Between 2016 and 2024, the community developed a superior solution: GenTool.

While not strictly a "no cd patch," GenTool is a mod launcher that:

GenTool has rendered the old-school manual no-CD patch almost obsolete. If you search for "Zero Hour fix," GenTool is the modern standard. However, purists who want a raw, unmodified .exe file still prefer the standalone no-CD patch.

If your goal is simply to play the game without the disc on a modern PC (Windows 10/11), do not use a traditional patch. Use the open-source engine reimplementation known as Thyme.

Navigate to your Zero Hour install folder (default):

C:\Program Files (x86)\EA Games\Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour\

Copy these files to a safe folder:

Is a no-CD patch piracy?

The real ethical evolution is this: Because EA now sells a DRM-free (within reason) version of Zero Hour, the moral case for no-CD cracks has evaporated. Pay the $5. You get a safe installer, no hunting for cracks, and you support the faint hope that EA will one day make a proper Generals 2 (we can dream).