More Awesome Than You!

 Yesterday I bought WA. When I put the CD in, it told me that it had to update The Sims 3. After updating it installed World Adventures. When I brought up the game launcher and clicked the arrow to start the game, the screen went black and then back to the desktop.
*The only Custom stuff I have is from The Sims 3 official store, but took it all out anyway just incase*

I uninstalled WA and tried to play just the base game - same thing. (The base game had been working fine 2 days ago.)
I uninstalled the base game and re-installed it, choosing NOT to update it - same thing.
I tried system restore, to restore it to the last known date that it worked, but it said it couldn't restore to that date. I also tried 3 other random dates and it can't restore at all apparently.

None of this mess was happening untill I tried to install WA, which forced me to update. I don't know if it's a problem with WA or the update or my computer.

Here's what I'm working with:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU       6300  @ 1.86GHz (2 CPUs)
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT      *(updated drivers)

I'm DESPERATE for any suggestions on how to fix this!  :-[

Two seconds of black screen and right back to desktop? Same problem I've had and I've done everything I can think of to try and fix it. No one has given me any cures for it either... Give me a shout if you get a answer though.

I'll let you know if I find anything out. I've been at this for 5 hours, doing everything I can possibly think of to try to fix it, all to no avail.

My last option is to go to target and just buy another copy - maybe our disks are effed up?

The probability of disc failure is so low (but so easy to blame instead of user error) that it's practically impossible to ever have it happen. Just saying. No need to bug the store people for another copy.

Wait, as in buy the same game again? Or am I misreading what you typed? Because that would be spending $60 for one expansion pack.

Is it possible that the processor is too slow? The system requirements say 2.0 GHz for Windows XP.

Disk failure is very common, actually, but rarely explains a game that successfully installs without issue, as a failed disk read would normally produce a checksum error on installation.

I would return this one and get another one, so 'exchange' is what I should have said. :)

Yes, human error is the cause of most of these problems, but I'm not new to computers. Installing an expansion pack should not cause this much of a problem. Unless I was breathing wrong while it was installing, I have no idea what the problem is or could be. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

While I have a 1.86GHz processor, it's a *Duo* processor so I don't know if that makes a difference. It ran TS3 perfectly with no problems, so I don't know why it would just mess up now.

I have 2.0GHz so it's not that for me. This is something entirely random. Let me ask this though, is there normally files named "xcpt compname-1 09-11-19 21.31.44" there without the use of mods? I have none installed for the game anymore but I can't recall if those were there before or after. >.>

ETA: this is a wild shot but, has anyone noticed the listing for the Nvidia graphics card is a tad confusing?
Windows Supported Video Cards: Nvidia GeForce series: FX5900 or greater, G100, GT 120, GT 130, GTS 150, GTS 250, GTX 260, GTX 275, GTX 280, GTX 285, GTX 295; ATI Radeon™ series: ATI Radeon 9500 series of greater, X300, X600, X700, X800, X850, X1300, X1600, X1800, X1900, X1950, 2400, 2600, 2900, 3450, 3650, 3850, 3870, 4850, 4870, 4890 series or greater; Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA): GMA 3-Series, GMA 4-Series.
Mac Supported Video Cards: Nvidia GeForce series: 7300, 7600, 8600, 8800, 9400M, 9600M, GT120, GT 130 ATI Radeon™ series: x1600, X1900, HD 2400, HD 2600, HD3870, HD 4850, HD 4870.

Mainly what I'm focusing on is the fact it doesn't list mine... Even though the base game ran for me it shares the same odd graphic card listing. I'll admit if I'm a total idiot on this one but normally a game will list in a ballpark your card... If this is the case though then it's just a matter of waiting on if they support our cards.

I don't have the expansion, but I was actually having this same problem with the base game.  I fixed it by going back to an older driver for my video card.  This one worked for me:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_186.18_whql.html

I hope it works as well for you!

I installed that later version and it didn't make a difference . Still getting black screen then desktop. I also tried the 195 beta version and that didn't do anything either. But I just installed these over the previous version - do I need to uninstall the drivers first and then go back and install them?

Downgrade your graphic card's drivers. Oddly, nvidia's latest drivers do not work with Sims 3.

I put the link to an earlier driver, not a newer one.  Did you try the one I linked to?
When you try to install it, it should tell you that you already have a newer driver installed, and ask if you still want to install the older one.  So just say yes.. I can only speak from my own experience, but it worked for me, and I now do have the expansion, also working.
Also, make sure to restart your computer after changing the drivers.

Yes I tried your link, the earlier one first. It installed fine but didn't fix the problem. Then someone told me to try the 195 beta, so I did that and it didn't work either. I'm getting really pissed. I just want to play my damn game! Thanks for the suggestions though :) At least you guys want to actually help, which is more than I can say for EA support.

I've been having the same problem, but after disabling two system services (Nvidia Display Driver Service and Volume Shadow Copy) I got the game to run. Why I do not know, but it works. For me.

I tried disabling Nvidia Display Driver Service and it didn't do anything :(. BUT I did finally get it to work! YAY! Only now it crashes after 20 minutes of gameplay. I had to *manually* uninstall the WA expansion pack and TS3, then reinstall them again. Aparently when I was using Add/Remove programs to uninstall them, it was leaving behind some files that were probably corrupt.

Instructions on manually uninstalling The Sims 3:
https://easims.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/easims.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=22226&p_created=1243972659

Manually uninstalling World Adventures:
https://easims.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/easims.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=23839&p_created=1258571611

(The process is the same for both games, but they have different codes you have to delete in the "uninstall" folder.)

Now that it's at least working, I get to spend 4 more days figuring out why it's crashing after 20 minutes.  :-[