Guys we need to differ here:
In case of Laptops, the most common issue is that the game isn't configured to make use of the dedicated GPU at all.
That is, it will run on the CPU integrated graphics part, simply ignoring the dedicated GPU exists.
That way, you can install dedicated graphics drivers as much as you want, it won't change a thing.
And that way, you will always have cloud artifacts in OpenGL mode ('cause CPU integrated graphics don't fully support OpenGL games, no matter what the manufacturer wants to make you believe).
And that way, hardware shaders will never work - simply because the CPU integrated graphics don't have any hardware shaders or if they do, their OpenGL implementation doesn't support using them.
The
only way out is to switch il2fb.exe to using the dedicated graphics card.
How this can be done, largely differs from CPU type to CPU type, from GPU type to GPU type, from manufacturer to manufacturer, from OS to OS.
Know your device and use google for help. You will definitely not be alone with this issue and there will be a tool available to set which GPU the game is running on. Definitely. Yes, I'm sure. No, I don't know all 346.678.982 of them, sorry, and I couldn't post all 346.678.982 direct download links if I knew them either. This is you homework, your part of the deal.
A completely different beast is this one:
Upgraded to 24.3.1 and still not able to enable Hardware Shadows. I'm using an RX570.
That sounds like a conf.ini issue and proves the case that whenever you are asking graphics issue questions, you should better come up with your full conf.ini, a log.lst from the last (unsuccessful) playing attempt and your graphics driver settings (screenshots for the latter, no anecdotal drivel please) straight away.
Mike