If any Windows 8 users are still having this problem, watch this video. It helped me SO much. Now I'm able to play TS2 Ultimate Collection whenever I want!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB9xN8hMyEU
Good luck 🙂
Progress update...
I used the paul.dll fix http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-2/Info-Request-Sims-2-does-not-start-at-all-Please-read-first-post/td-p/3204715/
and so far it has completely fixed my Sims 2 Ultimate Collection game. So, far I have loaded the game all the way to the point where I have chosen a neighborhood and now I'm adding vacation destinations and the business districts, etc. Yay!!!
I am running Windows 8 by the way and have my graphic options set for the highest default settings like they were when I got my computer (which is only about 2 months old). So, I didn't have to adjust the graphics to get it to work. As it loaded up it seemed to adjust the graphics on its own.
I am running the game as an administrator though.
I think that is the only other change that I've made.
🙂
