cannot load sims2 on my pc!!!

questionwhy · Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject: cannot load sims2 on my pc!!!

i have sims2 that ran and installed fine on my old lap top. on my new one in between the changing of disks its seems when i load disk 3 or 4 it just stops intalling

no error message just freezes and goes to not responding.

am running windows xp on hp lap top

Bipedal Male · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:17 am Post subject:

Are the CD's clean and not stratched?

Does the CD drive sound like it is repeatedly trying to read the same part of the disc?

Does it always stop at the same point during the install?

Does the laptop crash, or just the installation of Sims2?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to get a clearer idea of what is happening? Embarassed

questionwhy · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject: answers to sims2 questiions

hi dont worry bout the questions is fine just glad of the help Laughing

it seems fine and then when i swap discs it seems the cdrom seems to like die on the third or fourth disc and then soounds a bit scratchy then nothing.

discs look clean

stavpal · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject:

can you try to copy the cd's to the hard drive (assuming it has enough free space) and use daemon Virtual manager (google it) (It "emulates" cd-rom drives) and install from there?
(I suppose Sims2 can be easily copied to the hard disk and work - they don't have any weird protection, right?)

Sam_oz · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:54 am Post subject:

nah sims 2 has copy protection, you wont be able to do that easily

the main question is - have you tried installing it on another computer? if it fails on that too, we know itll be the discs causing the problem, if it installs right, you may have a problem with your CD-ROM or the software on your computer is unstable

cosmicB · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:25 pm Post subject:

Never heard of that problem before...

I'll toss out a few off the top ideas, that I would try...

Sam sure knows what's happening... In addition to Sam's advice: If I was up against it, I'd first run a "surface scan" on the hard disk, to be sure that there are not any bad clusters locking-out parts of the operating system... Then I'd run my AVS...

Then I'd run all my PC's diagnostic tools... I might download and run: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Belarc_Advisor_d1385.html

Next thing I might do, is gently remove the unit, and check if there's something loose in it... Maybe the laser is super dirty..? It's a rough road trying to clean a dirty unit.. way too easy to cause damage... Best left for the pros, unless you are confident and adept with electronics and extremely fine hardware... I've read that CD's should always be wiped clean before they are inserted... If cat hairs get into a unit they can cause serious interuptions like you've mentioned...

I'd download the latest drivers for that unit...

Have you checked with the manufacturer to determine that the change is compatable?..
Maybe the manufacturer has a trouble shooting forum...
Surf "hp notebook troubleshooting forum"...

I'd go into my browser, and type the "model number of the unit", and add, "won't work in x computer"... Maybe a few others have run into the same trouble, and have fixed it, and published the fix... That's a lot of big maybe's...

Last resort is to take it to the repair shop for just a diagnosis.. but last time I did that with a Mac notebook it cost me 55 bucks, and the shop robbed a hard to find part from mine, and installed their defective one in my notebook.. and used my notebook's part to fix their notebook.. then scammed and conned me... Definitely Not a reputable shop... T'was a hard and very costly lesson.. is why I try with my all to do my own repairs...

Another option, much cheaper, but not as reliable as a computer shop, is to take it to a collage's advanced computer service training classroom... Sometimes schools take things in to fix, to get the practice.. but generally you need to know someone who works there...

Pros often advise to test a troublesome unit in another computer...

That's a real tough problem you've got... I wish I had the knowlege to help you through it... I'll do a little inquiring here and there... I know a few computer wizards who live to help others...

boingo · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:30 am Post subject:

I had the same problems with installing The Sims (First one) and I found it was because I had Norton Systemworks continually runnning in the background.
It could be a similar thing with The Sims 2.

I just re-installed The Sims 2 plus four ad-ons and it did the lot with no problems at all. I didn't even remember to log off from the net when I did it either, so I had my firewall and antivirus still running. (I'm not using Norton anymore though as it caused more problems than it solved.)

I haven't actually played Sims 2 since this install though, so I don't know if it installed properly, but I have no reason to assume otherwise.