Crashed again! Uninstall?

[Janis2005]

I took out all my downloads as advised, re-started the game.  Tried to play a family from the previous expansion and the load screen kept loading for about 30 mins. I gave up and restarted the computer. When I went to clear the cache files again (I do this before I start the game), I noticed that the accessory cache files were again at 6240kb. It seems that every time the game crashes, it does so at this exact point. I checked the neigjhbourhood files using Clean Installer and found a few empty packages, which I deleted. I also noticed in the collections folders that several of the expansion pack collections were duplicated and highlighted in pink. Is this a problem? Should I delete the the duplicates?  Or should I give up and uninstall the game? If I do have to uninstall, do I have to uninstall all of the expansions and stuff packs or just AL? I would really appreciate any help as I am totally lost!:sad4:

[DarkAmaranth]

Don't uninstall yet. In My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2. Delete the Accessories.cache, Groups.cache and cigen(if you have it) files and try again. If that doesn't work, move the entire Sims 2 folder to a safe location out of My Documents and try - the game will re created the files it needs.

ONLY if all of that fails will you need to uninstall. Any saved games will be in the Sims 2 folder you moved if you want to try to put them back.

[Janis2005]

Thanks, I`ll try again. It`s very frustrating,as I never had all of these problems with previous expansions. I will keep my fingers crossed. I always delete cache files and cigen before starting the game and it doesn`t seem to have worked so far. Maybe taking the whole folder out will solve it. I`ll be in touch when I`ve tried it!.:worship:

[Janis2005]

Still no luck. Then I did a more thorough search and cleared out a few adult skin files and things that were in places other than downloads(saved sims and more empty packages in neighbourhood files,) Then put back all of my downloads, cleared the cache files and got the game running sweetly now. Keeping my fingers, toes and everything else crossed and won`t be downloading anymore "suspect" files for a while!

[Dec12741]

It could be the Houses if you installed any,did you install and House at all?

[Janis2005]

:blob6:Well, the game running sweetly didn`t last. I have now decided to install the patch and see if that does anything. I keep discovering empty package files in my neighbourhood folders and I don`t know how they are generating. This is my last attempt before uninstalling and starting again from scratch. Really doesn`t appeal to me, as I have grown quite fond of a lot of my families.
 
I haven`t installed any new houses. Only ones I had previously in my lot catalogue.

[Squinge]

Are they empty character files?
 
edit: You don't need to reinstall just rename your "My Documents\EA Games" folder to "Old EA Games" & run the game it will create a new folder
try that & see if you still have empty package files.

[Janis2005]

I did as you suggested, renamed my EA Games folder and ran the game again, going into every neighbourhood. When I quit the game and ran clean installer, the empty package file was there again, "neighbourhood F001, Lot1 empty package. I also noted, that in the collections files, all of the collections are duplicated and highlighted in pink. Do I delete these?  Can I just reinstate the original EA Games folder and put my downloads back? Thank you for any further suggestions

[Squinge]

Yes you can do that & I checked my folder the file lot1 is empty for me too so it must be normal

[Janis2005]

Thank you for all your help.