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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 17th Mar 2019 at 2:14 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default My game reverted back to original settings!
So I started up my game today, after my sister had been using it the day before. She ran down the game normally, and then didn't shut down the computer "normally", but simply pressed the button to turn it off. Don't know if this is a problem, but mentioned it just in case. Today I started up the game as usual, and the first sign that something was wrong was that the loading screen was very zoomed in, like when I had first installed the game. The problem was, when I loaded my neighborhood (Riverblossom Hills), the whole thing had reverted back to how it was originally, as if I had never played it. My last backup was unfortunately a while ago. When looking in the Sims 2 folder, in storytelling for example, all the families I created are still pictured there, so it seems like the data itself is still there. When I loaded it on SimPE though, it had already changed to the original version. Now I don't really dare to touch the other neighborhoods, in case they also change back.
I remember having a problem like this years ago, but have no idea what I did to fix it or if it just went back to normal! Any help would be great!

Some details:
All expansion packs and stuff packs installed except the Ikea one.
I do have custom content, but sorted it pretty recently so low chance of this being the problem. I don't download a lot either anymore.
The system is Windows 10 Home, 64-bit operating system. It's a Dell Inspiron 3252.
I just ran a disk check, no problems detected.

Let me know if any more info is needed!
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 17th Mar 2019 at 5:21 PM
What anti-virus are you using? A lot of newer ones randomly decide that old game files are viruses.
Check the data files and see if they're set to read-only - some systems do that apparently at random.
Did the computer do any automatic updates when it was turned back on?

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 18th Mar 2019 at 10:59 AM
I just downloaded Avira anti-virus software. I checked the files and they are set to read-only. When I ran down the computer a few days ago, it did install new updates, but not anything when it was on.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 18th Mar 2019 at 5:18 PM
Game program files should be set to read-only in case of accidents. Game data files should never be set to read-only, as then you can't save your gameplay. It can sometimes be hard to clear all the read-only markers, I understand; if you have a system that likes to do this, you may have to uncheck every single file by hand, rather than just unchecking it at the folder level.
Whitelist your Sims2 files in Avira. It can't hurt.
New updates can break old programs that the programmers don't expect you to be running - it's a problem as old as updates. But of course you don't want to roll back any updates that actually do something useful, so leave that alone until you've tested the above steps. If, after doing that, you change your game settings back to where you want them, close the game, and get back in to find them all reset, then it'll be time to hunt down what was updated on the day this happened, and roll them back one by one till you find the guilty party.
Depending on exactly what happened, your played neighborhoods may have been deleted or overwritten. If so, I am sorry for your loss and hope you have back ups. Before you despair, though, hunt through those data folders and see if there's any duplicated folders where your neighborhoods might be hiding. The ways of computer programs are mysterious and chaotic and make no human sense!

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Top Secret Researcher
#5 Old 18th Mar 2019 at 5:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by katt2008
I just downloaded Avira anti-virus software. I checked the files and they are set to read-only. When I ran down the computer a few days ago, it did install new updates, but not anything when it was on.


Some files are not meant to be set to read only, because if those files are set to read only the game is not able to save your game and it would also not be able to save your settings. That the files are set to read only is most likely that your game reverted to its original settings. You do not want to have all of the files set to read only. I am pretty sure that the only file you want to be set to read only is objects.package

for info on changing the Mac Open File Limit check out my post here http://www.insimenator.org/index.ph...html#msg1628939
Curiosity killed the cat,
but satisfaction brought it back.
Mad Poster
#6 Old 18th Mar 2019 at 5:49 PM
You can set all the program files to read-only safely, lordtyger - after you've patched them. You don't want your program files being changed by, say, a virus.
The data files are the ones that should never be set to read-only, as that's where all your gameplay happens.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Top Secret Researcher
#7 Old 19th Mar 2019 at 12:16 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
You can set all the program files to read-only safely, lordtyger - after you've patched them. You don't want your program files being changed by, say, a virus.
The data files are the ones that should never be set to read-only, as that's where all your gameplay happens.


Ahh OK Program Files vs Data Files I should have wrote, I will keep the distinction in mind.

for info on changing the Mac Open File Limit check out my post here http://www.insimenator.org/index.ph...html#msg1628939
Curiosity killed the cat,
but satisfaction brought it back.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#8 Old 19th Mar 2019 at 10:21 AM
Okay, thanks for all your help! I am going to make sure the data files are not set to read-only and whitelist the files on Avira, and see what happens from there.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 19th Mar 2019 at 3:28 PM
So I applied those changes, and the other neighborhoods in the game are fine, and have not changed back to how they were orginially. Unfortunately, the Riverblossom Hills I had played and clicked on when the game 'reverted back' is still the same. I guess the files in that folder must also not be 100% like they were before, so there isn't really anything to do about it. Sadly, my last back up was a while ago, so I guess you can only leave it be for now.
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