Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post Reply
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

So, I've done at least some research into why my absolutely horrible Intel graphics card CAN, technically, run Sims 2 (though I'm confident trying would kill my computer) and why my high-end Nvidia one can't, and apparently it's because the Nvidia one, being modern, isn't recognized by Sims 2 as a compatible graphics card. So, EA decided to do the sane, rational thing and immediately crash the game on start up of this happens (it's not on the whitelist) :mutter: At least I think that's the case, which is stupid, but oh well. I would be willing to suck it up on graphics and play with Intel, but I'm pretty sure that will kill my computer.... which isn't acceptable either.

I've spent hours trying to google for fixes and rules, and I'm having very little luck, so I thought I'd ask here and hope one of you is some tech genius. Specs-

I DO know it's Nvidia Geforce GTX 960m. I don't have a clue where to find my other specs, I'm an idiot with computers and I'm sure they're important to have. That said, if someone wants to walk my through where on earth I can find them, I'm happy to post them.

EDIT: Also, I do NOT have the Ultimate Collection. I'm using the ones I bought (so each expansion/SP is individual, with the exception of Base Game, Nightlife, and Celebration Stuff as I have Double Deluxe) Not sure if that matters, but
User avatar
Mauricette
Posts: 331
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 12:28 pm
8
Steam ID: coag27
Origin ID: DiamondCoyote
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Mauricette »

My game had the same problem. I downloaded Graphics Rules Maker and now it runs perfectly. I can give you the specs I use once I get to my desktop.
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

Mauricette wrote:My game had the same problem. I downloaded Graphics Rules Maker and now it runs perfectly. I can give you the specs I use once I get to my desktop.
I got that and tried to work with it, but it didn't seem to fix anything. But I very possibly could have set it wrong. Thank you!

For reference, the two errors I've gottan are the DirectX 9.0c one, but more common is ""Direct3D returned an error: D3DERR_INVALIDCALL! The application will now terminate.""
User avatar
Taube
Posts: 658
Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 10:22 pm
9
Origin ID: 22Taube

Completed Challenges

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Taube »

I have an Nvidia card as well and was getting crashes (although mine was with UC - it was on a new computer so I've never tried it with the discs). My main problem was a similar error code to the one you mentioned and the crash. In my case, it was because it didn't recognize the newest version of DirectX, and using the program that Mauricette linked is what ultimately helped me get into my game and have everything look right. However, before I used that, I was able to get into my game by running it in windowed mode. You do that by adding "-w" without the quotation marks to the command line. When I added that in the properties tab for the shortcut, it didn't work, but when I added it to the command line in Origin, I was able to get into the game in windowed mode. I don't know why this worked, but it's worth a try if you feel like it. :) I'm away from that computer right now, but if you don't know what that means, I can give step-by-step instructions later once I'm on a computer with Origin on it so I can doublecheck my faulty memory. ;) If that works but you, like me, are not satisfied with windowed mode, I would try the Graphics Rules Maker again. Good luck!

PS - At least for me, Mauricette's link isn't working, so here's another one to the same program referenced just in case: Graphic Rules Maker.

EDIT: I found something else. Sorry if you've seen this already! Mod The Sims thread on your exact error code, with a fix suggested in it that involves deleting a file. Make sure you make backups first!

EDIT2: You said you have an Intel card and an Nvidia card. Are you on a laptop by chance and the Intel is an integrated graphics card? If so, you might want to check the suggestion at the bottom of this thread on EA Answers. I haven't tried this, but it doesn't seem unreasonable.

Oh, and here's how to find your system specs in case someone wants them in the future. I'm not smart enough for them to do me any good, but I do know how to find them. :)
Last edited by Taube on March 27th, 2016, 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

Taube wrote:I have an Nvidia card as well and was getting crashes (although mine was with UC - it was on a new computer so I've never tried it with the discs). My main problem was a similar error code to the one you mentioned and the crash. In my case, it was because it didn't recognize the newest version of DirectX, and using the program that Mauricette linked is what ultimately helped me get into my game and have everything look right. However, before I used that, I was able to get into my game by running it in windowed mode. You do that by adding "-w" without the quotation marks to the command line. When I added that in the properties tab for the shortcut, it didn't work, but when I added it to the command line in Origin, I was able to get into the game in windowed mode. I don't know why this worked, but it's worth a try if you feel like it. :) I'm away from that computer right now, but if you don't know what that means, I can give step-by-step instructions later once I'm on a computer with Origin on it so I can doublecheck my faulty memory. ;) If that works but you, like me, are not satisfied with windowed mode, I would try the Graphics Rules Maker again. Good luck!

PS - At least for me, Mauricette's link isn't working, so here's another one to the same program referenced just in case: Graphic Rules Maker.

EDIT: I found something else. Sorry if you've seen this already! Mod The Sims thread on your exact error code, with a fix suggested in it that involves deleting a file. Make sure you make backups first!
I actually don't have Sims 2 on Origins, I've got hard copies which I've yet to really transfer there (partially since I've long since lost some of my expansion pack codes) Thank you for the links, however! I'll take a look at them later.
User avatar
Taube
Posts: 658
Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 10:22 pm
9
Origin ID: 22Taube

Completed Challenges

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Taube »

Oh, duh, I should have inferred that. Sorry. In that case, you should be able to go into properties of the shortcut you're trying to run the game from and add "-w" without quotations to the command line to try to force it into windowed mode if you want to try that. I updated my post with another link since you replied, too.
User avatar
Mauricette
Posts: 331
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 12:28 pm
8
Steam ID: coag27
Origin ID: DiamondCoyote
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Mauricette »

lol thanks for the link correction, Taube! Alright, so in the Graphics Rules Maker program is a tab at the top that says Device Info. Under this tab it provides your Texture Memory. Mine is 4095 MB, but trying to use all that memory will cause your game to crash. And sims 2 doesn't need that much memory used. So I 1/4th the number to 1024 MB. Now having that number ready, head back to the programs settings. Under game tweaks should be Force Texture Memory. and in that bar is where I put 1024 Mb.

default resolution is set to 1280x1024
max resolution 1920x1200

and I have the option to disable sim shadows activated because i got these huge black boxes under my sims. it was so garish. Good luck, Repo!
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

Mauricette wrote:lol thanks for the link correction, Taube! Alright, so in the Graphics Rules Maker program is a tab at the top that says Device Info. Under this tab it provides your Texture Memory. Mine is 4095 MB, but trying to use all that memory will cause your game to crash. And sims 2 doesn't need that much memory used. So I 1/4th the number to 1024 MB. Now having that number ready, head back to the programs settings. Under game tweaks should be Force Texture Memory. and in that bar is where I put 1024 Mb.

default resolution is set to 1280x1024
max resolution 1920x1200

and I have the option to disable sim shadows activated because i got these huge black boxes under my sims. it was so garish. Good luck, Repo!
These settings worked perfectly! Thank you both so much for everything! I've managed to start it up three times in a row (guaranteeing it's not a fluke!) :)
User avatar
Mauricette
Posts: 331
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 12:28 pm
8
Steam ID: coag27
Origin ID: DiamondCoyote
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Mauricette »

Yay! I'm glad I could be helpful and that your game is working! /o/

Have fun with your game :D
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

So, turns out I do have one more issue. Whenever I try to turn on smooth edges/anti-aliasing, it does something to my Userprops file that crashes my game on load up (Deleting the file fixes the issue). I'm not sure if enabling mods does, but it does not SEEM to. Is there any way to fix this?

If I need to have smooth edges off, I'll be fine, but it'd be nice to turn them on naturally somehow. It also used to do this when I changed resolutions, but I was able to get around that using the GRM
Rflong7
House of Plumbob
House of Plumbob
Posts: 505
Joined: July 29th, 2014, 7:54 am
9
Location: In Shadow Mode... C:
Contact:

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Rflong7 »

Hi :)

Is it that you don't want the UC on Origin? We only have to have Origin installed to install the game and it can be uninnstalled after the game is done. Just don't let any Registery cleaner remove the Sims 2- it's not installed the same as the Original. :)

You should still be able to get the UC if you ask EA Customer Support about how you can get your game working- and have a code or two. They offered it to me again when I couldn't get my the Sims to work on my new laptop.
Image
User avatar
Taube
Posts: 658
Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 10:22 pm
9
Origin ID: 22Taube

Completed Challenges

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Taube »

Hmm, the edge-smoothing crash is a new one to me. So it's not greyed-out and you can select it? But when you do it crashes? I wonder if you could work around that. This thread was the more complicated fix before they did Graphic Rules Maker (same people) but I wonder if the instructions in step 4 might help. Doing that (anti-aliasing is the same as edge smoothing) in the config files might somehow get around whatever's causing the crash when you select it in-game. Just make backups before you tamper with config files! ;) I hope that helps. I'll keep on the lookout for more info too.
User avatar
Repo
Posts: 89
Joined: March 5th, 2015, 10:15 am
9

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Repo »

Taube wrote:Hmm, the edge-smoothing crash is a new one to me. So it's not greyed-out and you can select it? But when you do it crashes?
Nooot quite. I can change it in-game and the game responds, but when I quit and try to start again, it crashes on load up. Considering how finnicky Sims 2 is about graphics cards, I'm guessing it changes something about the userprops file which makes it incompatible with the game.

EDIT: Okay, yeah, the problem is anti-aliasing on to any degree. I just tweaked my userprops file personally, turned it on, only altering that setting, and it crashes. Turn it off and it works. Oh well
User avatar
Taube
Posts: 658
Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 10:22 pm
9
Origin ID: 22Taube

Completed Challenges

Post Counts

Re: Sims 2 won't recngize graphics card!

Post by Taube »

That really sucks. I'm sorry. I wish I had more information to help!
Post Reply

Return to “Sims 2 Help!”