SIMS 2 DELUXE "PLEASE INSERT CORRECT DISC" PLEASE HELP

Hello there,

So this is my first ever time posting to the boards (that I can recall) and I would really. Really. REALLY appreciate some help. This has been an ongoing issue for a couple of years now and I am going completely bizerk. Sorry if people have already posted about this a million times, but please keep in mind that I have also read a million posts similar to mine that have yielded absolutely zero results. Have searched far and wide and have yet to find a solution to my problem, or even really find someone describing the exact same issue as I'm experiencing.

I have The Sims 2 Deluxe (Nightlife comes with, that's it). I do not have, nor have I ever had, any other Sims 2 games or expansions, other than Family Fun Stuff, which I don't recall having downloaded onto this PC, but either way, it certainly isn't anywhere in my PC now. This is the only one that I have downloaded onto this PC. I desperately want to play again and not have to go sit at my current bf's desktop >.> But when I insert the disc and click the icon, it pops up, and when I press play, I receive an error message that either tells me that my game is incorrectly installed, or that I need to insert the "Correct" disc. Even though it is.

I'm not sure at all what this has to do with, maybe Windows updates? I'm not sure. I have Windows 10 now but not by choice, it updated by itself >.> I think that it stopped working before that, though. I've had this laptop for maybe 4 or 5 years and have no other issues with it besides what cursed Windows 10 has done... but that's a separate rant.

WHAT I'VE TRIED:

Uninstalling and reinstalling, restarting or no, multiple times

Clearing all cache history

Using EA's launch/installation/bug help

Run diagnostics/troubleshot on my own PC (comes back as "incompatible", doesn't say why)

Changing the name of the file folder Sims 2 is stored in

Changing the name of The Sims 2 within the properties section, from TheSims2Launcher to TheSims2EP2 or whatever the *

Creating a new shortcut to get around the launcher

Installing SecuROM remover (and deleting it afterwards)

I'm sure there are some other things I'm forgetting about

And so, finally, EA has redirected me here. Guys, please help me. I have faith in you. Thanks in advance.

- A