Directx and Sims2.

[scampy1]

I got rid of nvidia graphics card cause it couldn't handle my sims2 and all the add on packs and expansions. I got a new graphics card ati radeon x1600 pro 256mb which was faulty so I decided to do another upgrade and just pay the difference. I got the ati radeon x 1600 pro 512mb. But the problem now is sims2 seems to be conflicting with directx. What should I do?

Here's my exact problem: I get the blue screen while playing. It can be at any point of the game. While saving or just playing. But the game doesn't crash.

If I load the game twice directx is fine. I usually delete groups.cache every now and then. I did this time. I tried to reload the game but I got this message: error Sims2 pets can not find compatible directx drivers.

So I ran dxdiag. I have attached the results. The first lot where it says failure is the first test I ran after I go the message.
The second in the exact same spot where it says successful is when I ran the test after I restarted the computer.

When I restart the computer after I get the error message I can play sims2. The tests show no problems.

Could it be the drivers that came with the new card? And should I uninstall them and install the latest from ati?

Also I don't know if this will help with any information but whilst in game I changes the screen resolution to 1280x1024 because everytime I got the blue screen and I exited the game the graphics card had reset itself to the original settings.

Please help!

P.S If I copy just the downloads folder onto the desktop then uninstall sims2 and the add on packs plus the expansions the reinstall then copy the old downloads folder over the new downloads folder will I lose everything I have downloaded? Like walls or sims when I use sims2 clean installer?

[simsample]

Several things I would recommend to start with. First, start over with your drivers. I would recommend that you remove all old drivers and install the latest drivers from the ATI site.
http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?p=1153011
This page gives links for a program to remove old drivers:
http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?p=1153022
Then I would recommend to create a clean Sims 2 folder as described here:
http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?t=139718
This causes the game to generate a new config folder, so 'rerecognising' the hardware. Some people find that reinstalling is more effective.
Yes, you can backup your Downloads folder, then copy all of your Downloads back into the game to get them back.

[scampy1]

I installed the latest drivers but that made no difference at all. The only thing it did was prevent one of my games to load. So I went back to the restore point I created before I uninstalled the old drivers and installed the new one.

I might try what you said in this article http://www.modthesims2.com/article.php?p=1153022 about deleting the config. I might try tonight or friday or Saturday. Cause I work all day tomorrow and start late today. So Thanks for your help.

[scampy1]

Deleting that file didn't help. When I installed the new graphics driver after add/remove the old ones it made no difference. I even installed the new ones over the old ones it made no difference. I maybe looking at to three possibilities:
1. wipe my harddrive and start over.
2. Uninstall sims2(and all the add-ons plus expansions) and reinstall.
3. Taking off the asus drivers that are there but not the ati drivers.

[simsample]

I would start at reinstalling the sims2; there are config files in the game data too, which sometimes need refreshing.

[scampy1]

I will do that. Thanks.

I had one family I didn't want to lose. But I don't want to move in old neighbourhoods. I actually want to start a fresh. So What I might do is delete everything I don't want in my downloads and keep the stuff I do and then copy the folder over to the desktop. Uninstall the game, reinstall play the game without downloads and see if the problem occurs if it doesn't I will introduce the downloads folder

[simsample]

If you reinstall with a clean Sims 2 folder, you can check whether the game works and then put all of your old files (Downloads, neighbourhoods etc) in to test. Don't replace the config folder though- use the fresh one.