Radeon HD 3870
Windows 7 64bit
4GB DDR2 Ram
I had no problems with my video card until I installed the plugin java for the game. I can still play this game normally and it works. But after installation of this, it keeps crashing while I watch a movie or play another game like Left4Dead 2.
After I uninstalled Spiral Knight and Java, all problems disappeared.
I tried installing just Java and not spiral knight. Interestedly... the same problems started up again.
So then I uninstalled it and downloaded the 64 bit version of Java. Installed that and it worked fine.
Then I proceeded to install Spiral Knight, oddly after the installation, the problems started again.
Then I tried forcing it to run in compatibility mode with vista. It seems fine so far.
Have you tried The Windows Shotgun Approach in the sticky'd thread? As Defunc7 mentioned, Java should not be able to wipe out other programs as it isn't running when they are and in all odds it was already installed on your computer. I would attack the problem at what every the games uses to run: the video drivers.
Is your computer crashing or just the applications? If it's the computer, I'd make sure it's not some overheat issue going on. Grab a program called CoreTemp, and make sure the values for your CPU(s) don't go over 60 ever. If your Processor reaches about 60 degrees, it will crash.
Ummm... CPU temp maxes are highly dependent on the model. Most desktop Intel processors have a thermal safety at 72C, AMD in the mid 60C range. In no way should you suffer a crash at 60C. Many Intel laptop CPUs can hit 100C before thermal safeties kick in.
Also, it appears that before fiddling with SK and Java there were no issues apparent and other games were being played. For this reason overheating does not seem likely.
I used to have crashing problems at ~63. Regardless, 60 is in no way near a safe zone, it's not good if your computer is getting to the mid 60s, and could indicate an issue.
I think this is highly dependant of your hardware. I used to have a laptop that wouldn't go into automatic shutdown (and performed fine) till 90C.
Let me try to be more specific and detailed.
It's not that my computer would crash. Windows 7 will be forced into windows basic instead of aero theme. Then it would recover after a few seconds. And it would happen randomly even when I am not playing Spiral Knight. I could be watching a movie and a few minutes in, I would get that error and be forced into windows basic. Then the video would freeze at that same scene but audio would continue. This kept happening at random intervals. Then I tried playing Left4dead 2. And a few minutes into the game, Left4Dead crashes.
Videos and Left4dead worked perfectly fine before I installed java and Spiral Knight. They didn't work fine when java and spiral knight was installed. But they worked perfectly fine after I uninstalled spiral knight and java. I also notice that whenever I play Spiral Knight, it would automatically go into Windows Basic right before it starts up Spiral Knight. I do have the latest Radeon HD 3870 driver installed. So my deduction is that Spiral Knight and Java is causing this.
The workaround that I have found was to go into properties of Spiral Knight, go to compatibility and force it to run under Windows Vista compatibility. It did stop being forced into windows basic theme after I did that. Videos work fine and Left4Dead 2 works fine after that.
Hope that helps shed some light on the issue.
Being forced into Aero Basic is an intended effect of the installer to free up resources on low-end systems, not necessary in your case. In the same window where you enabled Vista Compatibility make sure that the box for "Disable desktop composition" unchecked. Some people have also reported that forcing the game over to 64-bit Java helps with the Aero disabling.
I'm not going to rule out a video driver issue yet as the hiccup from going from Aero Glass to Aero Basic could be causing something else. After finished playing Spiral Knights the windows desktop should revert to it's original settings, all other system settings constant. The Java Virtual Machine that runs Spiral Knights should be closed and theoretically no longer able to affect the system. After quitting the game you should do a quick check in the Task Manager to make sure you no longer see "javaw.exe" still running.
By most recent HD 3870 driver do you mean Catalyst 10.12? Even though there are no longer specific HD 3870 efficiency improvements in current driver revisions there's still occasional update for how all Radeons handle OpenGL which could affect game performance.
Using Java Version 6 Update 23 and Catalyst 10.12 with a Radeon HD 4870 on a Win 7 x64 build I've never had an issue running Spiral Knights or it conflicting with other software (including L4D).
Try it just the Java install. I don't really see how Spiral Knights should be killing other software when I don't believe it runs anything when it's not fully running.