Safe with vista? I'm thinking about getting myself a new computer for Christmas, which will be vista since all the new computers are. My question is, do Vista and TS2 mix? Is it safe to install Sims 2 on a Vista computer? I read somewhere that since Sims was made before Vista there's no guarantee that the game will work on a Vista computer... But do you think I should risk it and get myself a new computer anyway? I'd hate to buy something that expensive and find that my favourite game doesn't work on it... :( Your views please?
I'm running TS2 on Vista Home Premium, Muffin. I'm afraid no-one can give you a guarantee that compatibility is assured. The game is unlikely not to be compatible, though. The main things to look at if buying a new desktop computer are to ensure that it has 2GB of RAM. Do not buy with less! Also try to ensure that it has a PCI-express expansion slot so that you can upgrade the graphics. A new computer which is not upgradeable is a very bad investment. If you're buying a computer where you can choose the configuration, choose the best graphics card you can afford, preferebly one with a 256 bit wide memory bus interface and loads of video memory (at least 256MB but 512MB is even better )
Vista?? Hi there, I got a brand spanking new computer only 2 months ago and I had the same concern. When you initially install the Sims 2 onto a computer with the operating system as Vista then it says there is like a compatability issue, however the new Vista has a new feature which detects problems and offers solutions. I recall, it offers a solution which I can't quite recall what it is but it worked and I personally have not any problems at all and I haven't spoken to anyone that has had one either. I hope this helps.
You should be perfectly fine. It won't be the operating system that will cause the game to mess up if it does. It'd be a hardware issue, and that normally fixes itself out when the latest drivers are installed. But yes, I do second that. If you get Vista, aim around 2 Gigs of memory.
OK, thanks a lot guys. I'll take all that to mind when I'm browsing computers, Mirelly. Did some browsing today and all of the computers I found that were in my budget seemed really bad. I found one that seemed good though! It's a little over my budget but I'll work something out. Processor: Intel Pentium Dual-Core RAM: 2 048 MB RAM slots: 2 (whatever that means o.O) Memory size: 320 GB Grafics card: ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 I don't know what half of that means, but the RAM and memory seem good. Do you guys think this will do for TS2? (I'm so bad when it comes to computers. )
I agree with Josh. It's a decent machine only if it has a PCI-express slot so you can add a graphics card. But you're looking at a laptop and I'm talking about desktop PCs. If you're intent on buying a laptop, well ... the game is not designed for laptops so you will always be taking your chances and graphically the game is never going to be as great as on a PC.
I am too ignornat to be able to help you with this Muffin, but I thought the problems with Vista was with the graphics cards and driver incompatibility. Have those bugs been worked out? We've put off upgrading because of that. Windows is so much like a Sims EP, they're good programs, but it takes time to work out the bugs. LOL
No, it's a PC, Mirelly. As for the PCI express slot, I'll look into it. You guys said I should upgrade the graphics card... Is the current one moderately OK or will the graphics look horrible with it?
I'd say the current one is acceptable for basic purposes. If a PCI-e slot is present then upgrading to a really good kick-bottom card will not cost the earth (say around 100) prices vary across borders, or course. :(
Good news: it has a PCI-e slot. Phew... I got a little worried there. Thanks for the help, everybody!
Well my card is the Radeon X1950 Pro with 512 MB of ultra fast memory. It also moves stuff in and out of that memory 256 bits at a time .... I bought it because it was the lowest price card with those features and can be gotten for way less than a 100 quid. It's price is falling all the time, and even better cards are now falling into the price bracket I bought into ... which was just over 100 a few months ago. Basically it is difficult to advise without knowing your budget and when you plan to buy. The X1950 is quite old (well over a year since it escaped) but that is how I like my technology ... inexpensive due to being last year's best buy.
Can I butt in here.... Hi, I've just joined. The Sims 2 with Vista, ah my question exactly. I hope you don't mind me hijacking here. I thought I was getting a bargain when I bought The Sims 2 Bon Voyage for 14. Then I realised that my ancient comp would die under the effort of running it. DOH! It only just manages with the base game. Soooooooo, I need to lash out on a new comp. What do you guys recommend? I can't spend more that 700, and of course there's the Vista compatibility thing going on. Would love some advice.... Thanx.
As you are in Britland I can suggest that you tackle the job with a massive upgrade rather than buy an off-the-shelf heap o' junk from PC World. For 700 you could get a great new motherboard, a fast new processor, 2 GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive, a kick-arse graphics card, and a copy of Vista Home Premium in a box, and shiny new case. If you don't feel that computer building is a thing you can face (although it isn't difficult, it can be very stressful if you have no experience ... and it can be very expensive if you clumsily try to mash the CPU into its socket the wrong way round ), you can pay someone to do the job for you. However, unless you live way out in the back of beyond, it is unlikely that you will be far from a computer upgrade specialist to be found in Yellow Pages. Most towns have a little computer repairs and upgrade geekologist tucked away somewhere. Most of them will build a PC for less than 50 ... which if you are canny with your shopping, you should have as change from your 700. To source your bits and pieces, you need to start looking online. I have used tekhead.co.uk and found them to be competitive, efficient and reliable .... Don't actually buy anything, if you're not planning to build yourself. Take your shopping list to a specialist builder and tell 'em what you want. I would recommend summat like this: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4400 52.29 Gigabyte Mobo X-fire ready 155.10 Corsair Twin2X 2GB DDR2 46.99 Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950PRO 512MB 99.99 Apevia X-Qpack II Black Aluminum Case 76.36 (A whimsical choice - includes a 500w psu) Seagate Barracuda 250 GB Hard Drive SATA 41.99 Pioneer DVD Rewriter 21.14 Microsoft Vista Home Premium 32BIT Edition DVD - OEM 63.45 Total = 557.31 If you wanted to spend all that 700 squids you face a choice of getting more/better hardware of buying more Sims 2 expansions and stuff packs ... if you lack expansions, I'd get them. The above configuration would blow you away. Or you invest in a flatscreen LCD monitor if you don't have one. To transfer files from the old puter to the new one, just run the Windows network wizard on the old one and set it as a junior partner and make sure you set all its files to sharing. The do the same with new one setting it as the boss and then hook 'em up together with a cheap network cable ... or get the computer builder to do it for ya. NOTES: The motherboard choice at number 2 (Gigabyte Link) is just one of many. There are many cheaper options. That one has dual PCI-E slots set up for ATI Cross-Fire so you can have two graphics cards cross-linked to double up your graphics power. I chose a single 250GB hard drive. If you need more, for storage, back up etc, it is better to add more drives. They're cheap enough. Be sure to specify SATAII technology ... older IDE drives would have difficulty with a new motherboard. Upgradability is assured by: the motherboard picked out will happily cope with the new quad core AMD Phenom cpus (currently in 150 bracket) and has loads of SATAII sockets for adding extra hard drives. (The case selected only has room for two or three depending on whether you have a 3.5" floppy or not. I didn't include one of those ....). You can also add another 2GB of RAM, which the maximum possible with a 32-bit Operating System. You'd need to upgrade to 64-bit version of Vista to go over the 4GB of RAM ... but I suggest that move is a second massive upgrade away in 3 to 5 years depending on how geeky you are.
Hey thanks for all that info, you've gone to a lot of trouble for me, I really appreciate it. It certainly gives me food for thought.....I never liked the idea of giving PCWorld my money anyway :happy: Great stuff. x
No problem. Please let us know what you decide and how happy you are with it ... you know you're really gonna want all the Sims 2 Expansion and Stuff packs ... so don't blow the budget on hardware alone.
My husband has been in touch with a local pc shop who reckons they can put one together for me for about 500. So we are going to go and have a mosey round there sometime. I'd much rather give them my money than PCworld. And, seeing that I intend to have ALL the expansion packs one of these days, as Tesco say, every little helps :knockedout: x
Just remember that with Sims 2, graphics performance is of paramount importance. Something like the Sapphire X1950 Pro 512MB is the minimum standard to aim at when spending more than 500 squids ... without a decent graphics card you might just as well buy an off the shelf heap o' junk from PC world for 399.99 and at least have the benefit of a shiny new keyboard, speakers and monitor. And remember there are no free lunches. If the price includes a screen and a keyboard, you are paying for those items ... and you already have a screen and a keyboard and a mouse. 500 worth of components plus 50-75 on assembly will buy you an awesome tower case to replace your existing one. Remember that you can always get a new keyboard for 9.99 from Asda ... when (and not before) the current one refuses to put an Z on the screen when you press the Z on the keyboard.
