Two versions of the game

[simmiecal]

Is it possible to have two versions of the game on your PC?

What I would like to do is have a NL version and mods on my PC and then have another version which I update with OFB. The neighborhoods would be kept separate - never expect to update the NL neighborhoods for OFB.  Can't I just copy what's in the C:/Programs File into another directory and then have the executable point to that directory? This sounds way too easy, so I'm guessing that the answer must be no, but does anyone know of a way to have two versions on the same PC?

[Renatus]

The only way I can think of is to have two operating systems installed and have a game install for each. I don't actually know of any program that can be installed more than once if it has to have registry entries.

[jrd]

The only way to do this is to have different registry files, and import those on demand.

Your NL registry file should not contain any references to OFB (export the TS2 strings before installing OFB).
You will also need to change your 'my documents' folder for OFB -- fortunately this is also a registry setting.

It is possible, but difficult. Having two different platforms (different OSs or different PCs) is probably easier.

[cheriem]

Why can't you just make a new user ID?

[simmiecal]

Why can't you just make a new user ID?

I can do that if I want to keep downloads and/or neighborhoods separate, but each user ID, while having it's own "My documents-Sims 2" folders, when you run the game (regardless of XP user ID) it will use the files in the C:\Programs section.

Meh. I guess I have to keep praying to the kitten killer god and offering sacrifices.   

[jsalemi]

It is possible, but difficult. Having two different platforms (different OSs or different PCs) is probably easier.

That's what I plan on doing.  I have the game on both my desktop and my laptop, and I only play the laptop version when I'm away from home and bored, so I don't have as much time or interest invested in the characters as I do on my main system.  So I'm going to install OFB on the laptop and see what it breaks, and then wait for fixes/updates before updating my main game.

[ZephyrZodiac]

If you do what I did, and create a network, you could then run two base units, one for each version of the game, using a KVM switch to switch between the two.  While it wouldn't be cheap, it would save the cost of a new monitor and other peripherals.

[U_Dog_U]

If you do what I did, and create a network, you could then run two base units, one for each version of the game, using a KVM switch to switch between the two.  While it wouldn't be cheap, it would save the cost of a new monitor and other peripherals.

That's what I do. 

[ZephyrZodiac]

Just very wire-intensive!

[miramis]

Or partition the hard drive if you have the space...

[ZephyrZodiac]

Could you run a second version on a second hard drive, I wonder?  (You could with sims1, but I don't know about sims2).

[miramis]

Of course you can.   But if you don't have a second hard drive to dual-boot with, and lack the cash to buy extra hardware then formatting the existing drive into partitions will work just as well.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, in my case, I have two hard drives, but I don't know how to install the game on the second one, or how to run it from there. 

As it is, I have a 2nd HD which is twice the size of my main one, so it has loads of space.  (My system was built by a non-simmer.......)  However, my main drive is beginning to get a bit full!

[miramis]

Do you have both hard drives installed in your machine with an operating system on both?

[ZephyrZodiac]

No, the second one was installed for storage.  (Like I need 140 GB of storage....)  Basically, they were installed the wrong way round, but since it was all done as a favour, I couldn't really complain.

[miramis]

For the drive to be used as storage it should have an operating system installed.  I know that some OS's can't see others, for example I used to dual boot 98/XP and could see the 98 partition from within XP but not vice versa. 

Is your second drive a removable storage device or something?  You should see two operating systems listed after POST (the beep after powering up the macine) if both drives have been set up properly.  Though I do remember having a problem once where the one XP drive wasn't showing itself, that was a problem with an IDE cable though.  It could possibly be something to do with the Master/Slave setup which is out of my department (hubby is hardware guy lol). 

If it's not a removeable storage device then you could try checking the drives in BIOS.  If the second drive isn't showing in there that is where the problem solving begins.  How do you know they were installed the wrong way around?  Did he install 98 After XP or something?

[ZephyrZodiac]

Oh, they both show up.  What I meant was, I'd have preferred a larger main drive and a smaller one for storage.  I think he mainly does systems for small businesses, and I imagine they use a lot more storage than I need. 

I know there's something not right though - I can't move anything on the second HD by drag/drop, only copy it.  If I want to move it, I have to use the Windows Explorer option.

To be honest, the system was set up in a way I wouldn't have done it if I'd known more about it then, but I don't know how to change it. 

[Paperbladder]

One reason why 98 can't read XP's partition is probably because the XP partition is formatted with NTFS while the 98 partition is formatted with FAT32.  Only XP, NT, and 2000 can read NTFS from Windows OSes.  Pretty much everything can read FAT32.

I've got Windows 2000 and ME installed on my other computer at the same time and there doesn't seem to be any problems.  When I installed 2000 there was an option to install a new OS instead of "upgrading" ME and that causes you to run two.  I have no idea about installing other OSes together though.

[miramis]

In my case it was because I installed XP as NTFS, but you do have the option to install XP Home as FAT32.  It seems like an age since I last used 98.

Zephyr

When I ask if they both show up I mean prior to entering the operating system.  On my system it will pause for a bit to give me the option to enter either drive, this option can be hidden though I think.  Even if the other drive isn't the primary or at least the first OS booted, you should still be able to use it just the same as the current primary.   If I had your machine here in front of me I'd be able to get you into it but my explaining skills are inadequate at best

Question:  Are you using XP?  If so then you might be able to change the boot options easily enough, or even check they are set up for access to the second drive. 

If you right-click on My Computer, click Properties and then click on the Advanced tab.  Click on Startup & Recovery and at the top you should see a drop down box with more than one operating system.  Check the 'Time to Display list of Operating Systems' is ticked and at 30 seconds.  This will give you more time to see the options at startup.  The drive you are booting into currently will probably be the one on top at startup.

Please if anyone can explain this better hop in at any time.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Yes, it's set at 30 seconds.

[miramis]

The highlighted operating system in the drop down box is the current one loaded I think, the name of the other operating system should be in there too.

Next time you restart your pc check that both those operating systems show up before windows loads.  It will be a blackscreen with the two OS's and the clock counting down.  If they are both there you can choose which to load by using the arrows and hitting enter, once you are in you can setup that OS anyway you like and install whatever.  But it will likely be out of date for patches and anti-virus so they would be the first ports of call.  If they are not both there it would be best to ask your friend to come over and help troubleshoot.  Just tell him you want to dual boot and can't access the second drive.  Otherwise wait until you are ready for a format and have him walk through the whole setup and usage of dual booting and OS installation with you.  It's really quite easy now.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, he's not so much MY friend, he's my friend's partner, and he runs a computer business, so I don't really like to ask him unless he's upgrading for me or I have a problem with some hardware.

However, I don't know if this makes sense, but I don't think it has a separate operating system - I think everything runs off the same one.  Which means, it doesn't have it's own registry, I think.

[miramis]

I'm not sure that it's possible to spread the one operating system across both drives, not that I'm saying this isn't the case, just that I'm not aware that it can be done - I'd be interested in reading about this if anyone has links .  If there isn't more than one option in that drop down box in 'Startup & Recovery' I don't know what else to suggest. 

[ZephyrZodiac]

I suppose there must be something.  The drive is shown as 149 GB, so I imagine there's something there, but what I don't know.  What I did wonder, though, also, was whether I could move my My Documents folder over to Drive E and whether, if I did, the game would be able to access it.   That would save me an enormous amount of space on the main drive.

Still can't understand why I can't drag and drop, though!  It's really annoying when I forget and do it, and end up with files all over the place!

[miramis]

Perhaps limited priveledges on the other drive prevent you from making too many changes.  I don't think it would be a good idea to move My Docs over to the other drive, besides I think it would probably only create a shortcut, though no-doubt there is some sort of trick to getting around that.  I think if you moved the EA games folder like that the game would not be able to find itself anyway.