Direct X 8.1 error affecting Command & Conquer Generals and Command & Conquer Zero Hour.

Thanks @psychotic-787  -- that worked!!!

Another Fix Alternative

Hey guys, it's been 2 years but if yall still have the same problem after deleting dbghelp.dll and installing old direct x to 8. go to My Documents and go to Command and Conguers Data and change option.ini data resolution to 1024x768

I envy you folks who got Zero hour to work. So far I installed this to 4 different computers, with different screen sizes. 3 running W10 and one has W11. It is always the same story. By deleting the dbghelp.dll, installing older dx packages and manually creating the options.ini file, all errors are gone, but Zero hour still won't start, while old generals works fine. I get the splash screen for a second, then I get a black screen for another half a second, and then I am back at my desktop.

Tried so far

1. Deleting dbghelp.dll

2. Installing dx 8, 9 and 10

3. Changing the resolution in options.ini to every possible combination I could find

4. Tried changing my screen resolution to match the ini file

5. Tried all possible settings in properties. Set compatibility to W7, XP SP2 or SP3, tried disabling full screen optimization, tried running in 640x480
6. Tried turning on GPU scaling

7. Tried messing with anti aliasing settings

8. Tried downloading a "fix" from Mod db that also had a different options.ini file

Whatever I do, generals works without any hiccups, while zero hour won't launch no matter what. This is on 4 different computers. What an absolute joke.

Delete dbghelp.dll and install gentool works for me to get it started and no direct x issues anymore.

No problem with neither Generals or Zero hour.

Annoying that EA can´t do a permanent fix on their own considering that they still are selling the games..

Service please devs?! xD

good * my guy!!

Use GenPatcher.

Superb suggestion. I've been searching for solutions to this for ages and deleting the "dbghelp.dll" worked for me. 

Thanks.

2024 here, just right click on your zero hour icon and click show in folder or open file location or whatever, then delete the file called dbghelp.dll simple as.