Closed Sims 2 and Graphics Cards - the fixes.

I do, and I've actually flirted with the idea. I have enough space on my hard drive (it came with 500 gigs and I'm down to a little over half, lol, it's sims 3 and the CC, LOL). I can try it again later on, but I'm gonna have to look for my copy of Sims 2 (more than likely on an external drive I have).

It's just an idea and you need to configure well the vritual machine to not take down all your resources but enough to run sims. If you really want to maintain win 8 in your laptop this can be an exit. And for the external hard drive, is better if it's a USB 3.0 than 2.0 .

Yeah, that's what I was struggling with. Like, how much of it can I permit?

It's a 3.0 external, but it's only to install the game.

With an external hard drive reading a game so heavy in content, it may take more time to read it and the loading time can easily increase, if it's a USB 3.0 the reading will be faster, of course you need the laptop to be able to read 3.0, the new laptops are up to date for this technology. If you really think about getting to work on a virtual machine I personally recommend VMware. You easily can find a tutorial on how set it up for XP before installing the OS.
If you want some help, I can help you inbox (this is not anymore about fixing for newer graphic cards but setting up a virtual machine).

I'm happy for you to continue to use this thread Ekkii - I'm pretty sure that setting up a virtual drive with XP is going to be the way we go ahead for Sims2 after Windows 8, so I'm learning a lot from what you're posting.

@Ekkii yes, please. I'm a virtual machine virgin, lol.

And, it's still related. Maybe someone else will see this thread from Google (like I did) and have the same exact issue, and this can be a solution.

Ok, let me pause the sims and make a little research first for setting up XP, I have VMware but with seven for my pen tab.

-Edit-

First of all, get a version of Windows XP SP2 o SP3.
2nd, you need a copy of VMware Workstation, the product is in free trial for 30 days in here. It's easy to find in torrent, without pushing through piracy, this software cost only $249 !

Next install VMware and open the application VMware Workstation. Go to File>New Virtual Machine or just hit Ctrl+N.
A the wizard window will popup, in here the steps are :

A) Set in typical, hit next

B) "Installer disc" if your windows XP is a CD/DVD installer or" Installer disc image file" if your windows XP copy is a Iso file (specify where the Iso file is in the PC through Browse button). Select one of the two options (we don't want the 3rd) and hit Next.

C) Insert the windows XP Key and next.

D) Name the new virtual machine whatever you like or leave it default. Specify where you want to install the virtual machine in the PC with Browse button (in your specific case, it will be somewhere in your external hard drive), and again, Next.

E) Set the maximum amount of Gb space for the virtual machine, the maximum a windows XP could ask for is 6Gb and only for the version 64-bit Edition, for Home and Pro just 1.5Gb is enough. Now adding the Sims 2 all EPs require is around 14Gb anly for the EA Games folder in Program Files + 2Gb for the Documents file without CC or a Neighborhood well developed.
We are getting around 18Gb just for launching Sims 2, that could make the trick but it can be dangerous, windows tend to create hidden memory cache files that eat around 15% of the primary drive (C: drive). By default VMware recommend 40GB for all the others things we need or want to install, I recommend stick to this one or lower it to 27-30Gb min. Please consider the amount of CContent in here. Once calculation made, if you think 25Gb are good, add 1Gb to get 26Gb. Space in computers are not counted in 1.000 but in 1.024, 1Gb=1024Mb not 1000Mb. So, think large .
Usually is better to check the option "split virtual disk into multiple files", but we are going to make in a External Hard Drive, for better performances, I recommend for this case to get it in a single one using the option "Store virtual disk as single file". Hit next

F)Get to the "Customize Hardware" button and set your virtual pc specs in here, you can change in any moment every time the virtual machine is off, but you can set them right now.
In your case in specific we have 4GB of Ram, a processor with 2 cores. You can gave it up to 2Gb (2048 Mb) of Ram and only 1 processor and 1 core, the total number must say 1. For people with higher configurations, if they have a full 8 cores, they can easily gave 6 core but never give the total amount, your physical PC need cores too, and even if WinXp won't read them, I think the maximum amount that XP can read is 4. As well, someone with a much more memory RAM can give up to 4Gb of RAM.
Go to USB controller and set up the USB compatibility to 3.0 for the External Hard Drive, VMware will install some third party software to be able to read it. Close the window and make sure the "power on this virtual machine after creating" is enabled. Hit Finish

VMware will start the installation, go through the standard install, and let it do whatever it need to do, shuts down etc... this will be around 30 mins.

And voila, you can install sims 2 an try it.

@namakyori : Tell me what happen, please !

Hi,

I'm having problems with my game being stuck in 800x600 resolution. I've tried the fix in this thread but it does not help. However, I can see that I seem to have the texture memory issue (set to 32MB) issue. How do I fix that?

This is my log after using the fix from this page.

Log generated on 4/29/2014, 08:47

Kiri: Force Low settings because Intel removed
=== Application info ===
Name: The Sims 2 EP7
Version: 1.13.0.135
Build: ReleaseSRT
=== Machine info ===
OS version: Windows NT 6.1
CPU: 3073Mhz, Name:GenuineIntel, FPU:1, MMX:1
Memory: 1024MB
Free memory: 1024MB
User: Jessica
Computer: JESSICA-DATOR
=== Sound device info ===
Name: Unknown
Driver: Unknown
=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): Intel® HD Graphics Family
Name (database): Intel® HD Graphics Family <<NOT FOUND IN DATABASE!>>
Vendor: Intel
Chipset: Vendor: 8086, Device: 0116, Board: 050f1025, Chipset: 0009
Driver: aticfx32.dll, Version: 8.17.10.1099, GUID: D7B78E66-4256-11CF-DE77-0525B7C2C535
Driver version: 1099
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Monitor aspect: 1.773584, 16:9
Screen mode: 1600x900x32BPP,60Hz
Texture memory: 32MB
HW T&L: Fixed function:1 Programmable:3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Texture stages: 8
AppControlledAA: 1
Kiri: Selecting High base level

Greatful for help! (I actually also have Apartment life but can not get the game to start at all if I have that installed. I've tried all the official ways of fixing that but has not managed so far. Any ideas?)

BR
// Jessica

Congrats Jessica - you're the first Intel to get the texture memory problem!

Download Intel with Texture Fix

This card includes the stuff for Intel as well as the texture fix. Pop that into your folder.

When you say you can't get the game to start at all - what exactly happens?

Worked like a charm! Thank you so much!

Regarding the game not starting. It started with the sims 2 launcher crashing when starting the game, it just happened overnight and it is not that uncommon from what I've found in the internet and on the sims2 official support page. However, even with doing all the tips (not using the launcher, but the normal .exe file to start the game, turning of internet, patching, creating new shortcuts, running in compability mode etc), it does not work for me. I get the game to work with Freetime but as soon as I try installing apartment life, nothing happens when I click the .exe file for the game to start.