The Sims 2 - Game Patches

[The Star Hermit]

Patches and Updates for The Sims 2

So what is a patch?

Periodically the developers of The Sims 2 release updates for the game to correct commonly reported problems that have been encountered by players. If you experience bugs or problems with the game or any of the expansions, it's always best to check that your game is up to date by downloading and installing the latest patch as the first step, you can check the 'fix list' for each patch to see what has been corrected. If you've only just installed the game or an expansion then it's still worth patching your game straight away as you can prevent the listed problems from happening.

Usually the latest expansion includes the patches for all the previous ones and the main The Sims 2 game, for this reason it is should only be necessary to download the patch for the latest expansion or pack that you own. The current exceptions to this is if you have both the Open For Business and the Family Fun Stuff pack, in these cases you should download both patches. Also, H&M Stuff pack was released before the Seasons patch so you should still download the Seasons patch, even if you have the H&M Stuff pack.

If you are installing/re-installing several expansions at the same time, it's worth taking the time to patch each as you go along.

How do I download and install my patch?

The list at the bottom of this page takes you to the relevant patches for your game/expansion/stuff pack, read the list of fixes to see what has been corrected with that patch.

Follow the instructions on the page to download your patch, if you get a pop up box asking if you want to save, open or run the patch, always choose the 'save' option. Where you save the patch to on your computer doesn't really matter but you may find it easier to save it to your desktop for now (you can always move it afterwards) so you can easily find it again when it has finished downloading.

During the installation of the patch you may be asked to insert your game disk so make sure you have it handy or in the drive already. Find the file that you've downloaded and double-click it to begin the update of your game, wait while it updates and, if asked to, insert your game disk if you haven't already. When the update has finished you are good to go so you can jump straight back into the game if you wish.

Whether or not you decide to keep the downloaded patch file is entirely up to you, it can be safely deleted after you have installed it as it's still available on the exchange to re-download if you ever need to re-install your game or expansion.

What if my game is on a different computer?

Sometimes players find their game is on a computer that isn't connected to the internet, this doesn't need to be a problem as you can still update your game by using a CD, DVD or USB Flash stick to copy the file between computers.

Download your patch using the method above then decide how you want to copy it over to the other computer. If you are using a CD or DVD writer, put a blank disk into the drive then copy the patch file onto the blank disk, if you are using a Flash stick then plug the stick into the USB port then copy the patch file onto it.

Which ever method you use, once it's finished copying you can take the disk or stick to the other computer, insert it into the correct drive or port and copy the patch file from it and onto the computers hard drive. Now all you need to do is install the patch using the method mentioned above.

What if I can't install the patch?

Occasionally you may experience a problem installing a patch, there are several things you can try to resolve the problem.

• Check you have the right patch - if it's for the base game have you downloaded the CD or DVD patch. If you have one of the later expansions also available on the EA link service, have you downloaded the correct disk or digital version.
• Download the patch again - sometimes it gets corrupted during the download and this may solve the problem.
• Close background tasks - sometimes processes in the background (such as virus scanners) can interfere with the installing of a patch, be sure to close them down first.
• Remove the Downloads folder - sometimes custom content that may be present can interfere with the installing of a patch, move your Downloads folder out to the desktop while you install the patch.
• Insert the correct disk - if you have been asked to insert a disk during the patching process, be sure you have inserted the correct one.
• Uninstall/reinstall expansions - sometimes custom content can alter game files that need to be patched, or you may have altered them yourself; this may be detected during patching and can cause the patching to fail. If you are prompted to do so, uninstall/reinstall any later expansions while you attempt to install the patch.
• Check the forum - if others have experienced the same problem, particularly soon after a patch has been released, a solution or workaround may have been posted already.
• Contact support - if you still have problems installing the patch, contact the Electronic Arts Customer Support Team for further assistance.

What patches are there?

Note: The patches listed below are intended for the PC version of The Sims 2 only, if you have the Apple Mac version then you can find the relevant patches here on the Apple Demos and Updates page.

• The Sims 2 Base Game Patch (CD Version)
• The Sims 2 Base Game Patch (DVD Version)
• The Sims 2 University Patch
• The Sims 2 Nightlife Patch
• The Sims 2 Open For Business Patch *Updated 16 June 2006*
• The Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff Patch *Updated 15 June 2006*
• The Sims 2 Pets Patch (CD/DVD Disk Version) *Updated 26 March 2007*
• The Sims 2 Pets Patch (EA Link Digital Download Version) *Updated 26 March 2007*
• The Sims 2 Seasons Patch (CD/DVD Disk Version) *Updated 19 June 2007*
• The Sims 2 Seasons Patch (EA Link Digital Download Version) *Updated 19 June 2007*