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A) Connect your Steam account here, that will get you access to the tech forum.
B) It might be that you're lacking the Podcat exe, with the LAA functionality.
 
Podcat's litte utility allows the program to use memory above the computer's 2Gb base memory, which is all that the old program allowed. That caused crashes if/when the computer ran out of memory (in that bottom 2Gb) when things got busy in the program (such as when Germany annexed parts of France), but that limit shouldn't prevent the program from at least loading, unless you've got a heap of other programs and utilities tying up almost all of that bottom 2Gb.

There are other issues, such as Windows 10 not including some of the C++ redistributable files in its current version, so you have to install the OLD version of the C++ redistributables to get the old files, then reinstall the NEW version to update the files that are needed by more recent programs. Then there's the whole Steam thing, which I don't get involved with. As suggested, registering your game here on the Paradox site should allow access to Tech Support and other sub-forums which are only open to registered users. It also displays game icons below your signature, so other users can see which games and which expansions you have, and tailor their advice to that.

Incidentally, if your friend gifted you the original game without the expansions, be aware that it's only marginally playable with the 1.4 patch (available through tech support), and practically unplayable at all before that, and that you really need at least the "Semper Fi" expansion to fix most of the critical bugs. It should still "run" without the patches and expansions, although if/when Japan declares war on Finland or other nonsense to that effect, you might wish it didn't run, and save you from the blatant AI stupidity.
 
Should be in a thread of the patches.