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NEWS: The Sims Online download is now available...online!

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Guest

Guest
If I may offer some helpful advice for all the dial-up users out there -- It won't ease the pain of having to spend the night updating your new re-installation, but it will ensure you only have to experience it ONCE! (The rest of you, pay attention - This could save you as well)

Once you have a fully working, fully updated version of TSO on your hard drive, back it up! If you have a DVD burner, fantastic! If you only have a CD burner, that'll work too, it'll just take a few more discs to get the job done. If you don't have a burner at all, you're behind the times and really should consider getting one pronto!

Copy the entire contents of the Sims Online folder (for most people, it'll be C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims Online) onto your DVD or CD's (I recommend ReWritable media, so you can do this regularly), then put it in a safe place.

If you ever have to wipe your hard drive or re-install TSO, do the following:
1. Install TSO from your original discs - the ones you bought at the store.
2. Once that's all done, shut down TSO.
3. Copy the Entire TSO folder from your backup DVD/CD that you made OVER your Sims Online directory (Yes, you will be over-writing files. Click "Yes to All" whenever it comes up). Make sure that the path you're copying to is the same as the path you copied from when you made your backup discs!
4. Start TSO. For added safety, click "Options" from the login window, and check the "Check files for errors" option.

For those of you without CD burners, the best thing you can do is set aside a partition on your hard drive (or use a separate hard drive if you have one) to copy the TSO folder to. This isn't as safe as the CD method, since you aren't protected from a hard drive crash or accidental wipes, but it's better than sitting 6-10 hours updating.
 
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Guest

Guest
1. Install TSO from your original discs - the ones you bought at the store.

I never used the original disks once I had a current copy. I just copied the files, after deleting the directory. You should save the inbox messages periodically if you want to keep them.
 
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kool24

Guest
i get error "There was an error downloading the manifest.the downloader must quit now" any idea's why?
 
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simmzimmdude590

Guest
The download has completed but it's verifying the files and claims to take "one moment" but it hasn't moved from bar one! And whenever I try to surf during verification the system lockus up until I suspend the setip program. What's happening?
 
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Guest

Guest
eh em, that link is already in Tiggers post on the first page /php-bin/shared/images/icons/tongue.gif
 
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llamapalooza87

Guest
Okay, I am confused- I have a friend who wants to try TSO without paying anything for the trial. Does this mean he can simply download the file, sign up for a trial account and be on his way? And does he ever need to pay for the game files, or just the monthly fee?
 
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Guest

Guest
There is a credit card check however, if you cancle before the 14day trial is over then no you do not pay anything. If however you do not cancle it, then they will charge you the monthly cost.
 
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Jack Star

Guest
Do i have to wait 24 hours or what? To get my registration code?
 
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islawhite72

Guest
after much pursuading of my other half..... im now say awaiting the code! wohoooooooooooooo
 
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islawhite72

Guest
anyone any idea on how long this code takes? not that im impatient or anything... i know they said 24 hours but i guess i was getting my hopes up since one person said it only took 3 hrs. Its been 15hrs now... should i have had a "we are dealing with your request" type email or something yet??? Or do you just get the confirmation email????
 
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x Storm x

Guest
Hi Isla,

Yeah, you should have had the email to confirm they recieved your message and are dealing with your request about 5mins after it went through etc Then less than an hour later the account got activated after i recieved the email to say its all set up. (all i had to do was start up TSO put my username and password in as usual then i was playing) you dont get the code with the trial now they activate it differently now as you need credit card details.

strange how you still dont have any emails at all, could you have mistyped the email address mabye hun? easy thing to do i know i did the first time i got the trial...

[Edited to say] Also you should recieve more than one email, One to say about you creating your new EA account, then another to say your billing ifno has been updated then one is to say they are dealing with the request.

something like that anyways lol
 
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Mermaidaz

Guest
When I did mine. I had the code in a few mins. this was a while back however, and I didn't need credit card to activate it. at that time You didn't need to enter credit card till the 14 days were over. In case you changed your mind.

My suggestion is to try again, the worse thing that could happen is you'll get two codes. and you could play both, and only activate one if your staying in the game with it.

Make sure your email was not typed wrong. Have you got any new mail at all.
 
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Guest

Guest
if i remember correctly you dont get a code anymore? Just a message saying "your account has been activated, enjoy your free trial!" or something like that..
 
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x Storm x

Guest
Thats right beatty, you get the email to say its activated then you just login with your new account name and password.
 
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Guest

Guest
you get the email to say its activated

Maybe not even that. When I got a trial recently, I never received an email but just logged in a few hours later and was up and running.
 
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LadyOSins

Guest
Hi, I am wondering are they not selling the game any longer? Is downloading it the only way to get the game now? And, if they aren't selling it, why?

Thanks for any help.
 
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Guest

Guest
You can still find it in the store and at some online stores also. But you can read Maxis Kyles answer to your questions here
 
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whoopiedoo

Guest
i think the link is down, cause im unable to download it, i just get server error.
 
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mrwoodrowsim

Guest
i tried to download then when i clicked download it says Internet Explorer cannot download setup The Sims Online.exe from largedownloads.ea.com so what do i do?
 
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TSOOldTimersWife

Guest
This has been downloading for HOURS and it keeps stopping and restarting...lol. It has said "24 minutes remaining" for the last 5 or 6 hours! hmmmm
 
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Guest

Guest
Hmmm, I would sugest re-starting the download, but then again, I wouldnt wanna lose all that time I spent Downloading it, lol. Maybe try downloading it over-night and see if it works...

Im also having a problem, I wanna burn the acctual game to a CD, so if I ever have to wipe my Hard Drive, I wont have to download it all over again. Im looking for some free programs that might be able to "Split" it up on a couple of disks? Or know a way how to do that?
 
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Sandra

Guest
Just copy and paste the files from the TSO folder onto 3 different CDs. You don't need a special program to do it, as long as when you restore them, you put them all back in the right place.

To restore, you just install TSO from your old CD, but then after the install finishes, you don't patch up. You delete the TSO folder. Then, you copy the saved TSO files from your CDs back to the Maxis folder, replacing the one you just deleted. All you need to do after that is to start a Verification to get the game working and download the latest version.

That's what I did anyway.
 
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TSOOldTimersWife

Guest
I guess I'll just download from my dinosaur CDs and then deal with the overnight update...sigh. I mean, only 511 MB /php-bin/shared/images/icons/wink.gif
 
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egidius

Guest
hmm... not to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems this "solution" to free trial abusers may not be quite as good as it sounds, and it is nothing that EA has done. It seems there is a potential workaround courtesy of a website I will leave nameless in hopes that the abusers either are less intelligent than I or they simply haven't heard of this. I am not 100% sure that this "workaround" actually works, as I have yet to try it, but just from doing some digging, it seems very possible that it will work, unless EA is also screening for duplicate billing name/address/phone numbers.
 
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ShyType

Guest
Okay, I purchased TSO awhile ago and never got around to playing it because my old desktop crashed, and did not have enough space. Now I own a lap top, brand new. What I'd like to know is TSO worth 9.99 a month? Also I'd like to play Sims 2 on here. I am just worried there will not be enough space. Any suggestions?
 
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Guest

Guest
Depends on the size of your hard drive /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

Re: if it's worth playing, best I can suggest is scroll around there are a few other posts asking this /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

*Personally I think it is*
 
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Marie'

Guest
Thanks Tigger for the link, I guess this means I'll be playing TSO at work. Of course I don't want the boss to catch me so I'll be sure to remove the icon and titles referencing tso from the START menu list.

Got my fingers crossed on this one. Yours truly,

"A TSO addict..... umm.... at home and soon to be at work"
 
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Marie'

Guest
I already have a tso account, I don't need a free trial version. What to do?? I mean if I download it, will it ask for credit card info?

By the way to anyone who's interested, you don't have to use a credit card they have other means of taking your money.
 
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Guest

Guest
I believe you should be able to download the game with out having to enter a CC number. The only time you would need it is when requesting the CD code
 
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Guest

Guest
When you download the game, you will also receive an e-mail with information and links for starting up your EA account and receiving a CD key. If you already have an EA account and have TSO activated, you can safely ignore that e-mail. Simply enter your existing EA account name when requested during installation.
 
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Guest

Guest
they dont give out a code though, they send an email "Granting" you with all that jazz.
 
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PieOhPah

Guest
I wonder if downloading the free trial will circumvent the current server outage issue for those who didn't have the most recent update.....anyone got an answer?
 
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Guest

Guest
I tried it. Reinstalling from the trial did nothing to solve the updater error problem for me.
 
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ChrisBoi

Guest
i dont get it, the TSO trial is still on? I've had it twice, once last year and the summer before last years. I never knew the trial was still on everyone said it ended.
 
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Guest

Guest
The free trial was available a few times on fileplanet then in June of last year they desided to put it on their own servers making it available to anyone at any time even those that might have lost their disks and just need to reinstall. Also they have a stricter pollicy for obtaining a CD code to prevent abusers.
 
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ChrisBoi

Guest
Do i have to register another EA account to get another 14 days after the end of my previous trial?
 
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Guest

Guest
Yep, you cant get a free trial on your current account. If you already have an account you should activate it.
 
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KatieG2002

Guest
I am so thankful for this!!! I had to install TSO on a new computer. The version I have on CD is the very first version. I installed it once and it took hours to update through the game. To download a later version took no time at all. Thank you maxis!!!:)
 
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Mr. B

Guest
ShyType - wrote:

Okay, I purchased TSO awhile ago and never got around to playing it because my old desktop crashed, and did not have enough space. Now I own a lap top, brand new. What I'd like to know is TSO worth 9.99 a month? Also I'd like to play Sims 2 on here. I am just worried there will not be enough space. Any suggestions?

My Reply -

Remeber this is just one players opinion. But, I would have to say that it is DEFANITLY worth the 10bucks! Of course you are talking to a person that pays for almost his whole family to play! I currently pay for 1-Myself, 2-My Wife, 3-My Sister, 4-My Brother, 5-A Very Trusted Close Friend. So Yes I truely believe that it is WORTH every penney I pay for my account PLUS! And, nope I don't USUALLY 99% of the time play any of these others sims. I just like to have fun with other folks that I really know!

And, I do like to meet new people in game as well! So if anyone wants to meet me IN GAME. I live in CC, BF, and AV! Just look me up!
 
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Wiz

Guest
It's all peachy.. but I have many friends that I have given this link to... and none of them have a credit card... Isn't there some other way they can get it?
 
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Djbigcountry

Guest
Not sure if this helps but Most Radio Shacks and CVS drug stores have a prepaid CC that you can use. I have one and use it on TSO. Works wonderfully.
 
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Hunting Cows

Guest
Hi sorry I don't mean to go off topic. But what do you mean about Pre Paid Credit Cards? That is is like a Mastercard/ Visa with a 12 digit number on it that has $10 / 20 / 50 on it?
 
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Djbigcountry

Guest
yeah mine is a mastercard, looks like and acts like one. you reload it for any denomination at a radio shack. They have a website but Im not sure if I can post it here without violating the ROC
 
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Guest

Guest
There are any number of places where you can buy pre-paid credit cards. Walmart springs to mind. These cards work exactly like regular Visa or MasterCards, except instead of drawing from a line of credit extended to you, they draw from however much you pay in advance. There's a pretty good explanation of how pre-paid cards work - including a list of pros and cons - here.

Another option is seeing if your bank offers debit cards with their checking accounts. These cards also carry the Visa or MasterCard logo and are functionally identical to real credit cards, using whatever you have in your checking account as the "credit limit" rather than an actual line of credit.

Both cards are functionally identical to credit cards - they have 16-digit card numbers, a 3- or 4-digit security code (most online stores require this now), and an expiration date.
 
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Hunting Cows

Guest
Thanks Kath. I was wondering, about the ones at Walmart ... do you they have any service fees?

Thanks
 
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Guest

Guest
I think all of them have an activation fee of some kind. It's well worth shopping around for the best deal.
 
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