Re: What?

From: Antti (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 04/06/04 

Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 07:21:19 -0700

Hello...

The most usual fenomenon in my experiece concerning the
problem at hand is, that the IDE cable is plugged in
wrong - either the wrong port, or the wrong way around...

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi Kent,
>
>That type of error could mean the CD is corrupt...
Check the CD
>and the CD Player. Clean both using a Cleaning Kit, and
check for
>scratches on the CD. Try installing the game on another
computer,
>if the game installs, the culprit is probably your CD
ROM drive if it
>doesn't install then it's the CD, in which case you need
to replace it.
>
>Before replacing the CD, try copying it to your hard
drive and then
>run the setup / installation program from there. To
copy the CD go
>to My Computer, Right-Click the CD, Choose "Copy", then
Right-
>Click on your Hard Drive, Choose "Paste".
>
>Uninstall the game using Add-Remove programs before
attempting
>to reinstall it. (Start / Control Panel / Add-Remove
Programs).
>
>Here are three basic troubleshooting steps which I
recommend:
>
>1. To see if it's a software conflict: Temporarily
disable Startup
>programs one at a time, starting with Firewall,
Antivirus, and ad
>blockers using:
http://new.jtsoft2001.com/windows/startup.php
>
>You can lookup what a program does before you disable it
here:
>http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php
>
>2. Run a virus scan at: http://housecall.antivirus.com
Afterwards
>Download & Run Spybot from: http://security.kolla.de to
find any
>Trojans, Adware, or Spyware which could clog up your
system.
>
>3. Click My Computer / Rightclick the Drive & Choose
Properties
>/ Run the "Disk Cleanup..." / Next Click the "Tools" Tab
and run
>the "Error-Checking" and "Defragmentation" utilities.
>
>If nothing including those 3 steps have resolved the
problem so far,
>here's more basic troubleshooting steps and information
including:
> The Safedisc patch
> How to check CD for imperfections, and
> How to Disable Virtual CD rom drives which is
described at:
>http://tinyurl.com/2387c (EA General Support Page) and
also:
>
> How to Troubleshoot Disc-Reading Issues
> Error Messages That May Be Caused by Disc-Reading
Issues
> Troubleshoot Error Messages
> Examine the Disc
> Clean the Disc
> Test the Disc in a Different Drive
> Clean the Drive
> Test Disc Read with Copy or Xcopy
> Quit Unnecessary Software
> Switch the Drive Controller to DMA Mode, and
> How to Troubleshoot DVD Error Messages is available
in this
>MS Article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
kbid=321641
>
>--
>Cheers, Windows XP MVP
Shell / User
>Jimmy S.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
>Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
scid=FH;[LN];gms
>Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
>MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
scid=sz;en-us;top
>My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I
confer any rights.
>_________________________________________________________
>
>"Kent" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:13cda01c41b1b$0df82650$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>|I am having an issue of trying to re-install Sims and
all
>| the expansion packs. When I put the CD in the drive, it
>| will not respond to the autoload. When I open the CD
and
>| click on the install.exe file, again, the computer will
>| not respond. I had to reload XP after crashing the
hard-
>| drive while screwing around with video drivers to put
in a
>| new video card, which did not work. I am running XP on
an
>| AMD Duron
>| >-----Original Message-----
>| >Hi Jessica,
>| >
>| >Please provide more specific details about your system
>| and the error
>| >if this doesn't help solve that problem for you...
>| >
>| >"Jessica" <drkangel333@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>| news:51040A22-0D39-4301-B430-
A7B6011615EB@microsoft.com...
>| >|I am trying to install The Sims. It's really
confussing!
>| It wont open any windows!
>| >
>| >Will the Sims work on XP is a frequent question asked
in
>| this newsgroup.
>| >According to EA Support the game should work under
>| Windows XP. :-)
>| >
>| >Hold onto your hat though, because they have a lot of
>| suggestions to offer:
>| >
>| >1. Make sure that you are logged in as the
Administrator
>| (for Windows XP
>| >Professional) or Owner (for Windows XP Home). This
will
>| usually be the first
>| >account that was created once Windows XP was fully
>| installed. If you are not
>| >certain, contact the manufacturer of your PC for
>| assistance in finding your
>| >Administrator/Owner account.
>| >
>| >2. Make sure that you have closed any programs or
tasks
>| running in the
>| >background. To do this, hold the Ctrl and Alt keys
down
>| at the same time and hit
>| >the Del key once. This will in turn bring up a window
>| called "Task Manager". You
>| >will then see 5 tabs; Applications, Processes,
>| Performance, networking, and
>| >Users. Select the Processes tab; this will list all
>| current programs that are running. Close all programs
that
>| have your login ID
>| >next to them. Your user ID is listed in
>| >the second column next to the program name. For
example
>| here is a portion of
>| >what you should see;
>| >
>| >Image Name User Name Session ID
>| >
>| >Explorer.exe Owner 01
>| >
>| >The Image Name column is the name of the programs
>| currently running. The User
>| >Name column is where you will find your User Name. The
>| best way to check this
>| >is to locate "Explorer" and see what it says under
User
>| Name.
>| >
>| >Also, do not close any applications that say "System"
>| next to them. Be sure not to
>| >close a program labelled "Explorer" or "Taskmgr" as
well.
>| You close each one of
>| >these applications by clicking on each one and hitting
>| the button "End Process".
>| >Note some applications may take multiple times before
>| closing. Don't worry that
>| >you are permanently changing your system
configuration;
>| these applications will
>| >return when you restart your system.
>| >
>| >3. Try editing the shortcut to The Sims. To create a
>| shortcut, Right-click on the
>| >desktop, choose New, Shortcut, browse to The Sims
folder.
>| (Usually C:\program
>| >files\maxis\the sims\sims.exe) Choose Next and finish
the
>| shortcut. Right-click on
>| >the new shortcut and choose properties. Go to
Shortcut,
>| and the Target Line
>| >should be high-lighted. Add the following switches to
the
>| end of the line: -nodx6 -
>| >skip_verify -w
>| >
>| >(Ex: "C:\..\the sims\thesims.exe" -nodx6 -
skip_verify -w )
>| >
>| >As a last resort use the -nosound switch to disable
the
>| game sound.
>| >
>| >4. Try running the game in Windows Compatability mode
for
>| either Windows
>| >98/Windows ME or Windows 2000. You can do this by
right
>| clicking once on the
>| >shortcut and selecting properties by left-clicking on
it.
>| Click on the tab that says
>| >Compatibility and enable "Windows95/98 compatibility
>| mode" or "Windows 2000
>| >compatability mode". You can also try running the
>| installation for the game using
>| >the Program Compatibility Wizard. You can find the
wizard
>| program by clicking
>| >on Start - All Programs - Accessories and you will see
>| the shortcut for Program
>| >Compatibility Wizard listed there. Make sure that as
you
>| walk thru the menus that
>| >you select the option "I want to use the program in
the
>| CD-ROM drive." which
>| >will be the options on the second screen of the
wizard.
>| >
>| >5. Update the drivers for your sound and video cards.
To
>| update your soundcard
>| >driver, go to your sound card manufacturers web page
and
>| download the most
>| >recent Windows XP driver available for your Sound
card.
>| To update the driver for
>| > your videocard, first determine what type of
videocard
>| you have. This information
>| >is usually available in the System control panel, in
>| Device Manager, under the
>| >display adapters heading. Next, try to obtain a new
>| driver for that device from the
>| >manufacturer, either by downloading one from the
>| manufacturer's website or by
>| >contacting the manufacturer of the card directly.
>| Installing newer drivers for both of
>| >these cards should fix your problem. If you need help
>| installing these drivers,
>| >please contact the manufacturer in question, as these
>| drivers are not our products.
>| >
>| >6. Try to lower the sound acceleration for your sound
>| card. To do this:
>| >
>| >a. Go to Start>Find>Files & Folders.
>| >b. In the "Named" box, type the following: dxdiag.exe
>| >c. Then make sure the "Look In" box is pointed to your
>| (C:\) drive.
>| >d. Click "Find Now".
>| >e. After the file has been found, double click on it
to
>| run the application.
>| >f. Click on the tab labeled "Sound".
>| >g. Lower the Hardware acceleration down to "basic"
>| >h. Click "Exit" and try to run the game.
>| >
>| >7. Try to lower your video hardware acceleration. I
would
>| like you to right click
>| >on your desktop and select Properties. Click on
Settings
>| and then on the button
>| >that says Advanced. Once there, click on the tab that
>| says Troubleshooting.
>| >Adjust the setting to one notch to the right of NONE.
>| Also, be sure to check and
>| >make sure that the option Write Combining has been
>| unchecked. Then try the
>| >game again.
>| >
>| >8. Also, if you have any virus protection programs
like
>| Norton or McAfee,
>| >temporarily disable them by right clicking on the
icon in
>| your system tray in the
>| >lower right corner of the desktop and
selecting "Disable"
>| or "Exit". Also be sure to
>| >end all background programs before attempting
>| installation. Do this by hitting
>| >Ctrl+Alt+Delete simultaneously and end tasking all
>| applications except for
>| >Explorer and systray.
>| >
>| >If the game still won't start up, try rebooting your
>| computer, then before you do
>| >anything, make sure to end all background tasks then
try
>| starting up the game.
>| >
>| >
>| >Also, make sure that the default cdrom drive in
windows
>| for playing audio cd's is
>| >the cdrom drive that you installed the game from.
>| >a) Go to "CONTROL PANEL" (click Start -> Settings ->
>| Control Panel)
>| >b) Double-Click "MULTIMEDIA"
>| >c) Click "CD MUSIC" Tab
>| >d) Where is says: "Default CD-ROM drive for playing CD
>| music", choose the
>| >letter of the drive that the game was installed from.
>| >
>| >Source:
>| >http://eatech.custhelp.com/cgi-
>| bin/eatech.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?
>|
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>|
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>|
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>| fcHJvZF9sdmwyPX5h
>|
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>| p_li=
>| >
>| >--
>| >Cheers, Windows XP MVP
>| Shell / User
>| >Jimmy S.
>| http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>| >
>| >
>| >Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
>| scid=FH;[LN];gms
>| >Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
>| http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
>| >MS Support at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
>| scid=sz;en-us;top
>| >My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor
do I
>| confer any rights.
>|
>_________________________________________________________
>| >
>| >
>| >.
>| >
>
>
>.
>