Sims2 Complete CD2DVD detailed Guide

[Grumpy]

Original Poster: Ewoud
Post Date: 27-12-2004

This evening I wanted to make a backup of my sims2 box containing four CD's and had in mind to make a DVD installation from it, so I started to read the threads on GCW and fileforums about it to get it done. Before I did anything I did spend many hours of reading every post of threads of over 15 pages and gathered all the information needed to get this done. As it was far from easy to choose from all those posts and people telling how to do it in different ways from virtual image to nonworking fixed executables, It amazed me that my first attempt to make this DVD was working 100% okay, but I think there are and there will be a lot of people who can't find the right methode to get it done between all those posts, even though they are now combined in one thread.

Therefore, as I know how many hours I spended reading before I knew what would work, I think I ow everyone new to this an detailed guide as my DVD creation worked absolute fine. If you'll work out this guide I combined from all the best information gathered out of the thread about a fixed executable and the one about making a DVD from the CD version, you will finally have a automated DVD installation without discswapping, that runs from a burned DVD, with no need for mounting any virtual images and with the game functioning 100% even with the so called building tools. So I hope to do a lot of people a favor by adding this guide that is, again gathered from techniques and tips from members found in the threads about backing up the sims2, so credits don't go to me but I'm only making things much easier for you by explaining detailed and directly what you have to do to make a 100% garanteed working backup of your Sims2 CD version to a Selfburned DVD.

If you can't get it to work with this guide, you shouldn't be bothered about backing up or even about digging into the files on your computer or any game and just stick to chatting or to your playstation

Here it goes:

Part I: creating one automated DVD installation from the four CD's

-Create 4 folders anywere on your pc and copy the contents of each cd into 1 of the 4 folders.
Don't forget to set windows to show all files before copying from the CDs!
Name the folders CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4 (i.e.: C:\SIMS2BACKUP\CD1, C:\SIMS2BACKUP\CD2... etc)
Rename the 1st folder SIMS2_DVD to know this is the folder we will work in and burn the contents of it later

-A controlX.dat file can be found in each CD folder in the path: \tsdata\control\ where X stands for 0-3.
Now copy the 'controlX.dat' file from each tsdata\control\ folder of CD2, CD3 and CD4 folder to the tsdata\control\ folder
of the mainfolder SIMS2_DVD, leaving you with four controlX.dat files in your mainfolder's \tsdata\control\
for the record: control0.dat, control1.dat, control2.dat, control3.dat

-Now unzip the contents of the 'compressed.zip' file of each CD folder into the SIMS2_DVD folder doing the following:
In win9x using winzip and in Winxp just by rightclick and select unpack everything...
When asked were to unpack, write the path to the SIMS2_DVD folder on your pc, or browse to it. (i.e.: C:\SIMS2BACKUP\SIMS2_DVD)
The contents of each compressed.zip file will have 2 folders called TSBin and TSData and so does the mainfolder have
already so when unpacking we choose to overwrite the folders, combining/ updating the contents of all compressed.zip folders into
the mainfolder's TSBin and TSData folders. So, when prompted to overwrite by Winxp or Winzip, choose 'yes to all' or similar.
From the compressed.zip out of the CD4 folder, two other files are copied as well to the mainfolder during the unpacking job:
Sims2-UNINST.exe and eauninstall.ico.
For the record: after this action taken, in the mainfolder we only see two new files and the contents of the already existed
TSBin and TSData have been updated with the contents of the compressed.zip files from each CD folder. You can now delete
the compressed.zip file from each CD folder.

-Alternatively you could unpack the contents of each compressed.zip folder of each CD into one temporaly folder, also choose to
overwrite with every unpack and when unpacked all the four compressed folders, you would have 2 folders and two files:

TSBIN (Folder)
TSDATA (Folder)
Sims2-UNINST.exe (File)
eauninstall.ico (File)

Select the four objects (files and folders) and copy them and move to the mainfolder (SIMS2_DVD) and paste them into it;
overwriting (actually updating) the already existing folders named: TSBin and TSData.

-Now also from the CD4 folder copy all the **_compressed.zip (14 folders) so every compressed folder that has an underscore in
its name: i.e. 'nl_compressed.zip' , 'en-uk_compressed.zip' etc... these folders contain language specific data for setup and install.

-A contents check if you have copied everything right, must result in 39 files and 7 folders in the mainfolder SIMS2_DVD
The 40st file could be a textfile containing your Sims2 CD key to install, in case you lost the manual you have a key on the DVD.

-Inside the mainfolder SIMS2_DVD you'll find a file called common_filelist.txt. Modify the contents of this file like the following:
just copy and paste the list here into the textfile, overwriting everything and safe.

1,1,sims2_uninst.exe
1,1,eauninstall.ico
1,1,TSBin\1.0.0.932
1,1,TSBin\Sims2.exe
1,1,TSData\Res\*.* /s
1,1,TSData\Sys\*.* /s
1,1,Support\*.* /s
1,1,eauninstall.exe
1,1,TSData\Control\control0.dat
1,1,Sims2.ico
1,1,CSBin\1.0.0.932
1,1,CSBin\PackageInstaller.exe
1,1,CSBin\properties.txt
1,1,CSBin\TS2BodyShop.exe
1,1,TSData\Control\control1.dat
1,1,TSData\Control\control2.dat
1,1,TSData\Control\control3.dat


Part II: fixing the game's executable to run with a selfburned DVD.

Download the mini-image GCW posted on their website:

"The Sims 2 v1.0 [ALL] No-CD/Fixed Image #2"
http://m0001.gamecopyworld.com/games...e_sims_2.shtml
or choose a local mirror from www.gamecopyworld.com

*Do not download the Spitfire one as you will not be able to copy the needed files*

-Unpack the image from the rar-archive (www.rarlab.com)
Mount the image (You can use Daemon Tools from
http://www.daemon-tools.cc to mount)
and copy the 2 *.TMP files from it into the mainfolder SIMS2_DVD
(you only need the 01*.TMP file, but copy both just for good measure).
When prompted, choose to overwrite the already existing TMP files..

The overwriting of these TMP files is part of the CD-protection removal and to get the CD version works with the DVD version fixed executable. Information about this can be found in this post

Download the following modified executable, to make the game run with a selfburned DVD in your drive.

The Sims 2 v1.0 [MULTI] No-DVD/Fixed EXE
http://m0001.gamecopyworld.com/games...e_sims_2.shtml
or choose a local mirror from www.gamecopyworld.com

-Unpack the fixed executable from the rar-archive (www.rarlab.com) and copy (overwrite) it into the 'TSBin' folder in your SIMS2_DVD mainfolder.
Eventually you can choose to backup the original executable first by renaming it to Sims2.bak before copying the fixed exe into this folder.

Finally burn the directory to a DVD-R (or DVD-Rewritable to test first) , and make sure to label it correctly (CD version CD1 should be: 'Sims2_1' )
They are case sensitive. If you use Nero, do not use ISO 9660 text for the Joliet label, otherwise the name will show up in all caps.
The name MUST be case correct.

note:To be sure it works, you can now unmount that virtual image from your Daemon Tools virtual drive; it was only meant to copy over the TMP files for removing the CD check for the original CD/DVD.

That's it, that worked for me. Happy playing You can now install and play without having to swap 4 cd's everytime during installation or worrying about your original CD's getting damaged with every install. You can even trow them away note: only keep the proof of purchase to be legal!
================================================== ========

UPDATE:

I hope I did and still do a lot of people a favor with this as I was reading so many posts of people having trouble to find the right working method, including myself. Thanks everyone for the provided information, I only made this overview and thanks for the compliment on this guide, guys I tried to make it as clear as possible for everyone step by step.

I updated this post editing some type faults and the background information on those TMP files to get the fixed DVD executable working.

[Grumpy]

Original Poster: DVT
Post Date: 08-01-2005

I haven't followed ewould's tutorial but reading it, it is no different to the way I did mine and it is the same method as CDSTeam tutorial. The /s stands for single read. Only thing I can say is that I used the Money Crack here and the Disc had to be named Sims2. If the disc was named SIMS2 the game wouldn't run.

The /s method works for a couple of other games, I have done a similar thing with NFSU2 instead of remaking the compressed.zip I extracted it to the my DVD Root and adjusted the commonfilelist.txt as follows:

1,1,Cars\*.* /s
1,1,Credits\*.* /s
1,1,Frontend\*.* /s
1,1,Global\*.* /s
1,1,Languages\*.* /s
1,1,Memcard\*.* /s
1,1,Movies\*.* /s
1,1,NIS\*.* /s
1,1,Sound\*.* /s
1,1,Subtitles\*.* /s
1,1,Tracks\*.* /s
1,1,Support\*.* /s
1,1,eauninstall.exe
1,1,NFSU_icon.ico
1,1,SDATA\sdat.viv
1,1,speed2.exe
1,1,00000000.016
1,1,00000000.256
1,1,SafeMode.bat
1,1,Server.cfg
1,1,Server.dll

Not only does it seem to install faster but it fills the DVD up abit more!

[Grumpy]

Original Poster: madmax4
Post Date: 14-02-2006

Well, i think that i managed to perform a cd2dvd conversion of sims 2 that doesn't need to include an image of cd4 (in case you install an expansion).
When you are prompted to insert cd4 of sims 2, you just insert the dvd you just built and the instalation will complete fine.

Here is how i did it:

1. Follow the above Sims 2 CD2DVD instructions from 'Ewoud'
2. When you have the final files structure and you are ready to burn the dvd do the following:
a. Insert sims2_4 original sims 2 disc
b. Copy compressed.zip and RunGame.exe from cd4 to your dvd folder.
c. Modify file autorun.inf to look like this:

[autorun]
open=Setup.exe
Icon=Sims2.ico
Name=The Sims 2

[Special]
Disk=1,4


d. Burn the files structure on a dvd using label: Sims2_4

I was able to install without a problem the following expansions set:Christmas party pack and university.I hope it works with nightlife and any other
future expansions.

NOTE: BUT i mentioned that when i use the money's fixed exe it doesn't work like NO-DVD.It requires the dvd to be in the dvd-rom drive.

The game runs fine when i insert the dvd. For playing the expansions, without the original, use the images located on gamecopyworld.

[Der_Pate]

Can anyone help me?

I did it like Grumpy described, but now I have a problem.

The people don’ look like they should…
How they look you can see on this picture

Does anybody know where’s the mistake?

[cool_recep]

I think this about your Graphic Crad driver...have you updated it or not?Change the graphic settings

[Bonnet]

Does updating the card help? I had some problems a while back