Smoke/Dust lags game

[Hylius]

Let me start off by saying that otherwise, the game runs fine. I can run at almost every setting at Ultra High except for shaders (and thus shadows) and AA. However, anytime there is any smoke/dust on my screen (such as from grenadiers clearing a building, a nuke going off, etc.) the game slows down to a crawl. However, even if I turn everything down low, these objects still retain their high detail (and thus laggy) settings. Is there any way to manually change these by editing a file or something?

[SLAYER00]

Which gpu do you have? If you have a mid range gpu try updating to the latest drivers since there may be several optimisations to the way the gpu handles the visuals and give you an fps boost.

The options ini for the game however if you wish to manually change settings is located in this directory C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars\Profiles\<UserName>

[Hylius]

I use a ATI Radeon 4330 which, to my knowledge, is fully updated, as is the rest of my computer. That option file shows no options that are not included ingame, which is my problem: I can't turn down the effect for the smoke/dust (I assume these are particle effects as they are not designated by anything else?) Is there any way to circumvent this?

[apt.pupil]

In order for us to help you out better we need the following information:

• DirectX diagnostics information
• Your in- game settings

howere is how you get both:
DirectX

1. Hold the Windows button on your Keyboard and press the "R" key.
2. In the box, type the following: DXDIAG, then click OK.
3. The Dxdiag program should appear. Click on the Save All Information button.
4. Save the file somewhere easy to remember like your Desktop.
5. Open the dxdiag text file and copy (only) the following sections into your post:
   
   • System Information
   • DxDiag Notes
   • Display Devices
   • Sound Devices

Your graphics settings

1. press the windows key+ "R"
2. Type "%appdata%
3. Open the folder titled "Red Alert 3"
4. Open the "Profiles" folder
5. Open the folder of the profile you use to play the game
6. Open the "Options.ini" file and copy+ paste into the [code] tags for easy reading

[RedAlert2008]

Could try turning the shader down too, has been know to fix issues similar to this.

[apt.pupil]

that is why I asked for in- game graphics settings

[SLAYER00]

So your problem is not the settings but the smoke/dust effects in general and you seek a way to turn those off completely. There is not a workaround via a value change or ingame setting for that, i would guess you could delete the files for the effects but i neither know which ones they are and nor if they will cause problems like crashes.

[apt.pupil]

ok, I think you got the message Slayer

[Hylius]

DxDiag:
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 3/4/2011, 08:28:34
Machine name: [REDACTED]
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Inspiron 1545
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A14
Processor: Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU T4400 @ 2.20GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 3072MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 3068MB RAM
Page File: 1481MB used, 4653MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9552)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9552&SUBSYS_02AA1028&REV_00
Display Memory: 1529 MB
Dedicated Memory: 251 MB
Shared Memory: 1278 MB
Current Mode: 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: unknown
Monitor Id: LGD0266
Native Mode: 1366 x 768(p) (59.636Hz)
Output Type: Internal
Driver Name: atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atiumd va,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.14.0010.0678 (English)
Driver Version: 8.631.0.0
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/25/2009 05:28:02, 4059648 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D612-11CF-3E71-A022A1C2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x9552
SubSys ID: 0x02AA1028
Revision ID: 0x0000
Driver Strong Name: oem10.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.0:ati2mtag_M9x:8.631.0 .0ci\ven_1002&dev_9552&subsys_02aa1028
Rank Of Driver: 00E60001
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x32315659) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC1,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC2,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC3,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC4,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S340,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S342,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
DXVA-HD: Not Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers / Headphones (IDT High Definition Audio CODEC)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76B2&SUBSYS_102802AA& REV_1003
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: stwrt64.sys
Driver Version: 6.10.6217.0000 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 6/28/2009 23:44:38, 487424 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: IDT
HW Accel Level: Basic
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

Options.ini:
AlternateMouseSetup = 1
AmbientVolume = 50.000000
AnimationLOD = UltraHigh
AntiAliasingLOD = 1
AudioQualitySetting = High
Brightness = 50
DecalLOD = High
EffectsLOD = UltraHigh
GameSpyIPAddress = 5.148.48.31
HasSeenLogoMovies = yes
IdealStaticGameLOD = VeryLow
ModelLOD = High
MovieVolume = 70.000000
MusicVolume = 70.000000
Resolution = 1024 768
SFXVolume = 70.000000
ScrollFactor = 50
SendDelay = 0
ShaderLOD = Low
ShadowLOD = Low
ShowTickerAds = 0
ShowTickerNews = 1
StaticGameLOD = Custom
TerrainLOD = UltraHigh
TextureQualityLOD = High
ToolTipDelay = 0
VoiceVolume = 70.000000
WaterLOD = UltraHigh

Again, as I said in the first post, knocking EVERY option down to the lowest setting did not change my lag problem at all, including shaders.

[apt.pupil]

dust is not removable unfortunately.
ok, the only thing I could suggest is that you go to this link to get the latest update from Dell. Sadly- i can not get you AMD's latest updates, since your model of card is customised by the laptop manufacturer, so this appears to be the final update. It could possibly fix your issues, but if it doesn't, then I don't know of any other way to work around the dust.