Command and Conquer: the First Decade troubleshooting

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I need help regarding installing and playing Command and COnquer The First Decade. I will outline the issues below and respond to suggestions from there. I have noticed small scratches but I doubt that they will cause huge issues in this issue and have found that some will need to be run in Windows XP compatibility mode (I have Windows 7).

Command and COnquer: The Covert Operations - This actually works. It has some blotchy graphics though, with weird green and purple shadows. Any way of fixing that?

Red Alert w/ Expansions - This does not play at all, but it installs. It always crashes on start-up.

Red Alert 2 - Runs perfectly fine, and it's a fun game. I love tesla coils!

Generals - Runs then crashes, even in game mode for power settings. It installs correctly and plays for about 5 minutes.

COmmand and COnquer 3: Tiberium wars - This is the one I really want to work. It installs correctly, but not the Comrade program (for online play) and it crashes after about 10 minutes of running in game power mode.

I have heard of a program called Gamebox, is that worth a shot for the higher performance games? I am also aware of a patch for Generals Zero Hour that will allow me to play it well, but it requires my XML notepad, which I am rather unfamiliar with. Ask any questions you need to know; I imagine my computer specs will be requested.

Games you did mention:

C&C/Covert Ops: This has been released separately for free, you can try your luck with that (not sure if it's still available now that EA's origin service lets them easily sell old games though). There are plenty of installers for it out there, but generally compatibility is bad. I'd say that your best bet is to find the original game and try running it in dosbox (a program for running Dos games in modern OSs).

RA: Also released for free at some point, had major issues even when it worked.

Generals: I don't think I ever played it for more than five minutes, but it's new enough that they might have the issue documented somewhere.

Games you didn't mention (haven't tried yet?):

Tiberian Sun: The free release worked briefly on windows 7 (can't remember exactly how I installed it, but it was an involved process with a few different installers) and the First Decade version worked fine on XP (maybe seven). It's probably the best game in the pack, well worth putting the effort in to make it work. Same engine as RA2, but some of the sprites are hand-drawn. Still one of the coolest video games you'll play, in my opinion.

Renegade: It's an early 2000s FPS, take it or leave it. Never had any problems with it.

Finally:

What's "power mode," low power mode? If so, you can't expect anything to run properly. Also what do you mean "your XML notepad"? You can edit XML files in notepad, but as long as you back up the files you edit you probably won't do any damage.

I meant gaming mode. Sorry for the confusion. I would rather work with my XML notepad to edit the game details to make it run smoother, seems smarter.

I will try your solutions and let you know if I run into any issues; forgot to mention Tiberian SUn. That one acts kinda weird with its crashes if I remember right.

Get Windows 95/98 and Virtual PC 2007.

I ran a troubleshooting operation in control panel and found setting it up on HP compatibility pack XP 3 worked wonders.