HomeJanet Jackson's 'Rhythm Nation' caused select Windows laptops to crash for years
Longtime readers of The Verge may remember the peculiar incident in which Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" music video could crash certain Windows laptops simply by being played nearby. Now, in a blog post highlighted by PCWorld, Microsoft employee Raymond Chen has disclosed that a filter designed to address this issue remained in place until "at least Windows 7."
For the uninitiated: back in 2022, Chen authored two posts recounting a story from a Microsoft colleague. An unnamed "major computer manufacturer" had to develop a custom audio filter after discovering that certain frequencies in the video caused resonance with their laptops' hard drives. Without filtering, this resonance could "disrupt hard drive operation long enough to cause a system crash." The issue was serious enough to earn an entry in the NIST National Vulnerability Database, noting it impacted certain 5,400rpm hard drives "around 2005 and later."
Chen, expressing curiosity about how long the filter remained active, writes this week that he later learned a hardware vendor requested an exception after Microsoft implemented a new Windows 7 rule requiring users to be able to disable all audio processing. According to Chen:
The vendor sought an exception, arguing that disabling their Audio Processing Object (APO) could cause physical computer damage. If users could disable the APO, rumors would spread that "You can get deeper bass by following these steps"—and who doesn't want more bass? People would uncheck the box, enjoy enhanced bass temporarily, but eventually face mysterious crashes or (worse) inaccurate results.
Is this rule still enforced today? When a commenter inquired, Chen responded, "All I know is that it existed during the Windows 7 era. I don't know if it's still active."
Regardless, the industry has largely transitioned away from spinning hard drives. Whether modern computers still have the rule or not, it's likely safe to play "Rhythm Nation" around them today. So, here it is:
Related article
Spotify Expands AI Remix and Covers Project With Merlin Partnership
Spotify reiterated plans for a new AI-powered feature during its second-quarter earnings call, enabling fans to create covers and remixes of music with explicit artist permission.Independent licensing partner Merlin has joined Universal Music Group (
Microsoft, Azure and AI Tech Combat California Wildfire Risks
Microsoft invests in AI-driven wildfire detection, with Juan Lavista Ferres, CVP and Chief Data Scientist, discussing strategies to mitigate environmental damage.According to NASA, climate change impacts everyone on Earth, manifesting as rising tempe
Microsoft CEO Slams AI Labs Over Distillation
Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, calls out AI labs for hypocrisy regarding distillation criticism, a remark widely interpreted as targeting Anthropic. Credit: Getty ImagesMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella challenges AI developers for limiting model distilla
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Education and Learning
AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Music composition
AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hooks, Toplines, and Multilingual Draft Sessions
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
Business
Best AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
Image editing
Photoshop AI Retouch Tools for Ecommerce Apparel, Skin Cleanup, and Color Consistency
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Prompt
Best AI Prompt Libraries for ChatGPT Workflows
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Prompt Libraries for optimizing all types of ChatGPT workflows. XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection that goes through rigorous real-world tests to ensure top performance. You can find detailed free vs paid comparisons and expert rankings to help you choose the must-try tools that boost your productivity and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
Education and Learning
AI Quiz Builder Platforms for Teachers, Tutors, and Cohort-Based Learning Programs
2026 Latest Best AI Quiz Builder Platforms for Teachers, Tutors, and Cohort-Based Learning Programs! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through real-world tests to deliver accurate rankings. These must-try platforms help boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and simplify quiz design across all learning scenarios. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for unlocking your AI edge in teaching!
13 tools
xix.ai
Comments (1)
0/500
![DouglasMartin]()
Wait, so Janet Jackson's 90s hit was basically a hardware exploit? 🤯 That's wild. I remember my old laptop acting up, but I never thought a music video was the culprit. Makes you wonder what other 'bugs' are just features in disguise. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!
Longtime readers of The Verge may remember the peculiar incident in which Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" music video could crash certain Windows laptops simply by being played nearby. Now, in a blog post highlighted by PCWorld, Microsoft employee Raymond Chen has disclosed that a filter designed to address this issue remained in place until "at least Windows 7."
For the uninitiated: back in 2022, Chen authored two posts recounting a story from a Microsoft colleague. An unnamed "major computer manufacturer" had to develop a custom audio filter after discovering that certain frequencies in the video caused resonance with their laptops' hard drives. Without filtering, this resonance could "disrupt hard drive operation long enough to cause a system crash." The issue was serious enough to earn an entry in the NIST National Vulnerability Database, noting it impacted certain 5,400rpm hard drives "around 2005 and later."
Chen, expressing curiosity about how long the filter remained active, writes this week that he later learned a hardware vendor requested an exception after Microsoft implemented a new Windows 7 rule requiring users to be able to disable all audio processing. According to Chen:
The vendor sought an exception, arguing that disabling their Audio Processing Object (APO) could cause physical computer damage. If users could disable the APO, rumors would spread that "You can get deeper bass by following these steps"—and who doesn't want more bass? People would uncheck the box, enjoy enhanced bass temporarily, but eventually face mysterious crashes or (worse) inaccurate results.
Is this rule still enforced today? When a commenter inquired, Chen responded, "All I know is that it existed during the Windows 7 era. I don't know if it's still active."
Regardless, the industry has largely transitioned away from spinning hard drives. Whether modern computers still have the rule or not, it's likely safe to play "Rhythm Nation" around them today. So, here it is:
Spotify Expands AI Remix and Covers Project With Merlin Partnership
Spotify reiterated plans for a new AI-powered feature during its second-quarter earnings call, enabling fans to create covers and remixes of music with explicit artist permission.Independent licensing partner Merlin has joined Universal Music Group (
Microsoft, Azure and AI Tech Combat California Wildfire Risks
Microsoft invests in AI-driven wildfire detection, with Juan Lavista Ferres, CVP and Chief Data Scientist, discussing strategies to mitigate environmental damage.According to NASA, climate change impacts everyone on Earth, manifesting as rising tempe
Microsoft CEO Slams AI Labs Over Distillation
Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, calls out AI labs for hypocrisy regarding distillation criticism, a remark widely interpreted as targeting Anthropic. Credit: Getty ImagesMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella challenges AI developers for limiting model distilla
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Prompt Libraries for optimizing all types of ChatGPT workflows. XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection that goes through rigorous real-world tests to ensure top performance. You can find detailed free vs paid comparisons and expert rankings to help you choose the must-try tools that boost your productivity and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Quiz Builder Platforms for Teachers, Tutors, and Cohort-Based Learning Programs! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through real-world tests to deliver accurate rankings. These must-try platforms help boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and simplify quiz design across all learning scenarios. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for unlocking your AI edge in teaching!
13 tools
xix.ai
Wait, so Janet Jackson's 90s hit was basically a hardware exploit? 🤯 That's wild. I remember my old laptop acting up, but I never thought a music video was the culprit. Makes you wonder what other 'bugs' are just features in disguise. Thanks for the nostalgia trip!
