Incredible Lagging

[EKozski]

Within the last few days, I've noticed this incredible lagging when I'm in game. If I stay in the same spot for about a minute, and I move, the lagging starts. It takes a good two minutes for the game to revert back to normal. I have to keep the camera moving. If I stop, it starts all over again. It is really annoying.

I thought it might be an issue with my downloads. But, I have less than 2GB. I know if you have a lot of high poly stuff, that could be a problem. There was a lot of stuff from WallSims in the house I downloaded. They have high poly objects, so I started yanking their stuff out. There's not that many windows, so it couldn't be that. There are alot of trees, maybe it could be that.

I bought this computer new in November. It's a quard core AMD with 6GB of memory. I've got an NVidiaGeForce 9100 with access to 2.5GB of video memory if it needs it. Yes, it's integrated. That still leaves me with 3.5GB of free memory. Windows 7 takes I think 1GB. I'm left with 2.5GB.

I thought it might be because I was using moveobjects and snap objectsto grid.

I'm still yanking downloads out...

[caffeinated.joy]

When was the last time you ran a maintenance on your computer (defrag, spyware/virus scan etc). Sometimes, if a drive is badly fragmented or you have a lot junk files, it cause cause the game to stutter.

[EKozski]

I did a disk clean up the other day. Virus scan about two weeks ago. I have never defragmented my hard drive.

But, you did bring something to mind reading your post........Copy a few things to disc.

I've got a 640GB hard drive. Almost 300GB free.  What would be considered junk files?

Just ran Malwarebytes. It found nothing.

[BlooM]

Go back to your desktop the moment it starts laggin(CTRL ESC)
Hit CTRL ALT DEL and look under process wats taking all the memory or under performance to check your CPU usage

[Theraven]

Well, you could always try to do a defragment and also free up disk space. Both tools are (on Vista) under Control panel--> administrative tools (it's "free up disk space" and "defragment your hard drive").

And have you emptied your recycle bin lately? If you don't do that once in a while, files aren't really deleted. As long as they stay in the bin, it's still saved on your computer and takes up space.

Freeing up disk space deletes temporary files and such, while defragmenting... I think Windows explains it better than I do.

Disk defragmentation describes the process of consolidating fragmented files on your computer's hard disk.
Fragmentation happens to a hard disk over time as you save, change, or delete files. The changes that you save to a file are often stored at a location on the hard disk that's different from the original file. Additional changes are saved to even more locations. Over time, both the file and the hard disk itself become fragmented, and your computer slows down as it has to look in many different places to open a file.
Disk Defragmenter is a tool that rearranges the data on your hard disk and reunites fragmented files so your computer can run more efficiently.

Lagging could also be caused by big neighborhoods, big lots with tons of CC, a lot of sims, townie/NPC generation and so forth.

Not sure how Win7 is on build-up of memory, but with Vista that's a big problem. Could be that, too. Especially if you've been playing for several hours.

[EKozski]

Well, I defragmented my hard drive overnight. Ran another virus scan. Found nothing. I also uninstalled three programs I don't use anymore.  Then, I went via msconfig and shut down a few unneeded programs at start up because I know I don't need them.

I yanked out my downloads folder, SavedSims, Projects and Neighborhoods folder. When the game started up, just after, Over Waxing Banisters, scrooled by, the game/screen flashed black then blue, then resumed. It's never done that before. The animated preview of the neighborhoods lagged pretty bad. I regenerated all the hood's again on purpose. I didn't even bother going into any neigborhood.

It's amazing how this just all of a sudden just happened.

[Nonni]

Hi, Ed!

Has your game gotten any better yet?

If not, the admin on our site taught me a trick that has saved my game and my sanity a couple of times.

Not really being a techy person, I loved this solution. She told me not to uninstall my game nor any of my EPs or SPs but simply remove my entire Sims 2 directory and drop it on my desktop. Then restart my game and let it regenerate itself. The directory I removed was the one in C:\Users\(your name)\Documents\EA Games\The Sims2. Then add back what you want of the files in The Sims2 directory on your desktop, but not all at once.

I had defragged, scanned for malware and did all the standard systems checks I could think of but nothing helped.

I apologize if someone already suggested this in technical terms and I missed it in previous posts in this thread.

Hugs from Nonni

[EKozski]

Nonnie, Baaaaaayyy-Beeeee!!!

I followed your suggestion, and it worked!! I tried twice and I don't get those black and blue flashes anymore. Granted, I had nothing in the game when I did that, but I'm happy with the result.

From Las Vegas to wherever you are, I send you a million hugs and kisses.

Thank you!

[Nonni]

I am melting with happiness. It is so seldom I can ever give any helpful techy advice. Really, my dear friend, Rebecah, is responsible for the advice ~ I just passed it along. I am so delighted you are back in business and can give us some more of your gorgeous creation. Big, BIG hugs!

PS. I am just across the street from you in Washington. 

[EKozski]

I'll tell you, I was just about ready to uninstall my games, then I ran across your post. So, I gave it a try. You know the outcome. YAY!

I don't know why, but, Dean Martin, and the song, Seattle, ran through my mind wen I saw you were from Washington. Lord knows, I just dated myself. YIKES!

[Paden]

If you are dating yourself, E, then I don't think I wanna know the details... That being said, cut the age cracks cause in half a decade I get to hit the half-century marks and have the silver hairs to prove it! I'm glad you got help for the problem, I've been beating my head against my desk trying to figure out what could be messing up with your game. Nonni!! You saved the day, woman, great going!

[EKozski]

I'm 53.

You know, I swear I didn't want to uninstall the games. But, something made me double check here. 

Who in a million years would've thought that all I had to do was, yank out my Sims 2 folder?!!?

Nonni, Baaaaayyy-Beeeee!! Did in fact save the day.

Thank you both!

[IronBeard]

Fabulous suggestion! I periodically re-install my game just to keep it frosty, but next time I will try this instead. Big thanks to Nonni!

[Nonni]

Dearest Iron, Have you been reading J. D. Robb's books about the ... oh, dear this is spamming. Sorry.

[IronBeard]

Dearest Iron, Have you been reading J. D. Robb's books about the ... oh, dear this is spamming. Sorry.

That's IronBeard to you, young lady! No, calling a geezer an Iron where I come from will get you a thick ear!
But JD Robb... hmmm... I had a book once. Can't remember the title now... mumble mumble...