Argomenti trattati
The unexpected dangers of sound
For a surprising stretch of time, a laptop’s greatest threat wasn’t the usual suspects like viruses or malware. Instead, it was the catchy tune of Janet Jackson’s iconic song, “Rhythm Nation.” This revelation may sound like an urban legend, but it’s rooted in a fascinating intersection of technology and sound physics. Microsoft employee and blogger Raymond Chen shares insights into this unusual phenomenon, originally brought to light in a story from a Windows XP team member.
A strange occurrence
In 2022, Chen recounted a peculiar issue that had plagued certain laptops: playing “Rhythm Nation” would result in crashes. This wasn’t limited to just one device; nearby laptops also faced the consequences. After rigorous testing, Microsoft engineers narrowed down the problem to the sound waves emitted by the track, which resonated with the physical components of the laptop.
Understanding resonance
To grasp why this happened, it’s important to understand the concept of resonance. Every object has a natural frequency at which it vibrates. When sound waves match this frequency, they can cause significant disturbances. Imagine tapping a wine glass: it produces a tone that resonates. If sound waves of the same frequency are directed back at it, the glass vibrates and can even shatter. This principle was at play in the case of the laptops.
How Rhythm Nation disrupted technology
The laptops of that era were predominantly equipped with traditional hard drives rather than modern SSDs. These hard drives operated with mechanical components that could easily be influenced by vibrations. It turned out that “Rhythm Nation” inadvertently matched the resonant frequency of certain hard drive parts, leading to read faults and ensuing crashes.
Dave Plummer, a retired Microsoft engineer who collaborated with Chen, further investigated this issue. He concluded that the song triggered a specific frequency affecting Western Digital’s hard drive platters. However, he faced challenges replicating the problem, primarily because he was using an external hard drive, which differed from the internal laptop drives.
Engineering a solution
In light of these discoveries, Microsoft took proactive steps to protect users. They developed a notch filter specifically designed to mitigate the impact of this problematic frequency. For years, if you played “Rhythm Nation” on your laptop, the filter would ensure the song played without the disruptive frequencies that could lead to crashes.
A lasting legacy
This fascinating filter remained in place from the era of Windows XP (2001) until Windows 7 (2009). The story took a turn when another PC vendor expressed concerns about the filter. They argued that disabling it could lead to potential physical damage to computers, as users might inadvertently trigger the crashes by selecting enhanced bass options.
This led to an agreement allowing the notch filter to remain active, even if all other audio processing objects were disabled. The waiver ensured that users wouldn’t unknowingly compromise their devices, safeguarding them from the seemingly innocuous yet hazardous effects of Janet’s hit song.
The evolution of technology
Today, most laptops come equipped with SSDs, which do not have the mechanical components that once made them susceptible to such phenomena. While SSDs do have their own resonant frequencies, the likelihood of audible sound causing errors remains negligible. This shift in technology has rendered concerns like those inspired by “Rhythm Nation” a relic of the past.
Imagine if a modern children’s song, like “Baby Shark,” had the power to crash laptops! It’s amusing to think how different the landscape of technology would be today if such scenarios arose. Perhaps we would be steering clear of certain tunes to protect our devices.
Mark, the author of this story, has spent a decade writing for PCWorld, drawing on his extensive experience in technology. His insights into microprocessors, peripherals, and operating systems have captivated readers, and he continues to explore the quirks of tech.