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My hot tub water was red the last time I played. My landscape water is usually flashing red as well. Now my CAS screen is the same flashing red. What is the matter??? Please help me if you can. :smt120 :smt120 :smt120  I'm going stir crazy!

I think you need to update you graphics card or something, lol. I'm not a computer genius so I don't know, but I'm guessing that's the problem

my dad says that I can't upgrade my graphics card, but if I could he said it probably wouldn't make a difference. my hot tub water was fine until I put one on a community lot.

Well you should remove anything you have added since the problem started.

Updating your video card's drivers may also help

Did you update the video drivers (not the card) or your DirectX files?  Usually that will fix the problem.

how do I update DirectX? My dad says I can't update the driver.

Now I realised that ALL of my walls are flashing the dark red - red - bright red - black colors. What happened. I uninstalled everything and have no CC after I reinstalled and it is still happening. I updated everything I could, but things started going funny before I got my expansion packs even.

What does he mean you cant update the driver? as far as I know that is the only solution to the flashing redness. Its just a simple download

what EP's do you have installed? do you have Pets? I know this a problem that has been happening with pets.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?displaylang=en&categoryid=2

Click on the latest End User Runtime download of DirectX to run and update it.  :)

Video drivers are files you can update by downloading from the product's website.  What type of video card do you have?

I have the original game, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, and Glamour Life. I was able to update DirectX, but it didn't help. When my CAS screen started flashing I ignored the houses, but when I go into a house the walls flash there too. I tried uninstalling ALL of my downloaded things and uninstalled and reinstalled the game to and it didn't help.

Sounds like you definately need to update your video card's drivers. Tell your dad that it's good for the computer because, honestly, it is. Outdated drivers can make all sorts of little graphic glitches crop up, not just in the Sims, but other programs as well.

yep. You need to update or get a new card. Nothing more can be done.
there is no one here that can fix this, it has to be on your end.

What type of video card do you have?  Here's how to find out:

Go to Control Panel > Click on System (or if you have it on the default XP settings, click Performance and Maintenance, then System).

After that, click on the Hardware Tab, then the Device Manager button.

When a window pops up, click on the "plus" sign next to Display adapters.

Your display adapter and the driver's name should pop up underneath it. When the name of your driver(s) pops up, you can right click and select Properties to see more details about it.

After you click Properties,  click the Driver tab and choose to update it.  Or, depending on which video card you have, you can visit the official maker's site to check for and download updated drivers.

OK so I need a new driver, I have a SiS 630/730 driver already. I already just updated it after I tarted having the problem and it was suggested. The driver is part of my motherboard. I would get a new one, but I don't know what kind to get please give me a little advice, on what you think is best and I will take it from there. Thanks so much for your help in diagnosing my game's stupid problem.  Kittycataussie:worship:

Oh... THAT's probably why... I think I know what it is now.

My other PC has a similar problem; it doesn't have the video card that meets the game requirements.  It will still run Sims 2, but you won't get some/any reflections, and the water will forever flash red, not to mention a good number of options are greyed out.  You might want to ask (or plead with) your dad if you can get a new video card, or computer, one day.  Unfortunately, until then you might have to tolerate the red flashing water a little longer....   :sad5:

He agreed to help me get a new card, but what I need to know is what cord do you suggest? I can live with the water flashing, but I refuse to live with the walls doing it too. I don't need an awesome card, I just need one that wont die if I have my expansions on the comp.

Well, I don't know too much about the latest/best cards out now.  I have an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 chip (for my laptop), but I had problems with it when I first got the thing.  Whenever I left a lot in order to go to community lots/neighborhood screen/just closing to return to desktop, the blue screen of death reared it's ugly head and rebooted my computer.  Ever since I downloaded the alternate driver, though, haven't had too many major problems at all.  

I also hear that nVidia is pretty great, but they also have had certain problems...  

Just be aware of any difficulties with any suggested cards, and of course any workable solutions to them.  Sorry if this doesn't help you much for the video card suggestions...

Well Im using two 256mb Nvidia cards at the moment, I think the model is something like nvidia geforce 7900 GT or something.
Try the nvidea geforce series anyway, Ive never had any problems with them, and try get some decent video memory, the game only needs a 64mb card but you should try to go at least double that

thank you for you for the help. I am in the process of getting a new card.