Last Updated: 2025-03-21
If you've encountered a window named “Hardware Tester” when starting the game, it's not a cause for immediate concern, but it does indicate a potential issue related to your computer's hardware. This article explains why the Hardware Tester window appears and what steps you can take to troubleshoot.
Why Does the Hardware Tester Window Appear?
The Hardware Tester window is shown when the game detects a suspicious crash during startup or while running. These "suspicious crashes" are those where, based on our observations, the majority of crashes are linked to hardware issues rather than software bugs. The purpose of this window is to alert you to a possible hardware problem that could be causing instability during gameplay.
What Is a Suspicious Crash?
A suspicious crash is one that shows patterns indicating hardware failure as the probable cause. While software bugs or other issues can sometimes be at fault, many of these crashes have been traced back to hardware components (primarily the CPU) that may not be functioning correctly.
How Accurate Is the Hardware Tester?
The Hardware Tester is a useful tool but not foolproof. It is designed to catch potential hardware problems, but it is only a quick check and may not always be precise. This means there's a chance it could provide false negatives—telling you there is no issue when there might still be one. If the Hardware Tester doesn't show any issues, but you continue to experience crashes, it may be worth investigating further.
What Should You Do if You Keep Seeing the Hardware Tester?
First, run a hardware test! The window will keep appearing until you pass a test. If you successfully pass a test, the window is suppressed for at least a week, no matter how many suspicious crashes you'll encounter.
If the Hardware Tester window returns after a week, and your game continues to crash, this might indicate a hardware issue that wasn't caught by our quick testing. In such cases, it's highly recommended to use a more specialized hardware testing tool to get a clearer picture of your system's health.
Recommended Tool: Prime 95
We suggest using Prime 95, a reliable tool for stress testing your CPU and system. Prime 95 is designed to push your hardware to its limits, helping identify problems with your CPU, RAM, and other system components that might be causing crashes.
How to Use Prime 95:
1. Download and install Prime 95 from the official website.
2. Run the program and select “Blend” or “Small FFTs” for a comprehensive stress test.
3. Let the test run for a few hours, and monitor the results. If your system crashes or shows errors during the test, it's a strong indication of a hardware issue. Please see the [What should I do if the test fails?] section.
4. If no issues are found, but you continue to experience crashes in the game, consider contacting support for further diagnosis.
What should I do if the test fails?
If either our test or the more specialized Prime 95 test failed, there are issues with your hardware, as it can't correctly execute basic arithmetic calculations. Please see the Stress Test Failed page for next steps.