New Problem! SERIOUS! Neighborhood Flashing Red?

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

Now whenever I load a neighborhood it flashes red! I'm so upset right now I can just cry. I don't want to reinstall my game, and I can't, because i don't have my cds. HELP ME PLEASE! (It's not my computer or anything, it happened out of the blue.)

*cries* 


Oh, and what's the lighting file name originally with Maxis?

[saowens]

Hey Madi this sure has been a bad week for you and the sims 

The only thing I could find about this was it's either custom content, a problem with the video card in the pc or corrupt neighborhoods. I know some of the problems you have been having recently so I hope you just down loaded something that is causing it. Try moving the download folder to your desktop, start the game and see if it stops. If it stops then you have to search for the cc that's causing it.

If it doesn't then rename the EA Games folder in my documents and start the game.

The game will recreate all of the folders and the game will be like a fresh install. Sort of anyway.
If it stops flashing then it's some sort of corruption with your hoods.

If they still flash red after doing this then it's most likely the video card that has failed in the pc.

edit: the lighting file is called lighting.txt Depending on which version you have installed it may not be in the same location as mine is. You can search for it in windows. Mine base game one is here C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Double Deluxe\SP4\TSData\Res\Lights but I have double deluxe.

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

Yeah, it has. Sims is like my life because my parents ignore me, and now my simmies are failing on me, too.
Thanks for replying.

Okay. I'll try that. *sigh* I'll edit my post as soon as I do.

EDIT: It's my graphics card. I removed downloads, and I went to Pleasantview and it was flashing red. What can I do to fix it? Please help me, I'm in tears.

[caffeinated.joy]

Mini tutorial on flashing colours and what they mean:

Blue flashing is a mesh issue that can be usually be solved by deleting and repurchasing the flashing item or, in the case of a sim, going to the mirror and changing the appearance. In some cases the mesh has become corrupted and needs to be redownloaded, but most of the time the first two methods work.

Red flashing is a graphic issue. Try updating your drivers (after, of course making sure your card is compatible with the game) and directx. If this has started after recently updating drivers, then roll them back to the previous versions. You could have a lot of dust on your graphic card, causing it to overheat. If doing all this doesn't help, then you might have to consider the possibility that you need to update.

BTW, what are you running your game on? LOL, OK, to avoid the echoing responses of "A computer, DUH"... What are your system specs? (Also, are you using XP or Vista)

[SenkoTwiik]

If you aren't sure how to check out your system specs, it's okay. I didn't know either when I had freezing problems with my neighborhood a couple of months ago. In the thread I posted here: http://www.insimenator.org/index.php/topic,100985.msg1474863.html#msg1474863, Simsample provided a couple of very useful links that show you how to do all of these things.

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

I've tried EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had my dad get on and update drivers and try everything he could, and the problem is still there! I've tried uninstalling, IT WON'T LET ME! (Sorry for the caps, I'm soooooooo upset.)
I go to remove programs, and I click remove, and nothing happens. I waited. Nothing. I went to start, all programs, EA Game, Sims 2 Apartment Life, uninstall, NOTHING!

I'm so upset right now I could just slam my head onto a wall. I'm sorry, it's just like my life, without it I'll be going to sleep at 7 every night and doing nothing but homework and awkwardly walking around the house out of boredom.
I'm sorry for the caps, I'm not yelling, I'm letting out my anger for the stupid Sims 2 game.

EDIT: Okay, I've totally been restarting my computer about a bajillion times and now it will let me uninstall Apartment Life. I'm going to back up my downloads, and delete the EA Games folder. I know it'll make a new one. Then I'll try replacing downloads and going ingame. If this doesn't work, I'm going to reinstall the whole entire game tonight.

[saowens]

Removing the game isn't going to fix the problem you are having. Since your dad updated the drivers and the problem is still there then the issue is with the video card (most likely) in the pc. Is it a pc or a laptop? If it's a pc and you have what is called a pciE slot on the motherboard then I can help you out. I know the next question will be how do I find out if I have a pciE slot?

Go to the post in this thread by Senko and click on the link she has. Then find the post (it's the third of fourth one in that thread) that says something about diagnosing hardware problems. Click that link. At the bottom of the Wiki page it takes you to there is an attachment called everesthome220.rar. Download that file.

Create a new folder on your desktop and extract all of the files into it.

Double click the Everest.exe file. It's a green i.

Click the + sign next to devices and then see if it says something like this
Device Description
Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 5 - 2847 [NoDB]

If it does then PM me. I have an Nvidia 8600 just laying around collecting dust. I'll send it to you. It will only work in a pc though. Not a laptop.

ETA You may need to upgrade the power supply in the pc with this card. I typically use a 600 watt or higher p/s in my pc builds.

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

Well, I just loaded the game. No flashing red. I'm going to replace my downloads and see if the problem is still gone.

[caffeinated.joy]

OK, once more. Can you please post your computer specs? If you have a technical problem we need to know this information, and it's kind of (very) frustrating to have these questions go unanswered. Both Zordac and I have asked your questions relating to your computer, so can you please help us help you?

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

I really don't know how to answer them. I just know I'm runing on a laptop, using Microsoft, seems Windows XP seems farmiliar, and found out that I don't have a graphics card, but I only have what came with the computer, and it's not good to run games on.

What do you mean by computer specs? (I know, I need a course on basic computer things..)

[caffeinated.joy]

If you aren't sure how to check out your system specs, it's okay. I didn't know either when I had freezing problems with my neighborhood a couple of months ago. In the thread I posted here: http://www.insimenator.org/index.php/topic,100985.msg1474863.html#msg1474863, Simsample provided a couple of very useful links that show you how to do all of these things.

[Madison-Simple-As-That]

I am so lost. I know I'm making everyone frustrated, I'm sorry.

I think I fixed it, though. It must've been something in the game files, because nothing I did with updating drivers helped, and when I reinstalled the game the problem was gone. I made a new neighborhood and the problem wasn't there. I just want to try puting back in my downloads to make sure it wasn't anything there. If it was, then I'll keep trying to understand this. I just don't want to bust my brain when it was already fixed. I'm sorry if I'm making anyone mad/frustrated.

[caffeinated.joy]

Are you on a pc or a laptop? That's a question Zordac answered. Are you using XP or Vista?

As for the problem being fixed, I'm glad it seemed to work itself out, but to be honest, downloads won't cause the graphic error. A faulty card, incompatible drivers or even your card overheating will cause the graphic error. So, for future reference (and to post in this thread so we can help you know instead of later), here's a simple method for finding your computer specs.

Click on Start, then Run and type in dxdiag. If this is the first time loading it, it will as you a question about verifying drivers. Say yes. When it loads, take a look at the first tab and collect information by processor and memory. Next, click on the display tab and get the Name of your card and Approx. total memory. 

 

[brat1083]

Madison-Simple-As-That to find you specs on your computer running XP asuming that you have full Admin rights: do the following go to you start button.
1. the simple way is to click on the start button and right click on My Computer then hit click on Properties.
2.The long way is click on the start button Then select control panel, Select system.

You should now a box called System Properties:

Now DO NOT CHANGE ANY THING IN HERE OR IT CAUSE PROBLEMS were just looking to see what your system has. Go to general tab there should be a Column there a sub heading called system: this will tell you the version of XP your running and your Service pack level.
Going down the column register to: your name and the license that is information that you never let out.

Futher down the column you will find a sub heading called Computer: this will tell you the CPU you Have and its Speed and the amount of ram install these are things that people will need to help so write this infromation down.

You do have a video card in your laptop it just may be built in tho the laptops mother board. BEFORE WE CONTINUE DO NOT CHANGE ANY THING IN HERE OR IT CAUSE PROBLEMS. Now select Hardware tab this will open there are usally 3 choices under here the one we need to look at its the Device Manager. Its usally the top of the three choices.  Click the Device Manager button that open a colum with icons on it, the one your looking for is one call Display Adapter click on the "+" symbol this will tell you what your "video card" mine says "NVIDA GeForce 8800 GTX" write this infromation down. Now see if there is the Monitor icon click on the "+" symbol this well tell you what your display some laptops have this icon some don't if it does write this infromation down..

This information will let people know the hardward your running and wheather its up to the task or wheather its a configuration problem with the program itself. 

[saowens]

Or you can just right click on "my computer" then click properties at the bottom of the menu. That will get you to the same information that Brat is talking about.