Game not loading?

[pentabet]

I tried searching the forums for this question, but I haven't seen anything yet.

When I double click on my game icon (I have all EPs into FT, am patched, and using a no-CD exe), my mouse gets the usual timer next to it telling me it's loading, but then it stops.  The timer goes away, my TaskManager says nothing's running, and no game window pops up.

My boyfriend says that my hard drive light isn't going on, but he doesn't know why.
I restarted my computer, then tried again.  Turned my computer off all the way, let it install updates, turned it on and tried again.  Still no go.  I re-downloaded my no-CD exe, tried with that.  Nope.  Nuthin.

Checked the MATY get-rid-of-SecuRom walk through, my boyfriend says that there's no SecuRom on my computer to interfere, though I don't remember getting rid of it yet.

If I left out any helpful information, let me know.  I'm stumped.

[mitchellcjs]

Have you ensured that you are using the correct NoCD?  I don't think this is an unholy hybrid issue, but it could be.

[SickPuppy]

Sounds like it could be a version prob to me, too.

Are you sure your cracked exe is for the patched version and not the original release?

hxxp://m0001.gamecopyworld.com/games/pc_the_sims_2_freetime.shtml

(change hxxp to http)

[laylei]

Have you tried deleting groups.cache? This happens to me a lot, and once I delete that, the game runs as usual.

[pentabet]

I'm pretty sure I'm using the right noCD exe, I'll try deleting the groups.cache, and the funny thing is, I tested running it on my other computer account (same computer) and it's running fine, it's minimized right now.  I'll try it when I'm done screwing around on the other account.

[pentabet]

I deleted the groups.cache, that did it.  You guys ARE awesome.  Thank you!

I've had this problem a few times before, couldn't figure out the cause, so i fell back on reinstalling all my expansions and added my saved stuff back in, it took forever compared to just deleting one thing.  I'll know better from now on.