game becomes unstable, you can go back to these paths and reset the key values to their original value. Take screenshots of the values, so you'll remember them later if needed.
The other regkeys found in different paths should be left alone, specially if people don't know what they are doing. And in this case, other paths for regkeys are not important for a language alteration.
The only thing you'll have to do too, if this regkeys trick work for you, is: you'll have to delete your saved game directory (in "my documents\ea games\the sims 2"), because if you don't, you'll have mixed strings, some in english and some in thai. So if you let the game regenerate this save folder, the game will be entirely in english. If you don't want to miss the games you've already been playing before the THAI versions purchases (in the case this trick do not work for you), then, to be on the safe side, just rename the "The Sims 2" folder to whatever name you wish, and then load the game with all the EPs you have installed to make a new folder with the english version of the files for all these EPs.

See ya !!!

[goannasbillabong]

Hi

I installed Nightlife, and changed the regsitry to the same as Sims University and Nightlife is playing great!

I tried to install open for business, but the same thing happened, the empty dialog box with the red X appeared, when you click on it the game shuts down, I uninstalled open for business and Nightlife is working ok.

Is the error because I do not have the next expansion pack called Holiday Party Pack?

Again thanks for all the help, there is now one game installed which is way better than none of them!!

Cheers
Chantelle

[Jill Valentine®]

But did you deleted the saved games folder after installing open for business to test if, when regenerated with the regkeys configured in english, if it would work ? And the regkeys for open for business are the ones that will affect the game, the nightlife ones becomes obsolete when you install the most recent EP. Did you remember that ?

Cheers !!!

[goannasbillabong]

:D Hi

ok, I had to uninstall everything again, due to errors that came up, but afterinstalling all the packs up to Nightlife again, I re-read everything you wrote in all your posts, and this time deleted the my sims folder that I didnt delete before.....

and now its working :rolleyes: :eek: Thanks for all your help.! I like this open for business one, tis alittle harder though, and im having trouble making a profit, but tis only been a couple of hours!!

Im a little scared to install the rest of the expansion packs, im worried the little laptop doesnt have the power to run them all, but im hoping there is enough room for seasons!

But enough of my ramble, I appreciate all the guidance and patience and help and support, it has been honestly appreciated to the bottem of my heart, and my laptop appreciates not have been thrown to the other end of the room!!!!

Be good, thanks heaps
Chantelle

[Jill Valentine®]

I'm glad I could help. You're welcome, thanks mate !!! :)