is it possile for EQ2 to damage PC hardware?

[superlicori]

<p>reason I ask is because, when I play the fan on my video card makes a weird noise and it only does it while playing EQ2 and not with any other games.</p><p>I asked around and was told that some games that are programed/optimised badly can cause stress on PC components and cause them to overheat.</p><p>I am just afraid of playing right now because I do not want to end up ruining my PC.</p><p>In the past while Ive played EQ2, Ive had a CPU and a video card die. I thought it was just coincidence, but now Im being paranoid.</p>

[TalisX1]

<p>If your system is having to run at 100% to handle the load that eq2 is putting on it then a weak or faulty fan will become evident. EQ2 will not damage your system...your system being unable to handle eq2 and not having proper cooling can damage it.</p>

[FreddyRo]

<p>Whats happening is that your video card fan is 'throttling'...  When the video card is being used a lot, it gets hot, and the video card is smart enough to make the fan spin faster.  This is normally good, as it prolongs the life of your fan and saves power when your video card isn't doing much.  (CPU fans will do the same thing depending on your BIOS settings.)</p><p>However, <em>your</em> particular video card fan is on the verge of dying.  So when it throttles up, you hear what sounds like a jet taking off...  This isn't really an EQ2 issue - running any other nice-looking game on your computer will do the same thing.</p><p>You have a few choice here:</p><p>1.) Take out the video card and try to clean the fan.</p><p>2.) Call the video card manufacturer.  Most manufacturers will either just send u a new fan, or they will request an RMA for your whole video card.</p><p>3.) You can try to replace the fan yourself.  This can be a hassle to find the right fan/heatsink tho.</p><p>GL.</p>

[Shiirr]

<p>First thing you do is get some compressed air on that fan.  Even at 100%, it should be barely noticeable.</p>

[Orlac]

<p>Games don't kill PCs but heat does.</p>

[superlicori]

<p>Im pretty sure the card or fan isn't faulty or is dieing. Its a brand new card I had just got about a few months ago.</p><p>As  I said, I do not have any problems [Removed for Content] any other games. I play games like L4D1&2, HL2, WoW, etc all on max and do not have any problems with the card. but when I play EQ2 on lowish/medium settings with no shadows, no shader 3.0, it makes a weird buzzing/whiring noise.</p><p>then again, im not 100% sure its the video card fan making a noise, its sounds like the video card cause I noticed it after I upgraded cards, it could be the CPU fan, but I dont think so.</p>

[Wingrider01]

<p><cite>superlicorice wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Im pretty sure the card or fan isn't faulty or is dieing. Its a brand new card I had just got about a few months ago.</p><p>As  I said, I do not have any problems [Removed for Content] any other games. I play games like L4D1&2, HL2, WoW, etc all on max and do not have any problems with the card. but when I play EQ2 on lowish/medium settings with no shadows, no shader 3.0, it makes a weird buzzing/whiring noise.</p><p>then again, im not 100% sure its the video card fan making a noise, its sounds like the video card cause I noticed it after I upgraded cards, it could be the CPU fan, but I dont think so.</p></blockquote><p>depending on the environment the pc is on - on the floor, carpeted floor, dusty environment a couple of months can generate enough dust to reduce the cooling capacity of any fan.  It sounds likje the additional graphocs load is causing one or more fans to ramp up in speed to increase cooling to a overheating device.</p><p>EQ2 is both graphics and cpu intensive compared to the other games you mentioned - especially WOW, best bet is to pull the side cover and use compressed air to clear out the killer dust bunnies that have bred in there. Depending on the environement, once a month or even once ever 2 weeks is a good habit to get into.</p><p>The game cannot damage the hardware directly, but it will bring out any flaws in the construction of the box that can cause hardware issues</p>