# [SOLVED] Error installing SIMS 1



## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

Hi All

I have a problem installing Sims1. The game loads to 89% or 90% and hangs up. It gets stuck on either the tv_c1_m11.xa or tv_r1.xa files.

I have tried the following:
1) A new CD drive
2) New RAM
3) Reinstalling Windows XP SP2 activating & validating it
4) Using the SIMS registry erasing tool
5) Cleaning the registry using CC Cleaner
6) New Graphics Card
7) Installing latest mobo & graphics drivers
8) The game installs onto and plays on a PIII 1.0 GHz, therefore there is nothing wrong with the CD

The PC spec is:
Celeron 1.7 GHz, 512MB DDR400 RAM, ATI Radeon 9600 128MB Graphics AGP 8x

Any help out there?


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

so are you trying to install this on xp?because under your name it says vista.if so have you updated direct-x?


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## malm123 (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

agreed, OS could be the problem, vista bisness dosent like games much (i learned the hard way) and vista in general dosent like games ( try right clicking and installing as administrator, or running in compatability mode for windows XP SP2)


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## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

The PC is a friend's running Genuine XP Pro SP2, as stated, activated & validated. Also all updates have been done.

I'll check that Direct X is v9.0 c, thanks.

Any other suggestions?


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

what kind of shape is the disk in?if it is really scratched up it may not be able to properly read the files.


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## malm123 (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

mm thats a tough one... i would say burn yourself a copy of the linux UBCD and test the hard drive mabye? ( it could be installing the game on bad sectors mabye?) use the vivard hard drive testing tool and dont bother to do a test with remap.


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## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

Thanks, I checked the HDD like you suggested using the suggested tools. The HDD seems 100%. I for good measure fitted a brand new HDD & installed XP. Still the same problem, the program stops loading at the same file. I also tried using the new HDD as a slave and formatted it. I tried to install the program to the new slave HDD, still the same problem !

The only thing I have not changed now is the MOBO and CPU.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

if you just loaded a fresh copy of xp,and cant install that game.id say it needs some updates.when you loaded xp did you go to windows updates,and get every last one?


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## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

I updated XP (82 in all), no go.
Replaced the IDE ribbon cables for the HDD & CD Drive, no go
Turned off the anti-virus & firewall, no go
I managed to borrow another copy of Sims 1, it loaded!
I re-tried to load the Sims 1 onto another PC of which a HDD was replaced for a client. I reinstalled the PC's OEM XP, and Sims loaded.
I supplied a new notebook to a client (XP Pro) and ask him if I could try installing Sims. It would not load! Got stuck at 95% instead of 90%.

I have come to the conclusion that there is something wrong with the CD in that it only works on some PC's and not others. The "borrowed" Sims 1 loads onto all the machines mentioned, even the PIII mentioned in the first post.

Thanks for all the help, it is appreciated.
Any last comments?


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

was that 82 critical updates or 82 total?seems like the first major batch of updates are just criticals.have you installed,and updated other programs from there like dot net framework?


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## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

No, but I'll give it a try.


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

well did that help any,or not.alot of those updates seem like they are for no reason,but alot of things are required for the os to function properly.


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## MadMack (Oct 21, 2007)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

I don't know how to mark a post as "solved". I took the CD in for repair. There are a few DVD shops that have that facility and it worked! I still don't get how it loaded on some PC's others not. Obviously some DVD/CD drives are more sensitive to minute scratches and others not.

Thanks for all the help. Incidently, a client purchased MS Infopath 2007 from me and it would not load. When he ran all the XP updates, you guessed it, it loaded !

Thanks
MadMack


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## pharoah (Aug 28, 2006)

*Re: Error installing SIMS 1*

glad it worked:wave:


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