More Awesome Than You!

I did a search for Windows 7, but got tons of listings under just Windows and things with the number 7 in it.

Actually, I'm just wondering if anyone has fully tested out the Sims 2 expansions and stuff with Windows 7, and how well (or not) it's working.  So far, I am hearing good things about Windows 7 and that it is very stable for a Beta release.  I'd like to know what the community here thinks.

I have windows 7 too but have not tested it yet, at the moment I am running duel OS and I have to reinstall sims 2 but have moved and cant find my game disks. Is there a way of getting the sims to work with out installing them again.

Oh sure. Just copy over all the program files, then go into the registry and hand-enter all the entries for the sims, both the obvious ones and the hidden ones, in hex. Don't forget to make any changes that might be necessary to account for the differences between your current edition of windows and windows 7!

Or just get the "arrr" versions.    ;D

...or just stick with Windows XP, a time-tested, well-supported alternative to Windows Vista 2.0

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I have tried windows 7 with the sims 2 and all expansions and it works fine no problems as of yet  ;)

Which is why I never got Vista.  W7, on the other hand, has my interest.  I may wait to see how it fares in the community before moving to it.  There are some features that would be nice to have such as 64 bit support, support for multi core processors, better memory management, and DX10.  XP is working well for me now, though, and probably for several more years.

"Windoze 7" disturbs me. For one, nobody seems to be bothered to bash it, which immediately raises my suspicions. It seems inconceivable that a new Windoze can exist that runs everything perfectly, so the credibility of all these early reviewers is immediately suspect. I suspect they all drank the Kool-Aid. There is simply no possible way NOTHING can be wrong.

Considering the pattern Windows OS's have followed over the years 7 may become the new XP.

Windows 95 - Sucked
Windows 98 - Good
Windows ME - Sucked
Windows XP - Good
Windows Vista - Sucked
Windows 7 - ??

Only time can tell.  But if the pattern holds....

My personal experiences with Vista indicate that the suckage is fiixable, Microsoft just cannot get beyond the idea that they might have to actually admit a failure with UAC and change it, because they have clearly lost with their present posture of "training the users".

A few small changes and Vista works a lot better. Nuke UAC completely (Unsafe? XP had no such critter) and then change the permissions on the directory links such as "My Documents" (which just points to "Documents"). These two steps eliminate 99% of the aggravating stuffs that pops up anytime you try to organize anything.

As far as the resources, yes, Vista uses a lot. The philosophy is that RAM is cheap, so just go ahead and load everything instead of waiting until someone clicks on something. And startup is faster and cleaner because many services and modules are deferred and continue to load after your desktop is ready.

However, at this point I believe that Vista's reputation is irreparable. For all I see, Windows 7 is just Vista already fixed. Of course, Microsoft gets to charge us all over again for doing so. I think I am going to stick with Vista unless I get a newer box.

I heard that Microsuck might hand out 7 for free to vista users.

Mind you I don't think I will believe that bull as there has to be a catch.

That's my philosophy.  ^_^  I wouldn't have got Vista in the first place if it wasn't that I had to buy a new computer.  So as long as this one stays in working order, I'll be just fine.  I have no intention of switching over to Windows 7.

Pssh. Getting a new computer is not an excuse for having Vista. I bought a new rig in January and I'm running XP.

Why on EARTH would it cost you EXTRA? If anything, cutting out the OS can only cost LESS, because you are NOT BUYING AN OS. I mean, when you buy a computer, one of two things happens:
1. They give you Vista for free. Therefore, you get nothing back, but you pay nothing extra, for simply reformatting the computer (you should always do it anyway!)
2. They charge you for Vista. By buying the computer EMPTY, you therefore do not pay this Vista cost, and save money. You now have an empty computer to install XP on.

How exactly would this cost EXTRA? Are you INSANE? Do you FAIL AT MATH?

You know I almost agreed with you... except Windows 98 sucked arse.  Blue Screens of Death were so common I could almost set my watch to it.  Then the system practically imploded with 4 BSODs in 15 minutes, and convinced me to upgrade to Windows XP.

As for Vista... meh.  It's there.  Doesn't seem to be causing any problems.  Only annoyance was the 'Are you SURE you want to run that program you just clicked download, and then double clicked on?  Are you SURE about that?  Why don't we ask the administrator, who is you anyway?  Hi AdminYou!  Do you want to let You run this program that You downloaded and then double clicked on?  Yes?  Ok, we'll do that then.'  And that can be turned off.

Oh and when I was looking at new computers, pre-installed XP cost more than pre-installed Vista.

So don't preinstall. I mean, you already have a computer. You already have XP. Besides, you should never PAY for preinstalled anyway! You'd just have to wipe and format it anyway, as who knows what spyware they embedded?

I've never really used 98.  I know people who've used 98 SE and said good things about it.  Guess I should've clarified. 

My first computer had ME on it.  Oh, the horror...



ETA:  The machine I'm using now came with Vista.  Getting XP was the easy part (ARRR!).  Pumping it full of drivers so it would install on a system that didn't use the old IDE drives was the PITA.

I wasn't even aware it was possible to buy a computer without a pre-installed OS. When I got this computer, I spent half a day getting rid of all the bloat it came with. Why would I need Desktop SMS? If I had known this could be avoided so easily and that it would probably be cheaper...

My first computer had Windows 98. It worked, and the design was nice.

I held on to Win 98 for as long as I possibly could. I liked it. By the time I replaced that computer, all the secondhand ones around were already on XP, which I've been using ever since, even paying extra to get it on my new PC last year instead of Vista.

Win98 caused me fewer problems than XP, which also has been mostly flawless. The biggest 'issues' have been with compatibility for older games. (GRRR at Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire. The patches are what broke it, the patches that were rolled into the CD version I was trying to install from. I had to 'pirate' it to get an XP-working version.) Said issues are more than enough to convince me to not go newer, at any cost.

I spent a little more on my computer, total, this time, because I had it built for me by someone who understood what I was talking about instead of either frankensteining odd old bits (my usual method) or buying a cheap discontinued computer at discount (what I did 2ce and regretted it both times).  But the Xp part didn't cost more than the Vista part would have.  I like Xp and I have no need to get the latest shiny as a general thing.  I'm not against innovations, I'm just in no hurry.  I just got this computer and I'll have it five years or maybe more, depending. Then we'll see what's happening in Windows-type OSes at the time.

Every single Windows 9x version suffers from BSOD, and 98 was no exception. 98 SE was the best of the bunch only in a comparative sense.

In Korea, there are lots of "computer assembly shops", where you can select parts and pay a small optional fee to have your purchased parts assembled. You can also avoid being foisted with sub-standard parts, provided you do a little research beforehand.
Those "assembled computers" are cheaper than name brand computers like Samsung or LG, because OS price is not included. They arrive in a blank state without any OS or spyware installed. It's a nice alternative for people who don't want to pay extra for the redundant OS but are unable to assemble parts themselves.

Well, I have all EP/SP installed. Windows 7 running on the lappy, and it is working fine. CEP, SimPE, and Clean Pack Installer all working as they should. I like W7.

I'll look out for something along the lines of this when the time comes where I need to buy a new computer. But... is assembling the parts yourself terribly hard?
As I understand, quite a few of the MATYans have built their own boxes. Is it difficult? Can it be done if one has a tech-savvy family member to guide and help?

I wouldn't say it's terribly hard. PC parts are so standardized that you can do most of steps with a single driver. There are many tutorials which will give you a general idea on the standardized process. I've done it the first time all by myself, with a tutorial print-out and parts manuals. But it's much better to have someone experienced around, especially for installing CPUs. Failure to apply heatsink or to secure fans properly can fry your CPU to death.

That definitely makes it sound like it's worth it. Thanks for answering my questions. I'll look around on the internet a bit and see if it's something I think I would be able to do.

Not unless you are abysmally stupid. There are fewer parts in assembling a computer than in, say, a typical Lego set, so unless you are dumber than 6 year old, putting together a computer is trivial.

This is basically the main point: The physical process of assembling the computer is not difficult at all, unless you are dumber than a 6 year old, but it is not very forgiving: Screwing it up will result in a computer that mysteriously fails to function, and can in extremely badly done cases result in fried parts, fires, and explosions. The solution to that is simple, though: Don't fuck it up, numbnuts.

It's exceedingly simple. Like Pes says, everything snaps together like legos... but they're legos which will fry if you mess it up in a spectacular way.

Every motherboard purchased comes with a manual that tells you how to put the thing together, and it has big !!!!WARNING!!!! pictures when you're about to do something that could cause fryage. Just read the thing carefully. Heatsink/CPU installation is generally not covered 'cause heatsinks differ, but that information is in the manual that came with the heatsink/cpu assembly.

I know this thread is old. Apologies. But after all the issues I've had in the last month trying to get my home computer up and running again, which now has me considering installing Windows 7 since XP is being a bastard, my ultimate concern was will Sims 2 run on Windows 7. And can I just say, that after everything, I am so happy that the first search result in Google for "Sims 2 Windows 7" was to this site?

I miss you guys. I don't know why I keep trying to have a social life IRL.

Ok I am pulling out this super old thread in hopes that there may be a solution that I have yet to find.  I had  xp originally on my system, now I have upgraded to windows 7.  I have had a few issues with the program and compatibility issues with speakers and drivers, but that is taken care of and a whole other topic.  Anyways, I have recently tried to reinstall my sims 2 games, I know its old and obsolete but I like it and intend to stick with it. As I installed the base game, then attempted to load up the patch for the base game when I received the message "Known incompatibility issue"  So I allowed it to search for the solution and not surprising came back with no solution. It at that point it would not install the game.  I have searched the net for solutions and came across a "patch" from a site called soft catalog.  I am not sure about this site since I can't find any reference to it anywhere else, I have scanned it and it has come up clean.  So I am wondering if the awesomeness of this site has come up with a walk around, patch or solution.

I'm not sure I fully understand what you're saying.

I'm assuming you have the game successfully installed. But it gets fuzzy when you talk about the patch. Are you saying you're having difficulty with a no-cd patch, or the actual patch for the game?

I think you're talking about a no-cd patch. If that's the case, you may run into difficulties if the base game you're running is a bundled package (base game with an EP or an SP).

You also didn't mention whether or not you have any EPs or SPs installed. That information would help.

As far as win7 and The Sims 2 goes, there are no issues.

I know this is an old thread, but how does one transfer the registry files from XP to Windows 7?  I haven't had any experience with Regedit beyond opening it, but I really would love it if I could run the Sims 2 at a good speed for once in my life.
(Feel free to P&L at me for this.  I won't mind too much. :))

As far as I know you can't transfer registry files from one OS to another.   Do you have both installed on the same machine?  The speed would be determined by your CPU.   If it's a new machine you should just install the game on it the normal way.

No, I do not, and there is no way I can install the Sims 2 using the discs.

No, .reg files from one OS aren't going to work on another.

If you absolutely cannot use the discs (are you playing on a netbook? Because that's a Bad Plan), you'll either need to make ISOs of them on a different computer and transfer via USB stick or portable hard drive, or download them via torrent. In either case you'll have to install Daemon Tools on the current one (it's free) so it can read those ISOs and allow you to install.

*Thinks back about Oct-Dec 09* OH MY GOD YOU'RE RIGHT!!1one I just like to say 7=Vista and it pisses everyone off. ;D

No, I'm not running on a netbook (what do you think I am, crazy?), it's just that the discs are hardly in mint condition and I've lost some registration codes.  Which of the two methods would be easier?

Pardon, but I  lack the telepathic skills necessary to determine sanity across the Internet. Anyway...

Best method depends on your experience with torrents, how fast your connection speed is, if you have a bandwith cap, and what kind of software you're most comfortable fiddling with.  If you've never done either before, it's going to be a bit of a pain in ass no matter which you choose, but in that case I'm inclined to say that getting ISOs from torrents is a bit more user-friendly than ripping them yourself and finding keygens for the EPs that your keys have gone missing for. Game torrents usually have keys with them.

Assuming you haven't done this before, uTorrent is a good client if you don't already have one; torrent services depend on where you can find the torrents you want (Google helps). I strongly suggest reading the uTorrent FAQ. ISOs come in split RAR files, so make sure your unpacking program can handle those. The rest, IME, is trial and error and finding FAQs when you get stuck.

Well, guess I have to learn how to ARR  ;).  I don't have my computer with me now (I'm using a sucky Windows Vista), but I'll be sure to try this out when I get it back. Thank you for the help!

ETA:  It turns out that after I cut my Downloads folder from 160 MB to 35 MB, the game ran fairly well and stopped crashing constantly, so know I wish to ARR a stuff pack. I'm trying to download uTorrent on my XP, but the Hotbar engine that allows access to the site is not installing correctly.  Do I need to have uTorrent and Daemon Tools on the same computer on which I plan to install the stuff pack, or can I install them on a different computer?  Also, do uTorrent and Daemon Tools have to be on the same computer as each other?

>:( Vista does not suck1!!11oneshift+one! Sure it has its flaws, but that does not mean we must hate it. I mean, XP ha(d/s) flaws. And "no one" hates XP. ::)

ETA:
Perhaps I don't hate it because I made the UAC sound GLaDOS saying "Good people, do not end up here."  :D

I'm using "a" Windows Vista.  I was complaining more about the computer's specs than the OS itself, and that wasn't even the main point of my post.  Frankly, I'd rather you'd threadshit somewhere else.  Retardo Land would be a good place for you.

160MB is just about nothing for a downloads folder, so it's odd to me the crashing would go away unless you're really low on hard drive space. Huh.

You need Daemon Tools on the same computer you want to install the stuff pack on, otherwise you're not going to be able to do much with that ISO. Daemon Tools creates a virtual CD drive for the disc image to run on.

You shouldn't need to install anything to access the site, IME! Make sure you're getting the program directly from utorrent.com. Nothing else should need to install, because it's a teeny tiny program that you can pretty much stick into a folder and run; installation is very, very minimal.

Well, perhaps it's because I have only 768 MB of RAM.  I had also regenerated the Sims 2 folder in My Docs, if that's relevant.  In any case, I have installed uTorrent on my XP (you're right, it IS tiny) and am about to install Daemon Tools.  Will the "lite" version be sufficient?  All the other versions are trial versions.

The lack of RAM might do it, although I once had nearly 2GB of downloads on a machine that only had 512 MB of RAM which had to share that with video -- ran like crap, but it didn't crash. I suppose it depnds on what other stuff that computer has going on in the background. However, regenerating your Sims 2 folder may be a little more likely -- corrupt downloads, neighborhoods, or caches can cause the game to crash.

And yes, the lite version is exactly what you want. Sorry, I should have specified!

All right, now I've downloaded the torrent and installed the MDF file included in the torrent.  What do I do with the MDS file?

Wow, 160MB! My Sims 2 Download folder is 9.5GB and it runs perfectly, it is more likely to be a dodgy file.

The MDS file is superfluous.

Me? Shitpost? How absurd.
 ;D

Any idea why Sims 2 would be freezing and then crashing on lot load with Windows 7? (I.e., is this a common problem?)

Corrupt lot?

I have had some trouble with the sims on windows 7. I had obscene amounts of CC though, and since cutting it to less than 3GBs sim life is peachy again. Other games seem to have no trouble.

Overall I am a fan of Windows 7.  No crashes, no weirdness. My biggest complaint would be the random new locations of things, for example command prompt is now located under accesories in the start menu.

Starting to think it's the neighborhood that's corrupt. It only happens in Veronaville. What made me miss it in the first place was that I had just installed my game to a new computer that came with Windows 7, and assumed that a newly-installed game could not have a corrupt neighborhood in it. I tried some lots in Strangetown and Pleasantview; they worked fine. Odd--i've never had issues with Veronaville before.

Oh, well, I'll just get rid of it. It's not like I actually play the Maxis-mades anyway (though it's kind of traditional to zombify Juliette on occasion).

I had been running TS2 and all expansions on Vista the memory hog and 2 GB of RAM.  Thankfully that computer somehow got fried and now I have a new computer with Windows 7, 2 GB of RAM.  I have all EPs and SPs and it works a lot BETTER.  I can up the performance on the graphics, do a faster refresh rate, and have nicer detail.

I just got a new PC.  The technolergy is about three years old (Core 2 Duo), but it's got 4GB RAM and runs Windows 7 fine.  The Sims 2 with all expansions and several Stuff Packs, plus a couple gigs of CC, runs like a dream.  It all installed and runs without a hitch, much easier than TS3, which I find ironic, considering TS2 was designed to run on Windows 98 through XP (the system requirements on the Apartment Life case I own don't even mention Vista.)

I was told before installing that TS2 could have issues with the User Account Control feature in Vista and 7, and that this could be circumvented by installing the games to someplace other than the default location.  I can't say whether this was good advice, because the fellow who built the rig for me advised me to shut UAC off completely, as it would accomplish nothing for someone with my computing habits except to drive me insane.

In Vista and in 7, sometimes when I go to extract a zipped file to, say, Overrides (Inteen comes to mind here) it won't let me.  So--I just do a drag and drop, works fine.

Where is this the option to turn this off? I needs it. I installed everything to the base directory and I've been afraid to muck around with it once I found out that was a Bad Idea.

Just do a quick "Help and Support" search for "User Account Control" and it'll link you right where you need to go to shut it off.


Also, Alexandra, we don't care.  Shut the fuck up, get the fuck out, and die in a fire.  "Love, Everyone"

Windows 7 will also save old corrupt stuff and uninstalled items in the Virtual Store folder unless you install the Sims 2 in it's own directory.

My problems were completely resolved with the game by direct installing into C:\EA Games and disabling the User Account Control.

Just go into the control panel, then into user accounts.  From there you an turn off the UAC.

Funny, because the Seasons' readme mentions Vista, as "not fully released" or something. But it mentions it nonetheless.