Insimenator.org

I don't know if it's something with my computer or my game disk, but lately, my game won't play. It just tells me that there's no disk in the drive and to insert it, and I'm sure I have my game in. Yet it won't start up. If I try maybe 30 or 40 times in a row, the game will eventually play, but I want to fix the problem so it starts up on one try.

My disk isn't incredibly scratched, nothing heavy. All the scratches are light and shallow.

My disk drive is a little shakey when I eject, but it plays other disks just fine.

How do I find out what's wrong with my game?

And if it's the disk that's broken, will getting a new disk erase all of my game progress?

HELP!

Can you try it in another computer?

I tried it on my mom and my brother's computers.
It's not installed on either of them, but the option to auto run comes up at least.

Have you tried to wait a bit before starting the game from the desktop icon? Sometimes the game needs some time. The autorun can be a bit weird at times.

Have you deleted the cache files?

Have you tried to run it directly from the exe file? (right-click the desktop icon, choose "open file placement" or something like that, and look for the "Sims2EP(X).EXE" file ("X" being a number, the one belonging to the EP/SP you're running), and double-click it. 

Have you tried to move out all the game files (documents/The Sims 2) and let the game files recreate themselves, to see if those might be the problem?

Have you cleaned out dust from your computer lately (if you're running it on a desktop)?

Chances are it's either the disk or the game itself. I know I had some similar troubles once, and it turned out to be the game.

I have deleted cache files.
I have cleaned out dust.
I have waited for the autorun to start.

But I haven't done exe file, or moving the game files.

Bodyshop still works, as well. I will try the other things and see if they work.

Update: I tried to right click on the icon, and I couldn't find what you were talking about. That option wasn't available. Here's my screenshot.

Try going to the exe file in your computer files, then.

In my case, that is Computer > Programs > EA Games > The sims 2 fun with pets collection > EP99 > TSBin
And then run Sims2Launcher.

To find which location it is on yours, right-click the icon, and hit 'Open file location'.

Of course, for you, you'll want to replace "Sims 2 fun with pets" to "Sims 2 Apartment Life".

You can also directly access the .exe file from there that bypasses the launcher completely and make the .exe file a shortcut on your desktop to permanently bypass the launcher and take you straight into the game when you click it. The file path should look something like:

Programs\EA Games\The Sims 2 Apartment Life\TSBin

If you're using Windows 7 or Vista, then you'll want to start with Program Files (x86), then go to EA Games, etc.

The file you're looking for is Sims2EP8.exe

If you make a shortcut on your desktop of this file and click on it when you want to play, it will always completely bypass the annoying launcher.

Thanks guys. I will try these things.

Also, like Theraven suggested, if this doesn't work, I will try to remove my game files.
But I have a lot of downloads and saved bodyshop projects. Is it safe to remove the game files? My custom stuff won't get messed up?

UPDATE:
I tried these ideas.
I went to the EXE file from the path suggested.
Clicking on the exe still would not let me start my game. It told me again that there was no disk.
I also tried removing my game folder out of My Documents. Same thing.
I'm not sure what's up with this thing.

With removing your game files, just move them to your desktop, or back them up somewhere. So move your savedsims, neighborhood and downloads to your desktop(and any other files you may want to save).

Do you have some sort of Firewall that would be blocking the game?

Question:
What about if you try re-installing? You said that the other computers come up with the autorun, so.

I don't think any of my firewalls would interfere with my game. I'm not sure though. I haven't changed any settings since before when my game worked.

If I uninstall and then reinstall, and save my downloads and neighborhood files, will my game keep them just like before (considering I put them back in my newly installed game folder)?

Some of them (and certain antivirus programs) can. They either stop the program or sees harmless game files as "false positives" thinking they're viruses. 

Okay, I experimented a little with my antivirus and firewall.
I took the firewall off, and scanned the game with my antivirus. It found no threat, but still would not work with either of these items done.

To answer your question, yes, if you save your files and reinstall, everything will be the same.
I've done this before, so.

The neighborhoods folder is what has all your saved stuff in it, so as long as you save that, all your sims and such will be fine.

And have you installed any new programs since it stopped working?

I don't think I did.
Also, I should have REALLY mentioned this earlier, but it slipped my mind and I don't really know how.

But prior to my game having this little running problem, I would go to play in a house and one or two sims would be missing. Like they would completely not exist. Their files are still in SimPE, but the other sims don't have any knowledge of them, and they are basically deleted in my game. It wouldn't be like this with all my households, just a couple.

Do you think this may be related?

Could be a sucuRom problem. http://www.simprograms.com/658/securom-removal-tool-added/  Some people never have troubles with it, I’m one of the hundreds that had the game become  unplayable after installing the Free Time patch.  I have had two new computers since then and would not let sucuRom on either of them. After installing all my games (bought legally, I'm no pirate) I used the no disk crack to ensure sucuRom never gets on my computer again.

Added a link so you can read about what sucuRom can do to your computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SecuROM

With the vanishing sims, did this happen after editing the sims in SimPE, or just on its own?
If it did it on its own, then it could be something corrupt in your game, meaning re-installing would be a very good idea.

I will run the Securom removal.

Dullahan, It just happened on its own. I edited sims in SimPE, but those same sims I edited were not the ones (or even related to the ones) that disappeared.

UPDATE: If I did this right, SecuROM is now off my computer. But it said I can't use my disk anymore on that site or SecuROM will just be added back on. If I can't use my disk, how do I play?

One more thing. Do I uninstall and reinstall my whole game, or just my last EP?

*Information removed: read our rules!*

coffeeTime, we do not condone the use of (illegal) cracks, etc here, as it clearly says in our forum rules. Please don't offer any information, links or other means to suggest/point anyone to obtaining them. Doing so again will earn you further warnings and/or temporary or permanent bans.

Senko, it's possible the SimPE edit caused the problem, even if it affected different sims. Keep in mind, any edit you do on sims in SimPE risks affecting the memories of other sims in games, which can cause borkages. This is why they always suggest you back up your game before doing anything in SimPE, just in case it results in a corrupt file.

If you want to take coffeeTime's suggestion, then please realize you do so at your own risk and support won't be able to be given here, since cd-cracks of any kind are not exactly legal.

What you might have to do is back up your downloads and sims and do a clean reinstall. It's an ouch move, I know (one I've had to do myself a few times), but you might have to do this if nothing else is working (loading a game without downloads, deleting cache files, etc, bypassing the launcher, etc).

Sorry, I hadn't noticed.


SenkoTwiik
If it is sucuROM that's the problem and you are going to play with the disk in, then you may need to uninstall any disk burning programs that are on your computer. Ours came with Roxio and we used it to put our kids photos on a disk. It was this (legal) programme that the FT patch disliked. So uninstalling any type of burning program and using the unofficial FT patch from MATY would also be another way to try. You will have sucuROM on your computer, but I believe it will be a less intensive form.  Again this is only if sucuROM is the problem. Many people never have trouble with it.

I uninstalled everything, then reinstalled The Sims 2, and University.
But now, when I am trying to reinstall all of my other EPs, there is a problem with the AutoRun. It won't autorun the disk.

and it says
c:\autorun.exe
d:\autorun.exe
c:/autorun.exe
d:/autorun.exe

are all invalid paths. Any ideas?

Try turning off your antivirus and firewall. Sometimes either or both can interfere with installing software.

You might have to access the CD through explorer and double click on the setup.exe file if the autorun file on that disc is corrupted.

I have my firewall off.
But I have avast (free) and have no idea at all how to turn it off.

Can't you just right click icon in your taskbar and see if there's an option to stop/start it?

Did you check to see if your anti virus program is not blocking your sims2 game because of a hidden virus, me my sims 2 was block by my avg anti virus saying that i had 2 eps that contain virus but i no longer have this problem anymore. And in term of loading your game i had a similiar problem with my mansion and garden ep and the solution i took to fix it was to do a full reboot of my computer and then loaded my game and it loaded just fine. ;)

Okay, now my antivirus and firewall are off.
That brought autorun back.
Let's see if the game will install.

UPDATE:
The autorun comes up, but the game never runs even when I click autorun.

Did you try accessing the CD through Explorer and double clicking the exe file?

I messed with my computer last night and I got autorun to come back AND work. So I have

Sims 2
Seasons
University
Bon Voyage

installed properly.

For some reason, with Nightlife, while installing it, the installation always gets stuck at 26% and I don't know why that is. I need a little help on this one.

With Open for Business, the autorun came up, but the game didn't play. This was yesterday, though and I haven't tried it since.

As for the other EPs, I'm going to try them out today.

Joy, by explorer, do you mean Internet Explorer, or the computer C: paths mentioned before?

UPDATE:
Open for Business worked this morning, and so did Pets, now I am trying Freetime.

explorer.exe is one of the programs that makes windows run (spesifically, the user interface). I've had it crashing a couple of times and the desktop icons disappeared...

If you can install the games, then I doubt it's the disk itself.

I think joy means the task manager. Either ctrl-alt-delete to get it up, or (with win7) right-click the task bar. You can run programs directly with it. Under "programs", choose "new task" and write in the name of the program itself (such as explorer.exe for explorer, or sims2ep6.exe for Bon Voyage)


Or she is talking about the path to the exe file for the game
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Bon Voyage\TSBin\Sims2EP6.exe  (as Bon Voyage seems to be your latest)
Try clicking on this file and see if your game starts then.

Not sure if you said it, but which operative system do you run? (XP/Vista/win7/MacOS/Linux/etc...)
And which antivirusprogram do you use?

I have Windows 7.
I have avast for antivirus.

No, I mean Windows Explorer. You can access it Windows 7 by going through Start>All Programs>Accessories, or by right clicking on the Start button and choosing 'Run Windows Explorer'.

Open the CD through Windows Explorer and double click on the setup.exe file.

Okay, something is going on with both Freetime and Nightlife.
Nightlife still only goes to 26% and doesn't do anything after that.
Freetime goes to 50% and then a pop-up says there's a problem. I retried a lot of times, but it still isn't operating right.

I will try it through explorer.

UPDATE:
Now Freetime is only going to 37% before it says it has a problem.
It says there's a problem with transfering the file TSData\Res\Sound\Sfx1.package

Are you installing the games in random order? That might have something to say for the troubles you seem to be having.

I always install my games in order (list here: http://compsimgames.about.com/od/expansionpacks/qt/sims2_exporder.htm)
In theory it keeps the previous EPs patched (it checks whether the games are patched/updated while installing). Not installing them in order should work too, but it's a bit safer to install in order.

Have you set the games to run in XP compability-mode? I had to do it on my laptop (it has Win7 too).

I've run avast on my desktop computer, and it has never bugged with my game as far as I know...

I tried to install them all in order, but I skipped the ones that had problems installing. I have everything installed except Nightlife, Freetime, and Apartment Life. Those ones all seem to have something going on with them.

Also, I haven't set my games to XP mode. How is that done?
(I'm kind of dumb when it comes to this side of computers)

Right-click the icon (preferably the EXE file) and choose "preferences", then "compability". Click "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and choose "Windows XP (service pack 3)".

Not entirely sure if it's enough with the current exe or if you have to do it on all the exe files. I did it on all, just in case...

Okay, I did XP mode for all of the EPs that are already installed.
I can't do it for Nightlife, Freetime, or Apartment Life because they're not installed and when I go to the explorer path, there's no setup.exe

tried to do a testrun now?

I tried Nightlife again, but now the darn thing is back to having AutoRun come up, and not going to anything at all when I click the AutoRun prompt. What the heck?

Should I try to uninstall SimPE? Might that help?

I don't know how SimPE would be causing that issue, but it wouldn't hurt to try.