And I spent $40 buying a new expansion. Sucks.

It's not that your graphics card is "bad," but sometimes certain hardware doesn't work with certain software. It's really sad, but it happens. Future patches to the software *might* fix this, but considering Maxis is focusing on making Sims3, probably not. Also, getting a different copy of the game wouldn't help: it's something inherent to Sims2 that doesn't "play nice" with your graphics hardware, not a "bad disc." In all likelihood, Sims2 will never work with this laptop. Sorry. :\ On the upside, if it is a new laptop, Sims3 probably will. If you basically got the laptop to play Sims2 and check email, I would look into exchanging it for a slightly different laptop while it's new. Alternatively, can you still use your old laptop for Sims2, and the new laptop for everything else? I have a similar story: my hot-as-shit gaming laptop happens to have the *one* graphics card/motherboard combination that causes Bioshock to freeze within the first five minutes. It sucks, but at least my other games run well (and I've borrowed a friends' XBOX 360 version to play through). Also: in defense of your boyfriend, these sorts of hardware/software "App killer" conflicts are really quite rare (and completely random). He wouldn't have any way of knowing about this in advance, even if he's a super-computer-guy. Hope it works out for you. Sorry to be so bleak.

PS: Oh, but definitely be sure to try patching your game, just in case: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/

*Sniffs* I guess. It's not something I can fix from my end, right? It mostly works, except from that one thing. *Sniffles some more*

I've never played the Sims, but when I got a new Vista laptop and stuck some games on it, I found using the "compatibility mode" that is an option in the properties of the programme executable and/or shortcut stopped crashes in games that had worked on worse hardware but with XP. Would that be something you haven't tried yet?

You may find some help at thehttp://forums.thesimsresource.com/forumdisplay.php?f=494, its part of a great site.

Setting it in "compatibility mode" doesn't seem to make a difference, sadly. But it was a good idea to check that. I'm surprised at the issues since they're still putting out expansion packs for Sims2, but since I can't afford to buy a new computer, I'm stumped. This is very frustrating... I'm out some $540 (I bought refurbished) and the one thing I needed my laptop to do, which the old one couldn't, this one can't do either.

Chip type: Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family This is your problem. Your boyfriend doesnt understand that this is not a gaming chip. You will need to buy a laptop with an nvidia or ATI graphics chip. Pretty much any will work. You may get lucky by visiting the gateway support page and installing the newest drivers for this video card, but if you are still in the 30 day return period then you should just return it.

Does it happen when just using the standalone Sims Character Cretor tool? (You should be able to access it via the Start Menu links without having to launch the base game at all.) I'd definitely patch the base game and the Free Time expansion pack. Also, is your copy of the Sims 2 the original Sims 2 or one of the re-releases (Sims 2 Double Deluxe being the latest)? For all intents and purposes, it does sound like it might be the graphics card. Unfortunately Vista and laptop compatilibility and support for older titles is along the lines of if it works, great, if it doesn't, we're sorry.

.I'll consider this a lesson in future computer purchases, and see if I can either update the graphics capacity of the laptop cheaply (is it possible and in the $60 range?), or flog the games to try to recoup some of my losses on the cost of the new laptop. Either way, I'm not very impressed with EA or certain persons (that I am otherwise affectionate towards in a romantic sense) and their pretences of computer expertise. I don't really understand graphics cards, so I'll stop sputtering 'Inconceivable!' in a Vicini fashion and try to stop fretting about the unfixable.