Sims 3 wont run because I need a graphics card?

Often laptops have a very limited graphics card, and a lot of software will not recognize it. It is very possible that you cannot play Sims 3 on you computer, but unless you post what kind of computer (i.E Brand and modell) it is hard to say if that is the problem.

Sims 3 is a bit fussy about what video cards it supports and many older or cheaper laptops do not have what it takes. Netbooks, for instance, often use a GMA-9xx-series GPU and allocate a maximum of 64MB to graphics; considerably less than the GMA 3xxx-series GPU and 128MB that Sims 3 requires.

However, you imply that it used to work before; is that correct?

Regardless, without the make and model of the laptop, it is difficult to help you since we have no way of knowing what files you need. And you need to be specific; there are hundreds of different models of Toshiba Satellite (what I have) spanning many years, so there is no way that info could helps, while specifying that I have a T135 allows tech-heads to narrow it down to a few possibilities, and specifying that it is a T135–1305 lets them know exactly what CPU and GPU I have. Look at your laptop all over and see what you can find. Mine has a factory label on the bottom that says, “Satellite T135-S1305” at the top, so if I forget what I have, it’s pretty easy to jog my memory.