C&C generals directx error

command and conquer generals and C & C generals zero hour, having difficulty running the game as its coming up with an error for Directx 8.1 required. I haven't got any issues running red alert 3 or other in the series. I have re downloaded latest directx but not having much luck. has anyone else had a similar experience?

thanks for your time

Andy

Nyerguds
5 years ago
@hullk86

The problem is that the "or higher" refers to higher versions of DirectX 8/9, not higher versions of DirectX beyond 9. The game can't actually use the DirectX 10/11/12 that is installed on windows machines by default nowadays, so updating to the latest DirectX will not help you.

~~The solution is simple; install DirectX 9:~~

~~Download the DirectX Redistributables package from June 2010. Be sure to uncheck any other junk they want to add to it. It should be a file called "directx_Jun2010_redist.exe".~~

~~Run the downloaded file. It'll ask for a folder to unpack in. Make a new folder somewhere on your disk and unpack it there. It doesn't matter where you unpack it; it can be deleted afterwards anyway.~~

~~Go to the folder where you told it to extract.~~

~~Find "DXSETUP.exe", and run that to install the missing components.~~

~~After the installation finished, delete the folder you unpacked everything in.~~

~~Since this is a completely separate thing, it will not interfere with your installed higher-version DirectX.~~

[-EDIT-]

It seems Generals, specifically, has an issue with DirectX that is caused by a malfunctioning dll in the game folder that was actually left there from testing. If you go into the game folder, and delete the file "dbghelp.dll" there, this problem should be resolved.

26 Replies

JKingman
Newcomer
10 days ago
I hope this information may help other. If i run the Generals game on the CPU graphics it seems to run and start find, i f i try to run it on an exertan screen via hdmi so it uses the graphics card. i get the direct x error also. tired the 2010 redistubition pack for direct x. and also tryed the options file. i allos tryed ervery option file to low that i could find no resolution in them also unable to find dbghelp. edit i can find dbghelp but in many different folders unrelated to c and c
Running on a dell g5 i5 8th gen windows 10 untill i have to update and 1060 q max.

Havnt tryed gen patcher as i dont know what it is and my anti virus does not like it.
foliolio
Seasoned Newcomer
21 days ago
Thank you. The options.ini was the fix for me.
jackhrfc13
4 months ago
Thank you 😊 👍 😊
moshshocker
4 months ago
@1Marduc1 Great, thanks for that hint! Lowering the resolution did the trick for me. I also set it to 1600x1200 some time ago and spent hours yesterday trying to fix that DirectX error
drtbar
6 months ago
Deleting the dll still works for me. Just have to make sure you are deleting it from the correct installation, since I now have couple different folders from steam, to origin, and now to ea loaders.
LegionnaireZH
New Traveler
8 months ago
Use GenPatcher, it fixes it.
chriswiker68
8 months ago
I am having the same issues, i tried the instruction in this link but not working still. any help would be appreciated
1Marduc1
8 months ago

This is how i fixed the Direct X error on my PC.

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise
System Type: x64-based PC
Processor: 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1135G7 @ 2.40GHz, 2419 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM): 16,0 GB

I have this game for a long, long time, and i had 4 or 5 times this directX error. I had solved all the other times, and since this isn't frequent, i forget everytime how i solved it. 🙂
so, this is also to put a reminder for me and to share to others my solution to my PC.

I've tried to re-install the directX with no success, and also made all the suggestions in this post, all with no success.
Then i tried to recall the last thing that i did on the game before this error poped up (i was trying some AI bots...) then i recalled i changed the resolution settings of the game, and that made me a click, a "dejá vu" thing... 🙂

Problem: where to find the config file with the resolution settings...

There are two files "options.ini".
One, in the game installation path (mine is: C:\Jogos\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour) -> this one didn't wok
The other one, is where the games are saved (mine is: C:\Users\XXX\Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data) -> this one worked

Solution:
What you need to do, is edit the options.ini file and change the resolution to a lower screen size.

I lowered mine to:
Resolution = 1400 1050

After that, the game runs without any problems, and you can change in the game the screen settings again to a better resolution for your PC.
LollyNET247
2 years ago
Same here - I have the Steam version, and I've tried all the fixes listed above, and still the same error.
Interestingly my laptop does not work; but my PC does (both using the Steam versions).
There has got to be some sort of driver version check the application is still doing. Hopefully Steam fixes this issue soon
DevotedCheetah
2 years ago
Can confirm, ironically the Ultimate Edition worked just fine for me, but i wanted them in Steam for convenance sake, and I'm getting the DirectX error, and not even downloading DirectX 9 with your link or deleting dbghelp has fixed it, do we know of any new fixes with the Steam edition in mind?