My neighbour asked me to help install a copy of The Sims Deluxe Edition, Hot Dates Expansion Pack and Vacations Expansion Pack. Spent about two and half hours in front of the Windows 98 computer, I managed to install all three successfully. Too bad the documentation did not mention the correct order to install the various version. There is a list of recommended order of installation for someone with ALL the various expansion packs, but there wasn't a list of recommended order of installation for the 3 editions specifically, although the 3 editions were packages into a same retail box.

Anyway, since I spent my time on this, I think it should do some good to get this documented.

• First install the The Sims Deluxe Edition - this involves 2 disks
  
• After that, install the Vacations Expansion Pack.
  
• After successfully installing the Vacations EP, start the start.exe in your CD. It will ask you to insert the Disk 1 for The Sims Deluxe Edition. Change the CD and launch the program again.
  
• You can choose to launch either the 800x600 version or the 1024x768 version. The Sims Deluxe Edition will detect that you have installed a new expansion pack. This message appeared in a dialog box that was launched behind active windows in my case.
  
• Choose the option to insert the Sims Deluxe Edition disk for updating the files. This option will re-copy files from both the Disk 1 and Disk 2 of the Sims Deluxe Edition. After the installation is completed, you can launch the Deluxe Edition again and you can find that in the main screen (Neighbourhood view) there is another icon to bring you to the Vacation Island view.
  
• Installation of Hot Dates Expansion Pack is similar to that of the Vacations Expansion Pack. The only difference is that one of the steps require you to insert a Livin' At Large Expansion Pack CD to continue installation. If you do not have that CD, you can try either inserting Disk 1 of the Sims Delux Edition, or click "Next" a few times at the dialog box that asks you to insert the Livin' At Large EP. (I don't know which works, because I did both at the same time. Let me know if you tried one of these)
  
• After Hot Dates EP is installed, you can launch the Sims Deluxe Edition and find that there is another icon "Downtown view", which will bring you to the Hot Dates EP