Hello, I wanted to install sims life stories on my newly upgraded old laptop and I can't get past the "Failed to find any DirectX 9.0c compatible graphics adapters" error whenever I launch the game. Google hasn't been much help, I tried every solution I could find and nothing helped.
So far I've tried:
- running the game in compatibility mode (with xp, vista, 7, and their different service packs)
- running the game as admin
- adding -w to the game shortcut
- installing directx 9.0c from an installer I found online (the microsoft website no longer has it)
- graphics rules maker
- uninstalling the game and then running autorun.exe in compatibility mode to install it again

The only time I got a different result is when I tried running the game in compatibility mode with xp or vista. When I did that, I got a different error telling me to insert the correct disc (even though there's only one disc and it is inserted)

I know for a fact that this laptop's graphics card is capable of running sims 2 or sims stories because it did in the past, when it still ran windows 7 (now it runs win10)
Does anyone here know any other solution I can try? I'd greatly appreciate any advice because I really want to play the game again for the nostalgia

Since many people have had some trouble getting the game running under Windows 10, yet not a lot of people visit this board, try posting under Sims 2 help to get someone's attention faster.

There's this thread stickied on the help board that describes steps on how to get Sims 2 running on Windows 8, and it mentions two specific things: running it under Grumpy Loader (I'm not sure what that program is, but it's worth the shot), and using XP SP 2 compatibility mode. Of course, you get to ignore the steps about patching and installing the EPs in a specific order.