CAS and lots loads forever! Please Help!

[summer_wine]

It's not my downloads. I took out my downloads folder and I could get in the game pretty fast but when i go to a lot or create a family the mouse pointer that turns into a timer just turns and turns. there is no blue screen of death, the graphics are still there, the music still plays but it takes sooo long and i have to end the game using ctrl+alt+del.

i would appreciate any advice you can give me. i'm in the final round of two contests and i don't wanna drop. please help me. thanks!

[ancienthighway]

Did you remove the SavedSims folder too?  Delete groups.cache?

[summer_wine]

just did that. same thing happens