How Do I *sigh* I have come to the realization that I need to do a complete re-install

The NL patch has never worked for me either, and I have never had a problem. And GL is a Stuff Pack. As far as I recall, few of them, if any, have patches.

And indeed, there would be no reason to worry about BS patches. In fact, I didn't know BS to require any patching beyond what's included in the main patch for any EP.

As long as the AL patch runs, you're good.

Stuff packs don't have patches except for FFS, because they were a bit stupid.

Is your net book Windows 7? Be aware that some of your install problems may be because of Windows 7. As a consequence, if one of the expansion packs don't install - don't panic. Install AL, then go back to the one that didn't install and you'll find it installs ok.

Thanks for looking over my shoulder on this, Kiri and BO - I really appreciate it!

My netbook has Windows 8.1 (I hate it!)
@#%*&! "charms" *sheesh*

Catherine you only need to reinstall if you have corrupted your installation files. If your problems lie in the Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2 files then you do not need to reinstall and reinstalling won't fix anything. If all you have done is deleted sims then your problem is at hood level not game level.

OK - Q for Kiri...
I'm on step 4 (I think - I closed the page already) I'm at the stage where I'm ready to put the clean N'hood info into my "Installation Folder"/"New Neighborhoods" files:
Tarlia's cleaned hoods (that I linked to in my opening post) have more than just the 'hood.package - they also have cleaned character files, lot files with fixed graves, thumbnails, and a folder with pictures called "Storytelling" - which I might not actually want? Do I?

She also says to install her stuff back in the program files as opposed to the Documents files, though she says you can put them there too - But, I think I want them in the program/installation files. Right? (I didn't read far enough ahead in your tute to see if you answered that already. I bet you did. Sorry. I'll find it.)

Right now though... I gotta sleep. G'nite


Oh, and... my little netbook doesn't have a CD drive. I had to use hubster's portable drive to install - he says I can keep using it for play too. But, if I'm at an artshow I don't want to bring all the extra baggage... Is there a way to make the game load without the CD? That's not what people mean when the say a cracked CD is it? I don't want to do anything bad! But, it would sure be nice. (My Nancy Drew games play without CDs just fine, why can't Sims?) OK Ni-night now.... Zzzzz

There is a no-CD crack - I use it all the time. In TS3, Twallan has it as the No-CD. If you have MG, I can give you the No CD hack for MG.

The ones I use in tutorial, are no sims, no lots - that's the SaraMK ones.

Meetmetotheriver's clean ones include all the EA playables.
So it really depends on whether you want the EA playables and lots or not.

You are better off using SaraMK's neighborhood templates if you don't want the EA playables.

If you do want the EA playables, then you'll need to include all the folders that meetmetotheriver has given you except for the storytelling ones.

What you do not want to do, is use meetmetotheriver's templates without the sims/lots, because the hood.package will have links for them. SaraMK's templates remove those links.

Hmmm... I think, on my little netbook, I'll use Sara's - 'cause I'm using that to build only...
When I 'fix' my big rig, I'll go with the cleaned up EA playables version.

Yes, I have M&G - so long as it's legal and OK for you to share it - I'd LOVE to have that fix!

Using a crack exe to safeguard the dvd you own is totally legal.

YAY!!!

When I put my defaults into SavedSims, can I keep them in folders? Or should they just be loose?

Just a quick update:
My little netbook is running all EP/SPs with SaraMK's empty hoods, some hacks, and a few completer sets that I couldn't live without - and, of course, WTF and about a gabillion recolors! (I thought this was gonna be vanilla? *snort* ...yeah.) So far, everything works and looks great on it! I've even made a few sims that I'm super excited about and can't wait to share Man, is my little machine heavy now! LOL!

Today I installed the "clean" N'hoods into my big rig/main game. I used MeetMeAtTheRiver's hoods (linked in the 1st post) and followed Kiri's tute to install them. Everything looks good so far... Tomorrow I'll try adding back in some of the houses I've made and rebuilding my custom hood.

...which leads me to a Q - My custom hood is EPSCOT. I forget which terrain/SC4 I used originally, but I found a better one that I'd rather use. So, I started it as a 'downtown' area for Belladonna Cove. Now when I go to add the houses that I made for the original EPSCOT, do I just change the N005 prefix to whatever designation number the game gave my new EPSCOT subhood?

Also, is there a way to set up the three vacation hoods so that sims from each of my 6 main hoods can visit the same vacation destination? Or must I really have 6 different Twikkii's and 6 different 3 Lakes, etc...

I really appreciate all the help ya'll have shared Thanks!

BTW - When I looked through my old n'hood files with the Clean Installer, there were several 'empty packages'. Could that have added to the corruption?