Neighborhood flashing red (solved)

[PlayLives]

I just installed BV and all hoods, original and custom are flashing red at the neighborhood screen. This is the 1st time I've had a problem with installing a new EP. So I need help.

I took out all downloads (hacks, etc.) before installing/loading.
I updated my graphics card, Radeon X600, but that didn't fix the problem. I did notice that when I installed the new driver, the update says "X300, X550, X1050" instead of X600 like it did before. On the ATI website all the driver updates for X600, X300, X550, X1050 are the same, I don't know if that makes any difference or not.

I haven't even tried to play yet as I want to clear up this problem before others start showing up. Thanks.

[PlayLives]

I tried installing previous driver updates and still nothing works. Surely someone can help, right? 

[jsalemi]

Can you get to the graphics settings screen in the game?  Sometimes new EP/SPs reset the graphics defaults to some ridiculously low settings because EAxis thinks your card can't handle what it's perfectly capable of handling.
 

[PlayLives]

Yes. I tried switching the resolution size, sim details, etc. but the neighborhood still flashes red. I went into an unoccupied lot and nothing seems out of the ordinary there.

[Khan of Wyrms]

Try reducing anti-aliasing settings in game.  It is the slider in graphics settings that reads 'smooth edges'.  Also, make sure the graphics card settings for anti-aliasing are set to 'application-controlled' before launching the game.

[PlayLives]

The slider in game was already set to "low" for smooth edges. I tried playing around with all the in game settings and still nothing.
I don't know how to change the graphic card settings. In the Display Properties-Settings-Advance tab the only options I have are General, Adapter, Monitor, Troubleshoot and ColorManagement. None of them allow me to change the card settings so how do I do this? I have an ATI Radeon X600 card.

[morriganrant]

Realy? I have an ATI radeon xpress 200. I right click on the desktop, go to properties, display properties then pops up, I go over to the settings tab then click advanced, this pops up the settings for my card. On my card properties I have 14 tabs. I'm not sure if this is because of my card or because I have ATI catalyst control center installed. The control center is on my computer because I had been having some problem I can't seem to remember right now, it fixed it, I do remember that. Other people have reported it crashing their computer.
In order to access the anti aliasing settings I click the Direct 3d tab.

[PlayLives]

I don't have the control center installed. I did install several versions of it to see if any of the driver updates would fix the problem I was having but none of them did. I uninstalled the CC but now I can't remove the link from the shortcut menu (another topic).

I do remember having an ATI driver panel thingy somewhere but maybe it got uninstalled some time ago.
I don't want to install the CC just to get the options, so I'm trying to install driver updates from the dell website instead of the ATI site. The problem is the updates on the dell site are 1. old and 2. keeps knocking out my secondary 256 hypermemory monitor adaptor. I don't use/need this but still.

Arrgghhh...why me! 

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Update: I installed a driver update that gave me the ATI control panel, it is not the latest update but it is later than the one I had previously (which Seasons had no problem with might I add). I made sure Anti-Aliasing was set to "application preference"; I even deleted the userProps file from the Sims2/config folder. Neighborhoods are all still flashing red. When I load a lot there isn't a problem, it only happens from the neighborhood view.

What do I do now? Do I keep uninstalling/reinstalling drivers till I get a winner? (Is it really necc. to uninstall the previous driver before installing an update?)
or
should I just toss BV in the trash and forget I ever knew the Sims. 

[Khan of Wyrms]

I use nVidia cards by preference, so I might not be the best to help here.  I have used ATI in the past, and as I understand it, all new ATI drivers come with Catalyst Control Center and it is needed to run the card correctly.  ATI CCC requires one of the Microsoft.net frameworks to operate, so you need to make sure you have it before installing the drivers.  I don't remember the version number but the ATI website will tell you if you look for installation help there.  I recommend these steps:  Check for required Microsoft.net version from ATI website.  Make certain this version is installed and update as necessary from Microsoft Update.  Uninstall graphics drivers.  Reboot into Safe Mode.  Install desired graphics driver version.  Reboot.

Before doing any of this make absolutely certain that your anti-virus software is not only closed but also disabled in it's settings and that the option to have it load during startup is also disabled.  AV software can and will sabotage driver installation if it has any opportunity.

[ZiggyDoodle]

Are you using version 7.9 of the driver?

 http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp

This driver is for Windows XP professional/home. You did not state your OS; if you have Vista, you'll need to use the driver for that OS.

[PlayLives]

I have Windows XP/Media Center Edition 2005.

Why do I have to install the drivers in safe mode?

[ZiggyDoodle]

I have Windows XP/Media Center Edition 2005.

Why do I have to install the drivers in safe mode?

Maybe to make sure there is no conflict with a firewall or a.v. software?  No idea but if that's what ATI tells you to do, I'd give it the old college try.

BTW, I believe there is a different link for your OS drivers. You want to check on that at the ATI site.

[PlayLives]

I got the correct driver for my OS at the ATI site, Catalyst 7.9 Media Edition 2005. I have Microsoft-Net Framework 2.0.
I tried installing Catalyst in Safe Mode but I got an error message stating the installer couldn't find the right drivers for my system. I got out of Safe Mode and tried installing it again and it went through (I did disable my virus software). This is all the same that I did before but neighborhoods are still flashing. I'm trying EVERYTHING but nothing is working.

[Khan of Wyrms]

Doesn't Catalyst require Microsoft.net framework 1.1?  If it does, 2.0 will not likely do the job.  They are actually different operating environments, and 2.0 is not merely an upgrade of 1.1.  I have vers. 1.1, 2.0, and 3.0 on my system currently.

[PlayLives]

Yes I do have both 1.1 and 2.0.

I noticed that when I uininstall a driver update that didn't work and restart Windows a small icon pops up in the system tray saying, new hardware found, and then my original drivers are restored. Could this be the cause of driver updates not working properly if so how do I stop Windows from reinstating the old drivers (after new ones have been uninstalled)?
Or is this something that is normal because there has to be some sort of drivers in place for the computer to run?

[jsalemi]

It's normal -- if Windows can't find updated drivers for a piece of hardware, it defaults to its built-in drivers, which are usually somewhat generic.  Otherwise it wouldn't be able to talk to the device at all, and the video is a pretty important device to talk to.

[PlayLives]

Okay thanks.
I'm trying one last thing... can I have the ATI control panel (from a previous driver version) installed together with an updated driver? I like the old panel better than the ATI Control Center.

[jsalemi]

Yea, but better is the ATI Tray Tools: http://www.guru3d.com/article/atitraytools/189/  -- they give you everything the control center does without the overhead.

[PlayLives]

Thanks jsalemi, I was looking at that earlier. *bookmarked*
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Okay, you guys ready to shout for joy with me...

After 3 friggen days, it turns out my driver wasn't the issue at all. I restored my old driver and uninstalled every EP.
Of course while uninstalling a saw a Lighting file that was renamed Lighting-maxis...hmm... was this the darn culprit??? 
Anyway, deleted that, reinstalled each EP, checking the neighborhood view after each load. All is good now. *insert faint emoticon*

Thanks everyone for all the help and ideas. Now I'm an expert on driver installation and learned what anti-aliasing is. 

Now, I can get in line with the rest of the BV "why the heck did EA screw it up again" parade.