Cant play my sims games!

[Monk420]

I have no idea if this is in the correct section or not if it is not, please anyone move it to the correct spot so that it can be fixed hopefully. Awhile back I had to uninstall all my sims games because my mansion and gardens stuff pack had a huge crack in it and kept saying I needed to put in mansion and gardens to play or that there was no disc inserted. So when I found out I uninstalled it then it said I was running the wrong version of my sims games please insert apartment life well after uninstalling and re-installing I got tired of being told its the wrong disc, so I thought maybe I need to uninstall the base game to fix it, well I got all them uninstalled finally and reinstalled the base game and seasons, BUT when I went to install the next game it told me at the end of the installation that it needed to see if my game was up to date then told me could not check to see if it was up to date and had to close then it started REVERSING the percentage bar from 98% to 76% to 54% and so on until it was gone! Then I tried to play it without the expansions that I couldn't install and it told me that I was running the wrong version of the sims please insert ''T'' instead, I tried it again and it told me please insert ''i'' instead, then when I tried it again it said please insert '' '' instead! I could really use someone's help here.

[Paden]

OK, uninstall all of it again. THEN, go into "My Documents" and completely wipe out any folder with the name "EA Games" on it. Fully and completely obliterate that folder, don't save a friggin thing in it. Then defrag your machine. You should then be ready for a total re-install of what you have. Sometimes, most times in my experience when I've done fresh installs, the uninstalling leaves behind an EA Games folder for some damn reason or another and that totally messes with what you're trying to do. Give it a go and I hope that it works for you! Also, delete any and all desktop short cuts that now exist as you uninstall. Let the process generate new ones, instead.

ETA: Almost forgot. After uninstalling, make sure that you also check your program files for another EA Games folder and wipe that thing out if it's still there. It may claim to have completely taken it off your machine, but most the time it doesn't. Wipe all traces of it out and then start afresh. It's kind of like washing out the coffee maker so you don't have funky tasting coffee... A clean start is the best start.

[miros1]

1) You can replace your M&G disk fairly inexpensively at the Maxis site if you registered it when you originally installed it.

2) Next time you have a problem, ask before you start trying to fix it.  Your original problem (cracked M&G disk) could have been fixed by getting the disk from Maxis or by downloading a replacement executable.

3) If deleting the folders as Paden said doesn't fix it, you've got crud stuck in the registry.  I just woke up, so I can't remember the best way to fix this.

[Monk420]

Ok ill try that Paden, the one thing I didnt do was defrag. If it tells me cant uninstall because I have a pack that needs to be taken out first then ill let you guys know. And for the record miros, I did seek help before trying to fix it myself but after it didnt work I came to the professionals.  

[Monk420]

Before I even get to the defrag I hit a problem my computer witch apparently has no functional CPU brain cells is telling me I have an expansion installed and need to uninstall it before my base game, but the base game is the only sims 2 game on my computer! AND the base is the only game in my program files. 

[XPTL297]

It is very strange that people uninstall the game at first problem. Most of the problems can be corrected. If you anyway uninstall, it is better that you do it completely and afterwards clean up your system registry. There are small and gratis programs that help to clean up registry and bad uninstalled programs.
You should also clean up all garbage that is left behind. Some trash stays in the drive C: where it was originally installed, mainly if you did any modifications in files that the uninstaller cannot recognize as original, as for example if you replace files directly in the game root or place any kind of crack etc. Those files stays behind and harm a posterior reinstallation. It can be even that you placed some clothing or any other file in one of the bins to avoid the hated stars in the thumbnail. It can be a lot of different alternatives for trouble.

[Theraven]

If you have a recent backup of the Neighborhood files (or as I do to be sure, the entire The Sims 2 folder), you can correct most problems without having to reinstall, unless it's a problem with the actual installed files.

If you have a backup of the first installed files, you can "reinstall" without actually reinstalling. After installing all EPs and SPs - put NOTHING in the downloads or Savedsims folders (or just put in a few simple recolors, if you want to activate the CC right away - NO mods or hacks, as they could mess things up!), enter the game, do all game setting changes you want (including activating CC), enter each neighborhood to load them in, before you quit. Then take a copy of the entire The Sims 2 folder and save it to somewhere safe (external harddrive, CD, or somewhere you'll have it if your computer crashes, or somewhere safe on your computer if you're more worried about game crashes). Saves loads of time later. Just make sure that you install games in the same order each time (I've got all games, so I use the chronological order from Basegame up to MG), and installing the same EPs and SPs you did when making the backup.

Uninstalling single EPs might make the game go borky. It's safer to uninstall everything, delete any orphan folders and files, before you reinstall (See Paden's method). Has saved me a lot of trouble.

[Monk420]

I'm sure all the advice you guys are giving me is helpful but I'm no technical wiz so if some 1 can give me a REALLY detailed guide to how to fix this that be awesome (yes I know I'm not that smart).

[Theraven]

Paden's method is quite easy.

* Uninstall everything, including the basegame
* Delete the EA Games folder (if it's still there) from Documents
* make sure the EA Games folder is gone from Program Files (or at least all the "The Sims 2" folders if you've got other games from EA in that folder - if you have Vista or Win 7 64 bit, then look in both the Program Files folders).
* Then reinstall everything in chronological order (Basegame to AL, or to MG if you get your hands on the disk).

Chronological: Basegame, University (EP1), Nightlife (EP2), Holiday Party Pack (05 or 06, not quite counted as SP - installs under basegame), Open for Business (EP3), Family Fun (SP1), Glamour Life (SP2), Pets (EP4), Happy Holiday (SP3), Seasons (EP5), Celebration (SP4), H&M (SP5), Bon Voyage (EP6), Teen Style (SP6), Free Time (EP7), Kitchen and Bath Interior Design (SP7), Ikea Home (SP8), Apartment Life (EP8), Mansion and Garden (acts as EP9)

After you're done with this, then it's smart to do a backup (see my previous post), so you won't have to reinstall everything again.

[Monk420]

It wont let me uninstall the base game it says I have an expansion installed and I need to uninstall that before I can the base game but there is none only the base game is installed and only the base game is in my program files (unless I am looking in the wrong spot). I thought I said this in an earlier post that is why I am getting confused.

[caffeinated.joy]

Follow this guide. You should find it helpful since it gives detailed instructions on manually uninstalling games. Sometimes, the uninstaller doesn't do the full job and leaves bits behind, which get in the way of installing a fresh copy.

[ancienthighway]

I suggest using CCleaner rather than editing the registry.  It's too easy to make a mistake manually tinkering in the registry, either deleting too much or not enough.  It will also clean up other orphan registry entries which will help computer performance.

[Monk420]

OK, after I finally got the base game uninstalled I made sure to wipe the sims from my documents and program files, NO TRACE of the sims I go to reinstall and it went without a hitch, but after I stuck it in and started to play then told me wrong version please insert ''T'' instead!

[miros1]

Uninstall one more time and use CCleaner.... There's crud in your registry, and it's touchy work to get it out with regedit.

[Monk420]

Does the CCleaner come with instructions? Also, Its saying I need to uninstall an expansion on my computer before I can uninstall the base game and as you know only the base game is installed so the only way to remove it looks to be through program files, and I would like to know if I should do it this way before doing anything.