This is actually not base game compatible, it has no textures in it.  They draw there textures from OFB and M&G so it will require both  OFB and M&G.

No.

That is for PC's not Macs.  Unless the OP is using bootcamp and playing in Windows, then this really isn't a Mac question.

SecurROM was in the Mac version of Spore, chances are  it will be in Sims 3 as well.

Don't use the backup feature.  It's incomplete and causes additional crashes if you have Pets or later installed.

WooHoo is a program that shows you what a package file contains, or it will install a sims2pack.  It will not delete your files if you choose to use it.  Install is as simple as extracting the zip and double clicking the icon.  It comes in its own folder that you can put anywhere, I put mine in Applications since its an application.  To uninstall simply delete the folder.

Please elaborate on the crashing and what you were attempting to do with it.  As the first post stated, if you are trying to open files created with the Pets EP or later the program will crash because  work stopped with it prior to that EP.  And I suspect the test function would crash with those packages as well.  There was at one point an issue with too many downloads and running the backup feature, I don't remember if it was ever fixed.

But on that note, it will install any package files, except official exchange ones, something about the size of them I think it was.

Homecrafter works fine with Vista.  There is an issue with the executable file after installing EP's, somewhere around...FT I think.

Go here and scroll to the If all else fails...there is a file to download, its an older version of the exe. Follow the directions to install and HC should work again.

http://www.modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Homecrafter

Pictures?  As in new meshes of pictures?  They don't show?  Crash your game?  Vehicles?  Do you have NL?

One thing I've found on the mac and its very strange.  That when you have stuff subfoldered, it forgets how to read it.  One game session it reads fine, then it just stops.  I've had to remove the subfoldered items and put them in loose in the Downloads folder, start the game, then after quitting subfolder again.  And then it's fine.  I really only had this issue when I had a lot of downloads too, I'm using less than 1gb right now and have no issue.  I also am trying not to have more than one level of folders.

When adding/removing downloads I also remove the cigen.cache and groups.cache before starting the game.

You cannot save the game files and just put them  in the folder, they won't work.  They need to be installed.  Regarding your disk, I've heard contacting EA about damaged disks and they may replace them.  Doesn't installing a new EP delete everything in your downloads folder?  Hence the reason for backup prior to installing?  I have only Base game for windows, so not sure on this one.

While using the greenhouse wall is a quick, short term fix, it isn't the solution.  And I have all EP's to BV with no lighting issues.  Windows work fine, it's not an issue with the Mac version.    Have you installed any lighting hacks?  I know Wes_H has one, but I think its bodyshop.  Gunmod also has one.  CEP used to have the lighting mod included, but the new V9 does not.  Have you downloaded any cameras or other text files that are different than the original?   I would take your entire /users/documents/eagames/thesims2 folder and move it to your desktop and start the game.  This will regenerate and set all your text/script files to the original.  Then see if this works.

Well BV made graphics better I think for everyone.  Was the only reason I purchased it and wasn't disappointed in being able to now use dark skins.  Crashing while trying to change clothing or making a family is either due to a mesh or hack that is incompatible.  Or you have too many downloads, maybe.  The green mesh lines means you have too many downloads.  See the sticky at the top of the Mac help section regarding how to increase your file limit.  If you remove all downloads from your game and delete the cigen.cache and groups.cache, it should load and play fine.  It is NOT securom!  I do not know the exact type of software protection is being used on the Mac, but it is NOT securom.

Yes.  And you can unarchive them on your mac and transfer or leave them in the archived format.

theraven - to properly feed your sim addiction, you should buy a new HD  lol

I look at shapes, the rounder and more smoothed they are, the higher the poly.  That puts extra strain on your video resources.  I stick to good quality low poly stuff.  So sites that don't list poly counts don't get bookmarked.

I currently have 3 different sets of skintones that I cannot bear to remove.  And I have a huge problem with curtains and small tabletop plants.

Maybe this will help:

http://freya.modthesims2.com/showpost.php?p=2000486&postcount=19

I don't have an issue with Homecrafter, but I have just the base game installed on a Vista machine.  If I read it right, it seems to be later expansions that are messing the ability of HC to run.

See I'm the opposite, I only use the Maxis installer for things that WooHoo won't install, like packages from the game site.  I don't like installing things with funny names or letting the game decide where to put them.

Installing homes using WooHoo does not make your game crash.  I've been using it for over 2 years.  WooHoo will install all lots regardless of expansion pack requirements.  There will be no message telling you if you don't have a particular expansion pack, the same as clean installer does.  It is probably lots requiring expansion packs you don't have that you've installed that are crashing the game.

Many creators don't understand that those expansion packs change the game coding and you cannot simply make it backwards compatible by not using those objects that came with the expansion pack and therefore mislabel the requirements.

The directions for installing lots apply the same as the sim Ingridtk showed.  You need to select the appropriate filter, then the files in the package, then choose one of the install buttons.  If you choose the large install selected button then it goes to the program defaults.  Otherwise you may choose to put them into your Downloads folder, Hold, New, or Other.  Hold and New can be defined in the user preferences.  Some items go to the teleport folder until the game is started, so you may not see it go into the appropriate folder.

One thing I've noticed on the mac is that sometimes you need to put your new downloads straight into the downloads folder without subfoldering.  It's an odd anomaly that pops up every now and then that it just won't show unless its not subfoldered.

I've never seen the grey image as anything other than the image not being the correct size, and I've never seen them correct themselves.  That particular hair I too have in game and it works fine.