C&C Generals: Zero Hour - Error + FPS Drop Fix [Very Easy Steps + No 3rd Party Installation]

Finally, both games are on Steam and of course they came with lots of problems.

Problem 1: "You have encountered a serious error! ..."
Problem 2: Widescreen is not supported
Problem 3: FPS Drops in Campaign
Problem 4: Lag, FPS Drops and/or Low FPS in Skirmish Mode
Problem 5: "Please make sure you have DirectX 8.1 or higher installed. Also, verify that your video card meets the minimum requirements."

Let's fix these below, then.

Note: Solutions are moved to the content section, please look below.

Problem 1: "You have encountered a serious error! ..."

1) Download DirectX from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109
2) Click on directx_Jun2010_redist.exe and pick any folder to extract packages.
3) Open the folder and find DXSETUP.exe and run it.
4) Install the setup.
5) Run the game.

Note: As a alternative solution, you can do the same steps in Problem 3 because this game has very serious compatibility issues and you better run it in compatibility mode with "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)".

If the error still persists (please try if you have C&C Generals):
1) Uninstall Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour.
2) Install Command & Conquer Generals first, then run once and be sure Generals is running well.
3) Install Zero Hour then, and try to run.

Because in old times, Zero Hour was not able to be ran without Generals. It wasn't a game, it was a DLC expansion pack. Maybe there are still some issues with Zero Hour due of that.

Problem 2: Widescreen is not supported

1) Find Generals: Zero Hour in your game library.
2) Right click on Generals: Zero Hour and go to the properties.
3) Find the title "LAUNCH OPTIONS" and the input below of it.
4) Copy and paste this without quotes to the input: "-xres 1920 -yres 1080"
5) Now, you are able to play Generals: Zero Hour in 1080p (FHD).
6) If you have different resolutions rather than 1080p, you can just edit by according to it like: "-xres 1366 -yres 768"

Problem 3: FPS Drops in Campaign

1) Right click to the C&C: Zero Hour in your Steam Library.
2) Click on Properties in the right click menu.
3) Select installed files from the tab.
4) Click on Browse button and it opens the folder of the game.
5) Find Generals.exe and right click to it.
6) Click on Properties.
7) In the tabs, select Compatibility.
8) There's a section named "Compatibility Mode" and underneath of it there's a checkbox with a title: "Run this program in compatibility mode for: ". Click on this checkbox.
9) Now, the selectbox is opened. Select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" and click Apply.
10) Run the game.

Problem 4: Lag, FPS Drops and/or Low FPS in Skirmish Mode

This problem is based on the 'replay' files, in this section, we're going to solve this problem by a simple solution.

1) Find the save data in below paths.

for Generals: C:\Users\{YOUR_USERNAME}\Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Data

for Zero Hour: C:\Users\{YOUR_USERNAME}\Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data

2) Right click on Replays folder, then click on the Properties option.

3) You'll be seeing Properties of Replays folder, click on Security tab.

4) There'll be some user groups or users like SYSTEM, Administrators, {YOUR_USERNAME}

5) For each user and user group, click on Edit and click on a checkbox under Deny for only Write permission.

6) Then click on Apply, and OK and enjoy your game.

Note: Twilight Flame map might still be laggy with 7 bot players, but other maps are fine with 7 bot players with this solution.

Problem 5: "Please make sure you have DirectX 8.1 or higher installed. Also, verify that your video card meets ..

I've run into this problem recently and I think I found the reason of this issue.

I have 2 monitors and these monitors have different resolutions. If I set a resolution that is not supported by the active monitor, then game throws this error.

Basically, you can NOT set a resolution that your monitor does not support.

For example, if your notebook have 1366x768 max resolution and you set 1920x1080 resolution for the game somewhere (in options.ini, in Steam Launch Options or somewhere else), game will throw this error.

Here's a quick look how to fix this:

1) First of all, be sure you have installed DirectX as I mentioned in Problem 1. Please read carefully, and follow all the steps.

2) Most of the people override their game configs or game launch options somewhere to run this game, you should revert these changes.

Note: Uninstalling and/or reinstalling the game won't revert all of your changes. You need to check if there's an entry related to screen resolution in options.ini file (and the other config files if you changed or used 3rd party tools).

In options.ini, if you've defined resolution somehow then you'll see something like this below.

Resolution = 1920 1080

You should be sure that if your screen resolution is the same with this resolution. If you have 1366x768 resolution, then you should change this to below.

Resolution = 1366 768

You can find the options.ini file in below paths

for Zero Hour: C:\Users\{YOUR_USERNAME}\Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data

for Generals: C:\Users\{YOUR_USERNAME}\Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Data

3) If you haven't changed anything in config files before, then you should check your launch options. You can follow the steps in Problem 2.

4) If you set resolution in options.ini and also in Steam Launch Options in the same time and if these resolutions are different than each other, remove one of them or make them same.

Alternative Solution (for DirectX and video card problems) (not tested)

A lot of people said deleting dbghelp.dll in the game folder works (for both Generals and Zero Hour). I haven't tried that, because I solved my problems with the steps I specified above but some people ran their game by deleting this file.

Good luck.

Note: This method is not tested by me, however I am sharing this here. Maybe it works on someone else's PC too.

[Von Darkmoor]

C & C NET fixes most things including netplay. MODDERS ARE KINGS

[suppourt]

hi why unit is lock no move

[gtucker1399]

Stopped myself from writing permissions and now I cant change it back or add maps from steam workshop folder thx sir

[NANI??]

Hello, is there a way I can make the program on Windowed Mode?

[supremochano26]

How can i play in my macbook?

[FreshFish]

The fix for FPS drops in Skirmish mode worked. But I'm struggling with stuttering/FPS drops/poor quality image in Challenge mode. Are there any suggestions to fix that please?

[kill shot]

there is nothing in either data folder

[Zodiac A17]

Any recommendations: I have the fatal crash error, and I have ran these steps about twice, fixed for about 2 hours of game play, then its been happening all over again.

[kill shot]

game is stuttering in campaign and menu

[Amiroo]

pleas sign and share the petition to send our voice to EA Games to Remaster or Remake it
https://chng.it/wmkHyJmZBS