FAQ Windows 10 Graphic Problems - CD/DVD

How to fix your Sims2 graphics for Windows 10 using DVD or CD.

NOTE: IF YOU HAVE ULTIMATE COLLECTIONS AND WINDOWS 10 - GO HERE

PROBLEMS:

• Game is in low resolution - Smooth is off, and screen size is limited to 800x600.
• Game does not start and has a message 'ACCESS VIOLATION' on a vanilla game.
• Game does not start and has a message 'DirectX' message on a vanilla game.
  

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SOLUTION:

WHERE TO INSTALL FIXES:

In the Program folders:

\Program Files (x86)\EA\The Sims 2 - <your most current expansion pack>\TSData\Res\Config\
\Program Files (x86)\EA\The Sims 2 - <your most current expansion pack>\TSData\Res\CSConfig\
MUST BE INSTALLED IN BOTH FOLDERS

Note: If you have a deluxe edition or so on - look for the expansion that has EP99 - that is the one you'll need to use.

You need the graphics card with the texture memory fix and the video cards.sgr updated

GRAPHIC RULES Fix

INTEL CARD
How much CPU memory do you have?
Less than 3000 MHz?
Download Graphic Rules - INTEL - Medium Memory - Texture Fix
3000 MHZ or more?
Download Graphics Rules - INTEL - Texture Fix

NVidia CARD
Download Graphic Rules-NVIDIA-Texture Fix

RADEON CARD
Download Graphic Rules - RADEON - Texture Fix

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VIDEO CARDS FIX

STEP 1. Open up \My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Logs\ your <computername>-config-log.txt

=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): Intel® HD Graphics Family
Name (database): Intel® HD Graphics Family <<NOT FOUND IN DATABASE!>> - IF you have this message you need the fix.
Vendor: Intel
Chipset: Vendor: 8086, Device: 0a16, Board: 397817aa, Chipset: 000b - Look for the Video Card fix that includes this number

STEP 2. Choose a Video Card Download

Note: If your card is not here, you can go here and make your own, or open up a thread and I will make it for you.

Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0f31
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0a16
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0106
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0116
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0126
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0166
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0412
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 0416
Video Cards.sgr - INTEL - 1616

Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 0425
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 0fe4
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 1187
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 820M
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 1341
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 13c2
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 1391
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 1392
Video Cards.sgr - NVIDIA - 13d7

Video Cards.sgr - RADEON - 099b
Video Cards.sgr - RADEON - 9200
Video Cards.sgr - RADEON - 9851
Video Cards.sgr - RADEON - 9908

STEP 3. Unzip downloads in folder

\Program Files (x86)In the Program Folders\EA\The Sims 2 - <your most current expansion pack>\TSData\Res\Config\
\Program Files (x86)\\EA\The Sims 2 - <your most current expansion pack>\TSData\Res\CSConfig\

MUST BE INSTALLED IN BOTH FOLDERS

PROBLEM: Lagging like crazy.

There are 2 reasons for this.

1. You have more grunt than the game can cope with.
2. You do not have enough grunt for the game.

If you have 3000 MHz or more for your CPU, then you have enough grunt.
If you have a quad or octo core then you have too much grunt.
If you have less than 3000 MHz and you are playing on Hi res - then you don't have enough grunt.

How to find out - Open your <pc-name>-config-log.txt from your log folder in your My Documents

Example:
Log generated on 1/3/2016, 12:48

=== Application info ===
Name: The Sims 2 EP9
Version: 1.17.0.66
Build: ReleaseSRT
=== Machine info ===
OS version: Windows NT 6.0
CPU: 4620Mhz, Name:GenuineIntel, FPU:1, MMX:1 - Look for this line. The first number needs to be over 3000 to do Hi Res
Memory: 4096MB
Free memory: 4096MB

Whether you have a dual, quad, or octo core - you'll know from when you set up your pc. If you don't, Open up your control panel, and select System


Also note, that I have 2 x 3.3GHz cores, but it's listed as 4620MHz in the config log. Don't worry about the difference. I have no idea why they are different, but that is the game telling you how much it can use.

SOLUTION:

Open up your shortcut properties that you run your game from -



In the target field where I've got the -w, that is after the quote marks, include the following text

-CPUCount:2

So that the target will look like

"<What the actual location of your game is>" -w -CPUCount:2

Then Apply and Save.

From now on, the game will only use 2 cores, and therefore will not get out of sync.
If it is still lagging - change the count to 1.