PoE 2 is actively damaging PCs and GGG is on Holiday without fixing it - Loading Screen PC Freeze

Many users are experiencing full PC crashes/freezes due to CPU utilization hitting 100% during certain loading screens which leaves no CPU power for the OS and cause the PC to Freeze.

This has been tested and confirmed by removing core 0 and 1 from the affinity of PoE2 through the task manager. (PC no longer hangs but the PoE2 client will crash)

It has also been tested by disabling multi-threading in the options before going through portals/loading screens while obviously tanking game performance. (No crashes occur)

Unwitting users who play PoE2 and suffer this crash risk the chance of bricking their hardrives, SSDs, RAM and other hardware.

In fact there are reports of this happening.

The two most replied to threads on the Early access forum are related to this issue and GGG has been silent:

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3594471/page/219

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3594126/page/252

Please GGG fix this issue before unwitting kids start frying their PCs while attempting to play over the holidays.

Please bump so GGG can fix this issue promptly

A poorly timed crash will not only corrupt your data/files but can easily corrupt your windows install and brick hardware like your hard drives or SSDs

"

ErosEngineer#6213 wrote:

Many users are experiencing full PC crashes/freezes due to CPU utilization hitting 100% during certain loading screens which leaves no CPU power for the OS and cause the PC to Freeze.

This is not how computers or operating systems work. Unless you are running your game as a high priority process, which would be dumb.

I assume you have the 24H2 update for windows. just today i believe Microsoft confirmed that such issues as yours are related to that update. the source of the problem most likely isnt GGG... ive had crashing issues for a week now already (yes i do have 24H2 update for windows)

"Bricking hardrives, SSDs, RAM and other hardware" is a bit far fetched.

"

n00bje#1394 wrote:

"Bricking hardrives, SSDs, RAM and other hardware" is a bit far fetched.

Forcing a shutdown off your PC dozens of times can indeed cause this to occur.

You should be embarrassed and frankly banned for posting such hyperbole. Nothing you described threatens anyone's hardware, you're just throwing a temper tantrum and fearmongering because the beta early access game has some flaws.

"

Shatraugh#5113 wrote:

I assume you have the 24H2 update for windows. just today i believe Microsoft confirmed that such issues as yours are related to that update. the source of the problem most likely isnt GGG... ive had crashing issues for a week now already (yes i do have 24H2 update for windows)

This is not a Windows 11 issue. I have Win 10 and I crash. There are people on the main threads that are crashing with Linux.

"

n00bje#1394 wrote:

"Bricking hardrives, SSDs, RAM and other hardware" is a bit far fetched.

Incompleteness of shutdown process interrupts system operations, which can interrupt critical tasks leading to data corruption. Even with modern file systems, an abrupt shutdown may leave temporary files or critical system configurations in an inconsistent state, requiring repairs during the next boot.

In mechanical drives, a forced shutdown could interrupt the normal parking of the read/write head, potentially causing minor wear. While rare, repeated occurrences could increase the risk of a catastrophic "head crash", a severe mechanical failure in a HDDs that occurs when the read/write head, which hovers right above the spinning platters, comes into direct physical contact with the platter surface. Since the platters are coated with a thin magnetic material used to store data, any contact with the head can cause permanent physical damage and data loss.

For SSDs, which lack moving parts, and rely on firmware to manage data, if a forced shutdown interrupts critical internal operations (like garbage collection or wear leveling), it could result in data loss or even firmware corruption.

There is also electrostatic and capacitive effects. The key here is "Charge Imbalance". Capacitors in power circuitry store charge. A sudden shutdown might not allow for controlled discharge, which could affect components over time due to uneven stress cycles.

Another problem you might encounter is with all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling systems. In these the pump is responsible for circulating coolant through the loop. An abrupt power cut halts the pump's operation instantly, which can leave coolant stagnant in the system. Stagnant coolant may allow air bubbles that were previously suspended in the liquid to collect in the pump or tubing. When the system restarts, these bubbles can disrupt the normal flow of the coolant, causing cavitation (tiny air pockets in the pump), which manifests as unusual sounds like gurgling, grinding, or rattling.

In some other cases where the cooler was already on its last legs, if the liquid cooler contains any sediment or impurities, sudden stops could lead to clogging in the radiator or pump, potentially resulting in noise or reduced performance. I am mentioning this because there is a person in this very thread that was talking about "weird sounds" from his cooler so when I read that I thought about what might have caused it.

There is also how this crash is (supposedly) happening in the first place: 100% CPU utilization. This happens in a spike format. A sudden spike to 100% CPU utilization generates significant heat in a short period. If the system crashes at this point, the CPU may remain hot while cooling mechanisms (fans or pumps) that should have been dissipating heat are not functioning because forcing a shutdown stops cooling systems immediately. The residual heat can cause localized overheating, particularly in the CPU die (and Voltage Regulator Modules on the motherboard). Repeated instances increase the risk of thermal degradation.

The sudden power-off may induce transient voltage fluctuations, which can harm sensitive components like the CPU, GPU, or motherboard power circuitry. These components are especially vulnerable during high load conditions.

There is also the capacitor strain: The power delivery systems on the motherboard and power supply unit (PSU) experience increased strain during peak utilization. Abrupt shutdowns can exacerbate this strain, leading to shortened component lifespan.

For air-cooled systems, fans running at high speeds during 100% CPU utilization experience mechanical stress when stopped abruptly. Over time, this can degrade fan bearings or motors.

For any component that is already on its last legs, an event that would lead to shortened component lifespan might be the finishing blow.

And remember, this is not once in a while event, these crashes happen frequently, with short intervals(if one keeps playing the game after the crash and crashes again and again and again).

Furthermore, I ask anyone who sees this message to please give a negative review for Path of Exile 2 on Steam.

"

arsenicblithely#7141 wrote:

You should be embarrassed and frankly banned for posting such hyperbole. Nothing you described threatens anyone's hardware, you're just throwing a temper tantrum and fearmongering because the beta early access game has some flaws.

Incompleteness of shutdown process interrupts system operations, which can interrupt critical tasks leading to data corruption. Even with modern file systems, an abrupt shutdown may leave temporary files or critical system configurations in an inconsistent state, requiring repairs during the next boot.

In mechanical drives, a forced shutdown could interrupt the normal parking of the read/write head, potentially causing minor wear. While rare, repeated occurrences could increase the risk of a catastrophic "head crash", a severe mechanical failure in a HDDs that occurs when the read/write head, which hovers right above the spinning platters, comes into direct physical contact with the platter surface. Since the platters are coated with a thin magnetic material used to store data, any contact with the head can cause permanent physical damage and data loss.

For SSDs, which lack moving parts, and rely on firmware to manage data, if a forced shutdown interrupts critical internal operations (like garbage collection or wear leveling), it could result in data loss or even firmware corruption.

There is also electrostatic and capacitive effects. The key here is "Charge Imbalance". Capacitors in power circuitry store charge. A sudden shutdown might not allow for controlled discharge, which could affect components over time due to uneven stress cycles.

Another problem you might encounter is with all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling systems. In these the pump is responsible for circulating coolant through the loop. An abrupt power cut halts the pump's operation instantly, which can leave coolant stagnant in the system. Stagnant coolant may allow air bubbles that were previously suspended in the liquid to collect in the pump or tubing. When the system restarts, these bubbles can disrupt the normal flow of the coolant, causing cavitation (tiny air pockets in the pump), which manifests as unusual sounds like gurgling, grinding, or rattling.

In some other cases where the cooler was already on its last legs, if the liquid cooler contains any sediment or impurities, sudden stops could lead to clogging in the radiator or pump, potentially resulting in noise or reduced performance. I am mentioning this because there is a person in this very thread that was talking about "weird sounds" from his cooler so when I read that I thought about what might have caused it.

There is also how this crash is (supposedly) happening in the first place: 100% CPU utilization. This happens in a spike format. A sudden spike to 100% CPU utilization generates significant heat in a short period. If the system crashes at this point, the CPU may remain hot while cooling mechanisms (fans or pumps) that should have been dissipating heat are not functioning because forcing a shutdown stops cooling systems immediately. The residual heat can cause localized overheating, particularly in the CPU die (and Voltage Regulator Modules on the motherboard). Repeated instances increase the risk of thermal degradation.

The sudden power-off may induce transient voltage fluctuations, which can harm sensitive components like the CPU, GPU, or motherboard power circuitry. These components are especially vulnerable during high load conditions.

There is also the capacitor strain: The power delivery systems on the motherboard and power supply unit (PSU) experience increased strain during peak utilization. Abrupt shutdowns can exacerbate this strain, leading to shortened component lifespan.

For air-cooled systems, fans running at high speeds during 100% CPU utilization experience mechanical stress when stopped abruptly. Over time, this can degrade fan bearings or motors.

For any component that is already on its last legs, an event that would lead to shortened component lifespan might be the finishing blow.

And remember, this is not once in a while event, these crashes happen frequently, with short intervals(if one keeps playing the game after the crash and crashes again and again and again).

Furthermore, I ask anyone who sees this message to please give a negative review for Path of Exile 2 on Steam.