Problems when performing advanced installation,

[ThyGuy]

So I just got a new comp, and the person helped me made two partitions. One for windows, and another to put all the programs on. Well, this causes major problems for sims 2. Why there is a advanced option, I have no clue, because this game does not install correctly.

The base game and expansions all install correctly, but the data that usually appears in documents and settings on a normal installation appear in the base game folder. This appears to make the game go nuts, because this is obviously NOT where these files are suppose to go.

Any suggestion on how to fix this? Turning this into one partition just for sims 2 will be a lot of work and just slightly ridiculous, all for sims 2.

[dizzy]

I see no point in having multiple partitions, unless you install a real OS on one (like Linux). Windows works best with one partition, and will unexpectedly do all sorts of VBTs if it isn't the first partition on the drive.

I suggest you make backups of whatever data you need, reformat and try again.

[ThyGuy]

Figured out what was causing the problem. Sims 2 requires documents and settings to be on the partition that windows is located on. It doesn't matter where the main sims 2 files are, the files that go into documents and settings MUST be in said area or Sims 2 will not load neighborhoods or lots.

Honestly, I think this partition was kinda a waste of time also. It was meant so I could do a quick restore using some back-up program.

[millahnna]

Are you postive of that?  My OS is on my C Drive, my programs installed on my D drive and my data files (including my documents) is on my E drive.  Very long story as to why I have such a screwy setup, but in any case, my game, lots and neighborhoods load just fine.

[Kyna]

Echoing what millahnna said. 

I have two physical hard drives.  My OS is on my C drive, the Sims is installed on my D drive and My Documents folder is also on D drive.  As long as Windows knows where to find My Documents, then it will function as normal - it will still be on your desktop, and other programs that use it will be able to find it.

[Theo]

I see no point in having multiple partitions, unless you install a real OS on one (like Linux). Windows works best with one partition, and will unexpectedly do all sorts of VBTs if it isn't the first partition on the drive.

I suggest you make backups of whatever data you need, reformat and try again.

It's true Windows is less of a hassle when installed on just one partition, but considering the number of times you have to reinstall it, it's better to keep a separate partition just for documents aside from the system partition.

That way when the unavoidable reinstall time comes, you just have to set the documents folder location by means of standard registry settings, or if your brave enough, with NTFS junctions.

[dizzy]

I suppose if you have tons of stuff in MyDocs, then it makes sense to put that on another partition. However, you do break some compatibility if you put Program Files on a different partition from Windows. I've tried doing that many times myself, and I applaud those of you who did mysteriously get it to work. 

I'd also like to point out that multiple partitions is not the same as multiple drives. To the file system it may make no difference, but you should have a dramatic change in performance when using multiple drives (especially if you have a drive that's just for the swap file).

[Argon]

I'd also like to point out that multiple partitions is not the same as multiple drives. To the file system it may make no difference, but you should have a dramatic change in performance when using multiple drives (especially if you have a drive that's just for the swap file).

But you will see an improvement if for example you create a partition with a larger cluster size. You'll sacrifice space for the smaller files, but there are less pointers to look up and file fragmentation won't be as bad  On a similar note, page file (called swap file on Win9x and below) performance will be better on a FAT32 partition rather than a NTFS partition because it doesn't have to read security/permissions information on pagefile.sys; in addition to having it on another physical drive of course.

However, you do break some compatibility if you put Program Files on a different partition from Windows. I've tried doing that many times myself, and I applaud those of you who did mysteriously get it to work. 

It's really easy if you're using an answer file during Windows setup, there's an option to change it when you write it. But if you're trying to change an existing system, it's easiest to use something like BartPE to load the system hive and change the registry keys.

[J. M. Pescado]

Performance also improves dramatically when you simply ban the swap file entirely, forcing the computer to keep everything in RAMs. Then instead of freezing up and going unresponsive when it runs out of RAMs, the programs just crash.

[ScoobyDoo]

I know some apps, especially adobe's, doesn't like not having swap space.  As for Documents and settings, you can simply move it using Location in My Docouments properties.  This works great (for the most part) when I have to nuke windows, all my important stuff, like sims data  is safely stored away.  Only apps I know that don't follow this correctly are Opera's wands/bookmarks and photoshops actions and customs.

[diamonde]

I've always had Sims 2 installed on a different partition to Windows, and I moved My Docs to yet another partition after installing University.  I've had to reformat a couple of times, most recently when I upgraded my computer and got a new primary HD, and the only time I had any trouble was when I installed one expansion pack onto C by mistake and all the others onto D.  But as long as they're all in the same place, it works fine.  No manual registry changes or other complicated tweaking involved.

I honestly had no idea it could be a problem, I've been blithely installing games wherever there was space since Windows 95.

[edalbformat]

I always have minimum four partitions in my hard drive. I have a 500GB HD and as I make far too many tests that I insistly keep for further analysis, I would make a mess of another dimension if I kept everything in the same partition. My base game is installed in partition D: and all the EPs are in C:
I use E and F for experiments.
I never tried to change any swap or anything.  I'm using Windows XP and don't know if or when I'm going to install Vista, maybe when I buy a newer computer.
My computer has 4GB RAM but it seems that XP cannot use it. All the TS analysis say that I have 2GB available. Maybe TS cannot use it. I cannot play very big lots, full with decoration or furniture, the game lags.
For long I've been thinking about buying a laptop but they are not still as big as I wish, so I prefer my station PC.
TS2 does not justify a big investment and I'm afraid that if the company launches TS3 too soon we are going to struggle with the same problems we have now, a Base Game that is insignificant and EPs that should be named MPs or Mending Patches.

[ScoobyDoo]

You won't be able to use 4GB with 32bit XP. 

Personally I like to keep C: for windows, d: for programs, e: for data, and a couple mapped network drives.  When I have to reinstall windows, I just backup the stubbern stuff that insists on residenting on the windows partition.  Nuke windows, reinstall it, rename my old d:\program files\ to something like D:\old program files.  As I reinstall each app, I simply delete it from the old program file folder.  Theres a few apps I just simply move over to the new folder, no reinstall is necessary.  In the end if theres anything left in the old programs folder it's either I don't need it anymore, or i forgot to reinstall it.