Halp!!! Game crashing on gaming rig!

[Capitaine Marie]

I just got a Dell XPS 630 gaming rig a few days ago, with a 2.4 Ghz Intel Core2 Q6600 with quad core processor, 6 GB DDR2 SDRAM at 800 MHz, and ATI Radeon HD 3870 1 GB graphics.  But when I try to play my family, which played fine on my laptop, my game crashes after only a few minutes of play.  Halp!!!

I have all EPs/SPs with the 2nd patch and no-cd crack, and Securom is nowhere to be found.  I plan to try uninstalling and reinstalling, without the patch.

ETA:  All my CC is the same as when I played on my laptop, and my game didn't crash then.  On my new rig, it crashed after just a few minutes the first time; when my teen changed into her PJs.  Since then, it crashes every time I try to save.  I've tried copying my existing gameplay several times, but could it have gotten corrupted when I did?  Must I scrap my family and start over? 

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, other than the fact that you can't even USE 6 GBs of RAMs on a computer, crashing in mid-game without a corresponding system failure is usually the work of Bad CC.

[Zazazu]

Make sure you've updated your graphics drivers. Just because it's a new rig doesn't mean it has the latest drivers. I had issues with some bad drivers in early October causing bad crashing both in Sims2 and SC4.

[Capitaine Marie]

Maybe I should edit my initial post, but it's getting kinda long.  Dell just took remote control of my system and found hash errors with my CC and saved game were causing the game to crash.  Does that mean they got corrupted when I copied them to my new rig, or do I need to uninstall and reinstall the game? 

[witch]

Dell just took remote control of my system...

*shudders

[J. M. Pescado]

"Dell just took control of your system"? I suggest you REFORMAT IMMEDIATELY, since it should be obvious that "Dell" knows nothing about Sims, and therefore would not be able to fix your issues, so you just got hacked.

[Zazazu]

It's a "feature" of one of the waste-o-money Dell warranties. I also share your belief that Dell knows absolutely nothing about how the sims works and is prolly just feeding you a line to get you to shut up and go away.

[Hook]

Do you play with testing cheats enabled, and if so, are you getting any errors?  If you don't have it enabled, turn it on and see what you get.

Is this is a residence or an apartment?

Hook

[jolrei]

Try playing a different neighbourhood without CC.  If it doesn't crash, you can then be reasonably sure that your problem is your backed up neighbourhood or your CC, and not the game itself.

[Capitaine Marie]

Try playing a different neighbourhood without CC.  If it doesn't crash, you can then be reasonably sure that your problem is your backed up neighbourhood or your CC, and not the game itself.

Will do.

ETA:  I found several errors like this in my Event Viewer: "The entry <C:\USERS\PAM\DOCUMENTS\EA GAMES\THE SIMS 2\NEIGHBORHOODS\G001\G001_NEIGHBORHOOD.PACKAGE> in the hash map cannot be updated.  Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog.   Details: A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x8007001f)" 

Any ideas?

Latest ETA:  Either it's a coincidence, or I fixed the problem.  And, boy, do I feel stupid.  I had my CC compressed with the Compressorizer but neglected to install Microsoft .NET Framework.  As soon as I did, no more crashes -- d'oh! 

[Capitaine Marie]

Aaargghh!  I spoke too soon in my last post.  The game no longer crashes when I save, but I clicked on a computer for my teen to blog just now, and the game crashed.  I was playing in debug mode this time; should I post an error log?

[jolrei]

Back-up your hood and test with your downloads folder removed.  If the problem persists, then post an error log.  If the problem does not persist, it's time to do a binary search for the problem hack.

[J. M. Pescado]

This isn't a problem with a hack, or even a game. The problem is that your computer has been hacked and trojaned, and you need to REFORMAT and REINSTALL EVERYTHING.

Due to your large amounts of RAMs, you are also going to have to use one of the x64 Windozes. They probably suckered you with Vista, too. It's time to hop over to to TPB, grab an appropriate XP64 disk, and REFORMAT and REINSTALL. Beware of evil spyware!

[Theo]

ETA:  I found several errors like this in my Event Viewer: "The entry <C:\USERS\PAM\DOCUMENTS\EA GAMES\THE SIMS 2\NEIGHBORHOODS\G001\G001_NEIGHBORHOOD.PACKAGE> in the hash map cannot be updated.  Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog.   Details: A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x8007001f)" 

Any ideas?

You should disable the "Windows Search" service, or at least exclude the the EA Games folder from the content index.

This alone probably won't help you, so you must be ready to upgrade to Windows XP 64, as Pescado prescribed.

By the way, when windows installation asks for your user name, enter a generic name (like 'User'). After it's all set up, you can change it back to your real name.

[J. M. Pescado]

NEVER enter your name on your computer! What purpose would it serve? Are you worried you will somehow forget your name if you don't? Is there some reason the COMPUTER needs to know that? Never put your name on your computer, it will just end up leaking to people when the computer carelessly blurts it out.

[Zazazu]

It's time to hop over to to TPB, grab an appropriate XP64 disk, and REFORMAT and REINSTALL.

There is XP64? How did I miss this? Finally, my fourth GB of RAM will no longer remain flaccid and unused. Well, once I get a new hard drive, since I can't be assed to reformat.

[Theo]

Search for 'windows xp 64'. Google Suggest even adds 'torrent'. ARRR!

[Capitaine Marie]

Well, I tried a clean game with no CC -- no crashes.  Clean game with CC -- no crashes.  I guess I can conclude that at least *part* of my problem is my backed up game.  I've been playing it for about 3 years, so it's probably time to move on anyway. 

By the way, I *thought* I was getting 64-bit Windoze, but my system info tells me it's 32.  Time to call Dell and ask them WTF?

[Bugger]

By the way, I *thought* I was getting 64-bit Windoze, but my system info tells me it's 32.  Time to call Dell and ask them WTF?

I wouldn't.  Calling to talk to someone in Bangladesh with very little understanding of the english language isn't helpful.  They never know what they are talking about anyway... they just refer to a giant manual and feed you irrelevant answers.  At least, this is my experience with both Dell and AOL.

[Capitaine Marie]

By the way, I *thought* I was getting 64-bit Windoze, but my system info tells me it's 32.  Time to call Dell and ask them WTF?

I wouldn't.  Calling to talk to someone in Bangladesh with very little understanding of the english language isn't helpful.  They never know what they are talking about anyway... they just refer to a giant manual and feed you irrelevant answers.  At least, this is my experience with both Dell and AOL.

Well, after going through umpteen people, Dell is sending me the 64-bit version of Windoze at no additional cost.  Installing it will void the software portion of my warranty; but since they've proved themselves useless in software issues anyway, I don't think that's any great loss.  

Since it *seemed* to be only my saved neighborhood crashing, though, is it safe to assume starting over will work?  Or will it only work once I have the 64-bit system installed?

[jolrei]

Since it *seemed* to be only my saved neighborhood crashing, though, is it safe to assume starting over will work?  Or will it only work once I have the 64-bit system installed?

It is "safe" in that it will not further bork your system or your game to start a new neighbourhood.  That said, if it's borked already, it still may not work.  Pescado suggests you likely have malware on your system which requires a full reformat and reinstall.  If this is the case, anything short of this will be unsatisfactory and you would be advised to do it before installing the new XP64 OS.  That way you will be sure that the only things on your system are the things that you actually WANT.

[J. M. Pescado]

I wouldn't.  Calling to talk to someone in Bangladesh with very little understanding of the english language isn't helpful.  They never know what they are talking about anyway... they just refer to a giant manual and feed you irrelevant answers.  At least, this is my experience with both Dell and AOL.

Plus, even if the computer were on fire, they'd just tell you to plug it back in and turn it on again.

[Capitaine Marie]

'Twas my saved neighborhood that was borked.  I've been playing a fresh game for about a week, *with* CC, and all is well.  Feel free to poke me with pointy sticks for being so stupid.