Forums > Game Forums > The Void > Can a game fry your processor?
MichaelPalin (1414) on 1/21/2010 8:46 AM · Permalink · Report
I don't recall many posts on hardware in mobygames, but, anyway, maybe somebody can help.
I installed this game yesterday. It looks very promising, although I don't understand half of the thing the girl talks me about, :P I started playing and, soon after, a fan started to spin very fast. I didn't though it would be a big problem, but, after 20 mins or so, the computer turned off by itself and now it wont turn on again. All signs (also known as LEDs) point to the three year old Core2Duo, I'll check again today.
So, my question is, have you had any experience like this with a game? What can a game feature to put your processor to the limit? The Ageia Physx thing didn't installed, but, then again, there is absolutely no physics going on at the beginning of the game.
Maybe there is not enough color in my heart to play this game, :P
Slug Camargo (583) on 1/21/2010 11:36 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Modern processors are extremely unlikely to be killed off by a game --or any other program for that matter.
A processor's main enemy is heat, and that danger has been taken care of a long time ago by both AMD and Intel.
Motherboards for AMD chips are made so that the system shuts down automagically should the processor reach a dangerous temperature (I would know it, it's happening all the time in this f'ing heat >=( ); and while I don't know how exactly modern Intel chips are dealing with heat, I do know their protection has been much better than AMD's since the times of the old Pentium 3 Coppermine: Early Pentium 4's would start to throttle clock cycles down on the fly until the temperature got better, and then it would go up again.
My guess is the processor simply died of natural causes, if you will, probably because it operated at too high temperatures for too long. It shouldn't happen with a 3-year old chip, but unfortunately it's not that rare =(
MichaelPalin (1414) on 1/22/2010 11:27 AM · Permalink · Report
in the store they told me it was probably the motherboard and not the processor. I'll check it tonight at my mother's PC.
But the question remains, the game made something in my computer to get too hot, and I would like to know how a game can do this. I didn't change anything hardware-wise in my PC previous to play the game. Or, asking it other way around, if I change the defective component by a good one, will the game overheat my system again?
Slug Camargo (583) on 1/23/2010 2:14 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start MichaelPalin wrote--]in the store they told me it was probably the motherboard and not the processor. I'll check it tonight at my mother's PC.
But the question remains, the game made something in my computer to get too hot, and I would like to know how a game can do this. I didn't change anything hardware-wise in my PC previous to play the game. Or, asking it other way around, if I change the defective component by a good one, will the game overheat my system again? [/Q --end MichaelPalin wrote--] I forgot to mention that: You (or some tech-savvy person you trust) should do some testing before deciding to drop the cash on a new chip, because it can indeed be any other component, regardless of what the error beeps/LEDs tell you. They're somewhat of a guideline, but by no means the absolute truth.
As for your question, the game probably caused the meltdown, but that's because games are just about the most across-the-board demanding applications there are. What I mean is, I'd bet one eye it's not The Void's fault, it could've happened with any game. This one was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, so to say.
In fact, from what I know The Void doesn't sound like the kind of game that would put any component through much pressure, so I bet it's feeling very bad about itself right now =P
Edit: Also, Indra's advice down there is a good one. Dusting off the PC's components every now and then is a good practice, as is making sure your case has a good airflow.
MichaelPalin (1414) on 1/23/2010 10:47 AM · Permalink · Report
I tried at my mom's and it seems it's the mother board. I'll pass a hair dryer through all the components just in case when I get back home.
I guess I should rule The Void out as an evil game then.
Daniel Saner (3503) on 1/27/2010 9:10 PM · Permalink · Report
Southbridge could be it, manufacturers often neglect the heat that can build up there and don't ensure enough cooling. My new mainboard has a fan on the southbridge, the old one that had only a heatsink died on me. I didn't investigate further back then, but friends told me that it was probably due to the Southbridge overheating.
Nothing wrong with the game. No software should be able to damage hardware, and if it does, it's the hardware's fault. As others have said, modern hardware protects itself from overheating (that way, even overclocking became somewhat safe). On constant full load, a system should either be stable or turn itself off, but never die.
Slug Camargo (583) on 1/27/2010 11:30 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Daniel Saner wrote--]Southbridge could be it, manufacturers often neglect the heat that can build up there and don't ensure enough cooling. [/Q --end Daniel Saner wrote--] Yeah, us southern people always are cast aside. Viva la revolución! >=(
[Q --start Daniel Saner wrote--]No software should be able to damage hardware, and if it does, it's the hardware's fault. [/Q --end Daniel Saner wrote--] Actually, some games made this inexplicable, retarded switching of resolutions and refresh rates upon startup, and some CRT's could be hurt a lot. I remember Bloodlines killed one of my monitors that way, and of course there's Erik Wolpaw's story with Freedom: First Resistance.
Indra was here (20755) on 1/29/2010 2:24 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Little Miss 101 wrote--]... and of course there's Erik Wolpaw's story with Freedom: First Resistance. [/Q --end Little Miss 101 wrote--] I was compelled to submit this in the game's links section.
Slug Camargo (583) on 1/29/2010 2:41 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Indra? wrote--] [Q2 --start Schadenfreude wrote--]... and of course there's Erik Wolpaw's story with Freedom: First Resistance. [/Q2 --end Schadenfreude wrote--] I was compelled to submit this in the game's links section. [/Q --end Indra? wrote--]
There was a non-officially archived follow-up too.
Indra was here (20755) on 1/29/2010 2:51 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Schadenfreude wrote--] [Q2 --start Indra? wrote--] [Q3 --start Schadenfreude wrote--]... and of course there's Erik Wolpaw's story with Freedom: First Resistance. [/Q3 --end Schadenfreude wrote--] I was compelled to submit this in the game's links section. [/Q2 --end Indra? wrote--]
There was a non-officially archived follow-up too. [/Q --end Schadenfreude wrote--] Now I feel compelled to add this to Red Storm's rap sheet. But I think the admins wouldn't like me doing that. :p
MichaelPalin (1414) on 2/1/2010 5:54 PM · Permalink · Report
The motherboard has failed three mere months before guarantee expires. That may be a reason why manufacturers neglect such heat. Except this time it has happened too soon.
Thanks for the tip, though. Yet another fan attached to the motherboard is something I really don't want, but I'll ask at the store next time I buy a motherboard. I'm already considering if memory modules will be functional in the near future without a fan too, that is just too many fans.
Indra was here (20755) on 1/22/2010 7:24 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Overheating or dust. In several of my cases, remove VGA card, dust off, put it back in. If it still doesn't work, repeat with memory cards and stuff. Though I actually have no idea what I'm doing, it usually works. :)