Stupid question about Sims

[The Designer]

Eh. I posted at the real Sim site, but I figure someone here might know and would be able to respond quicker.

Out of the blue, Sims (up to Unleashed installed) would suddenly begin to crash on the last "text phase" of the loading screen. Right before it would switch into neighborhood view, it would appear to alt-tab out, but it would close. I thought installing Superstar would help, but it has not. I reviewed many threads concerning this topic (at the Sims BBS help center), but I have tried everything suggested (at the Sims BBS help center): Running a checkdisk, downloading and running both File Cop and the CMX validation, adding the extra text to the target of a desktop icon. Perhaps the problem is that XP (Home) will not allow me to download service pack 1. It claims there is a problem with a dll and that the cryptographic service isn't working right. If anyone has any idea how to fix this (which seems to be a wonderfully advanced version of many people's problems (just my luck)), I would be more than eternally grateful. Thanks!

[Rudy]

Not that I'm an expert on that royally sad game, but I was told the Sims tends to have compatability issues with several OSs. I've seen a fair share of errors in that game and what you're experiencing sounds all too familiar.

My advice is to use the CDs for it as frisbees and have a brick wall catch them. With any luck, you'll have more fun watching it shatter into fragments than you would actually playing a game where it takes an hour and a half for the characters to take a dump. So realistic, yet so...not.