I love it when people answer my questions before I even have to ask them.

Now I must Boogaloo.

Didn't work. Guess I'll have to wait for a patch.

Same here, and I'm on Windows XP, SP2.

Hm. I decided to go ahead and try to get SecuROM to go away, and I don't have a SecuROM User Access Service OR UAService7.exe (or UAServie8.exe) on my system.

According to UserAccounts, I am the Administrator.

Ah! The one thing I didn't try. Thank you! I was under the impression that using msconfig to use Diagnostic startup was the same as using Safe Mode. That's didn't work, obviously. (Neither did using Add/Remove Programs to try to remove the old drivers, which was the first thing I tried, then five times more, before trying it through the device manager. Sorry I wasn't clearer on that.)

For the time being, I'm going to leave things as they are, since I was able to play for two hours last night without a freeze-up, by saving every 30 minutes or less. Of course, I didn't take any Sims on vacation. If it starts happening again (and I have no doubt it will), I'll start with Safe Mode driver updating, and proceed from there with a direct attack on SecuROM, as provided by B...

JMP, people aren't supposed to be able see a change in refresh rate above 30? I did back mine down to 75, as advised, but anything below that flickers horribly. I'll give you that I do have a cheap card (it is from Dell, after all), but this is NOT a cheap monitor by any means. So it must be my cheap eyes, huh? 

Or, as I've always suspected, I am not completely human.

Thank you all for taking the time to teach me some things.

I know I haven't been around here for a while, but if anyone can help me with this, you guys can. I'm no computer dummy, but my knowledge only descends to about the fourth level of Hell.

My vital specs:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
System Model: Dell DXP051                 
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A05
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Page File: 469MB used, 4491MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (75Hz) (I changed it to 85Hz after I noticed that)
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.6218 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/29/2007 00:43:00, 5690624 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a

Question: Do I have the final version of this driver, or am I still running the beta version? The date is the same as the beta, but it says there that it's the final WHQL version.  I need to know because I've tried six times to UNinstall the beta (I thought) and install the final, but every time I try to install (or think I'm installing), I get the damned BSOD and a STOP: error that reads, in part:

STOP: 0X0000008... (No terms, just a very long string of numbers)
nv4_disp.dll - Address BF01319c
base at BF012000
Datestamp 4684bf14

Then it commences a memory dump.

When I reboot, the stats are the same, as if I never UNinstalled/installed.

Here's the driver download page, if you need more info on the driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_162.18.html
Note the difference in the dates. That one says July 26, 2007, where as the one I'm running says 6/29/2007.

Second verse: I've tried uninstalling the beta ~ if it is the beta, and not the final ~ through the hardware device manager, and got "Access denied. You may need to log into an administrative account to change these settings, blah blah blah go away asshole." I have never seen an "Access denied" message before last week. I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR. I'm the only one who ever touches this computer. What is the secret handshake to be able to change settings and remove/change things on MY COMPUTER? Did BV or *kack* SecuROM do this???

BTW. yeah, BV freezes the whole system every hour or so, but I manage...with the aid of 160+ of JMP's entire BV-approved mod collection (nothing non-awesome). I'd like to update the driver, though, to see if that helps.

TYIA

I did have backup copies of the files. All fixed, everything's working. 

I'm relieved that all the stairs and railings I've downloaded that players have made also work fine on the foundations ~ without them, there wouldn't be much point in having the foundations working!

YES! (Sorry it's taken me so long to reply ~ had to find out how to edit my hosts file to get in here.) I put a pool on a lot the other night, and noticed that the greenish pool thumbnails now show the interior foundations instead. My big "clue-by-four."  Now to track down the file and change it back to the original...and keep my fingers crossed that I indeed did make a backup before making the change! (If not, I deserve the headache it's gonna give me.)

Thanks for the confirmation.

It's too bad Inge shut down the site so abruptly, but sometimes a clean break is necessary. I was glad to read in her message that she'll be around forums as a player. 

It's good of you guys to set up the YahooGroup, so newcomers (and us slow downloaders who took it for granted that she'd always be there!) can continue to enjoy her work.

Well, hmm... I can't recall ever making a change to the foundation file. Would that have been the file that had to be changed to use the first recolorable connecting stairs? Because I remember doing that. I just don't remember which file(s) I changed. I looked around MTS2 to see if I could find out, but it appears those older stairs have been removed, since new ones have been made that don't require any core-file changes.

If anyone does remember which files had to be changed for those older stairs, let me know, and I'll undo the changes. It makes sense that that would be the problem. I never used Numenor's walls that required file-changes, just his walls that work without file changes.

Thanks so much for your help, everyone.

Thank you for the replies. It's good to hear that they're not globally broken! I'll try going back into the lot and see if that helps.

I've had so few problems in my game until now...I have a very low threshhold for frustration with this. 

BTW, if anyone wants more coordinates to go with the Adult-on-Elder Maxis clothes, I've got some on the Cove, here:
http://www.hairfish.com/mermaidcove/html/2clothing_fa-fya.html

The pants were the most important thing, for me. I can live with Maxis' tops, which is why there are so few of those (so far) recolored for Adult-on-Elders, but their pants are dreadful.

I've been using the original Mod ever since Motoki first made it available, and I've never seen a Townie in any of the career outfits. So there's something in their code that keeps them from being used on generated Townies. I'd expect the same to be true of those HIDEOUS OFB "uniforms." OMG, what WERE they thinking?! I'd cross the street to avoid any RL business that had employees dressed as gorillas, or deep-sea divers, or even ninjas. Unless I was in a theme park...

I have the pre-order chicken suit, which I kinda like. I'm going to have one of my Sims open a fried-chicken restaurant eventually. Maybe I'll just dress one as a giant (recolored) pink chicken and have it seduce Sim-Pescado.

Someone must have paid the ransom, because it's back. 

Plain and simple, they don't work. If there's another topic about this already here, just point me to it so I can bitch there.

I'm able to put Interior Foundations inside a room, but connecting stairs won't connect to them (indoors or out, I tried both) so there's no access. Fences and rails can't be built atop them. Furniture will go on them, but only with moveobjects on cheat, but it floats up near the ceiling and pokes up through the second floor. The "DownShift" hack at MTS2 doesn't help ~ tried that.

Yes, I've run the patch. I thought it might fix this, but nope. And I couldn't find a damn thing about it on the BBS (surprise!).

If it helps anyone, I'm using an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 / 256MB with driver v. 78.01, and I have no problems whatsoever (knocking wood till knuckles bleed). It says it's the English version, if that makes a difference.

I have all EP's, and haven't noticed any performance degradation since installing OFB. It's not fantastic, but it's not crap, either.

I'm glad to see you're all back. I know I'm not here all that often, but when I get the urge...nothing satisfies it but MATY!




Have Josh's parents been notified of their loss? 

What if your recolored Servos just had bigger heads, so the "human" head would be completely covered?

Servo's a robot...s/he can be any shape you want. 

CuriousSpurious, I co-host Motoki's mod on my site, Mermaid Cove. May I have your permission to replace the original version on my site with your updated version(s)? You'll be fully credited for the update, of course. Have a look here:
http://www.hairfish.com/mermaidcove/html/2enableelder.html

You can let me know in a reply, PM, email (hairfish @ hairfish . com), whatever is most convenient.

(I LOVE this mod...)

Thanks for that explanation. I wondered why so many files had "404-ed" notations.

And thank you for the updated Alienware, Motoki!

Motoki, it's really good to see you back (I haven't been here myself for a bit...OFBusy-ness)! Your friend is adorable ~ 5 stars, benes, and ASCII kisses! ~ and she'll make a terrific addition to my Strange Town. Thank you!

Oh no! I just now found this update, got all excited, and the file's been 404-ed. 

Any idea where I can locate it?

[edit] Thank you for the quick re-attachment! 

Hey, Z. Missed ya!

Santa's Toyshop in Strange Town employs a staff of vampires who make toys all night.

That's getting a little boring, so I'm thinking of adding the hacked Slacker Hydroponic Garden so Santa can deal herb and bongs (psyckotic's hacked bubble-blower), too. (Goodies from MTS2.)

Did someone kidnap the Smarter Cashier? I'm getting an "it ain't here" error. My eyeballs can't find it, either.

Thank you for the reminder!

Also remember to move any custom CAS screens to the relevant OFB folder.