Sims 2 MegaPack v3 (Original + 3 expansions) - Incl. Fix for Official Patches

[DarkLeftos]

The Sims 2 MegaPack (TS2 + UNI + NL + OFB in 2xDVD-5)
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For people that have bought the original The Sims 2 along with its expansions but can't bother with 9(?!) CDs, here is a nice solution on how to put them altogether in two single-layer DVDs.

IMPORTANT: This new updated version does not have the patching problem of the previous Megapack and allows you to use all future official patches and expansions. Below is a note for users that have used the previous Megapack on what was wrong.

Current testing status: Fully Working
Future Plans: New improved version on the works in cooperation with getaway.

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1. Install the original Sims 2 and all expansions on your hard disk.
2. Download and install Inno Setup and ISTool (http://www.innosetup.com)
3. Download my Sims 2 MegaPack Inno Setup file from here (http://www.geocities.com/yleftos/sims2mpv3.zip)
4. Open the script file, and change to the Script tab on the left, I have included the instructions on the few lines that need to be changed inside the Script as comments, it's really, really easy. You just have to change the paths to the ones you've installed the game.
5. After you've compiled the Setup, go to the folder you've selected to save it and you'll find a "Sims 2 MegaPack v3 Setup.exe" (if you hadn't changed the setup name parameter) as well as some BIN ones with the same name.
6. In the same folder create a "OFB Image" folder and include Daemon Tools or Alcohol as well as your full Sims 2 Open For Business CD1 Image (you’ll have to make that in Alcohol, I won’t provide information about that here.)
7. In the same folder create a "Post-Install" folder and include the Sims 2 Start Menu package which can be downloaded from here (http://www.geocities.com/yleftos/sims2startmenu.zip). This package has the shortcuts needed by the game's installer whenever you patch the game or install a new expansion. This is an important step. You'll have to extract the contents of the zip in every computer you install this MegaPack to, in the "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs" folder. Without doing this you won't be able to install any patches or expansions. Note also that these shortcuts are only dummy shortcuts and won't work to play the game.
8. Burn all the contents of the folder to two DVDs, fitting the “Sims 2 MegaPack v3 Setup.exe” and as many BINs as you can on the first DVD (each BIN is about 1GB), and put the rest of the BINs as well as any extras (OFB Image, Post-Install, etc.) on the second DVD! You're done!

Approximate size of all the folder's contents: 5.39GB

The how-to-install part is quite easy to guess. You install the game from the custom installer, mount the mini-image on Daemon or Alcohol and you're good to go. I remind you again that this updated version of the MegaPack is fully compatible with all future official patches and expansions, but you still need to have the 4th CD from the original Sims 2 with you whenever installing a new expansion.

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NOTE FOR USERS OF PREVIOUS MEGAPACK (v2):
If you’d like to correct the script file instead of downloading the new one (which requires Sims 2 Open For Business too), I have found that the problem that didn’t allow the game to be patched with official patches (a “The Sims 2 is not properly installed” error popped-up) is that I had set the wrong parameters for the Start Menu folders in the Registry section. So, find the following line…

Root: HKLM; SubKey: SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Sims 2; ValueType: string; ValueName: Folder; ValueData: {commonstartmenu}\Προγράμματα\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\; Flags: uninsdeletekey

...and replace it with…

Root: HKLM; SubKey: SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Sims 2; ValueType: string; ValueName: Folder; ValueData: {commonprograms}\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\; Flags: uninsdeletekey

Do the same for the Sims 2 University and Sims 2 Nightlife subkeys.

Also, correct the following lines (add the words in bold)…

Root: HKLM; SubKey: SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Sims 2; ValueType: string; ValueName: EPsInstalled; ValueData: Sims2EP1.exe,Sims2EP2.exe; Flags: uninsdeletekey

…and…

Root: HKLM; SubKey: SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University; ValueType: string; ValueName: Suppression Exe; ValueData: Sims2.exe; Flags: uninsdeletekey

That’s it for here. Now you'll have to download the Start Menu package (http://www.geocities.com/yleftos/sims2startmenu.zip) and extract the contents to your
"C:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs" folder after you compile the setup and install the megapack (obviously you'll have to include it on the DVDs as it has to be extracted on every computer the megapack's installed. You're done.

You only need to do this if you’re still using the v2 of the MegaPack (that is, if you don’t have Open For Business yet.)