This is a stupid question, but where is the Resource.cfg located? I read the "How to Install the Framework/Awesomemod" page, but all I could find was where to move it to, not where it is originally located. Thanks for your help.

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. 

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 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?

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 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.

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?

 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!