It looks as if the Sims 2 don't work to a lot of People. It mostly crashes during creating the Family or in gameplay.
It was the same for me but with the help of marshabruenig and Mootilda it finally worked for me and I want to share the solution for me

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

1. All of your Sims CDs/DVDs
2. All Sims Patches (Can be found here )
3. Grumpy Loader (Can be found here )
4. A lot of nerves and chocolate ^^
5. The right Hardware! (Mostly Intel HD Graphic Cards do not work with the Sims nd they are in most of the new Laptops! I asked my Computer shop if the computer I am about to buy is compatible with the Sims 2)

WHAT TO DO

1. Save all of your Downloads, Neighbourhoods and all the other stuff you want to keep
2. Uninstall all your Sims 2 EP's and the base game
3. Restart your PC (I am not sure if it is needed but I did it)
4. place your games in the right order next to your PC (it is easier this way)
   Here is the order that The Sims 2 HAVE TO BE installed in:
   
   Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
   

   From: https://help.ea.com/article/RN2229 The Sims 2™ (or Sims 2 Deluxe, Sims 2 Double Deluxe or Sims 2 Holiday Edition, whichever you have) University (or University Life Collection) Nightlife (disregard if you have Sims 2 Deluxe or Double Deluxe) Christmas Party Pack (US) OR Holiday Party Pack (UK) Open for Business or Best of Business Collection Family Fun Stuff or Fun with Pets Collection Glamour Life Stuff Pets (disregard if you have Fun with Pets Collection) Happy Holiday Stuff (Disregard if you have Sims 2 Holiday Edition) Seasons Celebration Stuff (disregard if you have Double Deluxe) H&M Fashion Stuff (disregard if you have Best of Business Collection) Bon Voyage Teen Style Stuff (disregard if you have University Life Collection) FreeTime Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (disregard if you have Best of Business Collection) IKEA Home Stuff (disregard if you have University Life Collection) Apartment Life Mansion & Garden Stuff (disregard if you have Fun with Pets Collection)

   
   
5. [While sorting your games download the Patches you need for your game
   
6. put the disk in your Computer but do not run autoplay immediately! Click with the left mouse button on your drive -> select "open" -> look for Autoplay -> click with your left mouse button on it -> select "Settings" -> click on "Compatibility" -> Select "Run in compatibility mode -> chose XP Service Pack 2 (this is ESSENTIAL! Do not choose XP SP 3 like recommended)
   
7. Click on Autoplay to install it
   
8. Directly after Installing a game open the Grumpy Loader (before opening set the compatibility on XP SP2, like I described above) and install the Patch, that belongs to the Game/EP you just installed, by clicking on 'load' and choose it (It may says that there is a Error and asks if you want to ignore it. Click on YES)
   
9. Repeat the steps 5 & 6 for every EP. (I installed 3 EPs, tested the game for 30 min to check if it works and installed another 3)
   
10. Before playing the game set the compatibilty of the EP (icon on your desktop) (Like I described in Step 5) and put you Downloads and neighbourhoods back in the Sims 2 folder
    
11. If it still not work try this

Thanks a lot to marshabruenig and Mootilda, who supported me with their knowledge. And thanks to my brave Sim Milly Test (Who died because she became a Vampire and spent to much time outside. May she rest in peace)

If there are any questions: feel free to ask them

IF YOU COPY THIS TEXT: PLEASE CREDIT!

I just want to add that you should FIRST try and patch the EPs without grumpy loader. Some of the patches may work without GL and you won't have any errors. If the EP fails to patch, then use GL.

Well I made the experience that none of they worked without GL which is why I wrote it but thanks

I just got a new computer. It has Windows 8. I do not recommend Windows 8 (It is as bad as Vista) but it is what I have.

Still playing sims 2 and I installed it got all my downloads in but when I try to use a packged download like a lot or custom sim Windows doesn't recognize the file type. Any advice?

Thank you!! Thank you!!. I just bought a new gaming computer. Unfortunately it had Windows 8. I was not able to install my Sims 2. I installed the EP's and SP's just as you directed. They installed beautifully with no problems.

I feel so lucky that I was able to install and run Sims 2 and all the EPs on my windows 8 laptop without problem.. I never had to run in compatibility mode or anything, although I did make sure to install them all in chronological order. Hm. I wonder what causes the problems in some windows 8 machines but not in others?

It's too bad some users are having problems with W8 and Sims2, I just bought my computer with W8 and had no problems installing all of my TS2 games. And the problem may just be older software being somewhat incompatible with more innovative technology. Nothing this community can't get around, for certain.

I can't find autoplay on mine :L Do you mean autorun?

I think he/she meant autorun.

Okay thanks. I'll try it out now.

OMG yes I meant Autorun of course *facepalms myself* and I am very sorry for the late replies I was busy with work during the last days

I am happy about everybody who can play the Sims now :3

Well this is just awesome. My laptop has the Intel HD Graphics... what a bummer. I'm still going to give it a shot, though, since I just don't get how I used to play TS2 on my netbook, but can't play it on this more advanced machine. Ugh I am going to pull my hair out... been playing Sim City 4 and I am bored with it. I just want my sims back!

Uh that is crap :/ I checked it before buying because I heard : Don't buy any Laptop with Intel HD Graphic it is not compatible with older games like the sims

To my suprise, this worked. brb... say in about a week.

What a luck it works to all of you

So if you're stating to "uninstall" the game... I'm guessing this applies also when upgrading your OS . If so, this is just the right tutorial for me! I recently decided to try win8 as it appears to work lightly on ram capacity. However, when I try to run TS2 it just lag! horrendously... I refuse to give up my game even if it means reinstalling it, re-pathching it... Installing clean templates again and fixes... uff, a long way to go... However, there seem to be hope at the sight and I wanted to thank you for it! Thank you for this tutorial! and your all your wonderful advice.

So what am I supposed to do if I only have one graphics card? I can't change it I don't know how and I don't have the means to buy a different one even if I did. And the only computer I have that can run sims 2 is a pos that over heats every two minutes with a fried battery and a dvd tray that the laptop is convinced does not exist. But my new laptop which was a christmas present has Intel HD Graphics which this says is incompatible with sims 2 T_T I want to play my game so bad and while it will install fine it crashes every single time I try to create a sim or load a pre-made sim with the sole exception of Don Lothario, it loads his house but crashes whenever I try to make him cook.

[QUOTE=Iavasechui]So what am I supposed to do if I only have one graphics card?QUOTE]

I am in the same situation. I followed the guide and installed as directed, and I still can't play because of my video card. It really makes me mad because I was looking at a different computer, and he was like... oh no get this one. Do you play games? Because it is perfect for gaming. Umm... NOT. Not the one particular game I play.

I redeemed my Sims 2 games on origin and it works perfectly on windows 8.

It works for me just fine

It definitely IS a long way. I had to refresh my Laptop because I installed Avira Antivir and it destroyed my whole Windows 8. I even installed and skipped the 'trying if it works after installing 3 EPs' Step and it still worked. If you know How to do it, then it is the easiest thing ever. The Sims 2 work on this Laptop even more fluent than on my old one and the graphics are ahahahamazing ^^




#Ugh I can not help you with that. It is definitely the fault of the card, but I am not a expert. Normally I am VERY bad at all the technical stuff and it was a wonder that I mentioned to make my Sims 2 work (Halleuja!)




I feel so sorry for you I wish I could help. The thing is: Intel HD Graphics work awesome for new games (like newest Sims 3 and so on) but (let me repeat it) If you want to play the Sims 2 don't let ANYONE impose you a Intel HD Graphics. You can not play the Sims with it!

WHAT I DID:
When I bought my Laptop I took my Sims 2 with me and asked the seller: 'can I play this with the Laptop' and he checked it and even inserted the game in the Laptop to check if installing was possible. He told me if it does not work tho I could bring it back and get another Laptop. I really want to hug that seller so badly because he helped me a lot.



I am so happy about every single one I could help with this, because I refuse to let them pressure me by not releasing a new patch to make me buy The Sims 3. I spent 400 $ for all my Sims 2 games

btw: I am sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes, but English is only my second language (out of 4)

Lots of love, Kay

See, that is so weird. Everything installs perfect... and I open TS2 and it runs until I go to CAS, which is why it leads me to believe it's not the HD graphics. I can build houses, play around, but as soon as I try to create a sim it crashes. I don't know, I guess I will try it again. I am to the point where I am going to trade someone else for an older laptop...

Then maybe you made a installing mistake? because I had exactly the same Problem before I installed it this way

Would it be better to stick to Windows 7 then? Seems like you need to jump through too many hoops if it causes a problem and I love my Sims...

Asking cause I have the option of going either Win 7 or 8 when I buy a new laptop.

I can't tell you because I have no experience with windows 7, but I know, that the Sims 'should' work with Windows 7 but like I said: the most important is the Graphic card: No Intel HD Graphic Card! Even if the Seller tries to sell you one of these Laptops.

I have a Asus F75VD-TY236H with a Nvida Geforce 610 mb Graphic Card and on mine it works. It seems to work with Nvida Graphic Cards in general as well and if you have a working Graphic Card it is really easy as long as you set the compatibility on Windows XP SP2 like I described. My game did not even crashed once yesterday and I played 5 hours of the Sims including : creating a Family with 7 people and buying a house for them

So I think it is mostly about if you get along with Windows 8 in general because: sure you have the normal Desktop but you also have the tiled desktop. I love it a lot because I find the tiles very lucid, because they show me a lot of information like weather and News at once. Sure it takes a bit to get used to it (it took me around 2 days) but it works fluent and if you have Problems you don't have to immediately reset everything and loose your complete Data because with 'refresh PC' you can refresh the System but save the Data (including Sims 2 Downloads and neighborhoods and the Apps you have on your tiled Desktop). This is what I find very useful.

Sadly I can not tell you how Windows 7 is because the only thing I heard was 'It is a better version of Windows Vista'. I changed from Windows Vista to Windows 8 and I am very very happy with it