How to Address Frozen Screens While the Computer Remains Operational (2024 Solutions)

Computers have evolved significantly from their earlier days. With dependable hardware and user-friendly troubleshooting solutions, personal computers have become a common possession that individuals can own and repair independently. Nevertheless, this doesn't render them immune to problems.

One such issue is a frozen screen, where the display becomes unresponsive, yet the computer continues to function. What could be causing this, and how can you resolve it? In this article, we'll delve into some possible causes and discuss a few troubleshooting steps. Let's dive in.

Quite often, users notice that their screen has frozen, yet the computer continues to function. A common example of this issue is when you're unable to move your cursor or mouse pointer, yet you observe that your PC is still operating in the background.

This occurs when the screen becomes unresponsive, yet the computer continues to function. It can be triggered by driver updates, occasionally by Windows Updates, hardware modifications, and so on. Let's delve deeper to comprehend the underlying reasons and explore possible solutions.

Causes of Screen Freezes with the Computer Still Operating

If your screen freezes but your PC continues to run, there are a few typical reasons behind this issue. Occasionally, it's due to hardware-related problems, whereas at other times, it can be attributed to faulty or malfunctioning software. Nevertheless, it's crucial to identify which cause best aligns with your specific situation.

Here are a few primary reasons why a PC might freeze:

• Overheating CPU, GPU, NVME, and RAM: Hardware components like the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), NVME Solid State Drive (SSD), and Random Access Memory (RAM) are cooled by heat spreaders. However, inadequate airflow within your PC case can lead to overheating, resulting in the system freezing.
• Corrupted or Outdated Drivers: Hardware drivers are crucial programs in your computer. If any driver, such as the chipset, GPU, or audio drivers, is outdated or corrupted, it can trigger issues and cause the PC to freeze.
• Inadequate Hardware: If you're using an older computer, your CPU, graphics card, or insufficient RAM (less than 8GB) might contribute to stutters and persistent screen freezing.
• BIOS Configuration/Corrupted BIOS: Incorrect BIOS settings can also lead to a frozen computer. Similarly, a corrupted BIOS or a failed CMOS battery can have the same effect.
• Virus Attack: One of the most common causes of frozen screens is a virus attack, particularly if your PC continues to run despite the issue.
• Corrupted or Missing System Files: Missing system files are another factor that can result in a frozen screen.

These are some of the most common causes for a frozen screen. However, the PC will still remain powered on because the issue is typically related to a driver, the operating system, or a specific hardware component.

How to Solve Screen Freezes with Active PC – 5 Fixes

In this section, we'll examine a few remedies if your screen becomes frozen while your computer continues to operate. However, before attempting these solutions, it's crucial to be aware that some of them might result in the loss of some of your data.

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These factors ensure that you don't lose any crucial files if the repair or solutions don't go as planned. Hence, after you have completed the backup, here are five solutions you can attempt:

1. Solution 1: Perform A System Restore
2. Solution 2: Perform A Clean Boot
3. Solution 3: Free Up Hard Disk Space
4. Solution 4: Run the System File Checker
5. Solution 5: Check Hardware Temperatures

Solution 1: Perform a System Restore

The first step you can take is to perform a System Restore. If the issue is caused by a faulty Windows or driver update, screen freezing is a common occurrence. Therefore, reverting to a previous system restore point can assist in resolving this problem. Here's how to proceed:

Step 1. Open the Control Panel by typing it in the Start Menu.

Step 2. In the control panel, search for "Recovery" and open it.

Step 3. Next, click on Open System Restore.

Step 4. In the System Restore wizard, select Choose a different restore point.

Step 5. Choose one of the options and click "next."

Step 6. Wait for the restoration to finish.

Step 7. Reboot your PC.

This will revert your PC to a previous state, and it should likely resolve the issue of the screen freezing. However, if the problem persists, proceed to the next solution.

Solution 2: Perform a Clean Boot

There are instances when a clean boot is exactly what you need. Certain applications, drivers, or services might be responsible for your computer freezing. Therefore, it's crucial to disable them all to initiate a clean startup. Here's how you can achieve this: 1. **Open the "Run" dialog box**: Press the `Windows key + R` on your keyboard to open the Run dialog. 2. **Type "msconfig"**: In the Run dialog, type "msconfig" (without quotes) and press Enter. 3. **System Configuration window**: This will open the System Configuration window. Click on the "Services" tab. 4. **Tick the "Hide all Microsoft services" box**: Locate and check the box labeled "Hide all Microsoft services" to filter out essential system services. 5. **Disable services**: Click on "Disable all" to disable all non-Microsoft services. 6. **Transition to the "Startup" tab**: Now, switch to the "Startup" tab. Here, you'll see a list of startup items. 7. **Disable startup items**: Disable all startup items by selecting each one and clicking "Disable." 8. **Apply changes and restart**: Click on "Apply," then "OK." A message will prompt you to restart your computer. Do so, and your PC will start with a clean boot. 9. **Diagnose the issue**: After restarting, check if the problem persists. If it doesn't, one of the disabled services or startup items was likely the culprit. To identify it, you can enable services and startup items one by one, restarting after each change, until the issue reoccurs. Remember to re-enable your services and startup items once you've identified and resolved the problem to ensure normal operation of your system.

Step 1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard.

Step 2. Type MSConfig in the run command.

Step 3. In MSConfig, switch to the Services tab.

Step 4. Check the Hide all Microsoft services option in the bottom-left corner.

Step 4. After hiding all Microsoft services, click on the "Disable All" button.

Step 5. Click "Apply," then OK.

Step 6. Restart your PC

This will restart your PC without running any services except for the essential ones provided by Microsoft. Consequently, this solution will resolve the issue for many users.

Solution 3: Free Up Hard Disk Space

Another significant cause of this issue is a lack of space on your system drive, commonly referred to as the C drive. Therefore, it's crucial to check if your C Drive has sufficient space. If the available space is less than 10GB, you should learn how to free up hard drive space. Here's what you can do to liberate some space:

Step 1. Navigate to File Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click on the "C drive" and select "Properties."

Step 3. Under the Capacity section, click on "Disk Cleanup."

Step 4. Select all the checkboxes and click on "OK." This translates to: Step 4. Select all the checkboxes and press "OK."

Step 5. Wait for it to finish

This will likely free up a few gigabytes of space, especially if you've never cleaned up your C drive previously. However, you can further optimize the situation by extending your C drive by adding more storage to it, or by uninstalling unnecessary apps and programs.

Solution 4: Run the System File Checker To run the System File Checker, follow these steps: 1. Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard. 2. Click on "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" if you're using Windows 10 or later. 3. In the Command Prompt or PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter: ``` sfc /scannow ``` 4. The System File Checker will now scan your system for any corrupted files and attempt to repair them. This process may take some time, so please be patient. 5. Once the scan is complete, you'll receive a message indicating whether any issues were found and fixed. If it says that Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them, try the next solution. If the System File Checker resolves the issue, restart your computer and check if the problem persists.

Corrupted, deleted, or absent system files are also a frequent cause of computer freezing. Hence, you'll need assistance from the Command Prompt (CMD) and a Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command to check for any missing or corrupted system files. Follow these steps: 1. **Open Command Prompt as an Administrator:** - Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the menu. 2. **Run the SFC Scan:** - In the Command Prompt, type `sfc /scannow` and press Enter. This command will scan your system for any integrity violations and attempt to repair them. 3. **Run the DISM Command:** - After the SFC scan is complete, type `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth` and press Enter. This command checks for and repairs any corruption in the Windows Component Store. 4. **Reboot your Computer:** - Once both scans are finished, restart your computer for the changes to take effect. 5. **Check for Improvements:** - Upon rebooting, observe if the freezing issue has been resolved. If the problem persists, there might be other underlying issues that require further troubleshooting. Remember, running these commands may take some time, so please be patient during the process.

Step 1. Press the Start button and type CMD.

Step 2. Open CMD with Administrator privileges.

Step 3. Type SFC /scannow in the command prompt.

Step 4. Wait for the process verification.

Step 5. Proceed to the following prompt.

Step 6. If the system has detected and repaired corrupted files, close the Command Prompt and restart your PC.

Step 7. If the scan completed without detecting any corrupt files, type "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth."

Step 8. Wait for this process to finish.

Step 9. Close the Command Prompt and restart your PC.

This will prevent any corrupted or missing files from causing issues. Once this is done, your PC should no longer freeze. If it does, proceed to the next solution.

Solution 5: Check Hardware Temperatures

If none of the software solutions prove effective, it's probable that one or more of your hardware components are the root cause. When the system freezes, common culprits are the RAM, graphics card, CPU, or motherboard. A straightforward method to identify the issue-causing component is by checking their temperatures.

Now, you can enter the BIOS when you start your PC to check the CPU's temperature. If it's below 40 degrees Celsius, it's probably not the cause of the problem. In that case, you can try using CPUID's Hardware Monitor. After downloading and installing it, follow these steps:

Step 1. Launch HWMonitor on your computer.

Step 2. Check the motherboard temperatures.

Step 3. Check the CPU temperatures next.

Step 4. Scroll down and check the RAM and Hard Drive temperatures.

Check RAM and Hard Drive Temperatures

Step 5. Lastly, check your GPU temperatures as well.

But what do you do when you check the temperatures and find high temperatures on your devices? Here are a few guidelines:

• Clean your PC with an air blower or canned air
• Renew the thermal paste on the CPU and GPU
• Clean the connectors of NVME, SATA, and SSD drives using Isopropyl alcohol
• Reinstall hardware components like the GPU, RAMs, NVME, and power cables

This will ensure that overheating is not the issue with your PC. If the problem continues, it could be caused by a piece of hardware with high temperatures.

底线

Here are some of the most frequent causes of screen freezing and their respective solutions. Hence, ensure you examine all the aspects outlined in this article, encompassing both hardware and software-related problems. Nevertheless, prior to attempting any fixes, it is crucial to back up your data. This step will prevent any unintended loss of information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Screen Freezes, but PC Keeps Running

If you have any further questions, this section will provide the answers.

1. Why does my PC screen keep freezing?

One of the most frequent reasons for this issue is hardware overheating. However, if that's not the culprit, it's highly probable that your operating system or drivers have become corrupted. In such a scenario, you might require a fresh installation of Windows or your drivers.

2. How do you unfreeze a computer screen? To unfreeze a computer screen, follow these steps: 1. **Press and Hold**: First, try pressing and holding the "Ctrl" and "Alt" keys on your keyboard, then press the "Delete" key. This should bring up the Task Manager on Windows or the System Monitor on some Linux distributions. 2. **Force Quit**: In the Task Manager (Windows) or System Monitor (Linux), look for the unresponsive program and click "End Task" or "Kill Process." On a Mac, press "Command," "Option," and "Escape" together to open the Force Quit Applications window, then select the frozen program and click "Force Quit." 3. **Restart the Computer**: If the above doesn't work, it might be necessary to restart your computer. Press and hold the power button until the computer turns off, and then press it again to turn it back on. 4. **Safe Mode**: If the problem persists, restart your computer in Safe Mode. This allows you to start your computer with minimal software running, making it easier to troubleshoot issues. For Windows, restart and repeatedly press F8 during boot-up to access the Advanced Boot Options menu. For macOS, restart while holding down "Shift" during the startup chime. For Linux, the method varies depending on the distribution; consult your documentation. 5. **Update Software**: After accessing Safe Mode, ensure your operating system and all software are up to date. Outdated software can sometimes cause freezing issues. 6. **Scan for Malware**: Run a malware scan using an antivirus or anti-malware tool to ensure your system is clean. 7. **Check Hardware**: If software updates and scans don't help, it could be a hardware issue. Check for loose connections, overheating, or failing components like RAM or the hard drive. You may need professional assistance for this step. Remember that prevention is key—keep your system updated, run regular maintenance, and be cautious when downloading or installing new software to avoid future freeze-ups.

Typically, you'd restart the computer to resolve a freeze. However, if you can still move your mouse, attempt to log out by pressing ALT + CTRL + DEL on your keyboard. When the blue screen appears, select "Sign Out," and then sign back in.

3. How do you unfreeze your computer when Control-Alt-Delete doesn't work?

If you're unable to use your computer and the CTRL + ALT + DEL shortcut doesn't work, attempt to restart your PC by using the reset button or by holding the power button for 5 seconds. Once the system is completely shut down, turn it back on again.