Game won't load

I don't get it. I last played on May 3, with no problem. Yesterday I
went to start the game, and when I tried to start it any way I could
(double-click on desktop icon, double-click on the .exe file in the
Free Time TSBin folder), I get a Windows hourglass, very briefly, then
nothing. The game doesn't load, and when I check via Ctrl-Alt-Del, it
doesn't show as a running application, nor does it list any running
process that I can identify with the game. I tried rebooting, I tried
replacing the no-CD .exe with a fresh copy, in case it had somehow
become corrupted. I can't open BodyShop either.

So I thought maybe the latest Windows security patch had done
something to the game, so I ran System Restore to return the system to
how it was before the patch. No help. Then, thinking that maybe the
latest version of the free AVG antivirus had misidentified a file as a
virus and quarantined it, I ran System Restore to return to before I
installed the new AVG. No help. Those are the only system changes
I've made since May 3. I haven't added any downloads to the game
since then either.

I don't know what else might have caused the game to stop being able
to be loaded, so I guess I'm facing reinstalling. I assume I should
uninstall the whole thing and then reinstall the base game and all the
EPs and the two Stuff Packs I have.

So what files and folders should I back up elsewhere on my system?
Downloads, Collections, Neighborhoods, anything else?

BW

barbara DeleteThis @bookpro.com wrote:
> I don't get it. I last played on May 3, with no problem. Yesterday I
> went to start the game, and when I tried to start it any way I could
> (double-click on desktop icon, double-click on the .exe file in the
> Free Time TSBin folder), I get a Windows hourglass, very briefly, then
> nothing. The game doesn't load, and when I check via Ctrl-Alt-Del, it
> doesn't show as a running application, nor does it list any running
> process that I can identify with the game. I tried rebooting, I tried
> replacing the no-CD .exe with a fresh copy, in case it had somehow
> become corrupted. I can't open BodyShop either.
>
> So I thought maybe the latest Windows security patch had done
> something to the game, so I ran System Restore to return the system to
> how it was before the patch. No help. Then, thinking that maybe the
> latest version of the free AVG antivirus had misidentified a file as a
> virus and quarantined it, I ran System Restore to return to before I
> installed the new AVG. No help. Those are the only system changes
> I've made since May 3. I haven't added any downloads to the game
> since then either.
>
> I don't know what else might have caused the game to stop being able
> to be loaded, so I guess I'm facing reinstalling. I assume I should
> uninstall the whole thing and then reinstall the base game and all the
> EPs and the two Stuff Packs I have.

You don't need to go through all that. I think all you need to do is go
to My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2 and delete groups.cache. This is a
file that is generated anew everytime you play and it sometimes gets
corrupted. Give that a try and then start your game.
>
> So what files and folders should I back up elsewhere on my system?
> Downloads, Collections, Neighborhoods, anything else?
>
> BW

If deleting groups.cache doesn't solve the problem, and you do end up
uninstalling and reinstalling everything, I'd just back up the whole My
Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2 folder and everything in it. That way, if
you have installed things like Numenor's Scriptorium, a camera mod, lots
in your lot catalog, sims you've downloaded or created in Body Shop,
etc., you will save all of it.

Jeanie