More Awesome Than You!

(I'm sorry this post is so long, but I thought I'd better be thorough...)

FreeTime has borked my game.

I installed FreeTime a couple days ago. Prior to then, I have never had a problem running the game or BodyShop.

Since installing, I've gotten the dreaded "The application has crashed. The application will now terminate." error three times. I've googled around here and elsewhere and here's what I've done:


The first time could've been entirely due to my own stupidity. I was removing Maxis toddlers/children/teens from some custom hairs with SimPE -- yeah, the un-updated version. I was unaware this could turn my game into a BFBVFS. I know now. Anyway, the game worked fine for the rest of the session. The next day, I could not get BodyShop to load -- I kept getting that error. I wrote it off as a fluke, and decided to fully reinstall the game. I loaded up all my SP's & EP's in order, then installed patches for all of them.


The second time I hadn't used SimPE at all (I was just culling my latest batch of Downloads in BodyShop.) The next day, when I tried to boot up BS, I got the error again. I freaked out, and started googling for answers. I found out about the SimPE thing, but I didn't think that would apply since I hadn't used it since that install. I cleared out my groups.cache and all those other temp files in Doc >> EA Games >> Sims 2. I went into Thumbnails and deleted those files as well. I took out my custom SC4Terrains, Saved Sims (although I keep my sims in Downloads, so this folder was already empty to begin with), custom Collections, and my one Config file (the BodyShop lighting hack). Of course I removed my Downloads folder. I moved all these CC files to the desktop, and tried booting up BodyShop again. No luck.

Pescado mentioned somewhere that the BodyShop.exe file (don't remember the exact name) could be replaced. I tried this (I went into C:\Program Files\\\Teen Style\etc. and copied the .exe from there and tried to paste it over the FreeTime.exe). I created a new shortcut and tried to launch BodyShop. No go.

I then rolled back to Teen Style Stuff (uninstalled just FreeTime) to see if the game would work then. No. Uninstalled FreeTime, would BV work? No. Uninstalled each SP/EP and tried to load up with the earlier SP/EP -- wouldn't work, straight down to Uni.

Then something interesting happened -- I uninstalled Uni and tried loading up the base game BodyShop. IT WORKED! I have no idea why.

I eventually thought maybe it was because I hadn't patched my 2nd installation as I went along. So I uninstalled and tried again -- this time installing the base game, then patching, uni, then patching, nightlife... etc. I loaded up BodyShop and everything was fine.


Today, when I tried to boot up BodyShop, it would not load. I got that same, damn error again and I now have no idea why. I've gone through the motions of removing all my CC/mods as I've already described above, and deleted those pesky temp files (groups.cache, thumbnails and the others). Still, nothing. I don't relish the thought of reinstalling the game again... (though I will if no solution can be found -- I'd just like to know what I'm doing wrong before I do that again).

Things I've noticed -- I seem to get this error only when I start a new session. After a clean re-install, everything's just peachy until I shut down for the day and try to boot back in the following day. (I don't know if it matters, just an observation.)

I'm trying to create a face template replacement set, and I don't want any Maxis fuglies generated before I'm done, so I've held off on playing the actual game on the 2nd & 3rd installs. I did play it when I first installed FreeTime however, and everything was working properly. (Could load neighborhoods and lots, play with a sim, create sims, etc.) Every time I've gotten the dreaded error, I've tried loading up the actual game as well as BodyShop to see if the problem was limited to BodyShop itself. It isn't -- the game gets the same error when I try to run it that I get in BodyShop.

I can't think of what else might be causing this... except FreeTime itself. I've read somewhere around here that this error is most likely not arr/nocd related though (since I was able to get everything up and running at least once before problems started). Help, please?


SPECS:

I have an iMac, that's sort of dual boot, only not so much with the dual -- it just runs XP. It's been running Windows for around two years, and I've experienced no problems on that end.

XP Pro, Service Pack 2

genuine intel cpu 1400 @ 1.83GHz
1 GB RAM, 4GB static paging file
143 GB (61%) free on harddrive
ATI Mobility Radeon x1600
SigmaTel Audio
DirectX 9.0

I obsessively defrag and run CCleaner, so my registry and temp folders should be clean, too. I have all the expansion and stuff packs.

Attached is my latest error log. I'd greatly appreciate any help you all could give me.

This is not an error log. It is not relevant to our interests. When does it crash?

As soon as I click on my BodyShop/Sims shortcuts.

Edited: By the way, I don't use the kitten killer, and the majority of my hacks are awesome. (I do have some TwoJeffs and other random things though.) I took out everything before testing, however.

You're running it on a laptop with only 1 GB of RAM. You need Moar RAM for starters, and make sure you're not overheating.

No, I'm not running it on a laptop. I'm running it on an iMac desktop, not a MacBook. My iMac doesn't even get warm, let alone hot, so that's not an issue. (I've had problems with overheating laptops in the past, so I know the symptoms -- noisy, overworked fan, laptop so hot you can't actually put it in your lap, whole computer shutting down every half hour for no discernible reason -- none of this is happening to me.)

I thought 1GB was standard? I know it's preferable to have 2 or more GB, but I've never experienced extreme lag or insane load times on my machine (roughly 5 min, from start-up to within a lot). Plus, I've switched to a 4GB static paging file as per the instructions on Paladin's website and defrag regularly to improve performance. I run other graphics-heavy games on my computer with no problems, so I don't think it's the machine itself that's at fault.



Edited: Huh. I just tried to get into BodyShop again, and it worked! Sims is working, too! I still don't know why I got that error in the first place, but apparently all I needed to do was reboot (though rebooting didn't do anything before....) Whatever, at least it's working again. :)

Thanks, Pescado & Kat.

If you're on a desktop, why is the card an ATI Mobility Radeon x1600?

I'm glad it's working for you, but 2GB is standard with XP and the game. 4GB if you're trying to run Vista.

iMacs have always used graphics. There isn't enough room in one for a regular card.

Ram is nowhere near as much as it used to cost, try getting some at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com) for cheap. We have a similar iMac. They're very easy to get memory in.This 2GB memory chip (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211187) should be fine.