sims 1 trouble starting?

Question

ok when i try to play sims 1 the intro comes and then while it is loading with the words going by it just closes! i have tried unistalling it and rebooting but that does not work
And i really want to play sims 1 since it has been for ever also i dont have sims 1 downloads i think if so it would be under the sims 1 folder right?

I also have the sims 2 Since some people have been saying that

Answer 1

thats old game you can have a trouble. SO
Go to the start menu
click run
type dxdiag
click enter
click display tab
find the AGP Texture Acceleration and click to disable it.
Now you should be able to run the game normally, and without it being in a window

if this is not working try this
Try editing the shortcut to The Sims. To create a shortcut, Right-click on the desktop, choose New, Shortcut, browse to The Sims folder. (Usually C:\program files\maxis\the sims\sims.exe) Choose next and finish the shortcut. Right-click on the new shortcut and choose properties. Go to Shortcut, and the Target Line should be highlighted. Add the following switches to the end of the line: -w

Example: "C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\Sims.exe" -w

Restart your game using this shortcut and it should no longer experience this issue.

If that does not resolve this issue, please follow the steps below:

1. Check your display settings and make sure that the color palette is set to Highcolor 16bit and 800x600 screen area. To do this, follow the steps below:

- Right-click on any open space on your desktop.
- Left-click the word "properties".
- Left-click the "settings" tab on the Display Properties panel.

Your computers' display settings should be listed here. The color palette settings are to the left while the desktop resolution, or "screen area" is to the right.

2. Try updating the driver for your video card. To update the driver for your videocard, first determine what type of videocard you have. This information can be found in the Directx Diagnostic Tool panel. To run the Directx diagnostic tool and determine which type of video card you have, follow the steps below:

- Click the "start" button on your Windows system tray.
- Click the "run" option.
- Type DXDIAG in the box that appears.
- Click "ok".

The Directx Diagnostic tool will appear on your screen.

- Left-click the "display" tab.

On this tab you will see an area labled "Device" in the top left-hand corner of the panel. Your video card type is listed in this section under "name". Each video card manufacturer has a different website. A quick web search typing in the name of your video card should direct you to their site. Once there, look for a "download driver" section, and follow the steps on the web page for updating your video driver.

2. Random Crashes


First, make sure that you have closed any programs or tasks running in the background.

WINDOWS 98/ME:

You may want to look in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, where the time is. There may be some icons to left of the time. Click on each of these icons with the right-hand mouse button and IF they give the option, click on "Exit," "Close," Quit," or "Disable." The second step of this process is to hold down Ctrl+Alt+Del to "End Task" on everything except "Explorer" and "Systray". Hold Ctrl, Alt, and hit Delete, this will open the Close Program dialog box. Select an item other than the two mentioned above, click on "End Task". Repeat this step until only "Explorer" and "Systray" remain.

WINDOWS XP:

The first step of this process is to hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "Task Manager". You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Applications tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all other programs by double-clicking on them. You will need to repeat this process after closing each application. Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

The next step is to click on the "Processes" tab. There will be a list of programs sorted into separate columns. One of the columns will be called "Username." If you click on "Username," this will sort the processes list by which program or system property is using them. The only programs we will be concerned with are the ones listed under either "Owner" or your Windows log-on name. We do NOT need to change or alter any processes listed under "Local Service," "Network Service," or "System."

The only two programs that we need running under your username or Owner are going to be EXPLORER and TSKMGR. All of the other processes running on your username will need to be highlighted and you click on "End Process" to close these programs.

When you re-start your computer, all of these programs will come back on running in Windows.

Next you may want to check your video settings.

1. Check your display settings and make sure that the color palette is set to Highcolor 16bit and 800x600 screen area. Click on Apply and then OK to save your settings. To do this, follow the steps below:

- Right-click on any open space on your desktop.
- Left-click the word "properties".
- Left-click the "settings" tab on the Display Properties panel.

Your computers' display settings should be listed here. The color palette settings are to the left while the desktop resolution, or "screen area" is to the right.

2. Try updating the driver for your video card. To update the driver for your videocard, first determine what type of videocard you have. This information can be found in the Directx Diagnostic Tool panel. To run the Directx diagnostic tool and determine which type of video card you have, follow the steps below:

- Click the "start" button on your Windows system tray.
- Click the "run" option.
- Type DXDIAG in the box that appears.
- Click "ok".

The Directx Diagnostic tool will appear on your screen.

- Left-click the "display" tab.

On this tab you will see an area labled "Device" in the top left-hand corner of the panel. Your video card type is listed in this section under "name". Each video card manufacturer has a different website. A quick web search typing in the name of your video card should direct you to their site. Once there, look for a "download driver" section, and follow the steps on the web page for updating your video driver.

3. Reinstall DirectX, or download and install the latest version from Microsoft's website at www.microsoft.com/directx.

4. It is also possible that your monitor is incorrectly configured or that the display driver you are using for your video card is incorrect. Check the Display control panel and make sure your monitor type is not set to VGA 640x480. If it is, try changing it to support the specific model of your monitor, or try using SVGA 800x600. If this fails to help you, try updating the driver for your video card by checking out the manufacturer's website.

If this does not resolve the issue, I would suggest completely uninstalling and reinstalling the game by following the steps below:

To Uninstall:
1. Click on the Start Menu, then Programs and go to the game folder. (Default is, Start Menu>Programs>Maxis>The Sims)
2. Click on the ""Uninstall The Sims"" icon to uninstall.

To delete the game folder:
1. Double-click on My Computer
2. Double-click on the harddrive your game is installed to. (Default is C:\)
3. Go to the folder where the game is installed to on your computer. (Default is C:\Program Files\Maxis)
4. Click once on The Sims folder, now press delete on your keyboard and choose yes to delete.
(Be sure to empty your recycle bin prior to reinstalling.)

3. The game goes back to the desktop after the Splash screen.


Do you have another CD rom/DVD/CD-RW Drive on your computer? If so I'd recommend trying to run it from there. Do you have any Virtual CD rom drives running, such as "Daemon Tools" or "Phantom CD"? These programs will emulate a CD rom drive and will confuse the game because it will look to this drive instead of your physical CD rom drive.

If your having trouble with the Installation of the game, you could also try copying the contents of the disk into a folder on your hard drive and try installing from there. Insert the CD into the CD rom. Exit the startup menu when it comes up. Double click "My Computer", then right click on the CD-ROM drive with the game CD in it and select "Explore". Hold the "CTRL" key and then hit "A". That should select all the files. Then hold "CTRL" and hit "C". This will not look like it does much, but it's preparing to copy the files. Then close that folder and go to your desktop. Right click on any blank space, and Select "New", then "Folder". Name the folder "Game files".

Then Double click that folder, and hit "CTRL" and "V". This will begin coping the files from the CD. If the game has more then one CD rom disk, create separate folders for each CD. Once it's complete, remove the CD from your CD rom drive, and double click the setup.exe from the folder you just created.

If the trouble persists, follow the steps appropriate for your operating system. Try them in order and try the game after completing each step. If the trouble continues, proceed to the next step:

Windows 95/98/ME

Step 1
====================================
Download the latest version of DCOM at: http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom98/download.asp

Install the downloaded file afterwards, then restart your computer.

Try adjusting the Supplemental Cache for your CDROM drive:
1. Press the right mouse button on the "My Computer" icon from your Desktop.
2. Select "Properties" from the menu that appears.
3. Select the "Performance" tab from the "System Properties" window.
4. Select the "File System..." button.
5. Select the "CD-ROM"" tab from the "" File System Properties"" window.
6. "Supplemental Cache Size:" should be is set to "Large".
7. "Optimize Access Pattern for:" should be set to "Quad-speed or higher".
Note: If these settings are already correct, try lowering the "Supplemental Cache Size".

Step 2
====================================
Try setting the CD's drive letter to the first letter after the last hard drive.
- Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Properties'
- Click on the 'Device Manager' tab.
- Click the plus sign next to CDROM then double-click on the CDROM drive name.
- Click the 'Settings' tab.
- At the bottom set the 'Start Drive Letter' and 'End Drive Letter' to the first letter that is available.
- If another device (such as a Zip drive) is already set to this letter you will need to follow the same steps to set it to a higher letter.
- Click 'Ok' and 'Close' then restart the computer.

Step 3
====================================
If changing the drive lettering does not resolve the trouble, try checking 'Sync Data Transfer' and uncheck 'DMA' (Direct Memory Access) options under the CDROM properties.

***IMPORTANT*** - Do not take this step under Windows XP or 2000

To do this, follow these steps:
- Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Properties'
- Click on the 'Device Manager' tab.
- Click the plus sign next to CDROM then double-click on the CDROM drive name.
- Click the 'Settings' tab.
- In the Options box check the box for 'Sync Data Transfer'
- In the same Options box uncheck the box for 'DMA'
- Click 'Ok' on the CDROM properties window then 'Close' on the System Properties window.
- Restart the computer.


Windows 2000/XP

Step 1
====================================
There have been some known issues with CD ROMs reading Safedisk Correctly for Windows XP. You can try this Safedisk Patch and it should resolve your issue:

http://www.macrovision.com/solutions/software/fix.php3

Step 2
====================================
Try setting the CD's drive letter to the first letter after the last hard drive.
- Right click on the 'My Computer' icon and select 'Manage'
- Click 'Disk Management' in the left pane
- Right click on the CD-ROM and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."
- Highlight the drive letter in the list and click 'Remove' then click 'Yes' to confirm
- Next, right click on the CD-ROM and again select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."
- Click 'Add' and select the lowest possible letter then click 'Ok'

Step 3
====================================
With Windows XP, You will also want to assure that compatibility mode is NOT enabled for the setup program. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Put the game cd in the CD-ROM drive. Exit the autorun menu screen.
2. Double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop.
3. Right-click your mouse on the cd-rom drive icon. Select explore from the menu that shows up.
4. Explore the cd and find the file SETUP.EXE
5. Once found, Right-click your mouse on the setup.exe icon and select properties from the menu that shows up.
6. In the properties screen, select the compatibility tab at the top.
7. Uncheck the box for "run this program in compatibility mode for".
8. Apply the settings, then hit the OK button.
9. Double-click on SETUP.EXE to start the install program.

If these steps fail, see if you can try to install the disk on another computer to verify the integrity of the disk itself. If setup fails on another system, or you do not have access to another system to try this on, you will want to contact our Warranty department for a replacement disk.

For returns after the 90-day warranty period - Please return the product along with a check or money order for $7.50 made payable to Electronic Arts, and a brief description of the difficulty you are experiencing including your name, address, and phone number to the address below. We strongly recommend that you send your product using a delivery method that is traceable.

Electronic Arts Customer Warranty
PO Box 9025
Redwood City, CA 94063-9025

[e-mail]

4. Installation Crashes or Freezes


This may be due to the cd-rom speed dipping below acceptable reading levels for the Install Shield software to read accurately.

First, check to see if there are any scratches, fingerprints, or marks of any kind on the disk surface. Something even as small as a piece of hair or a very light scratch can cause this error. If you find any fingerprints or debris try cleaning the CD with a soft cotton cloth. If after cleaning the CD the error still occurs, or if there are still scratches you can send the CD in to be replaced. You can contact our warranty department at [phone] to exchange your disk for a new one. To replace your software you will need a sales receipt dated within the 90-day warranty period. Electronic Arts warrants its software to the original purchaser that Electronic Arts' software is free from defects for a period of 90-days as stated in the manual. If the disk has been misused, or the 90-day warranty has passed, then a fee will be assessed to replace the software.

FEES:

Floppy Disk and PC-CD products: $7.50 per CD
GameCube, G.B.Advanced, G.B. Color,
PlayStation, Playstation 2, & Xbox products: $15.00
Nintendo 64 cartridges: $30.00
All manuals: $5.00
Reference Cards: $3.00


ADDRESS:
EA Customer Warranty
P. O. Box 9025
Redwood City, CA 94065-9025
Warranty #: [phone]
Warranty emails: [e-mail]

Please send the disk, a brief note describing the defect and a sales receipt dated within the 90-day warranty. If a fee is applicable, please include a check or money order for the corresponding amount to replace the disk.

If you do not find any scratches, fingerprints, or marks of any kind on your CD, try renaming the InstallShield folder, located in C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield, to InstallShieldOld. Start the installation again to reinstall the InstallShield components with the newest version.

If the above does not work, try the following CD Troubleshooting steps;

For Windows XP:

First, make sure that you are logged in as the Administrator (for Windows XP Professional) or Owner (for Windows XP Home). This will usually be the first account that was created once Windows XP was fully installed. If you are not certain, contact the manufacturer of your PC for assistance in finding your Administrator/Owner account.

Next, make sure that all background tasks are closed before running the game. To do this;

Hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "Task Manager". You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name. For example here is a portion of what you should see;

Image Name User Name Session ID

Explorer.exe Owner 01

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.

Also, do not close any applications that say "System" next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr" as well. You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

If that fails to help resolve the issue, try downloading the SafeDisk update from the following website; http://www.macrovision.com/solutions/software/fix.php3

If the game still fails to start, try turning off the Program Compatibility option. You can do this by going into the Program Compatibility Wizard. You can find the wizard program by clicking on Start - All Programs - Accessories and you will see the shortcut for Program Compatibility Wizard listed there. Make sure that as you walk thru the menus that you select the following options;

1. I want to choose from a list of programs. The Wizard will scan your system for all programs currently installed. Once finished, you can choose your game from the list.
2. Do not apply compatibility mode.
3. Disable Visual themes.

If the previous steps did not work, and you have 3000mb of free space on your hard drive, you can copy the entire cd to the hard drive and install the game from there. Follow these steps...

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New, click Folder, and name the folder CD Copy.
2. Double-click My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
3. Press control+A to highlight everything, and then press control+C to copy everything.
4. Double-click the CD Copy folder, right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
5. Remove the cd from the cdrom drive.
6. Insert CD2, double-click on My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
7. Double-click on the Setup folder.
8. Right-click on the data3 file and click copy.
9. Go back into the Setup folder in CD Copy then right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 in order to copy the data4 file.
11. Double-click the CD Copy folder, double-click the setup folder, and then double-click the setup file (the icon will look like a computer).

After you are finished installing, you can delete the CD Copy folder.

For Windows 95/98/ME:

First, make sure that you have closed any programs or tasks running in the background. To do this, hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "close programs". The only two applications that you want listed here before running or installing the game are "explorer" and "systray". Close all other programs by double-clicking on them. You will need to repeat this process after closing each application. Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

If that does not help, try installing the latest version of DCOM for your operating system. Here are the URL's to download the version for your operating system;

Windows 95:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom95/dcom1_3.asp
Windows 98:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom98/dcom1_3.asp

If that does not work, please follow the steps below to ensure a more compatible CD-ROM setting:

a. Press the right mouse button on the "My Computer" icon from your Desktop.
b. Select "Properties" from the menu that appears.
c. Select the "Performance" tab from the "System Properties" window.
d. Select the "File System..." button.
e. Select the "CD-ROM" tab from the " File System Properties" window.
f. "Supplemental Cache Size:" should be is set to "Large."
g. "Optimize Access Pattern for:" should be set to "Quad-speed or higher."

Try starting up the game now.

If those settings are already correct, try setting the Supplemental cache size for your cdrom drive to "Small" and the Optimize access pattern settings to "No Read Ahead" (NOTE: if these changes do not help get the game running I would recommend that you restore the original settings after trying this)

If that fails to resolve the issue, then try checking Sync data Transfer for your CDrom Drive.

a. Right Click on My Computer and choose properties from the drop down menu
b. Click on the tab that says device manager
c. Click on the + to the left of CDROM in the list of devices
d. Double click on the CDrom drive under there
e. Click on the Settings tab
f. Put a checkmark in Sync Data Transfer
g. Click "ok" and restart your computer
h. Give the game a run

Also, make sure that the default cdrom drive in windows for playing audio cd's is the cdrom drive that you installed the game from.

a. Go to "CONTROL PANEL" (click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel)
b. Double-Click "MULTIMEDIA"
c. Click "CD MUSIC" Tab
d. Where is says: "Default CD-ROM drive for playing CD music", choose the letter of the drive that the game was installed from.

You can also try disabling DMA for your cdrom drive if you have that option.

a. Right Click on My Computer and choose properties from the drop down menu
b. Click on the tab that says device manager
c. Click on the + to the left of CDROM in the list of devices
d. Double click on the CDrom drive under there
e. Click on the Settings tab
f. Uncheck DMA if it is already checked (if you have this option available)
g. Click "ok" and restart your computer
h. Give the game a run

(NOTE: if these changes do not help get the game running I would recommend that you restore the original settings after trying this)

If the previous steps did not work, and you have 3000mb of free space on your hard drive, you can copy the entire cd to the hard drive and install the game from there. Follow these steps...

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New, click Folder, and name the folder CD Copy.
2. Double-click My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
3. Press control+A to highlight everything, and then press control+C to copy everything.
4. Double-click the CD Copy folder, right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
5. Remove the cd from the cdrom drive.
6. Insert CD2, double-click on My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
7. Double-click on the Setup folder.
8. Right-click on the data3 file and click copy.
9. Go back into the Setup folder in CD Copy then right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 in order to copy the data4 file.
11. Double-click the CD Copy folder, double-click the setup folder, and then double-click the setup file (the icon will look like a computer).

After you are finished installing, you can delete the CD Copy folder.

If you still get the same error message, try exchanging the game at the store of purchase for a different copy to see if that helps.

If the issue persists, we can exchange your game for a sealed copy that you can return to the store from which it was purchased. Send the entire game (CD ROM and packaging) along with a copy of the receipt, a return address, daytime phone number, and a brief note explaining your situation to:

Electronic Arts Customer Warranty
PO Box 9025
Redwood City CA, 94065-9025

An exchange for a sealed copy must be sent within 90 days of the original purchase. Any further questions regarding our warranty policy should be sent to [e-mail]. We suggest that customers use a traceable method when sending in software for replacement. Electronic Arts is not responsible for any packages lost in the mail.

5. Error: "Please insert the correct CD rom"


First, make sure Sims Superstar CD 1 is in the drive.

For Windows XP:

First, make sure that you are logged in as the Administrator (for Windows XP Professional) or Owner (for Windows XP Home). This will usually be the first account that was created once Windows XP was fully installed. If you are not certain, contact the manufacturer of your PC for assistance in finding your Administrator/Owner account.

Next, make sure that all background tasks are closed before running the game. To do this;

Hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "Task Manager". You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name. For example here is a portion of what you should see;

Image Name User Name Session ID

Explorer.exe Owner 01

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.

Also, do not close any applications that say "System" next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr" as well. You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

If that fails to help resolve the issue, try downloading the SafeDisk update from the following website; http://www.macrovision.com/solutions/software/fix.php3

If the game still fails to start, try turning off the Program Compatibility option. You can do this by going into the Program Compatibility Wizard. You can find the wizard program by clicking on Start - All Programs - Accessories and you will see the shortcut for Program Compatibility Wizard listed there. Make sure that as you walk thru the menus that you select the following options;

1. I want to choose from a list of programs. The Wizard will scan your system for all programs currently installed. Once finished, you can choose your game from the list.
2. Do not apply compatibility mode.
3. Disable Visual themes.

For Windows 95/98/ME:

First, make sure that you have closed any programs or tasks running in the background. To do this, hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "close programs". The only two applications that you want listed here before running or installing the game are "explorer" and "systray". Close all other programs by double-clicking on them. You will need to repeat this process after closing each application. Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

If that does not help, try installing the latest version of DCOM for your operating system. Here are the URL's to download the version for your operating system;

Windows 95:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom95/dcom1_3.asp
Windows 98:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom98/dcom1_3.asp

If that does not work, please follow the steps below to ensure a more compatible CD-ROM setting:

a. Press the right mouse button on the "My Computer" icon from your Desktop.
b. Select "Properties" from the menu that appears.
c. Select the "Performance" tab from the "System Properties" window.
d. Select the "File System..." button.
e. Select the "CD-ROM" tab from the " File System Properties" window.
f. "Supplemental Cache Size:" should be is set to "Large."
g. "Optimize Access Pattern for:" should be set to "Quad-speed or higher."

Try starting up the game now.

If those settings are already correct, try setting the Supplemental cache size for your cdrom drive to "Small" and the Optimize access pattern settings to "No Read Ahead" (NOTE: if these changes do not help get the game running I would recommend that you restore the original settings after trying this)

If that fails to resolve the issue, then try checking Sync data Transfer for your CDrom Drive.

a. Right Click on My Computer and choose properties from the drop down menu
b. Click on the tab that says device manager
c. Click on the + to the left of CDROM in the list of devices
d. Double click on the CDrom drive under there
e. Click on the Settings tab
f. Put a checkmark in Sync Data Transfer
g. Click "ok" and restart your computer
h. Give the game a run

Also, make sure that the default cdrom drive in windows for playing audio cd's is the cdrom drive that you installed the game from.

a. Go to "CONTROL PANEL" (click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel)
b. Double-Click "MULTIMEDIA"
c. Click "CD MUSIC" Tab
d. Where is says: "Default CD-ROM drive for playing CD music", choose the letter of the drive that the game was installed from.

6. General Graphic Corruption


Usually, these types of issues can be fixed by one of the following methods:

1. Try editing the shortcut to The Sims. To create a shortcut, Right-click on the desktop, choose New, Shortcut, browse to The Sims folder. (Usually C:\program files\maxis\the sims\sims.exe) Choose next and finish the shortcut. Right-click on the new shortcut and choose properties. Go to Shortcut, and the Target Line should be highlighted. Add the following switches to the end of the line: -w

Example: "C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\Sims.exe" -w

2. Check your display settings and make sure that the color palette is set to Highcolor 16bit and 800x600 screen area. To do this, follow the steps below:

- Right-click on any open space on your desktop.
- Left-click the word "properties".
- Left-click the "settings" tab on the Display Properties panel.

3. Your computers' display settings should be listed here. The color palette settings are to the left while the desktop resolution, or "screen area" is to the right.

Try updating the driver for your video card. To update the driver for your videocard, first determine what type of videocard you have. This information can be found in the Directx Diagnostic Tool panel. To run the Directx diagnostic tool and determine which type of video card you have, follow the steps below:

- Click the "start" button on your Windows system tray.
- Click the "run" option.
- Type DXDIAG in the box that appears.
- Click "ok".

The Directx Diagnostic tool will appear on your screen.

- Left-click the "display" tab.

On this tab you will see an area labled "Device" in the top left-hand corner of the panel. Your video card type is listed in this section under "name". Each video card manufacturer has a different website. A quick web search typing in the name of your video card should direct you to their site. Once there, look for a "download driver" section, and follow the steps on the web page for updating your video driver.

4. If you have DirectX 7.0 I would suggest re-installing it on your system. You can do this using the one included on your game CD. To do this;

- Double-click on My Computer.
- Right-click on your CD-ROM drive that the game is in and select Explore; usually titled with the name of the game you are installing.
- Double-click on the folder labeled DirectX. If you do not see a folder labeled DirectX on your CD you can do a search on it by using the Find function.

- Click on Start - Find (Under other versions of Windows it will be labeled Search)
- Select the option Files and Folders.
- Type in DXSETUP.exe and click Find.hi
- Double-ckick on the DXSETUP file.

This will start the installation for DirectX. You can also run this file by clicking on Start - Run and typing in the following;

D:\DIRECTX\DXSETUP.EXE (d being the letter for your CD-ROM drive)

5. Reinstall DirectX, or download and install DirectX 8.1 from Microsoft's website at www.microsoft.com/directx.

6. It's also possible that your monitor is incorrectly configured or that the display driver you are using for your video card is incorrect. Check the Display control panel and make sure your monitor type is not set to VGA 640x480. If it is, try changing it to support the specific model of your monitor, or try using SVGA 800x600. If this fails to help you, try updating the driver for your video card by checking out the manufacturer's website.

7. ERROR - Component Transfer Error


This is due to the cd-rom speed dipping below acceptable reading levels for the Install Shield software to read accurately.

First, check to see if there are any scratches, fingerprints, or marks of any kind on the disk surface. Something even as small as a piece of hair or a very light scratch can cause this error. If you find any fingerprints or debris try cleaning the CD with a soft cotton cloth. If after cleaning the CD the error still occurs, or if there are still scratches you can send the CD in to be replaced. You can contact our warranty department at [phone] to exchange your disk for a new one. To replace your software you will need a sales receipt dated within the 90-day warranty period. Electronic Arts warrants its software to the original purchaser that Electronic Arts' software is free from defects for a period of 90-days as stated in the manual. If the disk has been misused, or the 90-day warranty has passed, then a fee will be assessed to replace the software.

FEES:

Floppy Disk and PC-CD products: $7.50 per CD
GameCube, G.B.Advanced, G.B. Color,
PlayStation, Playstation 2, & Xbox products: $15.00
Nintendo 64 cartridges: $30.00
All manuals: $5.00
Reference Cards: $3.00


ADDRESS:
EA Customer Warranty
P. O. Box 9025
Redwood City, CA 94065-9025
Warranty #: [phone]
Warranty emails: [e-mail]

Please send the disk, a brief note describing the defect and a sales receipt dated within the 90-day warranty. If a fee is applicable, please include a check or money order for the corresponding amount to replace the disk.

If you do not find any scratches, fingerprints, or marks of any kind on your CD, try renaming the InstallShield folder, located in C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield, to InstallShieldOld. Start the installation again to reinstall the InstallShield components with the newest version.

If the above does not work, try the following CD Troubleshooting steps;

For Windows XP:

First, make sure that you are logged in as the Administrator (for Windows XP Professional) or Owner (for Windows XP Home). This will usually be the first account that was created once Windows XP was fully installed. If you are not certain, contact the manufacturer of your PC for assistance in finding your Administrator/Owner account.

Next, make sure that all background tasks are closed before running the game. To do this;

Hold the Ctrl and Alt keys down at the same time and hit the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window called "Task Manager". You will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes, Performance, networking, and Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all current programs that are running. Close all programs that have your login ID next to them. Your user ID is listed in the second column next to the program name. For example here is a portion of what you should see;

Image Name User Name Session ID

Explorer.exe Owner 01

The Image Name column is the name of the programs currently running. The User Name column is where you will find your User Name. The best way to check this is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under User Name.

Also, do not close any applications that say "System" next to them. Be sure not to close a program labeled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr" as well. You close each one of these applications by clicking on each one and hitting the button "End Process". Note some applications may take multiple times before closing. Don't worry that you are permanently changing your system configuration; these applications will return when you restart your system.

If that fails to help resolve the issue, try downloading the SafeDisk update from the following website; http://www.macrovision.com/solutions/software/fix.php3

If the game still fails to start, try running the installation for the game using the Program Compatibility Wizard. You can find the wizard program by clicking on Start - All Programs - Accessories and you will see the shortcut for Program Compatibility Wizard listed there. Make sure that as you walk thru the menus that you select the option "I want to use the program in the CD-ROM drive." which will be the options on the second screen of the wizard. Once that is selected, select the option "Do not apply compatibility mode" which will be on the next screen. Be sure to only have checked "Disable Visual Themes"; do not apply any other graphical settings. If any are selected be sure to uncheck them before continuing. Continue to follow the screens until it asks you to test your settings, which will activate the autoplay menu to install your game.

If the previous steps did not work, and you have 3000mb of free space on your hard drive, you can copy the entire cd to the hard drive and install the game from there. Follow these steps...

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New, click Folder, and name the folder CD Copy.
2. Double-click My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
3. Press control+A to highlight everything, and then press control+C to copy everything.
4. Double-click the CD Copy folder, right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
5. Remove the cd from the cdrom drive.
6. Insert CD2, double-click on My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
7. Double-click on the Setup folder.
8. Right-click on the data3 file and click copy.
9. Go back into the Setup folder in CD Copy then right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 in order to copy the data4 file.
11. Double-click the CD Copy folder, double-click the setup folder, and then double-click the setup file (the icon will look like a computer).

After you are finished installing, you can delete the CD Copy folder.

For Windows 95/98/ME:

Try installing the latest version of DCOM for your operating system. Here are the URL's to download the version for your operating system;

Windows 95:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom95/dcom1_3.asp
Windows 98:
http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom/
dcom98/dcom1_3.asp

If that does not help, please follow the steps below to ensure a more compatible CD-ROM setting:

a. Press the right mouse button on the "My Computer" icon from your Desktop.
b. Select "Properties" from the menu that appears.
c. Select the "Performance" tab from the "System Properties" window.
d. Select the "File System..." button.
e. Select the "CD-ROM" tab from the " File System Properties" window.
f. "Supplemental Cache Size:" should be is set to "Large."
g. "Optimize Access Pattern for:" should be set to "Quad-speed or higher."

Try starting up the installation now.

If those settings are already correct, try setting the Supplemental cache size for your cdrom drive to "Small" and the Optimize access pattern settings to "No Read Ahead" (NOTE: if these changes do not help get the game running I would recommend that you restore the original settings after trying this)

Also, if you have any virus protection programs like Norton or McAfee, temporarily disable them by right clicking on the icon in your system tray in the lower right corner of the desktop and selecting "Disable" or "Exit". Also be sure to end all background programs before attempting installation. Do this by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously and end tasking all applications except for Explorer and systray.

If the game still won't start up, try rebooting your computer, then before you do anything, make sure to end all background tasks then try starting up the game.

If you are still receiving the same error message, then try checking Sync data Transfer for your CDrom Drive.
1. Right Click on My Computer and choose properties from the drop down menu
2. Click on the tab that says device manager
3. Click on the + to the left of CDROM in the list of devices
4. Double click on the CDrom drive under there
5. Click on the Settings tab
6 Put a checkmark in Sync Data Transfer
7. Click "ok" and restart your computer
8. Give the installation a run

Also, make sure that the default cdrom drive in windows for playing audio cd's is the cdrom drive that you installed the game from.
1) Go to "CONTROL PANEL" (click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel)
2) Double-Click "MULTIMEDIA"
3) Click "CD MUSIC" Tab
4) Where is says: "Default CD-ROM drive for playing CD music", choose the letter of the drive that the game was installed from.

You can also try disabling DMA for your cdrom drive if you have that option.
1. Right Click on My Computer and choose properties from the drop down menu
2. Click on the tab that says device manager
3. Click on the + to the left of CDROM in the list of devices
4. Double click on the CDrom drive under there
5. Click on the Settings tab
6 Uncheck DMA if it is already checked (if you have this option available)
7. Click "ok" and restart your computer
8. Give the installation a run

(NOTE: if these changes do not help get the game running I would recommend that you restore the original settings after trying this)

If the previous steps did not work, and you have 3000mb of free space on your hard drive, you can copy the entire cd to the hard drive and install the game from there. Follow these steps...

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New, click Folder, and name the folder CD Copy.
2. Double-click My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
3. Press control+A to highlight everything, and then press control+C to copy everything.
4. Double-click the CD Copy folder, right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
5. Remove the cd from the cdrom drive.
6. Insert CD2, double-click on My Computer, right-click on your cdrom and click open.
7. Double-click on the Setup folder.
8. Right-click on the data3 file and click copy.
9. Go back into the Setup folder in CD Copy then right-click in center of the folder and click paste.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 in order to copy the data4 file.
11. Double-click the CD Copy folder, double-click the setup folder, and then double-click the setup file (the icon will look like a computer).

After you are finished installing, you can delete the CD Copy folder.

If you still get the same error message, try exchanging the game at the store of purchase for a different copy to see if that helps.

If the issue persists, we can exchange your game for a sealed copy that you can return to the store from which it was purchased. Send the entire game (CD ROM and packaging) along with a copy of the receipt, a return address, daytime phone number, and a brief note explaining your situation to:

Electronic Arts Customer Warranty
PO Box 9025
Redwood City CA, 94065-9025

An exchange for a sealed copy must be sent within 90 days of the original purchase. Any further questions regarding our warranty policy should be sent to [e-mail]. We suggest that customers use a traceable method when sending in software for replacement. Electronic Arts is not responsible for any packages lost in the mail.

8. What are the minimum requirements to play?


- Windows(r) 95, 98, 2000 or XP (Windows NT and Windows ME are not supported)
- 450 MHz or faster Intel(r) Pentium II(r) processor
- 128 MB RAM
- 4MB PCI or AGP video card capable of High Color (16-bit Color), 800x600 resolution display. It must have a DirectX 7.0 or later compatible driver.
- 4x CD-ROM drive using 32-bit Windows(r) 95/98 driver
- 1120 MB (or 1.12 GB) free hard disk space (additional space required for Windows(r) swap file)
- DirectX 7.0 (or higher) compatible sound card
- A keyboard, mouse, monitor and a power source.
- The Sims or The Sims Deluxe installed.

9. Cannot uninstall the game


Run the Sims Eraser from the Superstar CD. This will remove the Uinstall Log for The Sims Superstar. To do this, insert the Superstar CD #1, double-click My Computer, right-click on the Superstar CD, click on Open in the menu that pops up. Double-click on the folder called Eraser, and double-click on the file named SimsEraser.exe.

If that does not help, we have to go into your Windows registry and remove the parts of the game program that were not removed from your system. We will be focusing on several files that were installed with the game into your registry.

First, we will need to make a backup of your registry. We do this by using a tool called Scanreg;

1. Click on Start then go to Run.
2. Type in scanreg /backup.
3. Click on Ok.

You will see a window briefly appear on your screen and then go away. Once you have seen this that will tell you that you have made a backup of your registry.

Now we will remove the keys for The Sims Unleashed from your registry. To do this, follow the steps below;

1. Click on Start then go to Run.
2. Type in regedit and click OK.
3. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
4. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Software.
5. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Maxis.
6. You will see a folder labeled "The Sims Superstar."
7. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
8. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder. The window may take you to the top of the screen. Simply scroll back down to where you were before.
9. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Microsoft.
10. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Windows.
11. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Current Version.
12. Left-Click once on the plus sign next to a folder labeled Uninstall.
13. Locate a folder labeled {1A7F8DF6-5A3E-4CDF-BC82-BE26B407E21B}
14. Right click once on this folder; a menu will appear.
15. Select the delete option and left-click; this will remove the folder.


You have now removed all entries for The Sims Superstar from your system. At this point you should be able to re-install your game without an issue.

10. Hotfix 329623 (for Windows XP w/ Hotfix 328310 Installed)



To find Windows XP hotfix 329623:
• Go to Microsoft's website
• Click "Support" under the "Resources" menu choice on the left side
• Click "Knowledge Base" under "Support" in the main window
• Enter "kb329623" in the "Search for..." text field and click "Go"
• Click on "Problems with InterVideo DVD Software After Upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 1" under the "Search Results"
• Click on "All Languages: Download the 329623 package now" under "RESOLUTION" halfway down the page
• Click on "Download" in the box titled "Issue with DirectX May Cause DVD Players To Not Work"
• Select "Open" from the Download window to begin the install

Answer 2

If you install the Sims 1 games in the wrong order, that can happen too.

I have both the Sims 2 and Sims 1 games installed. They run great on the same machine. Sims 1 is very fickle about the order its expansions are installed and it might be what's going on with yours. There are more tips here in the link below-

Detailed support information for the Sims 1:
http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=6OdzqWgi&p_lva=7805&p_li=&p_accessibility=&p_page=1&p_cv=1.566&p_pv=2.703&p_prods=7%2C703&p_cats=566&p_hidden_prods=&prod_lvl1=7&prod_lvl2=703&prod_lvl3=0&cat_lvl1=566&cat_lvl2=0&p_search_text=&p_new_search=1
- see 11. Which order to ...install (for example)

Answer 3

Hmm... some thing similar handed off to me at present. attempt uninstalling and reinstalling, then manually downloading increment patches, that should be stumbled on on the Sims 3 communicate board. C: good success.

Answer 4

thats sucks upgrade to the sims 2

Answer 5

Put it into the Recycle bin, then empty your recycle bin if that doesn't work then it would bebest to buy The Sims 2 then you will have extra downloads