Troubleshooting Picture Problem Makes Game play Suck.

Miguelco6 · May 27, 2005

Picture Problem Makes Game play Suck.

Does Anybody Know How to Fix This Very Annoying Problem (look at picture)

Mirelly · May 28, 2005

You've gone to some trouble to send us a screen cap but you aren't gonna stimulate any of us to try to guess your problem unless you tell us more. Essential information would be:

your cpu name & speed

how much system RAM

your graphics adapter name & memory allocation

your graphics driver name and version number

don't know how to get the above? see http://forums.worldsims.org/showpost.php?p=78413&postcount=3

Finally we absolutely must know the exact circumstances that cause the screen to look like the sample you have shown. Take the time to describe how it happens ... if necessary from the moment you click on the Sims 2 icon to to start the game to the moment the screen goes nuts.

On the other hand you may continue to wait for a mind reader to show up and until then you are free to consider that game sucks ...

Miguelco6 · May 28, 2005

K Here it is. It does this only when the game uses it's screenshot feature but also makes createing a sim hard because in CAS it only shows half of the image, and even if i create a sim the family picture the game take looks kinda like the above. but normal graphics are fine. and changing in game resalution doesn't change athing

Mirelly · May 28, 2005

Aha!!! Maxis did not include the GeForce 6200 in their list of supported cards ... But don't despair. Nvidia are on the case already!

There is a new driver available ... see this post for further details http://forums.worldsims.org/showpost.php?p=76949

The new driver is at least 3 months younger than the driver you are using and computing terms that's almost an ice age!

Miguelco6 · May 28, 2005

That Really Didn't work. the game is still the same, plus it made may start menu and other thing that had fine graphics before go glitchy. I tried to take a picture to show you but guess what, for some unknown reason it did what my sims game does when it take screenshot. Wierd, EH?

Mirelly · May 29, 2005

Oh dear. Are you sure that you uninstalled the old driver before installing the new one as NVIDIA advise? Properly installed the new driver should not make anything worse!

I am concerned that the card itself is misbehaving. Ideas like overheating or incorrect installation (both in the hardware sense and in the software sense) spring to mind before faulty manufacture should be looked at. Make sure that your computer's power supply has enough milliampage to cope.

Overheating issues can be investigated by running the machine with the case open (DANGER OF DEATH! Remember to keep minors and inquistive pets out of the room while doing that! ... this might include yourself! Seek the help of a responsible adult if necessary )

Do you have any other graphics hungry games (eg Doom3, Half Life 2, Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 etc.) that run perfectly?

Did the computer come with the card installed or did you add it yourself as an upgrade? Is it a PCIexpress card or an AGP version? If the former does your computer motherboard actually support PCIe?

Just a few thoughts while waiting to see if any of our tech geeks can come up with any better ideas.

Miguelco6 · May 29, 2005

The card is AGP and I have Half-Life 2 which i can run perfectly in 1280 by 1024 mode.The computer has an itergrated card that is very low like 64mb won't run the sims 2, plus i used to have a Geforce Fx 5200 and these problems never occurd i was just hella SLLLLOOOOOWWWW.

Mirelly · May 29, 2005

In that case I'm about all out of ideas. You're obviously no beginner. As I said the 6200 isn't specifically mentioned as a supported card by Maxis/EA. However try searching the NVIDIA tecj support forums for similar issues and if you don't find any try raising it as a new query. Surely someone will have an answer ...

Useful links:
http://www.nvidia.com/page/support.html
http://forums.nvidia.com/

Miguelco6 · May 30, 2005

NONE OF THESE THINGS WORKED

I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the...

Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. ClicI have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the... Discussion Thread Response (Paul G.)04/16/2005 12:11 PM Hello,

I would suggest to get your computers motherboard updates as not all of the system information in your DXDiag report is being properly reported. If you have a custom built system I would go to the motherboard manufacturers webpage and locate any and all motherboard driver and firmware updates. If you have a standard manufacturered computer please go to the respective website (Dell, HP, etc). If you have any trouble in locating the drivers please contact the technical support for your computer, or motherboard for further assistance.

Let me know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 06:14 PM sorry but this didn't work either Response (Paul G.)04/15/2005 12:15 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Sometimes the advanced features of the NVIDIA series of video chipsets can cause issues with the game you may be experiencing. To disable these features please go over the following:

1. Right-Click on your desktop and select Properties.
2. Click on the Settings tab on the upper right of the display properties box.
3. Click on the Advanced button just below color quality.
4. Click on the GeForce tab.
5. On the left side a box will appear, click on and select Performance & Quality Settings
6. Click on and select Antialiasing settings in the Global Driver Settings section.
7. Click on and uncheck the box for Application-controlled, now the value should be set to off
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for Anisotropic filtering, and Vertical sync
9. Click Apply, then OK.
10. Run the game like you normally would and see if this has corrected the situation.

If for some reason you need to restore the defaults to these settings either because they did not work or they are affecting other games please follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-5 on the above to get to the appropriate screen.
2. Simply click the Restore button just below the NVIDIA logo.
3. Click Apply, then OK.

Let us know if you need further assistance. Customer04/15/2005 09:51 AM no offense, but read the whole thread before suggesting something becuase i've already tryed that and it dosen't make it better it make it wrose Response (Eli R.)04/14/2005 04:38 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

I have looked over the system information included with your email and it appears that you are in need of an updated driver for your video card. A new driver has just come out this week. Go to the following website and follow the simple instructions to download the latest drivers. The following instructions are solely provided as a general guide as each manufacturer may utilize a different method for installation.

Your video card driver can be obtained by taking the following steps:
1. Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
2. There you will see three boxes. In the first box choose "Graphics Driver".
3. In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have.
4. In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!"
5. Click on "Primary Download Site".
6. Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".
7. Click on "Save"
8. Set the drop down box next to Save in to Desktop and click the "Save" button.
9. The file that has been copied to your desktop is a self extracting executable, meaning you should be able to double click on it and follow the directions to install it. It is normal to have to restart your computer after this is complete. Customer04/14/2005 08:08 AM help help help Customer04/14/2005 08:07 AM This is not solved in still need help Response (Paul G.)04/09/2005 10:43 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

Could you please send me an updated DirectX report for our records? To do this:

1. Go to Start -> Run.
2. In the box, type the following: dxdiag
3. Hit "OK"
4. Click the "Save All Information" button on the first screen of the application.
5. Then on top of the "Save As" box that pops up, click the arrow just to the right of the "Save In" box, and select Desktop, then click Save.
6. Finally, attach the dxdiag.txt to your email reply. Customer04/08/2005 01:36 PM all that and it's still the same Response (Paul G.)04/08/2005 11:23 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting EA technical support. I am sorry that you are having difficulty.

The issue you are experiencing is due to corrupted game files. In this case we will need to remove all the files associated with the games in order for them to work properly.

We have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on 2 files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry.

1. Click on Start and then click on Run...
2. In the text line type regedit, then click OK.
3. Click on File and then Export...
4. Choose a location and name for the file (this will be your backup registry file).
5. Click Save.

The next steps will all be performed in the left pane of the Registry Editor window.

1. Click on the plus (+) next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled EA Games.
4. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
5. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
6. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

7. Left-Click once on the plus next to Electronic Arts
8. Left-Click once on the plus next to EA GAMES
9. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 2 University".
10. Right click once on one of these folders; a menu will appear.
11. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before and repeat for the 2nd folder.

12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
13. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
14. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
15. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
16. Locate one of the folders labeled (depending on your version)
For the CD Edition Sims 2 - {8AB8D458-939E-403F-0097-9BA1C1F013D5}
For the DVD Edition Sim 2 - {40C03514-89C3-41BA-0090-3B440256DB87}
For the European Edition Sims 2 - {6E7DD182-9FC6-4651-0095-2E666CC6AF35}

17. Locate a folder labeled
For the CD/DVD Edition University - {8FD3F4BA-A4A6-4380-00A6-CC6853AB2DC2}
18. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
19. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.

Delete the two Sims 2 folders located here:

C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2
C:\Program Files\ EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University

And here:

\\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2

You have now removed all entries for The Sims 2 and University from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

After installing The Sims 2 make sure you download and run the patch before Installing University.
You can find the patch at: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/ Customer04/07/2005 03:42 PM This still dosen't work it's the same as before Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/05/2005 03:59 AM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

First you'll have to backup your save games, after backing up reinstall The Sims 2 then install the patch then you can proceed on installing The Sims 2 expansion. After installing the game completely you can now restore your save games.

To backup your data:

Open your My Documents folder.
Open the EA GAMES folder.
Right-click on The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Close the window.
Right-click on your desktop (or another location you have chosen for the backup) and choose Paste.
From here you may write the folder to a CD if you wish.
If you files become corrupt or you are uninstalling an expansion and want your old Sims back, you can restore your Sims 2 data.

To restore your data:

Right-click on the backup The Sims 2 folder and choose Copy.
Open your My Documents folder.
Right-click on the EA GAMES folder and choose Paste.
You will recieve a confirmation message asking if you would like to replace the current files. Choose Yes or Yes to All if it is available.
Allow the copying to finish.
When you start your game you will now be using your backed up Sims 2 data.

Thank you,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Customer04/04/2005 04:03 PM ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!! sorry but your sugestion made it alot wrose Response (EA Tech Marc C.)04/03/2005 11:59 PM Hello,

Thank you for contacting us here at Electronic Arts Technical Support,

If the trouble persists, try updating the drivers for your video card.
These drivers can be obtained by taking the following steps:

Go to: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
There you will see three boxes. In the first box, Choose "Graphics Driver".
In the second box, choose the type of Video card you have. Your Video card is the:
In the third box, choose your Operating System (Windows Version), and click "Go!".
Click on the " Primary Download Site ".
Read the LICENSE AGREEMENT and click "Accept".

It should then prompt you to begin the download. Be mindful of any additional Install or download instructions that Nvidia recommends.

Thank You,
Marc C.
Electronic Arts
Technical Support

Should you require further assistance about this or any Electronic Arts games in the future please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase (http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?) Auto-Response04/03/2005 08:01 PM IMPORTANT!

Before you finish submitting your question, please make sure that you have attached your hardware information to help us resolve your answer quickly. If your hardware information is not included and you have a technical issue, you will receive a response requesting this information before we can assist you.

Please go back and follow these steps to save and attach your hardware information:

1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type DXDIAG and click OK.
3. If the DirectX diagnostic tool does not load, please go to www.microsoft.com/directx and download/install the latest version of DirectX before re-attempting step 2. Otherwise continue to step 4.
4. Click the Save All Information button.
5. Click Save to save your information to your desktop.
6. Click here, and fill out the required fields.
7. Click the Browse button at the bottom of the link.
8. Click the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PCk the Desktop icon on the left of the menu, and select Dxdiag.txt
9. Click Open to attach your hardware information, and then submit your question. Customer04/03/2005 08:01 PM I have both expansion packs and my games run great, except the images for the snapshots in the game which make the game look really bad, Ive included examples hope they help.
Michael Cooper Platform PC

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Troubleshooting Picture Problem Makes Game play Suck.

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snapshot_00000001_0f9a3c1f.jpg

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Attached Files:

DxDiag.txt

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Troubleshooting Picture Problem Makes Game play Suck.

Miguelco6 New Member

Attached Files:

snapshot_00000001_0f9a3c1f.jpg

Mirelly Active Member

Miguelco6 New Member

Attached Files:

DxDiag.txt

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