How to Run Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars on Windows 10 Laptops and Desktops

If you are having problems about running C&C 3 on your computer (mostly laptops) you have to follow this guide, since even the EA can't find any solution to my problem which is fairly common and I had to find my own way... First things first: Update your graphics drivers first!

Desktop or Laptop?

If you have desktop you can pass this section since this is about Laptop's doesn't have desktop resolutions.

Now, if you have stayed we can continue with our first problem...

The cause of the error is about laptops doesn't have desktop resolutions and you have to create a right resolution for the game to run.

Laptops mostly has two graphics proccessor one of them belongs to the CPU and we use it when we don't need much of a fire power like when we don't play games and when we do play games computer should run it through the other graphics proccessor to get most of the performance. But sometimes it doesn't do that and even if we want to run it on the second one you still have to correct things with the first one.
1- I have intel hd graphics as my first one and I have to get into the "Intel graphics settings" by right clickling on the desktop.















2- Then I go the "Screen" panel.










3- When we got here we should be able to see the "Specific Resolutions" or something like this and we go there.
4- What we should do here is: create a resolution with "800 width and 600 height" and if you got refresh speed put it on like "60" and you're good to go.

5- Proceed with other section now!

It Is Time For Real Deal!!!

Now the real deal is about the old game like command and conquer 3, gta san andreas etc. doesn't run properly on Windows 10 and it is about an old setting on Windows called "Legacy Components" and "Direct Play". Over here we are going to turn this option on to play old games we like!

1- Open up "Control Panel".
2- Go to "Programs > Turn on or off Windows features".



3- After waiting a little the settings should come up, then find "Legacy Components" on the list.
4- Expand the "Legacy Components" folder to see "Direct Play" and just click to the empty box to put a tick on it to activate "Direct Play".















5-That's it! Now biggest pain in the a** is gone and the hard to find solution is done. If you have any other problems don't hasitate to ask them.

I hope this guide helped you guys. If it did leave a thumbs up and let me know on the comment section below.

[Big Bob Master]

Both CNC3 and Kanes wrath still got that start up a program message and then the PC changes back to the background with no way to start the program like switches back to a way I can't play the games.

[Chris-T]

The solution to crashing is going to overall graphic settings and switching to medium, medium textures and medium animations.
Tested successfully on multiple configurations Win10/11/Xp, i7Gen12, i9Gen9, i7Gen3, XeonGen3, both dedicated and integrated (the game crashed with insuficient memory in the past, I have 64GB on a couple of systems :D)
The issue is with allocating memory above 4GB RAM, the more you have the worse it gets.
P.S. Tested on NUC 12 Intel IrisXe again successfully, Quadro P600, GTX1050, GTX1060 6GB, GTX970, RTX2060, RTX 3060Ti, Intel HD4000, Intel HD6000

[EgoCynical]

you should make an updated version
i would like to play this game but they have updated the intel graphics app heavily and the tutorial no longer is accurate

[[NZ] Rev.Guru.G.C.]

Thanks. But not working for my POS. But that's what you get trying to run it on a cloudbook.

[Golden Erection]

unfortunately I can not do anything about that :/ you can rollback the update if you'd like or maybe try without custom resolution

[Mr Shoutta kun]

Hello how about your solution worked great for me, the problem now is that the intel graphics driver was updated and does not allow custom resolutions.
do you have any solution?

translated with DEEPL translator

[Golden Erection]

No problem guys, happy to help fellow CnC lovers.

[The Guardian]

Thanks. Was unable to play the game for months because of this.

[trentandtans]

Thanks, Worked perfectly straight after the above steps.

[Golden Erection]

I do not think so because these features are used if the game needs it.