Will my computer be able to handle more than one EP?

[Vampire Lion]

Hi again,
I know I am going to sound like a newb,but to be honest I am not good with computers...I guess. My computer was built with 3 GB of memory,and so far I've only installed The Sims 2 Double Deluxe,and the Sims 2 University. My laptop works perfectly fine,and I have no trouble with loading either game. However, I did have some trouble with installing them. {Long story,but just needed to add it}. Do you think my computer could handle another EP? Possibly like, Seasons or Free Time? Or Apartment Life? If one of them is ok {or all of them} to install, I will still worry about installing them..because of the troubles with installing The Sims 2 DD & University. But that's not the point...haha..

Do any of you have multiple EP's installed? Possibly on a computer that has enough space that is close to mine? I don't want to mess anything else up,or cause my computer to run slower..I am not good with technical aspects,obviously.

Thanks for your time!

[caffeinated.joy]

What are the rest of your specs and what OS are you using?

[Theraven]

I've got 4 GB memory, all EPs and SPs, and a huge lot of CC (30-something GB on the full version), and my game is mostly running alright except on heavy lots. A bit of lagging here and there, though. Test version of my game has something like 6 GB of CC and runs fine. This computer was built to handle games and 3D rendering, but could in all honesty need a bit more memory, as it starts struggling a lot when in the nearly 4GB area...

Had 512 mb memory on my laptop and all EP/SPs up to Freetime. It ran slow, and lagged quite a lot, but for as long as I played regularly, it did run... Nowadays I'm lucky if it even wants to start the game, so I've kinda given up on it.

Also depend a lot on the other computer specs on your computer, as some computers with 3 GB are built to handle games, while others aren't. Graphics card, CPU, things like that.

[HappyThoughts]

If you want you can always just try installing one (backing up your hoods/files first of course) and test each ep out.  You can generally tell right away *about the 3rd launch, if it's dragging your laptop.  Keep an eye on how hot it gets during game play too.  As for the Seasons expansion, that was a tough ep for my older pc's to run.  Apartment Life gives you magic and witches, much cooler than freezing and gardenning, well not really but if I had to make a choice I'd nix Seasons as a added ep.

[Chaavik]

Sims 2 itself can be handled with just 512 MB of RAM, but if you wanted to load all of the EPs and SPs with Sims 2, at least 1 GB is needed. But that's not including any custom content. With custom content, you could very well hit 2 GB of RAM if you have that much custom content.

XP can only have up to 2 GB. (32-bit)

Vista, I think, handle up to 3 GB or more. I never used Vista.

Windows 7 can handle more than 4 GB. (64-bit)

But like Joy asked. What are your computer specs and operating system (is it XP, Vista or 7)?

[Theraven]

You've got to do a couple of tricks to make the game run on more than 2 GB (Vista and Win7), otherwise it'll have memory crashes...

[caffeinated.joy]

XP can only have up to 2 GB. (32-bit)

Actually, 32 bit XP can handle up to 3 GB of RAM (my old pc, which had 32 bit XP had 3 and read it all just fine).

I'm also currently running Sims 2 on 8 gb of RAM and having no problems. (I hate to throw a wrench in things, but I need to state my own experience)

[Vampire Lion]

My computer is a Window's 7. It has a 64-bit OS..if I am reading it correctly. If I choose on buying some more EP's, I'll probably just buy Apartment Life & Seasons,or Freetime..whichever one is better. But I wonder though..are all EP's the same in size? Do they all take up much space? Again, I know I sound pathetic..ha,but I have no clue with these type of things.

[ancienthighway]

Unless I'm badly mistaken, the game itself will only recognize 2 GB of RAM.  As Theraven said, there is a way to make it recognize more than 2GB.  I saw the instructions once but never implemented it.  Max RAM usage on a 32-bit OS is either 3 or 4 GB.  Max RAM usage on a 64-bit is 8 GB due to OS or motherboard restraints, I think.

Having RAM in excess of 2GB will allow you to continue to run other programs in the background.  It would be no longer necessary to shut down a memory hogging AV.

With 3 GB of RAM you should have no problem running all the XPs plus a fair amount of CC.  The important question is "can your video card handle it?"  I wouldn't consider adding Seasons with less than 512 MB of video RAM.  More is definitely better when it comes to graphics in order to avoid major lags when playing a large lot, with large being a lot with lots of stuff on it.

[HappyThoughts]

ea has the complete list each one with details on system requirements/ep details/ and the size will be also listed, they also have downloadable copies you can buy right from their site.  But you knew that, or not, it would be easier for you to decide what you'd enjoy most.  And what would use up the less on your laptop.

[Vampire Lion]

Oh,might I add I have a Intel® Celeron® processor 900 video card..which I heard isn't good for gaming..but I have no earthly idea.

[XPTL297]

32bits Operating System can handle up to 3GB RAM no matter how much more you feed your computer with. A computer with about a 2.0 processor, 4GB RAM (where only 3 is used because the rest is reserved for supporting the OS), a hard disk more than 250GB, preferably 500 or two hardisks, a good graphic card (I'm running one computer with just 512MB Video RAM and it runs fine) and the latest OS you can get (Windows 7 is still a crap but is the best available) and you can install all the EPs, all stuff packs and a moderate amount of cc and you'll be fine. Test all your ccs to see if you REAAAALLY need them very badly. The best thumb rule is: if you do not use a cc very, very often, you do not need it. Use replacement packages the most you can, because you can always replace the whole content without any significant impact on the game (clothing for example). Open always a Test folder for new inclusions so that you test it good enough to be sure it is safe and you really need it. Update hacks and mods to the latest version (many of them takes care to identify which EP you have) and do not keep something just because it is cute or it is of everyone's use. Keep only what you need and use.
As to graphic cards, you must check what you computer system can support. The latest graphics that are on the 3rd generation shows impressive data but requires also impressive computers (that you really will just spoil to play TS2). Those GCs need more power from the input source and can cause very much heat. So look for something compatible with the system you have. When you increase RAM, try to buy bricks of the same kind and preferably same speed and same specifications. Some computers requires a pair of bricks to work well, so buy them always in pair when possible. Do not decorate hoods or lots excessively. If you are going to play Palaces, take care at only one is very big or you'll ballast your system and make you game laggy.
That's all.

[HappyThoughts]

I really sympathize your indecision of which ep to choose though.  I love freetime, apartmentlife, and seasons.  For the longest time I only had up to BonVoyage installed, minus Seasons.  I'd hate to go back to that.  All 3 have great additions to gameplay.  Alas I'm going to stand by apartmentlife though, witches and apartments are cool to me!

[XPTL297]

Apartment Life has introduced more than witches and apartments, it has changed the whole game system to benefit. It was the EP that gave you more flexibility when you choose which EP you want to have. If you don't have AL, install M&G, it makes the same without any extras. To say the truth it is recommended to have all of them for best game play. Of course you'll get a lot of things that you may hate, but there's enough means to get rid of them. One of the most irritating in having all EPs is the memories and the wants&fears. I got rid of the wants&fears because it acts to me like having someone commanding ME all the time and this is something that I do not Tolerate. If you let one EP out, what you are really doing is to miss all the special effects and animations. They are included in every EP and do not have any CarryForward file. The other thing is that you have to look for very special modders when you don't have the whole set and they are the ones that cares very much to include codes to identify which EP the user has. The problem is that most of those modders also include a lot of extra global sets to get the results they need and it causes dependence (if you take them out, you're handicapped). A good example, if you don't have ALL eps installed, avoid all and everything produced by xptl, it will sure cause you troubles.

[Vampire Lion]

Ok,today I just got the Apartment Life EP..I haven't opened it yet,so I want to know..do you think it's alright if I go ahead and install this? I know I'm whining about it too much,lol,but again..I don't want to mess anything up. It says it requires 512 MB or more for RAM. And at least 1.5 GB of free space {5.0 GB if installing with The Sims 2} on my Hard Drive. All help is appreciated. I had no idea about the witches though..I'm glad I bought the game haha.