YAY! A response.
So how do I uninstall the driver? I'm trying to install 8.2.0.1014. I just thought it would be like updates, it just overwrites the files or whatever.
Thanks for the clarification. I should Google that...

Now I know I shouldn't really post twice, but it is not part of the original problem.
Tech Support suggested I update my graphics driver. I downloaded the driver, installed it, it says it successfully installed, but when I check on DxDiag, it still says 7.0.14...(which if you ask me doesn't make much sense, you can't have a decimal decimal 1.5.6 doesn't make sense it's 1.56) anyway, I have restarted, still does not change.
What should I do?

After installing Pets (from the Library; 'cuz I'm cheap, and I have Seasons), the game would crash when loading large lots (only UI showing, sound), making a second sim, saving (haven't tried exit to neighborhood/quit), even loading a neighborhood. I look at the disk and it is scratched to hell.   If only I...(IF!  ) I'm on a laptop with Intel GMA X3100 (that 9xx chipset family). Now, the strangeness is that the game would run wonderfully on this machine before Pets. After uninstalling Pets, the problem still persisted. Reinstalling the entire series, still there. Patching, no help there. However, if I had debugging on it would save. And before I forget, sometimes it would reset the neighborhood, no Uni, DT, or shopping district. Should I go all out and reformat the hard drive, or is there a less drastic action?

Pets ruined my Sims experience  

ETA: Of course I didn't reinstall pets. Seeing how this is the third time of trying to edit (probably using the wrong button) just ask if you need more details: I proved my theory that you have to double click the picture for the neighborhood in order for it to load properly, and it seems the neighborhood would reset if I just inserted the disk instead of using the shortcut. That same day I installed Steam/Portal, but IIRC, the crashing was still occurring before that. I could have used system restore but a previous act had only left a restore point 4 hours too late. Also, if I have it on fastest it could cause crashing but this doesn't happen as often and I only need to be careful about what I do. Seeing how there are views but no replies...this seems like quite the problem. Oh dear...

Does anyone have any ideas? Any?

Way to go, I have now taken this problem to....TECH SUPPORT.

Going completely off topic here; why do you hate Maxis hairstyles? Sure, there may be a few that aren't the best or not a lot of variety, but I never thought they were terrible.

To encourage you to build your own computer (and risk Necromancy ), HP got the lowest Tech Support rating by Consumer Reports (or was it PC World?). Besides, if you do buy a brand name PC and put your own hardware in there, it will void the warranty. And on newegg, you can make your own wishlist and make it public, so others can tell you what is good and what needs improvement, I'm sure the people here would gladly help you with that. Also on newegg, I made a computer that would run TS3 easily for less than $600.

I'd cut costs first at the case then maybe monitor (a 17 inch works fine for me, and the 15.4" on my laptop is fine as well). 650W seems like it may be too much, try 600 or 550. That could save you some... are those pounds?