Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour can be a great game, but the low-budget graphics mean that it may not run very well on some computers. Even worse, it can crash on the startup and become unplayable. If you are experiencing this problem and want to know how to fix Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour crashes on startup, keep reading! We’ll cover how to fix it as well as what might cause it in the first place.
How to Fix Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Crashes On Startup?
1. Disable your Antivirus
Antivirus software is designed to protect your computer from malicious programs, but sometimes it can do more harm than good. In the case of Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour, your Antivirus may be preventing the game from launching correctly. To disable your Antivirus, right-click the icon in your taskbar and select Disable. If you’re not sure which Antivirus program you have, you can try disabling them all and seeing if that fixes the issue.
2. Run the game in Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode
The game is older and it was developed in XP era Operating system, it’s a good practice to run the game in compatibility mode, here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on the Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour shortcut.
- Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
- Click the Compatibility tab at the top of the Properties window.
- Check the box next to Run this program in compatibility mode for:
- Select Windows XP (Service Pack 3) from the drop-down menu.
- Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.
- Try rerunning the game to see if this has fixed your issue.
3. Run the game as Administrator (right-click properties)
If you’re still having trouble with crashes, try running the game as an Administrator. This will give the game the necessary permissions to run properly on your computer. To do this, right-click the Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour shortcut and select Properties. Then, click the Compatibility tab and check the box next to Run this program as an administrator. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes. Now, try rerunning the game. It should work without any issues!
4. Set your CPU affinity manually (important!)
If you have a multi-core processor, make sure that you set the CPU affinity for Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour. This can be done by opening the Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc), going to the Processes tab, selecting ‘explorer.exe’, and clicking ‘Set Affinity. In the new window that pops up, uncheck all of the boxes except for one of your CPU cores. Do not leave more than one box checked, or else your game will most likely crash. If you have a quad-core processor, check two boxes; if you have a Hexa-core processor, check three boxes, etc.
5. Update your Graphics card drivers
If you’re experiencing crashes when trying to start up Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour, it’s likely due to outdated graphics card drivers. You can update your drivers by visiting the website of your graphics card manufacturer and downloading the latest drivers for your specific model. Once you’ve done that, install the drivers and restart your computer. After that, try launching the game again. If it still crashes, move on to the next step.