"The 5 mins it would take" --- Check the README on Red Alert, for example:
If you wish to rebuild the source code and tools successfully you will need to find or write new replacements (or remove the code using them entirely) for the following libraries;
DirectX 5 SDK
DirectX Media 5.1 SDK
Greenleaf Communications Library (GCL)
Human Machine Interface (HMI) “Sound Operating System” (SOS)
If you wish to rebuild the source code and tools successfully you will need to find or write new replacements (or remove the code using them entirely) for the following libraries;
That still look like 5 minutes to you?