I had to do a whole new install and now the game wont load past the full screen

[fnlemon]

I have never posted here before but I really need help so I figured I would go where I knew I could get expert help.  I know I'm a noob but please don't hold that against me.

I had to do a whole new install because my 1yr. old nephew was pushing buttons on my computer and inadvertently deleted the Sims M&G file.  I have know idea how he did this and I did try to just reinstall the offending EP but that didn't work and so I decided to just uninstall everything and start fresh.  Now the game wont load.  It gets as far as the load screen where the words are scrolling past and it gets to various stages of completing the load before it crashes back to windows.  I get a message that says this application has crashed.  I got as far as loading OFB before I noticed the problem.  I can't get the game to start and I have tried everything except a system restore.  What should I do?  I really don't want to do a system restore if I don't have to.  Also I have all EPs\SPs.  The game was working before I had to do a new install.  Should I get no cd cracks for all of the EPs\SPs? and go from there?

[J. M. Pescado]

Might not be the only thing he deleted. Also, there is no such thing as "1". This is still 0.

[fnlemon]

He probably did delete more than that.  I am betting on that.  I basically uninstalled everything again and I will start from scratch.  I also removed SecuROM with the SecuROM uninstaller about an hour ago.  So it seems I am now SecuROM Free.  I just don't know what I should do to get the Sims2 back and running because I am afraid to put it back in only to have it crash at the splash screen, over and over.  Is there any other files I should look for that could be causing this problem?

[J. M. Pescado]

Have you tried reformatting the computer?

[fnlemon]

No, I haven't, I was hoping that I wouldn't need to do that but if I have to I will.  I really was hoping that there was a nice little fix out there to help me.  It is really going to be a pain to reformat the computer.  I have all my iTunes and what not on there too.  I know I should be able to burn the files to disc as a back up of my music library which I should do anyway.  I guess I am in for a long day.

[rosess]

How to Fully Uninstall Sims 2

Maybe there was some leftover gunk on your system.

Look here for things to consider when reinstalling.

[fnlemon]

I am still working on this problem.  I haven't reinstalled all TS2 EPs\SPs yet.  I am still working on making sure that all SecuRom files and EA Download manager files are out of the computer.  I have also saved to disk all custom content that I have as well as other things that I want to save just in case I have to  reformat and reinstall Windows.

on another note I was reading about how to do a clean install I should use a no cd crack for the game I want to play.  As I have all EPs and SPs should I download all cracks for every game cd I have or just the one for M&G?   I have never used no cd cracks before.  I don't know which files to choose since there are: game fixes, game trainers & unlockers, game tools.  I kind of figured out that it would be either the game fixes or trainers.  Not sure what either is.  I want to think that the game fixes are the actual game with SecuROM removed or disabled or something like that.

Then there are fixed .exe's and fixed images.  Which of these do i choose, and then some of the game titles have more than one image file to choose from.  Then there are links to DAEMON Tools, Alcohol 120%, and Image Tools - SD4 Hide.  Which of these do I use and I also noticed that none of them are for free they do have trial versions but not sure how long I can use them and do I have to use them in order to play the game do I copy the image files to cd or directly to my hard drive I just don't know which, and I really don't want to bork the install and have to do this again and again.  I really just want to play my sims and have fun.  That's it nothing more nothing less.  All of this is so new to me.

[J. M. Pescado]

This is what happens when you allow a 0 to touch your computer.

[DJKID]

You only need the crack for your latest EP, which in your case is M&G. What you are looking for is a no-cd, which does exactly as it says, and a fixed edition. This means no SecuROM crap.
To install one of these, you need to go to C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\TSBin, make a back-up of the original .exe, in the event that there is a patch release, and replace it with your new fancy one. Voila. No more CD's, no more SecuROM.

The images you are encountering refer to images of the game CD's. Essentially, it's a virtual copy of the disc that you can download to your computer. Since you clearly cannot put it in a CD drive, you need to mount it on a virtual drive. That's what DAEMON Tools and so forth are for. I am presuming you are using actual CD's, so none of this has anything to do with you. However, now you know

[snowbawl]

gamecopyworld.  The site is a no-brainer, which you need.  ALL you need is a no-cd for M&G.

The no-cd crack will generally have the same name as your original Sims2EPx.exe file (whatever number your latest EP is (or in this case, SP that acts like an EP)).

Save your no-cd crack in the TSBin folder of your M&G directory (where the original M&G.exe file is) as something like Sims2EPx-nocd.exe.

Right-click on your Sims 2 M&G shortcut on your desktop and click on properties.  Make sure your shortcut points to the no-cd .exe file (i.e. starts the game from the new Sims2EPx-nocd.exe).

These are instructions as jolrei posted in another thread.  They are by far the easiest as you do not have to rename or back-up original .exe(s).  You will know it works when your game loads without using the launcher and the cd (or dvd) is absent from the drive.

If you can not follow these instructions, then you have bigger problems and are probably no better off than the 0 who allegedly deleted files and caused all the problems in the first place.  You honestly sound as if you need to learn a little about the machinery you are using.  Google is your friend, ask it anything.

Edit to add:

Event Viewer is also your friend.  Read your logs to find out what happened when your game crashed.  Doesn't make sense?  Click the link provided to get a definition.  That doesn't work, google it.  Chances are it is not the first time the error has been generated.  Often times, the solution is also, indeed, right there.

[fnlemon]

Thanks to all of you, J.M. Pescado, rosess, DJKID, snowbawl.  I am going to download the no CD/DVD .exe and then install the games now.  I will let you know what happens in a few hours.

[snowbawl]

Awww.  I've been sitting here waiting.  So either the re-installation worked and funny lemon has no use for us anymore.  Or, maybe its drive asploded.

[fnlemon]

Awww.  snowbawl you are right the re-installation worked, no asplosion here.  I am very grateful to all of you (J. M. Pescado, rosess, DJKID, snowbawl) for your advise on helping me get my game back up and running.  I can't find the words to thank you enough, but thank you thank you.  That just doesn't seem like enough.  I did find that I really didn't have to reformat my computer thank goodness for that.

I don't know why you (snowbawl) would think I wouldn't have any need for you guys and gals here.  I am sure that there is always something that I could learn from all of you that I don't know or would like to learn.  My re-installation just took a little longer than I wanted it to.  I was up until 1:30 AM messing with this confounded thing and I had to stop and go to bed.  So sorry you waited for my answer (I don't really think you did though).

I also solved the problem of my 0 pressing buttons on the keyboard and turning off the computer by pressing the power button.  I  rigged my desk so I can put the keyboard up high enough out of reach when I leave the computer unattended and I disabled the power button.  So there won't be anymore of those problems.