New PC - New Install or Transfer?

[Ancient Sim]

Have looked for a question on this topic but can't find one, so am asking.  I am getting a new pc tomorrow and what I want to know is, can I transfer all my Sims stuff (including the EA Games folder in Program Files) over to the new one, or do I need to re-install the basic game and the expansions?  I suppose the latter might be a better idea anyway with a new PC, but it takes so long, so I just wondered ...

[SaraMK]

I'm pretty sure you need to install the game properly, since that's the only easy/safe way to get the registry updated.  I guess you could edit the registry by hand, but that might take longer than actually installing the game.

[akatonbo]

You need to reinstall the actual game software (even if you're moving the old hard drive into the new PC). The EA Games directory under My Documents can be transferred over, but not the one under Program Files. If you have any downloads (like Brasstex's custom modular stairs) that require editing files under Program Files/EA Games, you'll need to find where you got them from and redo that part.

[Mirelly]

I wouldn't think that transferring Program files is desirable ... well not without also editing the registry. Safer and easier to reinstall.

However copying the My Docs files will be no problem so long as you can establish some of network connection or have a DVD burner.

[SaraMK]

If you have any downloads (like Brasstex's custom modular stairs) that require editing files under Program Files/EA Games, you'll need to find where you got them from and redo that part.

Those can just be copied over. No need to redo them from scratch.

[Simlover]

1. Ok on your old computer go into My documents>eagames>and copy the sims2 folder to a cdrom/ mem card etc.

2. Install the games on your new computer, start the game once and exit

3. Copy the contents from step 1 into the new directory on the new puter and hey presto you got your old games back

[akatonbo]

If you have any downloads (like Brasstex's custom modular stairs) that require editing files under Program Files/EA Games, you'll need to find where you got them from and redo that part.

Those can just be copied over. No need to redo them from scratch.

Well, yes, the actual .package files can just be copied over. But the edits to the files that are under Program Files and not under My Documents will have to be redone, since it's a fresh install on a completely different machine.

[SaraMK]

Well, yes, the actual .package files can just be copied over. But the edits to the files that are under Program Files and not under My Documents will have to be redone, since it's a fresh install on a completely different machine.

The ones under Program Files can be copied over exactly the same as any of the files under My Documents. They're just text files in most cases. You can just save them to CD or even a floppy, and transfer them over to the new computer. There's no need to redo anything.

[akatonbo]

Ok, yes, point.

However, if you are migrating your Sims stuff over to a new computer, and you think you had some downloads that needed extra steps done outside of the My Documents folder to make them work, then unless your memory is a lot better than mine, you will still probably want to go look up what the steps were so that you can be sure they get done on the new computer, which is why I mentioned it.

Speaking of which, AncientSim, don't forget to reinstall CEP with the installer. It has more parts than just the file that goes in your Downloads folder, and while it is not really that difficult to look up what those parts are and move them, it is still less difficult to just grab the installer again, and it's a good way to make sure you've got the latest updates to it as well.

[Hegelian]

Just to be clear:

You will need to reinstall the games (and any other software you have), but you can save and copy to the new machine everything in the My Documents folder, and any text files in the main game folders you may have altered.

[RainbowTigress]

Hey, congratulations on getting a new PC, Ancient Sim.    Hope it's everything you hoped it would be. 

I have nothing to add to the excellent advice given here.  Also, check out the threads about installing the patches.  There are different opinions on this, but I would definitely install the NL patch before installing OFB, mainly to be sure to get the terrain paints fix.  I think it's better to be safe than sorry.

[Ancient Sim]

Glad you mentioned the patches, Rainbow.  I'd forgotten all about those!  Doesn't each new EP patch the previous one automatically, though? 

Thanks for all the advice generally.  I did think I would probably have to reinstall, I was just trying to get out of it because of the time it takes (too eager to see how much better the game looks!).  I suppose it's better anyway to have a completely fresh start on a new machine, although anything non-awesome I have is going to go on it anyway because it will be in the Downloads folder.  It'll take a while to get it all sorted because I'll have to set-up network connections first, otherwise it will mean using a DVD to copy it all because my downloads folder alone is much too big to fit on a CD.

Talking of terrain paints, I have quite a lot of those in my Downloads folder (to be honest, I have no idea what they are, they just came with a downloaded lot I think).  From what I can gather, they're Something to be Avoided at all Costs, so would I be best deleting them before I reinstall the Downloads folder, or does the OFB patch solve the problem with them?

[BlueSoup]

The second NL patch fixes the terrain paints, and I think Rainbow is totally right about the patches.  I personally install each EP and then the patch - just to be extra safe.  I don't believe each EP fixes the previous one, and I know that's not the case with the Uni fixes since both of those patches came out after NL was released.

[J. M. Pescado]

Each EP uses its own executable and object codes. Patches for previous expansions do not tend to have any effect, since the modified executables and objects.package are simply ignored. Therefore, patching previous expansion packs accomplishes little or nothing.

[BlueSoup]

The Uni patch with all those fixes came out after NL.  Thus, the first NL patch & the Uni patch contained all the fixes that did not come with either game.  So, wouldn't it be better to download that patch before continuing installation of OFB? (And that's the major patch anyway - since it also contains the second NL patch)

[J. M. Pescado]

It doesn't matter: Patching the previous expansion does nothing to help the current one. If a bug exists in the present expansion, it will continue to exist even if you patch the problem away in an old one, because the new expansion ignores all of the old-expansion's object and executable code, which means it does nothing.