Solved The Sims 2 UC Directx 9 error...

Ok, so maybe the web installer is flawed in not checking the DirectX 9.0c files, and just looked at what the latest one is. Next question. If you go to your C:Windows\system32 folder (or equivelent), do you have all the following files? Take a screenshot of anything that looks like "d3d....dll" to see what you have installed. For example, this is what I have:


What will interest me is if the modified dates are different. But I'm not sure if it'll be relevant, we'll have to see.

EDIT 2:

Also, in the meantime (I suspect we live elsewhere in the world where there's a major time zone difference. Troubleshooting won't be as quick as I imagined), do download the "DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)" library of files for DirectX 9 from the Microsoft website. Keep it with you archived somewhere for future use:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...px?id=8109

Might as well ensure that all the DirectX 9 files are installed/overwritten on your computer with the correct files. Try this:
1. Create a temporary folder on your Desktop.
2. Double-click the downloaded Executable file from Microsoft.
3. A message will ask you where to download the cabinet files. Choose the temporary folder you made.

Inside your temporary folder, you'll fine cabinet files dating from 2005 to 2010. They contain the DLL files created for use by DirectX 9.0c. You will also find some DirectX10 and DirectX11 files. Some files are share the same type of information, based on what file number it relates to (e.g. D3DX9_43.dll, d3dx10_43.dll, & d3dx11_43.dll are all sharing the same information regarding file "43", but are programmed differently to be compatible with games using DirectX9, Directx10, or DirectX11).

4. Open the temporary folder you made.
5. Find the file called "DXSETUP.exe".
6. Execute the file by double-clicking it.

Follow the prompts. What I'm hoping will happen is that the setup will be able to install the files (even though there's a message after agreeing to the terms and conditions saying "This install package will search for updated DirectX Runtime Components and update as necessary.")

If this doesn't work, then there's another idea I have, but it may be more convoluted. It involves opening certain cabinet files and pasting them into your System32 folder....anyway let's see what happens.

OK!

So I downloaded the "DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)"-library and ran DXSETUP.exe
I had no problems with the installer, it seemed to do its thing successfully Certainly looked like it was installing/updating something

But... The error message did not go anywhere, I still can't open the game. So maybe it's time to go into the convoluted territory, haha

I have attached a System32-folder screenshot with all the "d3d....dll"-style files I could find there.

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All right, so it seems that there isn't anything different from the modified dates of what you have and what I have. So it's not a case of files missing, there's no need to open the cabinet files. Adding files to System32 folder won't occur.

EDIT 2:

I just noticed something. Sako, your attachment (here) regarding your graphics card being not found says that it's an ATI Radeon™ RX 460 Graphics. The "Video Card.sgr" file offered in Post #3 incorrectly listed your card as Intel as the vendor of the card. This in what it should be:

Vendor: 1002, Device: 67ef
The vendor ID# belongs to: ATI
The device ID# belongs to: Radeon™ RX 460 Graphics

The texture memory that says 32MB should increase to the correct amount (I'm guessing it's 2GB, based on a cursory Googling). As for the 'Graphics Rules.sgr' file from the "Graphic Rules - Intel - Texture Fix" link. Replace it back with the original file as well for this test.

So....hopefully you saved backups of your original 'Video Card.sgr' & 'Graphics Rules.sgr' files from the locations before overwriting them:
\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\Config\
\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\CsConfig\

If so, make a copy of your backed up 'Video Card.sgr' files. Then, insert this text below in the file. Save it, and overwrite the files in the locations listed above. Maybe this will help you finally play your game?

I used Notepad to edit the file:



ORIGINAL:

I've read that some folks had success in reinstalling the game. Then the error went away. Some folks had to do it after updating the graphics card drivers. So try either one of these ideas:

1. Since it's from Origin, try the 'Repair' option for your game. I'm not familiar with how Origin works, but there's supposed to be an option to repair your installation, perhaps that could work. Someone with more knowledge of how that works can assist hopefully.

2. If it doesn't work, then uninstall the game (keep the original folders you saved). Then install the game again, and see if that works. You have the advantage of having to do one install, rather than installing multiple discs that others had to do in the past.

Updates, updates..

- I had backups of those two .sgr files
- So I edited the Video Cards.sgr and added the "card 0x67ef "Radeon™ RX 460 Graphics"-line there, just like it is in your screenshot
* ETA: although this forum displays the trademark symbol in the line of text above, the .sgr file has "( TM )" (without the spaces)
- I then took the files back to the source folders and let them rewrite the ones there
- I got the error again.

So, next, I opened Origin and found the "repair"-function. It took a few minutes as it went through all the game's files. After it finished doing its thing, I tried opening the game, and.. ..got the all too familiar error again.

So I guess the next step would be to attempt the uninstall-reinstall.
How should TS2 UC be uninstalled? Can I just do it at the "Add or Remove Program"-section of Windows? Origin does not seem to offer an uninstallation option, at least I can't find it.
And also, just to clarify so that I don't mess up, which game folders should I backup before I uninstall it?

Thanks for all the advice so far! I'm determined to get this game working somehow!

I'm not quite sure how the uninstallation works for Origin, sorry. Perhaps someone else can assist for this task?

I've successfully uninstalled the game and now I have to redownload it via Origin.
With my internet connection being as slow as it is, it will probably take all week (possibly even longer, lol) to finish downloading it.

I'll still keep checking this thread in the meantime, though. So if anyone still has some tips/ideas on what to try if the game won't work even after reinstalling it, please do tell me. I'll be grateful for any help

This game is really important/special to me and I hope I can play it again!

@d_dgjdhh Unfortunately that error message comes up even when it has nothing to do with the directx. All it means is that it's struggling with identifying the graphics card.


@sako Given that it didn't generate a log file at all, I'd say that uninstalling/reinstalling is the way to go. Once you've done that - let me know what happens.

Game has now been downloaded and reinstalled, but sadly I only have bad news to share yet again

- The error still occurs no matter what (trying to run as admin/from Origin/from TSBin/in windowed mode/with modified compability settings..)
- I noticed that the logs folder's contents have been updated EXCEPT for the important config-log file which still remains unchanged despite the uninstall/reinstall!

But.. was the uninstallation even successfull at all? The game definitely disappeared from my desktop etc. when I removed it with the Windows remove/add program thing.
But how come the date 28.4.2017 is still on some folders/files and why won't the config-log file update itself?.. What on earth is going on with this..

Getting discouraged, but I'll keep trying if there's anything left to do.

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@sako When you uninstall, it only replaces the folders in your game playing section that it needs to. Your config-log.txt and other folders don't change because either they are generated when the game opens, or the game recognises them as the same.

If you have a look in

\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\Config\
\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\CsConfig\

these folders, this is where your graphic rules.sgr and video cards.sgr live.

I want you to download the graphic rules.sgr and the video cards.sgr from the previous page.
1. Unzip them on your desktop and then take the two files, and put them in those folders. They will over-write the existing files and that's ok.
2. Go to \Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSBin\ and find Sims2Ep9.exe (or it may be called Sims2SP9.exe).
Right click on the exe and choose properties. Go to the compatibility tab. Change the settings for all users, and set it up for running as admin and Windows XP Service pack 3.

3. Set up a shortcut using this program (not the launcher)
A. Delete everything in the log folder.
B. delete the cache files in the Sims 2 folder (where you play).
C. Use that shortcut to go into the game. It may or may not give you a directx error.

4. Do a DXDiag, and save the information. Then upload it, and if there is a new config-log.txt upload that as well.

Alright, I've now completed all of those steps.
I made sure that I extracted the files in both folders, changed the compability settings for all users according to your instructions, made a shortcut, etc.. The error message refuses to go away. It's so stubborn!

There were no cache files to delete, but I deleted the contents of the logs folder. After trying to open the game I noticed that the folder had regenerated everything else in it except for the config-log file........ It's just completely missing now (well, it's still in the trash bin so I can retrieve it if needed)

I've attached the DXDiag file in this post.
ETA: there are bits of Finnish text in the file, let me know if anything needs to be translated? "ohjain" is mentioned often and it just means "driver" and the odd "�"-symbols are the letter Ä and Ö which are not displaying correctly

And I noticed it says "DX Setup Parameters: Not found", is that a part of the problem I'm having?

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  DxDiag.txt (Size: 26.99 KB / Downloads: 460)