Game crashes while creating files for neighborhood first use

[IAmCat]

Some background:

I reloaded N001, N002, etc. from the various expansion directories a few months ago as I wanted to start over in those early neighborhoods. If I remember correctly, I backed up the neighborhoods and then copied and pasted over them with the neighborhoods from the C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\[expansion]\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate directories. I don't remember there being any problems with this process.

More recently, I had to reload my operating system and was sure that Sims 2 would be fried, but it loaded right up and I am able to play in Riverblossom Hills.

My problem now is that I want to play in one of the older neighborhoods and when they come up, they act like it's the first time I've been in and start "creating pets", "creating weather", etc. When it gets to "creating exotic destinations", the game crashes.

Is there any way to skip this "creating xxx" step? I guess I don't need the files that are being created in this step, but I don't really know.

**UPDATE: It is the new Belladonna Cove that came with AL that I can play, but none of the older ones that I "reloaded". Can anyone tell me how to reload the old neighborhoods so they will be playable again? I know many folks have moved on to TS3, but can I get a second of someone's time please?

Thanks!

[sloppyhousewife]

Can anyone tell me how to reload the old neighborhoods so they will be playable again?

You could try this (that's what I usually do when I want to reload old 'hoods and have never had any problems):

- Rename the My Documents/EA Games directory to "EA Games_old" or whatever
- Fire up the game to generate a new, clean EA Games directory. Quit game.
- Transfer old "Downloads", "Saved Sims" etc. folders you want to keep to the new EA Games directory
- Replace new neighborhood folder "N001" with your backed up "N001" folder (for example).
- Delete "NeighborhoodManager.package" (in My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2/Neighborhoods)
- Profit

This will only work, of course, if your old 'hoods were NOT being played in a more recent EP "environment" than the new ones (e.g. old 'hoods up to AL and new ones only up to BV).