# Java based game crashing computer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 28, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080 "2003-02-28T06:18:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/1 "2003-02-28T06:18:05Z")

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Whenever I play [Bespelled](http://zone.msn.com/bespelled/) at MSN Games, my computer crashes/shuts down. It never does this any other time. The time I’m able to play varies - sometimes I can play for ten or fifteen minutes, other times I’ll just begin.

Is there anything I can do to stop this from happening? Or does anybody know a similar game I can download? I really enjoy “Bespelled,” but don’t know where else to find it.

Thank you! 🙂

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**Author:** ![ryoushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@ryoushi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryoushi)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/2 "2003-02-28T06:52:17Z")

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You could try Bookworm at [http://www.popcap.com](http://www.popcap.com) .

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**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/3 "2003-02-28T10:19:52Z")

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This doesn’t happen with any other Java games at [Zone.com](http://Zone.com)?

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**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/4 "2003-02-28T17:23:46Z")

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Thanks, **ryoushi**! I’ll check that out.

**OneChance** , the only other game I’ve played at MSN is _Bejeweled_, and the same thing happens.

My husband is going to install an updated version of Java on my computer, so hopefully that’ll help.

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**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/5 "2003-02-28T19:47:37Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DarkWriter \*  
> \*\*My husband is going to install an updated version of Java on my computer, so hopefully that’ll help. \*\*

If the games are crashing your system while running in your browser, it probably means that the Java Runtime Libraries are corrupted in some way. When Java runs in a browser, it isn’t allowed to touch the system: It has to play in the “sandbox”. Which means that the files running Java are the problem. Uninstalling and resinstalling the runtime libraries should help.

The only other issue may be compatibility. If the program was written in a version later than what you have installed, it will cause problems. Download the latest version.

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**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/java-based-game-crashing-computer/158080/6 "2003-02-28T19:48:13Z")

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Yeah, my guess would be the Java Runtime, so updating it is a good idea.