More Awesome Than You!

I posted this over in one of TwoJeffs hacks, and 2 other people have said they have no problem downloading the files and opening them.  So, I don't know why, but apparently my computer has magically made these files corrupt for me.  WinRAR says they are corrupt, ExtractNow says they contain errors, and the Windows Explorer Extract tool says they are just empty.  Here's the list of hacks that won't open for me:

Abductions - Higher Odds Ver 1.1.zip (1.18 KB - downloaded 366 times.)
Age Transition Fixes.zip (1 KB - downloaded 166 times.)
Death By Satellite - Higher Odds.zip (0.7 KB - downloaded 205 times.)
Go Steady Critical Fix.zip (0.75 KB - downloaded 199 times.)
Move Away From the Portal.zip (1.1 KB - downloaded 251 times.)
NL Handheld & MP3 No Autonomy.zip (1.1 KB - downloaded 232 times.)
Photo Booth Try for Baby Fix.zip (1.25 KB - downloaded 97 times.)
Toddler Toy Death Fix.zip (0.99 KB - downloaded 238 times.)
ToddlerPlaywithtoiletfix.zip (0.76 KB - downloaded 683 times.)
Toilets - Always Flush plus Wash Hands Ver 1.2.zip (1.79 KB - downloaded 112 times.)

Anyone have any ideas about how I can fix this?  Or are they just really corrupt, and I need to wait for TwoJeffs to fix 'em?  BTW, these are the only hacks I've had trouble with, the rest I got from the site downloaded just fine, opened just fine and are working in my game now.

Thanks everyone, especially team MATY.  You guys make me happy.  ;D

EDIT:  I have Cable Broadband, so slow downloads aren't usually an issue.  I have tried this in Firefox, Internet Explorer and Maxthon browsers, all are giving me the same results.  I've cleared all the caches, cookies, histories, temp files...everything.  Still won't work, which is so weird, because they worked about 2 weeks ago.  I'll try Sim File Maid and the Flashget (I don't have any downloaders installed), because I think that's my problem, too...that they aren't downloading the full file.  Although, don't these file sizes seem a bit small to you for the hacks they contain?  I mean, I know they are compressed, but they just seem small compared to the other hacks on the site.

None of these are corrupt, so it's something on your end.

Try using another web browser (anything other than MSIE and its shells). Disable any download accelerators. Etc.

Well, I may be flogged for this, but I use the Sims 2 File Maid, which works awesomely for me.  You can try that and see if it works for you.

Edit:  Here's a link (http://mattwork.potsdam.edu/projects/SimFileMaid/index2.html).

Sounds like you are getting partial downloads. Try downloading them again (the ones you need), if that still doesnt work, try using a downloader like flashget or something

I have Abductions, and Handheld&MP3 No Autonomy, and they work fine. Can't tell about the others. But as Jordi said, it's something on your end.

And, take the advise of Blue. I use all the time the Sim2 File maid (it doesn't work when you have folders, you have to extract the zipped files first in this case), and it tells you if it pasted the files or not. If it says "no file has been installed" - the file is empty or corrupted.

Edit: Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see that you already tried that. Oh well, I don't know what else to do. Hope those other suggestions help.

I have had similar issues while using firefox. It might have to do with how it caches webpages and downloaded files. I switched to IE briefly and that seemed to work. I would suggest cleaning out your cache on all of your browsers and any temporary files. I can't guarantee that would work, but I would assume that should help.

Ste

WinRar occasionally gives me the same thing after I've been downloading from MTS2 - I'm on a very slow dialup, so it takes forever for things like hair recolors. I always have to watch it closely because often it'll stop near the end of a download, and that's when I get that error and have to redownload. Always a pain when it's so close to completing. Hacks usually download so quickly though because they're so small, so I have no idea why it would do that here, if that indeed is the case.

I have occasionally had similar problems on TSR2, usually at a busy time, but redownloading usually solves the problem.  But I only use IE, so I can't help if it's a specific problem with Firefox - and if that's what it turns out to be, I think you ought to let the programmers know, as you can't be alone in this happening!

Just curious: Now, that Two Jeffs is here - why not download from here? Why from MTS2?

here is where she/he is having the problem...



Maybe someone with a decent connection who has all the hacks listed could put them in one zip for altered to try downloading  :-\


edit well I don't have all of them but I zipped what I do have




I don't have

Age Transition Fixes.zip
Go Steady Critical Fix.zip
Photo Booth Try for Baby Fix.zip

didn't think the first two were needed anymore  ???  and the last one conflicts with syberspunks risky woohoo (which I use) so I haven't downloaded it

[404'ed!]

I don't have them all, but I'd be glad to download those I don't have and e-mail the lot to him/her!

*laughs* I'm not awake yet it seems, never even thought about emailing them.


Turned out I was only missing 3 of them (see edit in previous post)

Lol, The guy who wrote Sime File Maid and Pescado are cut from the same block.  I got quite a laugh reading his page and the EULA.  What does this program do that makes it worthwhile to have?

It unzips all of the different file types you'd need for your game and deposits them into your Downloads folder for you.  All you have to do is drag the file to the rectangle of grass of the program and watch as it processes.  If you're processing Sims2 packages, it will still ask you to install (my Clean Installer program comes up, and I can still select/deselect anything I don't want).

Wouldn't work for me, as I have loads of folders and subfolders, plus I keep copies of everything.  Also, never use Clean Installer or the Siminstaller for walls and floors, I use the MultiSims2Pack Installer for them, as it will leave them in the original folder which I will already have renamed if necessary to how i want it! 

I'm exactly the same Zephyr.  Glad to see I'm not the only anal retentive around :)

I NEVER use the simsinstaller for anything whatesover.  I extract houses to folders and do the same for sims.  This way I can keep all the files together for quick removal.  The only drawback is that I get duplicate files since the packages I install are occasionally already in my download folder.  But then, that's a problem with simsinstaller too.

It's mainly meshes that get duplicated for me, since I put everything I download from a site together, and sometimes you get the mesh there and at the original site too!  Convenient if you don't already have the mesh, but a nuisance if you do.  So usually if I install meshes now (not skins and clothing, since it would show up that you have a duplicate, but objects) and I think there's a chance I already have the original I use the search engine to check it out!

But I'm still constantly thinking of ways to (a) spend time and (b) energy just to improve things!

I've resorted to scanning my files with a duplicate finder.

I swear I spend as much time with the download folder than I do playing.  Yesterday I spent the better part of the evening sorting through my hack folder.  I am having this really annoying bug where for no apparent reason, my sims start running instead of walking.  I suspect it's some kind of hack conflict.  I first noticed it with Monique's computer.  And also yesterday it looked as if time has slowed down for my sims.  The animation looked normal, but time was creeping ever slooooooowly by.  The days seem to last forever. So there is something going on.

I think it's Monique's computer. I had the same thing after I installed the computer. I put up with it because I really like the functions on the computer but the running is annoying.

The running with Monique's computer has been mentioned on her thread.  It's not a bug.  She says she likes them running to the computer to write an article, which they can do autonomously, but the running will stick until they go to the bathroom or something else that unsticks it.  Some people like it and some hate it.  I don't mind so much because I use JM's Macrotastics which makes them run and do stuff anyway.  It saves time, LOL.  I hate watching them walk so slowly when I just want them to hurry up and do whatever it is I've told them.  Sometimes I even pause the game, tell them to run to the area I want them to do something, then queue the command to do it, then unpause.  Thanks to JM's manual navigation hack, it doesn't wipe the queue when doing this.  Saves time on dates too.

I agree with ZZ and angelyne about being picky about what files go in what folders.  I used to just throw everything in the Downloads folder, but after accumulating so many hacks and recolors, I learned about folders and spent some time organizing everything.  I am glad I did because it makes things easier, even though I am running into the same problem ZZ describes with meshes.  I think the duplicate file finder program is the best thing I've found so far to handle this, but I can't decide the most logical place to keep them.  If you come up with any ideas, ZZ, let me know. :)  I may not be that organized in real life, but at least I'll have my Sims stuff organized!

I also use the file maid when I go "shoping" for custom content in bulk, but I just use plain old winzip to open my hacks and file them in the correct places.

Is there a downloadable program that will easilly allow the user to check for mulitple meshes, courpted files, and help to organize and clean out your downloads?  With Sims 1, I had a program called Sim File Cop that checked for problems.  Sometimes it found them, sometimes it didn't.  I also used the trial program of Sims Enhancer, and it was better for cleaning out meshes and files. 

I realize I may be doing it in a way that could probably be done faster, but for me personally, this has been the best system I've found so far....

I have my Downloads folder, then inside that I have folders for Floors, Walls, Meshes, Game Objects, Object Recolours, Game hacks (which has subfolders for different creators and then one misc.), Hair Files/Meshes, Genetics/Make-up & a Test Folder.

After I use the Sims2 File Maid, I have everything extracted into the Test folder (although walls and floors get automatically extracted to the Downloads folder - no biggie, I just move those immediately into the correct subfolders.  Once I have all the files into the Test folder, I use the Clean Installer to scan the folder, and then start moving the files with Clean Installer to the correct subfolder.  It takes maybe 5 minutes for several (sometimes several hundred  :-[) files.  

For awhile, I did have subfolders inside the Objects and the Recolours folders for different sites, but I found that was more trouble than it was worth, especially as sometimes if I went on an absolute spree I would have files from a lot of different sites and not everyone is diligent about naming their files something intelligible.  ::)  So, I took those out and it's a lot easier to scan just the one folder and see if there's any duplicates.

I'm aware of that.  I even posted on her thread at MT2.  She said that was only supposed to happen when you wrote a novel, but not for the other options.  She had me test a couple of things, but didn't post back after I posted my results.  It was weird.  My sims would speed up as soon as the computer would appear in their queue, even before they touched it. It drove me batty.  But i'm wondering if that's the sole problem because recently they have been speeding up without interacting with the computer at all. And when I tried to purchase a cell phone, the game would jump.  In any case, i've removed her hack.  It was a very nice hack, but there is only so much I can take, and she isn't giving much support for it.  And to be fair it might not be her hack at all but a conflict. 


It's so hard to find a system that works.  For now I have  my folders structured the same as Maxis.  Genetics (eyes, skin, hair), Buy (Bedroom, Bathroom, Living Room, etc), Build with all the subfolders, Clothing and subfoldered by sex and then by type. Every set has it's own folder within that structure, every d/l house and every d/l sim    For each item I download I also include a jpg of the item.  I also try to update the genetics for my eyes, fix the categories for my clothes and would correct the hair bins and genetics (if I knew how). It's ardous and time consuming and you can see why I spend so much time at it!  And it's not perfect so I keep tweaking.

@Bluesoup : Exactly!

I remember when I first got ObMan with Sims 1, I had everything filed that way, and it worked pretty well.  The trouble with sims2 though, is the number of objects that aren't what they seem.  Mango sims desks are not desks, they are tables - etc. etc.

I actually have Walls and Floors outside the Downloads folder, don't know if it helps with load time, but it works ok.  I file by site because I download by site.  I have a New downloads folder, everything goes into that, if I go to a new site, I make a folder for it.  Then, if I download a set, I make a folder for the set and the file/s go straight in, plus a pic or two.  Once I've installed that set, or object, by copying the packages into a corresponding folder in Downloads, I move the original to my second hard drive where I keep all my saved Downloads, plus a back up (which I update about once a month) of the actual Downloads folder.  Takes time, but what the heck, I've plenty of that these days!

I've taken to re-sorting objects lately...a lot of objects I download I find in a place I wouldn't expect (I mean, sheesh, not everything is decorative  ::)), so I have been fixing that in SimPE.

I also have a separate folder on my desktop for Installed Downloads, and I move all the zip files there once I install it.  That way, I still have it all should my Downloads folder blow up in a BFBVFS.


I have found that while Mango Sims has some nice stuff, their orgnization leaves something to be desire, not to mention that sheer amount of crap they have.  So, if I have to have their mesh to get something else I like, I will think longer on whether I really like it enough or not.  But lately, I've been avoiding stuff that requires meshes by mangosims.

I do have most of their stuff, and it works fairly well in game as long as you don't expect, for example, kids to put their homework on the Charlene desk.  Also, if you don't stick a computer on it then sims will trek all the way upstairs to put a plate there!  However, there are some really nice table lamps and plants which I use a lot.  I wish there was an easy way to select what to keep and what to chuck out, I don't like deleting in game, as I'd rather take the unused objects' files out and put them in a folder somewhere so if I find I have in fact used them in another hood they're easy to put back in.

Thank you, Nectare, for the FlashGet suggestion.  That did the trick and I was able to download, open and put these suckers in my game.   :-*  Thank you, Sleepycat, too, for making the compiled file for me to download, that was very sweet of you.  Alas, it wouldn't download correctly, either...just a shell, no meat.  :-* Blowing two big fat wet ones to both of you for the help.  Oh yeah, btw, I'm female, for those that wondered. This was driving me nuts, since it wouldn't work in IE either, I just kept downloading empty files.  Same for Crammyboy.  The only downloads that actually downloaded all the way w/o Flashget were Pescado's.  And only on this site.  Too, too much weirdness.

Way to hijack a thread, you guys.  ;D  Yeah, I spend a lot of time organizing my downloads, too, about as much as I spend in the game.  But, I figure it's worth it to start out organized, especially since I'm such a download whore.  I organize my downloads per Sims 2 Clean Installer, as in Game Objects go in my Downloads folder in the Game Objects folder, Clothes in the Clothing folder, etc.  I organize my hacks per creator in my Downloads>Mods folder so if things go wonky, I can pull things out and put back in per creator.  It helps if it turns out two hacks weren't compatible, and I didn't RTFM.  Plus, I like being able to go into the Object Recolors or Game Objects folder, organizing by file size, and seeing if someone did some huge 10000k file that I know is just too huge for the Sims 2 to load.  I know that we're supposed to go by poly count, but I've never looked that stuff up in Sims PE.  If I know that most rugs are only about 50K files on the recolours, and someone's rug is then 500K, that one has to go.  Seems to work for me.  Meshes for clothes and hair are another story, since I never know how big they "should" be.  Anyone have a clue on that?  I like a well-dressed, realistic looking Sim (I love Helaene, she makes my Sims so pretty), but I never know what's too big for my Sims.  I'm thinking that custom content on the Sims themselves must contribute to overall issues on a lot, if you've got a lot of Sims or tons of objects, but I would imagine that if the custom content was within Maxis guidelines, it would cut down on those issues, right?  Anyone know?

Thanks again for the help, my game and I appreciate it.