The Sims 2 crashes after installing Nightlife or Pets Expansion Packs

Question

I'm at the end of my rope, so I thought I would see if anybody out there can help me. I'm posting this on a few boards.
I've been a huge fan of the Sims ever since the first game was released. I got my first Mac a year ago, and The Sims 2 for it for Christmas. I put off purchasing any expansion packs - I had enough fun with the base game and downloaded custom content that I did not feel justified in spending the money. Then they made Pets, and I was sorely tempted. After playing with that expansion on my sister's new Windows Vista laptop, I decided that I would get it for my Mac for my birthday in July.
After I installed the expansion pack, my game would crash during the blue startup screen. I removed custom content, reinstalled the game, and tried everything else the Aspyr tech support could think of - including sending my disc back for a replacement copy.
I've included all of our correspondence below. Maybe someone out there has had a similar problem, or can think of what could be causing this issue.
Today I tried installing the Nightlife expansion pack, and was met with the EXACT same issue. Obviously there is something wrong with my Mac or the base game, or some bit of software or code on my system is screwing things up. . .
I'd really hate to sell the expansions online and then fork over the money for a copy of Windows and the PC version of Pets (I already own the base game). I'd hate to devolve back into a Windows user =+\
7/31 I sent a message to Aspyr Support through their website:
I just installed the Pets expansion on top of the Sims 2 base game. Now it crashes before the start-up screen has finished loading. I tried removing the downloads folder and the neighborhoods folder, in case something in there was not compatible. The game still crashes.
8/1
Greetings,
I'd recommend downloading the latest version of Quicktime from apple.com as well as our Pets patch via support.aspyr.com and see if that solves the issue. If not:
This error can occur for a number of reasons; Multiple installations of the game, unnecessary patching of the game, moving game files around after installing, installing the game to your desktop, or corruption of game files. Unfortunately a clean install is the only way to resolve this issue.
I recommend the following troubleshooting steps. Try running the Repair Disk Permissions function of the Disk Utility located in Applications/Utilities. Also, avoid installing the game to Applications or the Desktop; there are permissions conflicts that can arise when games are installed here. Games work best when they are installed in a separate games folder on the top/root level of your hard drive.
Reinstalling gets rid of any game data that may have become corrupt. Be sure to trash the game's preferences file(s) (com.aspyr."Sims2".plist) located in the Home/Library/Preferences folder. Common game file locations are Home/Library/Preferences and Home/Library/Application Support and Home/Documents when you do so. Then just trash the current copy of the game and install a new copy to the new games folder at the root of your hard drive. I'd also recommend doing a Spotlight search of your computer to make sure you've removed the game files / folders before reinstalling.
You can usually find specific removal instructions via the readme file located in the main game folder to use as a guideline for installing the game.
(From the Sims2 readme file)
To uninstall The Sims 2 and The Sims 2 Body Shop, drag the following to the trash:
"The Sims 2" folder which contains the game and The Sims 2 Body Shop applications
"home folder\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2" folder
"home folder\Library\Preferences\com.aspyr.TheSims2.plist" file
"home folder\Library\Preferences\com.aspyr.TheSims2BodyShop.plist" file
"home folder\Library\Preferences\com.aspyr.TheSims2PackageInstaller.plist" file
If you have Sims 2 expansions you should run the game once by launching it from the hard drive before installing any expansions. This will create a new set of preference files and allow the installers for the expansions to properly install the software.
I hope this helps.
8/1
Thank you for your quick response. Sadly, the game still does not work. I tried all of your advice, then decided to make sure I had done everything I could possibly think of.
First, I moved my saved games (and downloads, user data, etc) to a folder on the desktop, so I could retrieve them later.
I ran the Repair Disk Permissions function.
I had the latest version of Quicktime, but I reinstalled it anyway. I also downloaded all available system updates.
I erased all of my remaining Sims data, including the preference files.
I rebooted. (not sure if this does much, but I know my old PCs worked better with reboots)
I installed the Sims 2 in a newly-created Games folder on the HD. I also installed the patch for the base game.
I played the game; it functioned properly.
I rebooted again and installed the Pets expansion and the patch.
It is behaving the same way as before - the game quits unexpectedly when the startup screen gets to "calibrating canine customization."
Oh, and I did not moved my saved data back into the game folders - I tried running it clean, first.
Is there anything else I can try? Or do I just give up and sell my expansion pack on eBay?
-Schenley
8/2
Hello,
Here are specific instructions for fixing the problems with Sims 2 Pets.
1. Start by removing any Sims DVDs from the drive
2. Drag The Sims 2 application folder from your Hard Drive to the trash
3. Drag The EA Games folder from the Documents folder to the trash
4. Drag the EA Games folder from the Users/Shared folder to the trash
5. Go to Home/Library/Preferences and drag to the trash the following files com.aspyr.thesims2.plist, com.aspyr.thesims2bodyshop.plist, com.aspyr.packageinstaller.plist (you might not have all of these files)
6. Empty the Trash
7. Do a search of the computer for The Sims 2 as well as EA Games and trash all Sims 2 files (remember to empty the Trash)
8. Launch the program called Disk Utility from the Application\Utilities folders
9. Select your main Hard Drive and run Repair Disk Permissions (this will insure your Mac is running at its best)
10. When this is done close all windows
11. Insert The Sims 2 DVD
12.Open the Sims 2 DVD and drag The Sims 2 folder to your Macintosh HD
13. This will take some time to copy over
14. When the files have finished copying open the HD and the Sims 15. folder and launch The Sims 2 Application
16.. close down the game
(17-20 only apply if you have University)
17. Insert the next expansion DVD University
18. Run the Expansion installer
19. launch the game
20. close the game
(21-24 only apply if you have Nightlife)
21. Insert the next expansion DVD Nightlife
22. Run the Expansion installer
23. launch the game
24. close the game
(25-28 only apply if you have Open for Business)
25. Insert the next expansion DVD Open for Business
26. Run the Expansion installer
27. launch the game
28. close the game
(29-36 only apply if you have Pets)
29. Insert the Pets DVD
30. Run the Pets installer
31. Launch the game
32. Close the game
33. Download The Sims 2 Pets 1.6 Rev A patch
http://support.aspyr.com/index.php?x=&mod_id=2&root=201&id=438
34. Run the Pets Patch Installer
35. Launch the game
Everything should be up and running properly at this point. Thank you for playing The Sims 2.
Have a nice day,
Aspyr Tech Support
8/2
Hello again,
I greatly appreciate how quickly you responded once more, but frustratingly the game is still not working. I burned my saved game info to a DVD so that I could erase every single Sim-related file on my system. I followed steps 1-16 exactly , then skipped to 29. But once I launched the game with Pets, the exact same problem occurred - it (un)expectedly closed when the startup screen got to "Calibrating Canine Customization."
I don't know what could possibly be going wrong, and it's very disappointing. Please let me know if there is anything else I should try.
8/3
Hello,
I am sorry you are still having problems with The Sims 2. In most cases checking to make sure you have all the latest Apple updates and a fresh install will fix this problem.
Here are a few things to check for:
1. Make sure the game is installed on the boot volume, the main hard drive.
2. Don't put the game in your Applications folder. There are permissions conflicts that can arise when games are installed here. Install the game to the root level of your drive instead.
3. Run the permissions repair. To do this, launch the Disk Utility located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder. The second tab will allow you to repair permissions.
4. Remove the game completely (search for all game files) and run the install again, and choose the Macintosh HD as the destination for the install. When you launch the game, leave all in-game graphics settings at the defaults. Then reinstall the patch.
Here's something else you can try. Uninstall the game again, move ALL files related to game to the trash and empty it. Do a search on your entire computer to make sure that you got everything. Disconnect any peripherals from your computer except for the keyboard and mouse, create a New User account, reboot the computer and log into the new user account. Then reinstall the game. Choose your Macintosh HD as the destination to install to, and after initially launching the game, leave all in-game graphics/resolution settings at the defaults.
Have a nice day,
Aspyr Tech Support
8/3
Sorry, it's me again.
I've done everything you suggested in this and the other e-mails, to no avail.
-my system is fully updated.
-ALL Sims 2 files trashed and emptied.
-Permissions repair run.
-peripherals unplugged.
-New user created.
-Rebooted and logged in as new user.
-Installed directly to HD.
-Launched + closed game.
-Installed Pets Exp.
-Launched - failed. It crashed at the very same point during startup.
-downloaded and installed patch; still failed.
I'm ready to restore my base game saved files from their DVD and sell the expansion pack on eBay.
8/3
There is one last thing to try and that is to assume there is something wrong with the Pets DVD. We offer a disc replacement service for $10 or, if you have purchased the disc in the last 90 days, it is free.
8/16/07
I received my replacement disc today, and quickly installed it after backing up my files. The game still crashes at the same point during startup. Is it time to give up?
8/16/07
Hello,
I am very sorry the Pets expansion has not worked for you. I have never run into a situation where nothing will fix the problem. In all cases with the Sims 2 or expansions a disc replacement fixes the problem. I would guess that there is some obscure Apple issue causing the Pets to crash.
Have a nice day,
Aspyr Tech Support

Answer 1

I finally got the solution from a friend at the TSR forum. It was a problem with QUicktime 7.2. I needed to install this update:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx10410comboupdatev11intel.html