More Awesome Than You!

Ok I'm a total addict. My computer died this summer and I was broke so no sims saved up got a new notebook from walmart.  I've had it for 6 days now.  I did install game drive a few days ago but hadn't used it yet. Today I was playing for a while then shut down and installed office and did an update on it.  also installed some cc but just furniture. when I restarted the sims it said "Please ensure open for business disc is in the drive and select ok to retry".  the disc was in the drive at the time. I checked the disc and washed it just to be sure. same thing I uninstalled and tried nightlife got the same error.  I reinstalled burned a vcd and tried it in game drive I installed family fun from my vcd (disc died a tragic death in the hands of a friends child) still won't workany ideas please.  I saw someone else had installed a no cd patch and that worked but the only one I found was for Daemon and I assume it would bethe same as game drive.  PLease help the sims withdrawl is already starting

Okay.
Assuming you have an original disc (not a copy), check it for scratches or dirt (such as fingerprints). Use a soft cloth to wipe the dirt off, from the center outwards (never in a radial pattern).

Disable any running programs including a virus scanner or anti-spyware.

Run a spyware sweep.

And of course, use the latest release disc to play. If you own FFS, use that. If you own GLS, use that. Even if the last XP you installed is another one.

If you burned it as a physical burn, it will lack the valid copy protection data and fail to pass muster. You will need to get a proper clone image, DO NOT burn it, and mount it in Daemontools and use a hider. Do not burn the images, this does not work.

If your family fun disc isn't legit, you aren't going to be able to play family fun.  If the others are legit, you ought to be able to play up to OFB with the OFB disk in.  I reckon you'll have to uninstall FF though.  If that doesn't help, you may have messed up the whole install and have to start over.  Good luck

alright I gave up and reinstalled everything.  I did just fine untill OfB. it installed and at the end said please insert disc. this was with the original disc.  I get the same message with the game drive burn from the original disc. (made the day I bought the game saved from the dead computer) I thought maybe it was a scratch or something on the real disc.  I can back up and work with just NL but I'd really like to play with OfB. Do I need to uninstall game drive? I've been playing since the beginning of the game with it in and it worked fine on the old computer.or is it the disc and game drive?  there are some scratches on the disc but nothing huge

You can keep banging away at it, or just go get yourself an image. Ultimately there is nothing we can do to help you if your disk is physically damaged. Whine at EA, hoist the Jolly Roger, or just keep plugging away, up to you.