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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 12:04 AM Last edited by Matryoshkah : 17th Sep 2018 at 8:17 PM.

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Game is "empty"
Hellooo,

I installed the UC over Origin (after having it uninstalled about three months or so ago). But now, when I start the game, my game is "empty" (please see screenshots). I get into the neighborhood screen (screen1) but there are none, there's only the option to create a new one, but when I try to do that, there are no neighborhoods to choose from (screen2). So basically, I can't do anything in the game. But the bodyshop loads fine!
I suspect that it's because when I uninstalled the initial time, I took some folders out (like downloads and neighborhoods) to not lose progress should I install the game again;; after the installation, the only things in the game folder are these that are seen in screen3 (also, I have no idea if it's important but the folder itself isn't called "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection^TM" anymore but simply "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection").

I un- and reinstalled the game again after deactivating the Cloudsave-feature of Origin, thinking it had something to do with that, but still, nothing changed. I also repaired it (well, attemped...) and updated it but nothing helps.

I run the game on Win7-64bit

Edit: The solution
Quote: Originally posted by Jules1111
Actually yes this is important. EA changed the game when a lot of people were having this exact issue, neighborhoods being empty. Though I see from your picture you don't have a EA games folder, only a Electronic Arts folder. UC is kept in the EA Games folder. My guess is when you uninstalled (most likely before they patched it) info was left in the registry and not deleted, because of this your registry has a different version of the game (with the TM) so it won't create the right folders with the "non" TM game. You could try the fix that was posted for this issue back when it was a problem for quite a few.( warning you do have to edit the registry, so if you try it, please make sure to make a back-up of the registry first) You can find those instructions here.
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Other-The...om/td-p/3156388

If you don't feel up to it, you could uninstall the game, use a CC cleaner to clean out the registry, then reinstall see if that helps at all.
Screenshots
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 7:15 AM
Delete the game folder (the one now called The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection).
Start the game - it should generate a new one.
If necessary, you can then repair the game in Origin.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 5:18 PM
Thank you for your advice, but it didn't work. When I deleted the folder, the game "uninstalled" and I had to reinstall the game over Origin again. When I just deleted the contents but not the folder itself, I could delete everything but "Fun with Pets". I attempted to repair it after that, but again, it's the same situation as screen3.
Undead Molten Llama
#4 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 5:26 PM
No, no, you don't want to delete any install files, the stuff residing in Program Files/Origin Games or whatever the path is for UC. You want to delete the files that are in your DOCUMENTS folder. If your install files are OK -- meaning you have all the proper premade neighborhood templates and stuff -- then your problem is most likely that when you first ran the game after installing, it didn't set up the stuff in Documents as it should. I'm thinking this is your problem since you don't have any SC4s (the neighborhood maps), either. So, delete that folder in Documents, and then run the game again (it'll take longer to start, since it has to rebuild all the stuff in Documents), see if it sets things up properly this time. If it doesn't, then your issue is probably in the install files somewhere. Probably something having to do with the templates, I would imagine. But try this first, see if it works, since that's the far easier "fix."

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 5:27 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Matryoshkah
Thank you for your advice, but it didn't work. When I deleted the folder, the game "uninstalled" and I had to reinstall the game over Origin again. When I just deleted the contents but not the folder itself, I could delete everything but "Fun with Pets". I attempted to repair it after that, but again, it's the same situation as screen3.


Not the game files but the folder in My Doc only. Never delete the installed game folders and files where you installed the game at, only delete the folders and files in My Doc that gets gen up after running the game for the first time.

All my Beginning Hoods here at MTS. http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=7749491
All my Beginning Hoods as Shopping Districts plus Old Town. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=523417
MooVille, a tribute to Mootilda and her fabulous lots http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=534158
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 6:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by iCad
No, no, you don't want to delete any install files, the stuff residing in Program Files/Origin Games or whatever the path is for UC. You want to delete the files that are in your DOCUMENTS folder. If your install files are OK -- meaning you have all the proper premade neighborhood templates and stuff -- then your problem is most likely that when you first ran the game after installing, it didn't set up the stuff in Documents as it should. I'm thinking this is your problem since you don't have any SC4s (the neighborhood maps), either. So, delete that folder in Documents, and then run the game again (it'll take longer to start, since it has to rebuild all the stuff in Documents), see if it sets things up properly this time. If it doesn't, then your issue is probably in the install files somewhere. Probably something having to do with the templates, I would imagine. But try this first, see if it works, since that's the far easier "fix."

Quote: Originally posted by marka93
Not the game files but the folder in My Doc only. Never delete the installed game folders and files where you installed the game at, only delete the folders and files in My Doc that gets gen up after running the game for the first time.


Thank you both - though if I go into my My Documents folder (C:\Users\MY\Documents\Electronic Arts) the only EA folder I have there is the one for the Sims Medieval, even after starting the game. So I guess the problem really lies within the install files as @iCad said?
Undead Molten Llama
#7 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 7:35 PM
I could be wrong because I don't recall off the top of my head what the exact file path for the UC is, but I THINK there should be a folder in Documents called EA Games. For me, not running the UC, the file path is Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2, and then that folder has folders like "Cameras" and "Config" and "Neighborhoods." I DO have a Documents/Electronic Arts folder, too, but that's where TS3's, Sims Medieval's, and the Stories game's (i.e. Castaway Stories) files go. TS2 has a different path for whatever reason...but I don't remember if it's the same path for the UC. I know the install files path is different, but I don't remember about the stuff in Documents.

But if I'm right and you don't have an EA Games folder, then...I don't know. You don't have that folder set as "read only" for some reason, do you? Also, are you running the game as an administrator? Or, you don't have the game installed following a non-standard file path, like on a different drive than, say, your operating system, do you? If so, the game might not be able to find your Documents folder in order to create the files it needs without taking some additional steps.

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#8 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 8:02 PM
Quote: Originally posted by iCad
I could be wrong because I don't recall off the top of my head what the exact file path for the UC is, but I THINK there should be a folder in Documents called EA Games. For me, not running the UC, the file path is Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2, and then that folder has folders like "Cameras" and "Config" and "Neighborhoods." I DO have a Documents/Electronic Arts folder, too, but that's where TS3's, Sims Medieval's, and the Stories game's (i.e. Castaway Stories) files go. TS2 has a different path for whatever reason...but I don't remember if it's the same path for the UC. I know the install files path is different, but I don't remember about the stuff in Documents.

But if I'm right and you don't have an EA Games folder, then...I don't know. You don't have that folder set as "read only" for some reason, do you? Also, are you running the game as an administrator? Or, you don't have the game installed following a non-standard file path, like on a different drive than, say, your operating system, do you? If so, the game might not be able to find your Documents folder in order to create the files it needs without taking some additional steps.

Nope, anything was installed the way it was supposed to be, all on the same drive and path as the first time. :/
I think I'll try to install it on a non-traditional path to see if it maybe makes a change but I'm really doubting it...
Thank you very much for your help though!
Undead Molten Llama
#9 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 8:14 PM
Hmmm...Well, I'll keep thinking, but it's my bedtime now, so... Sometimes I have weird epiphanies about things when I'm in that not-awake-but-not-really-asleep place. In the meantime, maybe someone else will come along with some new ideas.

But if you want to experiment with installing on non-standard paths, you might want to take a look at this first: http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php...nloads%20Folder

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Mad Poster
#10 Old 16th Sep 2018 at 9:30 PM
I have no idea why generating a new folder does not work for you - it should, and it always does; UC or no UC.

All I can think of is that some files must have remained on your pc before you installed UC in the first place.

The other possibility is that you may be using a registry cleaner that deletes some of the .dll files when needed.

It should look like this: This PC (or whatever you call your documents location) - EA Games - The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection - folders inside of that (see Pic)

Perhaps you should post a screenshot here so that we can see?

@iCad - the path is the same - it is only the name of the folder inside the EA folder that is different.
Screenshots
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 1:16 AM Last edited by Matryoshkah : 22nd Sep 2018 at 3:01 AM.
I tried it with installing in a different location but it was the same result ;__;

Sooo, I installed it again the traditional way. screen1 is the install path, screen2 is where everything is supposed to be, as far as I know (at least that's where I always found it before installing it this time).
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 1:41 AM
Quote:
(also, I have no idea if it's important but the folder itself isn't called "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection^TM" anymore but simply "The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection").


Actually yes this is important. EA changed the game when a lot of people were having this exact issue, neighborhoods being empty. Though I see from your picture you don't have a EA games folder, only a Electronic Arts folder. UC is kept in the EA Games folder. My guess is when you uninstalled (most likely before they patched it) info was left in the registry and not deleted, because of this your registry has a different version of the game (with the TM) so it won't create the right folders with the "non" TM game. You could try the fix that was posted for this issue back when it was a problem for quite a few.( warning you do have to edit the registry, so if you try it, please make sure to make a back-up of the registry first) You can find those instructions here.
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Other-The...om/td-p/3156388

If you don't feel up to it, you could uninstall the game, use a CC cleaner to clean out the registry, then reinstall see if that helps at all.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#13 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 2:12 AM
I see! Thank you very much!! I will try this out tomorrow, then!
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#14 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 2:57 AM
Check your anti-virus, that it's not interfering.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#15 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 8:44 AM
My folder still has the TM symbol - I have updated it with the last origin update as well.

I have Sims 4 in a folder named Electronic Arts and Sims 2 UC in folder named EA Games
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#16 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 3:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Jules1111
Actually yes this is important. EA changed the game when a lot of people were having this exact issue, neighborhoods being empty. Though I see from your picture you don't have a EA games folder, only a Electronic Arts folder. UC is kept in the EA Games folder. My guess is when you uninstalled (most likely before they patched it) info was left in the registry and not deleted, because of this your registry has a different version of the game (with the TM) so it won't create the right folders with the "non" TM game. You could try the fix that was posted for this issue back when it was a problem for quite a few.( warning you do have to edit the registry, so if you try it, please make sure to make a back-up of the registry first) You can find those instructions here.
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Other-The...om/td-p/3156388

If you don't feel up to it, you could uninstall the game, use a CC cleaner to clean out the registry, then reinstall see if that helps at all.


The regedit-method worked!!! My game finally works again!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!! q__q
Also, thanks everyone else for trying to help!!!
Undead Molten Llama
#17 Old 17th Sep 2018 at 5:25 PM
YAY! I'm glad you got your game working! Enjoy!

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Lab Assistant
#18 Old 18th Sep 2018 at 3:23 AM
Hurray!! Enjoy your game.
Mad Poster
#19 Old 18th Sep 2018 at 9:30 PM
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