Monitors freeze indefinitely and computer cannot perform until an hour or so later

[Farenlands]

Hello, hope I’m on the right section on internal hardware!

To explain my issue in further detail, my monitors will often both freeze on whatever frame they were on and stay that way until forced shutdown. Audio works fine during this time (if I’m listening to music for example) but I can’t see anything other than the freeze frame on my computer. Ctrl Alt Delete of course also doesn’t do anything (or it does, and I just can’t see it). This might be a peripherals issue but as my two monitors are of a different age and make i guessed something to do with the gpu. It’s noteworthy I also hear the fans on the computer speeding up once the monitors freeze. Computer was a prebuilt and is about 5 years old now, and I have been dusting and applying thermal paste to the cpu and gpu.

I think that covers anything, but if anyone has questions that would help lead into a solution or an answer I would really appreciate it!

[DENMON]

Hello,

Could you provide the model of the pre-built computer. That will give us access to all its specs and its manual if needed. Also, I assume there is no warranty on this computer?

When did this issue first start? Does it happen after a certain amount of time or after certain applications are open?

If you click on the Windows key, search Event Viewer, and open it, do any error logs generate during the times where the monitor freezes up?

It does sound like it could be an issue with the GPU if the fans kick in. I recommend updating the GPU drivers, then if that doesn’t work, updating the BIOS. If none of that works, then maybe there are some advisories listed by your OEM that touches on this issue. We would need to know the model of the pre-built though. Otherwise, GPU might need to be replaced.

Another thought: How are you applying the thermal paste by the way? If it is not applied properly, then overheating can occur, and can cause this issue.

[phillpower2]

I have been dusting and applying thermal paste to the cpu and gpu.

Good quality thermal compounds will when correctly applied most often last the lifetime of the computer and so never need replacing unless the heatsink gets disturbed or removed, short version, if you have not disturbed the heatsink/s on the CPU or GPU at all look at other possible causes of elevated temperatures.

[phillpower2]

No response from the OP, closed as abandoned.