My complete installation guide (laptop windows 10)
#1 01-05-2016 
  • Registered
  • 1
  • 2
Ok, I installed my sims 2 AGAIN and this time I wanted to write the algorithm down. I am posting it because maybe someone else find it usefull. I have a backup of everything, the graphic rules from this page, celebkiriedhel's guides, the mods I use, the clean neighborhoods, etc, just in case (email: juancar347@hotmail.com)

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

0) If you previosly uninstalled your game, make sure these folders doesn't exists:
Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES (or where your game was installed)
Users\Yourpcname\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 (or where your documents are)
Scan for registry issues with ccleaner

1) install sims 2 + all expansions, in the correct order and with all the patches. Restart your pc.

2) Delete the ea game's folder in the documents folder

3) Install these Clean Premade EA/Maxis Neighbourhoods: http://meetme2theriver.livejournal.com/63030.html by downloading all the Neighborhoods and putting them in your installation folder. for example for pleasant view, go to this location:
-INSTALL LOCATION-\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\UserData\Neighborhoods

I have Double Deluxe so it is more like this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Double Deluxe\Base\TSData\Res\UserData\Neighborhoods

Delete N001 and put the new one instead.
Repeat for Strangetown, Veronaville, Riverblossom Hills(from now on the installation path changes), Desiderata Valley
Belladonna Cove, Sim State University, La Fiesta Tech, Académie Le Tour, Downtown (Alternative Version),
Bluewater Village, Pets Stealth Hood

4) If you have a 64-bit operating system with more than 2GB of ram, do what it says here:
http://lifasims.livejournal.com/3738.html
In case the link goes down it basically says that you have to install this program: CFF Explorer, after that, run the program as administrator, file-->open, go to the ts bin folder of your lastest EP, mine is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\TSBin
choose the Sims2EPX.exe file, it will ask you to load in memory just the first 40MBs, choose NO. Click File Header under NT headers, then click the "Click here" to the right of characteristics, tick "app can handle >2gb address space") and OK. File-->save. OverWrite Original file? choose yes.
Repeat for TS2BodyShop.exe, my path is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\CSBin
(you will see a new tab to your right for the new file, just choose it and repeat the previous steps).
uninstall the explorer program once you have finish.

5) Right click your desktop shortcut (Where you normally launch your game) --> properties, in the shortcut tab-->click Advanced-->Run as administrator. Change the target
from this (If your last EP is M&G, if not adapt it)
"C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\TSBin\Sims2Launcher.exe"
to this
"C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff\TSBin\Sims2EP9" -CPUCount:1

In the compatibility tab, choose run this program in compatibility mode for Windows XP (service Pack 2) and run as administrator. Apply, continue and OK.

6) Disable the intro movie and ea logo by doing this:
Go to your movie folder that is in your base installation game folder, should be something similar to this:
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Movies
Mine:
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Double Deluxe\Base\TSData\Res\Movies

rename the file ealogo_audio.movie to _ealogo_audio.movie
and the file intro_eng_audio.movie to _intro_eng_audio.movie

Now you have to rename all the other ealogo_audio.movie to _ealogo_audio.movie from every expansion or stuff pack. You could find them at
NameOfYourPack\TSData\Res\Movies folders


7) Run your game once and close it.
You then must read this thread, from celebkiriedhel:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6901

Then choose your Graphic rules.sgr from here:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6888
Radeon, nvidia or intel, depends of which driver do you have. You can see it at ***-config-log file (even if you have an integrated chip, just choose from what it says there)
You need a Texture fix version, if in your "***-config-log" file you saw "Texture memory: 32MB". If not, use a normal one.

And make your Video Cards.sgr with this guide:
http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=6882

You have to just add this line into your video cards.srg file(to where your vendor list is, with the devide id and the name of your driver (which you find all of this in your ***-config-log file)):

-->
card 0x<your device id from the config-log.txt> "<Your Name (Driver) from your config-log.txt>"
<--

How do know that you did it right?

-In your ***-config-log.txt file (in Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Logs for ex.)
You don't have this message: <<NOT FOUND IN DATABASE!>>
Texture memory is over 32MB (over 1000MB)
boolProp enumerateMultisampleLevels is true (HiRes)
-In game the terrain doesn't look like crap, xray cursor and smooth edge are enabled, the game is not flickering, etc.


8) Install your store items

9) Now install your mods

These are the mods I use. I did a HCDU check and I only have a possible conflict between woohoo teens bed and inteenimater but CJ says it is completely safe and it doesn't matter the load order). I am very picky so you could use these mods as a good reference.

Complex mods below (These mods have a different installation method as just put the files into your "download" folder .)


Hacks below (I keep it simple, I don't like uber mod collections of tweaks.)

Default replacement below (just a few graphic changes)


10) Delete group.cache, accesory cache, the neighborhood folder and the thumbnails folder.

11) Clean your pc with ccleaner

12) Defrag your computer with your desired method, I use defraggler.

13) Play
(This post was last modified: 05-05-2016 08:02 PM by Palmito.)

0
#2 01-05-2016 
Steps 2 and 3 are optional! Do them ONLY if you don't want to play the normal Maxis hoods. Because whatever so-called *Clean* hood replacement you get, *ALWAYS* affects the way it plays. And even if you *do* want clean hoods, meetme2theriver's are NOT (oxymoron alert) the only alternative available! Feel free to do research, read up on the subject and on what all each of the clean-hood authors has done, and then make up your own mind on which alternative to use!

Step 10: deleting the neighborhoods folder would only be required if you did indeed install new so-called *Clean Hoods*.

Step 12: Whatever choices you make, do NOT defrag SSD drives ever! Defragging an SSD drive causes extreme wear and tear on it, causing it to fail in less than six months!

3
#3 01-05-2016 
  • Registered
  • 1
  • 2
(01-05-2016 10:14 AM)BoilingOil Wrote:  Steps 2 and 3 are optional! Do them ONLY if you don't want to play the normal Maxis hoods. Because whatever so-called *Clean* hood replacement you get, *ALWAYS* affects the way it plays. And even if you *do* want clean hoods, meetme2theriver's are NOT (oxymoron alert) the only alternative available! Feel free to do research, read up on the subject and on what all each of the clean-hood authors has done, and then make up your own mind on which alternative to use!

Step 10: deleting the neighborhoods folder would only be required if you did indeed install new so-called *Clean Hoods*.

Step 12: Whatever choices you make, do NOT defrag SSD drives ever! Defragging an SSD drive causes extreme wear and tear on it, causing it to fail in less than six months!

Yes BO, you are right. I just wanted to put everything I know and that it was optimal for me.
Steps 3, 6 and 9 are optional.
Steps 10, 11 and 12 are optional but highly recommended.
Steps 4, 5 and 7 depends on your operating system.
If everything is running ok to you, with steps 1 and 13 you are just fine.

I am pretty sure you get a warning message before defragging if you have a SSD drive.

Best.

1

Before you post requesting help
Information we need

  1. The -config-log.txt from the Logs folder in the My Documents\EA\The Sims2\ Click "full editor" below to attach a text file.
  2. Your operating System.
  3. What the problem actually is - that will be a picture to show the problem (optional), and accompanying text files that turn up (optional), and a detailed description of what happened, and what you expected to happen.


Sorry, that is a members only option