Game crash Hey all. I bought my laptop back in December, it's an Acer 4620Z. I have Windows Vista. Pretty much when I got it I installed my copy of The Sims 2, and it worked well and I downloaded custom content through about February when the game eventually couldn't get past the startup screen, so I removed all the content I'd downloaded, but it still wouldn't work. I bought a new copy of the game and tried to install that, it installed but it keeps crashing very quickly into it. EA says it's either a background task (which it isn't) or a corrupt file. Trouble is, with Vista, you don't seem to ever completely get rid of anything you uninstall so it seems the old game files are interfering with the new (something along those lines). I've tried searching the computer for all Sims files to delete everything and start over, and I always find stuff but when I go to delete, it says the file doesn't exist. (Why do I see it then? Give me a break!) Any help anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Especially ways to downgrade to XP, if the issue can't just be solved.

Even though you Uninstall the Game, some files would be stored in the Registry. All you need to do is to Remove the Files Manually from the Registry. I will guide you through the steps:

Note: Before doing this, you need to uninstall the Game first

1. Click on Start
2. Go to RUN (pressing “Windows” + “R” keys simultaneously)
3. In the Box type "regedit" > click Enter
4. A box will pop up with title = Registry Editor, In that Select "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" > Click on "Software" >

Note: These are all the programs which are installed in the computer.

5. You need to search for the EA game Folder > The Sims
6. Now Right Click on EA games Folder and select Delete and click Yes.
7. By doing this, which would delete the Sims files from the registry

Restart the computer and Reinstall the Game.

I'm sure this would work for you.

If you wish to downgrade to XP you'll need to purchase an XP disk and then do a reformat on your computer. As far as being able to completely remove all of the files from the Sims 2 from your pc...
Login to Windows as your Administrator or primary ID
Go to your "Start" Menu
Go to "Control Panel"
Go to "Programs and Features"
Single click on the Sims 2
At the top of the folder next to "Organize" and "Views" it will say "Uninstall/Change" Click on "Uninstall/Change" it will ask you if you also want to delete all saved games. click yes then follow any further prompts it gives you. This should solve your problem for you.