Directx Problems on Install - RESOLUTION HERE

[Fizzbang Glut]

Hi,

I know a lot of people are having this installation issue with the incorrect DirectX version...and most replies tell you that your PC is not compatible or your Graphics card is not compatible either..well, it has nothing to do with any of that and if anyone at EA reads this (which I doubt) You have a problem in your installation that you seem uninterested in patching as it has been around since Life stories emerged...well, to the resolution and it ain't pretty.

Follow these steps...if you can

1. Copy the Contents of the DVD to the C:
2. Go to the Autorun folder and open the Autorun.cfg file with notepad
3. Edit the line DirectXVersion=9.0c and change the 9.0c to a 0 (zero)
4. Now save it...
5. Copy the contents of this folder onto a DVD and then install from that DVD.
6. After putting in key you will at last get to a folder that asks you where you are going to install the game...You have no finally passed the problem.
7. IMPORTANT - Now swap your Copied CD back to your original and finish the install...
8. The game will now load and play normally.

EA - This is probably the worst installation process I have encountered since the old days of DOS games where you had to battle with base RAM.
Especially as it has been an issue since the Life Stories game earlier.
You need to look into this urgently as I like many were on the verge of taking this back.

[EAUK_Aurora]

Sorry to hear that you had such problems getting the game to install. That is quite a complicated 'fix' you have posted there.

Out of interest, what are you system specs?

[Fizzbang Glut]

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

Pentium 4 Dual Core 1.5Gb RAM
NVidia Geforce 8600 GTS
Windows XP SP2
Running Directx 9.0c

And at this moment playing game..so it does work well regardless of the error and suggestions that it is not compatible.

[EAUK_Aurora]

Thanks for posting that

So what was the error that you got when you tried to install? Was it a DirectX one or a driver/hardware one?

[Fizzbang Glut]

It said I needed to install Directx 9.0c or higher..then exited install.

[EAUK_Aurora]

I had a similar thing happen recently were I was trying to install a game and it wouldn't install because it said it needed Win 95, NT or higher....I have Vista

I was sure that I had read about this recently elsewhere but I am having trouble finding the thread. I will keep looking though and post a link here if I find an answer.

[egoxxtripping]

I have the same problem, just got castaway yesterday, tried everything under the sun to get it to install, no avail. This didnt even work for me. =(

[andie666]

Fizzbang Glut (great name!) I may love you a little bit now :-)

Was so stuck, had the directx issue, was on me way out the door back to the shop where I planned on stamping my feet, throwing myself on the floor and screaming very, very loudly! Tried your advice but it didn't work for me, so I decided to use my initiative and try a couple of things myself, got it to work in the end doing the following:

1. Copy the Contents of the DVD to the C:
2. Delete the DirectX folder.
3. Go to the Autorun folder and open the Autorun.cfg file with notepad
4. Delete the line DirectXVersion=9.0c
5. Now save it...
6. Copy the contents of this folder onto a DVD and then install from that DVD.
7. After putting in key you will at last get to a folder that asks you where you are going to install the game...You have now finally passed the problem.
8. IMPORTANT - Now swap your Copied CD back to your original and finish the install...
8. The game will now load and play normally.

It got to 98%, I was so excited then whoom! My world came crashing down again!

"A problem occurred when trying to transfer the file F:\Support|EA Help\Controller from the media." nooooooooooooo

Took me 3 cups of tea to work out what to do next but I did it!

Cancelled the install, ouch!!!

I managed to find a copy of the missing file in my Need For Speed game, copied it to the Castaway Stories folder in Prog Files that was left over from the failed installation and ran the whole 2 disc process again.....

IT WORKED!!!! It bypassed the missing file and the installation completed yayyyyyy.

If it hadn't been for your original advice I would never of worked this out on my own, thank you, thank you, there will be a Sim named Fizzbang Glut in Strangetown as homage to you :-)

And EA if anyone there who actually cares reads this, SORT IT OUT!! It's only cos I'm so dedicated and have intermediate pc knowledge that I managed to work this out, it wasn't easy and it wasn't quick. Think of all the pooor souls out there who have bought a copy and haven't got the knowledge or experience to fix YOUR issues, they've put money in your pockets for a game they may never get to play, that sucks.

[egoxxtripping]

Heres my quick fix...

Originally Posted by egoxxtripping

Got it working =)

Put the CD in right clicked on autrun.exe and set it into compatibility mode for windows 2000, launched it, worked great.

Chhers for helping anyway guys. (Also sorry to the guy who spent a long time burning everything on/off CDs. )

[Uninstall]

I'm trying to copy the context but I can't get past the read-only parts. Any idea on how to override this?

[scouse-ash]

the game just doesnt load up for me =/

[Allybee101]

I've got my installed. But it often crashes when I click on the story icon after it's loaded up (goes through the loading screen with the picture of the island and the name of the location). Then when it's about to bring up the play screen it goes black and then stops. Argh!

It was fairly good when I first bought and has got worse over last week. Tried unistalling and re-installing. Doesn't appear to make a difference.

Occasionally I get on and am now about to retrieve the icon for the shaman (which is so annoying as I can't get any further!).

I have Vista on my laptop, only Sims 1 (plus a couple of Ex Packs) and the sys reqs are fine (the laptop is less than a month old!)

Can anyone help me please? Thanks!

[Carolinejayne197]

i am seriously losing the will to live with this game!!! i was so excited to get it cause no other sims work on my vista laptop and ive just spent the past 2 hours trying to get this thing to work....

i have no idea how to do all that putting it onto a dvd stuff, i have tried changing the compatability but when i do that it says error and reinstall and when i do that it starts all over again.....ive downloaded all the DirectX stuff i need and it still will not run!!!

I know i dont have the right specs but that never has been a problem with other games I have played, it just hasnt been very good quality!!

Please please can someone help me! i spent so mjuch money on this game its so unfair it wont work!

Thanks guys! xxx

[Nadine]

My laptop used to run life stories fine.... then one day i had to re-install windows.. after that it said that i needed directx.9.0 or better,,, I have driectx.10.0 and it's still not letting me install it's fustrating.

[groovybluedog]

go to direct x's site and download version 9.0,
try it,
i got this from
THE SIMS LIFE STORIES FORUM at a new website, just for the sims L s

Message Board - Home is the forum, but the site is
THE-SIMS-LIFE-STORIES.WEEBLY.COM