CAS problem after loading OFB

[mikesply9]

I just loaded Open for Buisness and now my CAS screen is blue and I can't see the SIM.  Could someone tell me what I need to do to see what I have done.   

Thanx

[rwills]

It sounds like incompatible files in your custom content. But before getting to that:

First, are you using or did you by any chance download and install a custom CAS screen at any time?

If so, remove that file from your game and see if the problem resolves.

Also, if there is a file in your My Documents--EA Games--The Sims 2 folder named cigen.package, delete it (perfectly safe; the game will auto-generate a new one if it needs it). Don't worry if there isn't such a file in that folder.

Ditto for a file in that folder names groups.cache

If your problem is not resolved at that point, please inform. Next steps involve moving to the more intensive methods of ferreting out problem files.

[mikesply9]

I never had a custom CAS screen, I just delete the cigen.package and moved the groups.cashe to desktop but the CAS screen is still blue.

[rwills]

You an delete the groups.cache. The game will self-create a new one.

Next step, then, is to temporarily move you entire Downloads folder to either your desktop or someplace other than My Documents--EA Games--The Sims 2.

Don't delete it, just move it.

Then see if the problem is resolved. If so, then you definitely have incompatible or conflicting custom content in the Downloads folder.

BTW, I am about to leave work for the day and will not be online for a while. There are plenty of additional nice folks here who can walk you through the next steps of this not uncommon dilemma.

[mikesply9]

Thanx rwillis for your help!  I moved the download folder but it is still blue...and so am I.

[rwills]

Okay, moving on, then.

Create a new, empty folder someplace on your computer. Into that new folder, temporarily move the contents of the Saved Sims folder in My Documents--EA Games--The Sims 2 (but don't move the Saved Sims folder itself).

Then launch the game and see if the problem is resolved.

[mikesply9]

Nope, that didn't do it. but I did find a JPEG image of a blue screen called CAS_auto_bg in The Sims 2/Storytelling folder, of 49KB dated8/17/2004 9:08 PM. I am assuming that is suppose to be there.

I should have mentioned I had TS2 & Nightlife loaded before hand. When you first suggested a custom CAS screen, I did find about a dozen CAS screen for foriegn apps because one or two was in cyrillic.

Am I going to have to reload everything? I just spent all last week ferreting out a conflicting file. Makes me wonder sometimes if the game is woth it?

Anyway, sorry to be such a pain, my fustration level is high with the game going bonkers & work changing back to nightshift (thankgod for shift pay differential), Thank you for your help!

[mikesply9]

I just found 3 YACAS! package files, TSData/GlobalLots & one each for Nightlife & Open for Business in C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\ .

Could one of these be the offending culprit?

[amc462000]

those are supposed to be there.

Rwills meant one you downloaded from somewhere.

[rwills]

If, still without the Downloads folder and also without the contents of the Saved Sims folder, the problem is still occuring, have but one more trick to suggest:

Go to My Documents--EA Games--The Sims 2--Thumbnails and delete ALL the contents of that Thumbails file (the game will recreate those as needed).

[mikesply9]

That did not do the trick. 

I'm starting to think I may have to uninstall OFB check if the problem persists in nightlife, if not then reinstall OFB.

[rwills]

Hmm. Toughie.

A few random thoughts:

Above, when you mentioned finding foreign and possibly other custom CAS files, have you made sure to delete each and every one of them? Having more than one custom CAS file installed absolutely would glork CAS.

You might try this (though it is a wild shot in the dark) -- do a search on your computer for files which start with zCEP. If the search finds any which are in any Sims2-related folder, make note of where they are and temporarily move all of them out of your game.

And a stupid question (apologies in advance) -- Are you giving the game sufficient time to advance beyond the blue screen? It can take several minutes for the game to load and get into CAS. In my own case, on an older machine and with a lot of custom content, it can take from 5 to 10  minutes.

If you decide to do an uninstall, be sure to make a back up of your My Documents--EA GAmes--The Sims 2 folder first.

[mikesply9]

No luck, moved all 3 zCEPs to desktop in a folder marked where they were found, and the screen is still blue.  before I added OFB I at least saw the background & sim when I hit create button, now all I get is a bluescreen with name-me slot and buttons in lower left corner.

[caffeinated.joy]

Did pull out your Downloads file before installing OFB? Keeping it in can cause install problems.

Are your graphic drivers up to date, and do your system specs meet the minimum requirements?

[mikesply9]

Did pull out your Downloads file before installing OFB? Keeping it in can cause install problems.

Are your graphic drivers up to date, and do your system specs meet the minimum requirements?

Just updated my graphics driver, now hopefully I can play longer before my game freezes up.  I'll check to see if my system requirements are up to snuff.  Thanx