My Game Won't Play

[SenkoTwiik]

I don't know if it's something with my computer or my game disk, but lately, my game won't play. It just tells me that there's no disk in the drive and to insert it, and I'm sure I have my game in. Yet it won't start up. If I try maybe 30 or 40 times in a row, the game will eventually play, but I want to fix the problem so it starts up on one try.

My disk isn't incredibly scratched, nothing heavy. All the scratches are light and shallow.

My disk drive is a little shakey when I eject, but it plays other disks just fine.

How do I find out what's wrong with my game?

And if it's the disk that's broken, will getting a new disk erase all of my game progress?

HELP!

[caffeinated.joy]

Can you try it in another computer?

[SenkoTwiik]

I tried it on my mom and my brother's computers.
It's not installed on either of them, but the option to auto run comes up at least.

[Theraven]

Have you tried to wait a bit before starting the game from the desktop icon? Sometimes the game needs some time. The autorun can be a bit weird at times.

Have you deleted the cache files?

Have you tried to run it directly from the exe file? (right-click the desktop icon, choose "open file placement" or something like that, and look for the "Sims2EP(X).EXE" file ("X" being a number, the one belonging to the EP/SP you're running), and double-click it. 

Have you tried to move out all the game files (documents/The Sims 2) and let the game files recreate themselves, to see if those might be the problem?

Have you cleaned out dust from your computer lately (if you're running it on a desktop)?

Chances are it's either the disk or the game itself. I know I had some similar troubles once, and it turned out to be the game.

[SenkoTwiik]

I have deleted cache files.
I have cleaned out dust.
I have waited for the autorun to start.

But I haven't done exe file, or moving the game files.

Bodyshop still works, as well. I will try the other things and see if they work.

[SenkoTwiik]

Update: I tried to right click on the icon, and I couldn't find what you were talking about. That option wasn't available. Here's my screenshot.

[Dullahan]

Try going to the exe file in your computer files, then.

In my case, that is Computer > Programs > EA Games > The sims 2 fun with pets collection > EP99 > TSBin
And then run Sims2Launcher.

To find which location it is on yours, right-click the icon, and hit 'Open file location'.

[caffeinated.joy]

Of course, for you, you'll want to replace "Sims 2 fun with pets" to "Sims 2 Apartment Life".

You can also directly access the .exe file from there that bypasses the launcher completely and make the .exe file a shortcut on your desktop to permanently bypass the launcher and take you straight into the game when you click it. The file path should look something like:

Programs\EA Games\The Sims 2 Apartment Life\TSBin

If you're using Windows 7 or Vista, then you'll want to start with Program Files (x86), then go to EA Games, etc.

The file you're looking for is Sims2EP8.exe

If you make a shortcut on your desktop of this file and click on it when you want to play, it will always completely bypass the annoying launcher.

[SenkoTwiik]

Thanks guys. I will try these things.

Also, like Theraven suggested, if this doesn't work, I will try to remove my game files.
But I have a lot of downloads and saved bodyshop projects. Is it safe to remove the game files? My custom stuff won't get messed up?

UPDATE:
I tried these ideas.
I went to the EXE file from the path suggested.
Clicking on the exe still would not let me start my game. It told me again that there was no disk.
I also tried removing my game folder out of My Documents. Same thing.
I'm not sure what's up with this thing.

[Dullahan]

With removing your game files, just move them to your desktop, or back them up somewhere. So move your savedsims, neighborhood and downloads to your desktop(and any other files you may want to save).

Do you have some sort of Firewall that would be blocking the game?

Question:
What about if you try re-installing? You said that the other computers come up with the autorun, so.

[SenkoTwiik]

I don't think any of my firewalls would interfere with my game. I'm not sure though. I haven't changed any settings since before when my game worked.

If I uninstall and then reinstall, and save my downloads and neighborhood files, will my game keep them just like before (considering I put them back in my newly installed game folder)?

[Theraven]

Some of them (and certain antivirus programs) can. They either stop the program or sees harmless game files as "false positives" thinking they're viruses. 

[SenkoTwiik]

Okay, I experimented a little with my antivirus and firewall.
I took the firewall off, and scanned the game with my antivirus. It found no threat, but still would not work with either of these items done.

[Dullahan]

To answer your question, yes, if you save your files and reinstall, everything will be the same.
I've done this before, so.

The neighborhoods folder is what has all your saved stuff in it, so as long as you save that, all your sims and such will be fine.

And have you installed any new programs since it stopped working?

[SenkoTwiik]

I don't think I did.
Also, I should have REALLY mentioned this earlier, but it slipped my mind and I don't really know how.

But prior to my game having this little running problem, I would go to play in a house and one or two sims would be missing. Like they would completely not exist. Their files are still in SimPE, but the other sims don't have any knowledge of them, and they are basically deleted in my game. It wouldn't be like this with all my households, just a couple.

Do you think this may be related?