What is it called when a game suddenly exits to Windows with no error log or message?

futurefields

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2012
6,470
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What is it called when you are playing a game and then all the sudden the game closes and you are back at your Windows desktop? And there are no error messages and nothing in Event Log.
 

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
17,386
16,666
146
A CTD, usually caused by the program doing something stupid, and windows force-crashing it to prevent it doing something stupider (like causing a kernel panic and taking the OS down with it).
 

Stg-Flame

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2007
3,683
631
126
I refuse to believe that Future doesn't know what a CTD is by now considering how much he posts in the PC forum.
 

futurefields

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2012
6,470
32
91
Sorry guys, I was under that a Crash To Desktop is when there is an error message too. I'm getting these crashes with no message at all, and nothing shows up in Event Viewer. It's like I'm playing the game and then literally in the blink of an eye I'm back at my desktop. It's the cleanest crash I've ever seen
 

ronbo613

Golden Member
Jan 9, 2010
1,237
45
91
Sorry guys, I was under that a Crash To Desktop is when there is an error message too. I'm getting these crashes with no message at all, and nothing shows up in Event Viewer. It's like I'm playing the game and then literally in the blink of an eye I'm back at my desktop. It's the cleanest crash I've ever seen

I have programs crash to desktop all the time with no error message. I just think wtf happened and restart the program. If it happens on multiple occasions, I'll check it out. If it only happens once, well, you know; computers. Guess that's why I hit "Save" every few minutes while I'm working.
 

Stg-Flame

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2007
3,683
631
126
As much hate as Bethesda gets for glitches, I can't remember the last time a Bethesda game CTD'd me like some people claim. Maybe when I started modding them to hell and back I would crash quite frequently, but that was my fault.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
I never actually got a CTD in a bethesda game, I always got some random error message that meant nothing
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
As much hate as Bethesda gets for glitches, I can't remember the last time a Bethesda game CTD'd me like some people claim. Maybe when I started modding them to hell and back I would crash quite frequently, but that was my fault.
I don't usually get CTDs on them either. Just a massive amount of bugs, sometimes gamebreaking, sometimes not until a few patches in (or a fan patch).
 

Borealis7

Platinum Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,901
205
106
ok, i'll let you in on a secret.
world governments use computer games, especially multiplayer games and MMOS, to move classified information from one country to another. while you were playing L4D2, the NSA were monitoring your progress and just when you were about to stumble on a piece of information they didn't want you to see, they threw you out of the game.
 

ronbo613

Golden Member
Jan 9, 2010
1,237
45
91
ok, i'll let you in on a secret.
world governments use computer games, especially multiplayer games and MMOS, to move classified information from one country to another. while you were playing L4D2, the NSA were monitoring your progress and just when you were about to stumble on a piece of information they didn't want you to see, they threw you out of the game.

I think this pretty much covers it
 

Artorias

Platinum Member
Feb 8, 2014
2,272
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Can overheating cause that type of crash, or wouldn't that also shut the pc off too?
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,450
126
Sounds like flaky video card drivers to me. It happened all the time to me with my old Radeon 6800.
 

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
17,386
16,666
146
Can overheating cause that type of crash, or wouldn't that also shut the pc off too?

Overheating (with vid card or processor) usually causes two(ish) things to happen.

1a) stuff starts stuttering, moving slowly, hitching, whatever. Usually random, in places it didn't 3 seconds prior. This continues until the vid card/processor cool off, or you go to step 2a.
1b) graphical anomalies. This is primarily a video card thing, can also happen from overclocking (but not overheating). Happens until vid card cools off, or you go to step 2a, or b.
2a) System powers off/crashes. This is a safety measure to protect the CPU or GPU. Usually a hard crash (or lockup), which halts processing until the system is powered off/back on.
2b) GPU locks itself/crashes and reloads after a few seconds.. This can sometimes happen (I've seen it on NVIDIA, cannot comment on AMD), causing a little 'driver reloaded' error in windows after crashing your game/program and flickering a bunch. GPU driver crashes in general can cause this too, not just overheating. Does not always require a restart, but it's probably indicative of something going wrong.