Mod The Sims - My Anti-Virus software won't let me play Sims 2!

Miscellaneous - My Anti-Virus software won't let me play Sims 2!

Replies: 14 (Who?), Viewed: 2623 times.

22nd May 2008, 12:02 PM	My Anti-Virus software won't let me play Sims 2! #1
Talanta Original Poster Test Subject Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 31	I have all the expansion packs up to and including Seasons, and all the patches from the official website. I'm running it on Windows XP on a Dell PC. Thing is, I've been playing the game successfully on my PC for two years... just yesterday I was playing my Sims and it was all fine. Then I go to play on it today and suddenly my Anti-Virus software says it won't allow me to play the game because it has "found a threat - probably a variant of unknown virus"... the particular object it has an issue with is C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\ The Sims 2 Seasons\TSBin\Sims2EP5.exe The Anti-virus software I am running is ESET NOD32. There's absolutely no reason why it should be coming up with this, and I have searched in the program to see if I can tell it that what it has foudn is NOT a virus, even just to try and shut the whole thing down so I can start the game, but there are no options for that anywhere. I've searched on Google for this problem and I can't find it anywhere! Please help - what's going on? The Sims 2 is NOT a virus!!!

22nd May 2008, 12:29 PM	#2
whiterider Oh, My! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 14,630 Thanks: 27814 in 63 Posts 30 Achievements View My Journal	Shut the anti-virus down while you're playing - it might even make your game perform better, two birds with one stone .
	"On the page, punctuation performs its grammatical function, but in the mind of the reader it does more than that. It tells the reader how to hum the tune." - Lynn Truss, Eats, Shoots and Leaves

22nd May 2008, 12:23 PM	#3
Talanta Original Poster Test Subject Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 31	I think that is going to be the only way. The really weird thing is yesterday and all the other days before today, it was fine with my Sims game, but now it suddenly doesn't like it? Further developments - I figured out how to tell my antivirus to exclude anything in my EA GAMES folder.... but now my desktop shortcut has completely disappeared and when I put in my Seasons disk it asks me if I want to install. Further, my antivirus program is now going absolutely nuts and telling me that every single game on my computer, not just the Sims 2, is apparently a virus! Hoo boy this is gonna take some fixing... if/when I fix this, I will post a solution here.

22nd May 2008, 01:17 PM	#4
treeag Theorist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,340 Thanks: 79075 in 48 Posts 25 Achievements View My Journal	So it's happening to you too? My whole PC is messed up just now, I suspect the latest ESET update borked it. It also flagged all the Sims2EPxx.exe as virus too (also my adobe photosop executables)!!!!! Now I'm trying to restore my pc to may 18. I'll see if it fixes the problem. EDIT : Found many people experienced the same with NOD32. The solution is to update to 3121, I've updated it, and it seems that the problem is fixed. Let's just see crosses fingers
	Last edited by treeag : 22nd May 2008 at 01:24 PM.

22nd May 2008, 01:35 PM	#5
Talanta Original Poster Test Subject Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 31	Yep, I was just about to say - I e-mailled ESET NOD32 people and they said their latest update was corrupt and to please update to the latest version - 3121. I did so and now none of my games are being read as viruses. Unfortunately, my anti-virus software managed to completely delete my Seasons game in its eagerness to wipe out all threats to the computer, and I now have to reinstall. I only hope that there's no problem with installation (you know, some bits of the game in My Documents still being there, but the folder in Program Files being deleted and such... in the past my game has had problem reinstalling when one folder has been deleted and the other still there). Anyone who has ESET NOD32 Anti-virus and is having problems with their Sims 2 game - get the latest update!!!

22nd May 2008, 04:11 PM	#6
treeag Theorist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,340 Thanks: 79075 in 48 Posts 25 Achievements View My Journal	Weren't all the files detected quarantined? Mine were. I just restored them all...

22nd May 2008, 07:38 PM	#7
simsample 'Death, death, death' Until the sun cries morning Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16,822 Thanks: 7862 in 83 Posts 18 Achievements View My Journal	Wow, that's one efficient antivirus! Reminds me of when I cleaned up a Win 2K PC with CCleaner on the highest setting; it wanted to delete the WinNT folder!
	I will choose a path that's clear- I will choose free will RUSH Headlong Flight Performing Arts Award Star Rush OC Please check out my profile policies before PMing me! Thanks.

22nd May 2008, 11:46 PM	#8
callistra shiny! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 6,039 Thanks: 5184 in 13 Posts 10 Achievements	I have ESET NOD32, latest build and definitions and I have zero problems...I log in and update daily and I've never had any issues like this. Whatever the problem, it isn't Eset's fault.
	Game Help \| Computer Help \| TS2/TS3 System Requirements

23rd May 2008, 02:57 AM

treeag

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It's their fault, callistra. They confirmed it themselves. Updates 3119 and 3120 are corrupted. If you must, you can read one of many complaints here. Marcos, an ESET employee confirmed it himself at that thread.

Quote:

The problem has been identified and fixed with update 3121. Actually it was not a typical false positive caused by signatures or heuristics.

23rd May 2008, 04:16 AM	#10
callistra shiny! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 6,039 Thanks: 5184 in 13 Posts 10 Achievements	Well, like I said I am on my computer daily, and update my NOD32 daily and it has never effected me.. odd.
	Game Help \| Computer Help \| TS2/TS3 System Requirements

23rd May 2008, 08:14 PM	#11
simsample 'Death, death, death' Until the sun cries morning Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16,822 Thanks: 7862 in 83 Posts 18 Achievements View My Journal	Wow, I hope it didn't cause any other problems! If it's just affected The Sims 2 that's not too bad, as you can reinstall (but don't forget to backup your game data before uninstalling). It may also be worth doing a system file check: http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html
	I will choose a path that's clear- I will choose free will RUSH Headlong Flight Performing Arts Award Star Rush OC Please check out my profile policies before PMing me! Thanks.

24th May 2008, 02:03 AM	#12
treeag Theorist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,340 Thanks: 79075 in 48 Posts 25 Achievements View My Journal	Simsample, according to the thread, it affected many other games and softwares (as my adobe programs were affected too). But the fix was released within a few hours so it's possible that the users who didn't notice that weren't on their pc when it happened.

24th May 2008, 12:04 PM	#13
simsample 'Death, death, death' Until the sun cries morning Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16,822 Thanks: 7862 in 83 Posts 18 Achievements View My Journal	They sure moved fast to fix that!
	I will choose a path that's clear- I will choose free will RUSH Headlong Flight Performing Arts Award Star Rush OC Please check out my profile policies before PMing me! Thanks.

24th May 2008, 12:12 PM	#14
G.O.C. What just happend? Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,761 2 Achievements	They did! My Son in Wales has "the sims 2" and "sim city 4" and my network sent me an email to say that his was affected but as mine was off at the time it didn't affect mine. Clever old NOD32!!
	Life is for LIVING so, LIVE it and have Fun Please use "spell check" when posting!!! Prejudice is the child of ignorance.

24th May 2008, 12:31 PM	#15
treeag Theorist Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,340 Thanks: 79075 in 48 Posts 25 Achievements View My Journal	Yeah, pretty impressive. I started getting the problem at around 6 pm and it was fixed at around 6.45, they sure are fast

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