Hello!
I used to play The Sims 2 alot when I was a child and it's definitely what caused my current computer addiction, so when Origin gave the Ultimate Collection for free last year I redeemed the code the second I heard it. I couldn't play back then because of real stuff and then I just forgot, but now I'm interested in checking the game out.

I usually always play my games with CC and mods, so while the game was downloading I started skimming through the internet for some must-have mods and CC.. when I found out that (maybe exaggerating a little? maybe?) the smallest game play thing can actually bork up your sims/lot/neighbourhood/game. Now I also realize why my sims game was so dorky back when I was little and the game had to be reinstalled over and over again. Both my laptop and the game, cause I'd burn that thing up with playing the game so often, had a hard time back then. I did the things that wasn't allowed just because I didn't know, but now I know, so I'm gonna try to do it a bit better. Back on point.. I installed all the things that should keep corruption at bay. No secret society, stray, townie, dormie regen.. No trash memories, ffsdebugger, no corrupt death, no unlink on delete, anti redunancy.. Townie apartment residents and only one professor too, and basically alot more but those are the mods/hacks I read that can greatly improve performance and stop bloating/corruption. I know not to do interactions with Universal NPC's that aren't possible (I'll probably start screaming and pull my Sims as far away from them as possible if they dare to come somewhere near my sims) or add them to my family. I read not to delete things the regular way, don't save lots that have been in a world/lived on already. Don't save a lot with ghosts, people using a telephone, I read something about controlled cars? something that's controlled.. story short: don't save when your sim is doing anything except for sleeping or sitting on the toilet, probably. Be careful with graves. I've read up on all of the stuff and I'm still searching for lists with things that cause corruption to see if anything I didn't see before new pops up.
But I'm still not really at ease with the whole thing.

I'm gonna download all the mods I can find that makes the game smoother and reduce corruption chance (and make sure they don't conflict not to create more disaster). I'm thinking of doing/creating a "clean" neighbourhood, and I've found a few tutorials about it but I don't know which ones are good and which ones are bad, so if someone has a link to a tutorial they know is good, I'd be very thankful. Other tips or tricks I might've missed, maybe some really essential mods I read over are welcome too. And, thanks whoever answers in advance, it saddens me how careful we have to be with the game so it doesn't explode. I'm just trying to have my game live longer than a few minutes!

You need to get all the "Essential Mods" in this thread http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=532696
Not only will they help with corruption BO's mods will help with keeping the bloat down.

You may want to go over and read the wiki page on it http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/Game_gui...ding_corruption

Sounds like you've done some good research and PlatinumPlumbbob's and Marka's suggestions are important. I would also emphasize making regular backups of your game and storing them in an organized way so that if worse comes to worst, you can install your latest backup and won't lose all your progress. If you take precautions, Sims 2 actually holds up quite well -- enjoy getting back into the game!

Also don't delete sims and don't move an occupied lot into the lot bin and/or to another neighbourhood.

Thank you all alot!
I've had all the downloads from the essential list except for 3, which I've downloaded now so I think I'm good. I'm reading up on getting a clean neighbourhood, too, and tutorials on how to delete Sims without screwing things up. And back-ups is a very neat idea: I hadn't thought of that, but I'll sure do it now. It's very weird how poorly coded this game actually is, so bad that it can actually destroy itself, but well, it was created eleven years ago.. I think my game will survive longer than atleast a week now, if I'm very careful and try not to do anything bad. One week of playing is all I'm asking! (but I'd be really glad if it could be more, too). Thanks again guys.

If you really want to prevent corruption, don't delete sims at all. What are you hoping to accomplish by deleting sims? Maybe we can help you find a safer way to accomplish it.

Clean and empty templates with give you no sims except your own. Or if you just want to be rid of a few, kill them, it's much safer.

If you don't know what it is, don't do it anyway because it's likely to be bad.
The game is over 11 years old and still contains some mysteries never solved.

Play with backups. Even corrupted neighborhoods can be played for a long time. Also, this guide is a helpful one as well. http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/Game_gui...e_to_play_as%3F

If you don't want to risk evening attempting to delete a Sim, you could always make a lot and call it
"Trash Bin"
and then just kill off all the Sims you don't want anymore and throw their graves in there. You know, so they don't bother your loved Sim ghosts at the graveyard,

Or just move them to the graveyard and shove them in a different area.
I never ever trust myself having urns/tombstones on a res. lot

Not sure if it's on the list but also install Boiling Oil's 'No Sim Loaded'. This deletes tokens that can slow loading, fix certain issues with sims and prevents the Super Hug. Also if you install any kind of cc that contains an NPC you must never remove them. Read over carefully but often creators don't say. If an object moves about your yard it's pretty much guaranteed to contain an NPC.

The only reason I wanted to delete Sims because if I don't really use a sim anymore and don't ever will, I have the tendency to delete them. I also feared that my game would get full of my own created Sims and that would be a bad thing, too. I didn't really know how bad deleting a sim is or not, but killing them might indeed be better than deleting.. Also a little more amusing. Thanks for telling me that!
I have No Sim Loaded too, yes! Objects starting to move around sounds so weird and creepy. I don't think I have any CC that has a NPC included, only hair and just a few 3t2 conversions and recolors of Maxis objects so I think I should be safe. I know what everything is in my downloads folder and I always read where I have to put something and how to use, and if I don't remember something I'm on google in no time.
Again, thank you all alot for answering me!

Yeah, if it's an individual sim you don't want anymore, death is a far safer option than deleting. Also easier, and (if your into that sort of thing) more amusing.

Deleting sims is one of the worst thing you can do.By objects moving, I mean things like cows and birds, a child's tricycle, things you expect to move.

Hey, sorry, I hope I'm not bumping this but I had a small question. I didn't find anything about it when trying to google it but better safe than sorry and I figured it was easier to just post here again instead of making another topic.
I really like one of the EAxis made (unoccupied, that might be important) Apartment houses that was put in the Lot bin when installing Apartment Life. But I'm not sure if it's safe to place those in the neighbourhood. I would just place it, change the interior and exterior a bit and then move some fresh out of CAS sims into it. I wouldn't save it again or whatsoever, just place it and do stuff with it. I'd think of it as being not bad as long as I don't save it in my Lot bin again but you never know. The houses could be bad themselves.
Also, I use meetme2theriver's clean EA/Maxis neighbourhoods, not sure if that matters but might be useful detail. I was playing with one of the premade households and I wondered if it would be bad to move in some pets I made in CAS?

It's only occupied lots that are risky. Unoccupied lots that have been played before might still contain some stuff that can mess thing up, but an unoccupied Maxis lot shouldn't be a risk. I can't see any problem with moving in some pets either. The game really isn't as unstable as it seems, as long as you don't do anything risky (i. e. deleting sims).

If you have the essential mods and don't delete sims - then it is time to start enjoying the game After all, it is a game, you can't worry about corruption all the time.

I would second that ... and I'm one of the most obsessive worry-warts out there when it comes to Sims 2 and corruption.

Know the basic things not to do, get those essential mods in there (or if you don't choose to use them, know what can happen if you don't and take certain steps to prevent anything bad ... some people choose not to use certain essential mods because they affect other aspects of gameplay), but most of all ... have fun!

And if you corrupt your hood (NEVER do any game corrupting actions, such as messing around with Mrs. C, unless you enjoy reinstalling your game), know that corruption can show its effects any time between almost immediately and years later. I would package any unoccupied and unplayed CC lots you like and make back-ups for later games, just in case. If you really like some of your Sims, clone and package them. They won't have the same memories, but you can always claim amnesia! The Batbox can at least graduate adult Sims from Uni.

One more thing to prevent corruption. If you ever need to do a 50/50 to detect a bad download, and you have custom PTs, copy your game, test on the copy, delete the bad download from your original game, and get rid of the copy. Do not delete your original game. Your alien children will lose their alien parents in the family tree, and you will have corrupted your hood. I once corrupted two hoods within days of each other because I did that.

http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/Game_gui...ding_corruption

Oh, and re the squiggles ... don't get too upset if you have CC and see an occasional squiggle. Some CC modded items can cause this, and it is generally not harmful. If you see an increasing amount of them. though, and you haven't installed any modded CC item recently ... that's a problem.