How to best run the game

@Beckylou67

Well, not REALLY, but you can try it. It will be better than the Acer. Maybe... If you do it right.

You'll need to wipe your HDD, as it's probably formatted GPT, back to MBR ( Mini Tool Partition Wizard, is good).
Re-install Win7, AFTER you've found all the proper drivers. Install your "chipset", and Wi-Fi drivers FIRST. !!!BACK UP ANYTHING IMPORTANT BEFORE DOING THIS!!!

Install your game, make sure your .sgr files are in order, and working properly, and give it a go.

IF you get "artifacts" (Strange graphics during gameplay) Discontinue use. That's how I bricked my K53e CPU.

IF you have nVidia, or ATI graphics (dGPU), make sure you have the drivers installed, and you're using them. You shouldn't have "artifact" issues at all. Artifacts, are because you're using on-board graphics (iGPU), and you're over stressing your CPU with the game.

I think that Win7 together with 8GB memory should do famously for playing TS2! But as Kunder says, you need to take care not to mess anything up.

@Kunder This sounds well above my pay grade

As a windows 10 user running UC with no issues, I will never agree with kunder and BO that you must use W7. And there are plenty of others running UC with Windows 10. Maybe just try installing the game? Installing the fixes (4gb, sgr's,etc) and see how it runs?

@HugeLunatic

I didn't say it wasn't possible, SOME have pretty good luck, but that depends on a number of things, that doesn't apply to a lot of people. What I'm saying, is that the things you suggest aren't working for everyone, and as time goes by, it will just get harder, and harder. Not worth the trouble, and running win7 on an older, spare computer is the only way to be sure of being able to play TS2, without issues. Eventually, it will come to impossible to play on Win10.

Sims2 will play on Linux, with the right adjustments, but not everyone wants to go to Linux.

I'm not a Sims 2 expert, but I am a computer expert, and I do, build "Simming" machines, and have had TS2 installed on literally hundreds of machines.

Why don't you write a tutorial in great detail on how to run TS2 on Win10. I'll try it myself on my Wife's computer (the only Win10 computer in the house). I'd be delighted for people to be able to run TS2 on Win10!

No one will care if it's a "Wall of Text". They just want to play Sims.

I'm certainly not "unteachable", and it WOULD be much appreciated.

I would love to believe that it can be done, @HugeLunatic. But unless you show me a detailed description of how to do it that actually consistently works for the majority of people that come here, I fear that I must remain skeptical. We've seen so many people here who couldn't get it to work, despite our best efforts to help. And ever since @celebkiriedhel stepped back, beside Kunder and me, there have not been many who would consistently try, let alone have more success than us, in helping those less fortunate.

As a result, we have had to turn many people down, over the past 18 months. Under these circumstances, can you blame us for being skeptical, even cynical, and giving up hope that it can still be done?

@BoilingOill

Very good points, Sir. Kiri is the REAL Sims 2 expert on here, I'm just good with Windows, and hardware.

Hi guys,

Thought I would come back and update.


I toyed with dual-booting Win 10 and Win 7 to try and avoid any catastrophes, but wasn’t able to partition my harddrive. In the end, I got frustrated I figured I wasn’t likely to use this laptop for anything else, so wouldn’t be devastated if it was bricked, and whacked my Win 7 Install disk in.


It was all good installing but obviously all my drivers were screwed. Managed to locate them and then installed Ultimate Collection. Had to sort out the resolution etc again, but so far so good. It’s SO much quicker to load than on my other laptop and the games seems to run a lot smoother.


Would not recommend this ‘technique’ to a friend and I am thanking my lucky stars because I feel like I’ve gotten away with a crime. I know @Kunder is probably head in hands right now.


Thanks for all of your help.

Hey @Beckylou67,

So you mean to say you're actually playing the game under win7 on the laptop that was originally dedicated to win10? That's incredible!
Really, Kunder isn't the only one in shock right now... I, too, can't believe your cojones to take that risk.

But on the other hand, if that machine wouldn't play the game that you wanted to play anyway, then from that perspective the machine was already a piece of junk. So it couldn't get any worse if you risked completely bricking it. Which makes it a "low risk - high gain" move. And that's the kind of gambles that one MUST take. So I might've tried it too!

Well done, and thank you for letting us know!
Have fun simming, beckylou67!

@Beckylou67 @BoilingOil

As long as you can find the drivers, Win7 will work in general. You did good! MOST of my concern, is that you would not be able to find the drivers.

What DOES surprise me, is your computer has the quads to run the game. However, in this case, I'm happy to be in error! You did good!

Now, GET an external drive, get Macrium Reflect, and image the machine once a month or so. Keep your EA Games folder in Documents, backed up!

I actually had a few computers, that were Win10 only, but I had installed Win 8.1Pro on them, and they ran just fine. Win7 is a little risky, but I'm VERY happy it worked!