Windows 10...duh duh duh

Ooookay. Well, got a really good deal on a couple of refurbished computers, complete with Windows 10. *ugh* I'm still in the initial set up and loading web sites, inserting passwords, coping files from old computer to new...the normal stuff. My question has to do with, my old game. I'm thinking of install the ultimate collection of the game. Rather then installing all the games I have and then copying my data files over. So, how can I keep my old hoods and upgrade to the UC? Is it possible? Would I have to install all the games I have, insert my hoods then install the UC? Any an all help appreciated!

You should be able to copy the neighborhoods and downloads from Your old hard drive to the new one. From my understanding as long as the game engine did not change between your two installations of TS2. Which in Your case the game engine probably did not change since You were using collection(an EP and two SPs) versions of TS2 and Ultimate is basically all three collections placed together.

I did this when I upgraded having just the expansions installed to ultimate.

Also something to note is that EA renamed the folder for the files in My Documents files are at. It went from My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 to My Documents\EA Games\The Sims™ 2 Ultimate Collection.

One final thing to note. When using ultimate You may have to tinker with SimPe since EA changed the registry entries for ultimate. I hacked up one of SimPe's files to help address this, Which can be found here.

Edit to add: When installing Ultimate make sure to uninstall other versions of TS2 or there is a strong chance You will mess up Your TS2 installation.

OOookay. Let me ask this then as I am not sure what your advise about the game and my saved hoods is. Should I install UC, delete their hoods and put my hoods in? Will it accept my hoods or 'upgrade' them to work with the game? I know because of Pets and Seasons they have the same 'file structure' of the later expansions.

Thanks Aaron, I appreciate you and your knowledge, willingness to help!

Deleting EA's neighborhoods shouldn't cause any issues, As long as You do it properly. The easiest way to do that would be to delete the neighborhood while in the game(a trash can should appear when You click on a neighborhood. The game will automatically upgrade neighborhoods that use older game files. Since the Ultimate Collection has every expansion and stuff pack it should be able to upgrade every neighborhood. As for using Your neighborhoods there is a good chance they will work with the Ultimate Collection, If You desire to use them.

Cool, thank you! So, I can't just delete their hoods through the 'my computer' like I always have?

Yes, It still should be a safe way to remove EA's neighborhoods(That's usually how I do it).

*Argh*

I don't know if Google is being mean to me, or if no one really knows...but I can't seem to find where Sims 2 hides the user files (neighborhoods/CC and what not) in Windows 10...

Windows Vista and newer OSs moved where My Documents is. To access My Documents You will have to find Your User folder(contains the user's settings, My Documents, and numerous other things). The Simplest way to do that would be to right click on the desktop and select Personalize. There will be quite a few setting doing with sounds, background images, and themes. Find the option that says Change Desktop Icons and left click it. A new window should appear and it should have several check boxes, Make sure the one that says User's Files is check marked. After that a folder(actually closer to a shortcut) should appear on your Desktop, It will be named whatever Your user name is. Left click on that folder, From there a new window should appear. It should have numerous folders(depends on whether You can see hidden files), One of them should be My Documents.

Yea, I just found out that the UC doesn't create the document folder(s) until AFTER you run the game the first time. *face palm* Now I am stuck in 800x600 mode, and what I did for this problem originally, doesn't seem to work for UC...off to do more searches! lol

That issue is common in almost all version of TS2. These days it's most often caused by Your hardware being too new for TS2, More Specifically Your Graphics card. You might want to check out this link here

Yea, I've been there, still searching. I have gone and got my code and graphic name through dxdiag added them to the config and csconfig folders, changed the screen resolution options. And it was running, wasn't til I messed with the screen res that it started kicking out the direct x 9.0c error on me, but now that it has, I have taken it back to how it was before and no joy...still getting the direct x error. Still searching, but thanks!

edit:

Well I finally got the changes made to get the game running again. Still 800x600...but runs. This seemed to be the most promising link to figuring out the video card issue, but, just no joy.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HTcHN8sDUNTPnX-OML8RQAsUptVWeJNnKRtrf95yPmM/edit#

Strange... It still could be a graphics issue, But from what I have read Windows 10 can also cause issues with TS2 and other old programs. I presume You edited the graphics rules file for Your latest game, As In Mansion & Garden. Also did You try editing the graphics rules file with this tool that was linked in the previous link I gave You?

Also is Your graphics card built into the main board or is it a stand alone graphics card? Most buil in graphics are usually not good enough for TS2.

I didn't try that program, I'm so skittish about using a exe from someone I don't know/trust. I did make the changes that they claim that program makes for you...soooo...I dunno. But yea, I edited the graphics rule and the video card files, I ended up having to replace them with back ups, that was the only thing that got it working in 800x600 again.

Actually with this rig, the built in is better then the video card I had in my old machine. lol But I have a GeForce gt 730 card now. So lots of power.

It seems this direct x 9.0c problem is from trying to go beyond 800x600 while not having 9.0c. Someone said that it might work if I install DX11...So I am thinking about that. The system as DX12.

You know what is really stewpud?

We got identical computers, identical graphics cards...she downloads and installed Sims 2 UC and it runs just fine, she can change screen resolutions...me...I uninstall, redownload and install, run the game and I am still stuck using 800x600...I'd laugh but I think I would cry.

Well that's a strange one. If Your machines are identical that possibly could mean that maybe Your drivers(graphics card primarily) are a different version or even corrupted. Have You by chance tried to reinstall Your graphics driver?

Also I do remember reading that the Geforce 700 series(all all graphics cards in the 700 range) have bottleneck issues. It seems the issue was never fixed until the next series(800). So it possibly could be affecting You, But why not the other machine is beyond me.

They just did an update today on the driver, I haven't tried to run it yet, but guess I will...Before I had uninstalled and redownloaded the UC, I went ahead and got that program and ran it. It set the same info into those 2 files I had placed in them.

Well the driver update didn't help. Was chatting with a origin's rep earlier, he sent me to the leefish site you posted Aaron and follow their guide for fixing the issue. I was like, well that's the site I went to and used to fix those files and it didn't help. He wanted me to do it and then do a 'clean boot' and run the game. Said that would fix it.

So I went back in and changed the 2 files as I had them set up before, but put 1024x768 as the low setting again and tried running the game and when it came up, I had access to the 1024x768 mode. So I quit and changed the low setting to 1440x900 (native) and ran it again and viola it was working!

Also imported my favorite Sim families and placed them in Pleasantview, even the ones that should have been in Veronaville. So now I can start in again! Thanks Aaron!

That's a very peculiar problem... Usually there's no need to do a reboot after modifying the graphics rules. But at least You got the issue sorted out and can now play TS2.

I thought so too, but I refused to do it...all the stuff I would have to do to make it a clean boot I was like, no way!