Why does my PC freeze whenever I hit the desk?
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MellowCactus47
I often play FPS games and sometimes hit or slam my desk when I get frustrated. Whenever the impact is strong enough, my computer completely freezes and the monitor stays stuck on the last frame until I restart it. Could the vibration be disturbing a loose cable or component? Has anyone dealt with something similar?
Answers
A DisplayPort cable by itself would not normally freeze the whole system; it would more likely cause a blank or flickering screen. Check Reliability Monitor or Event Viewer after a crash to see whether Windows recorded a hardware error. Since you previously had trouble getting the system to start until the RAM was removed and reseated, the memory or another internal connection is worth inspecting first.
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The impact may be jarring a loose component or power connection, especially the GPU, RAM, or one of the GPU power cables. Check that everything is firmly seated and connected. You can also move the computer off the desk, although repeatedly slamming the furniture can eventually damage the hardware.
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A loose GPU power connector can cause system crashes or freezes when the computer is jolted. Reseat the graphics card, RAM, and all internal power connectors with the PC fully powered off and unplugged. Also avoid striking the desk—the vibrations can gradually loosen or damage components even if the desk itself feels solid.
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MellowCactus47: Could the DisplayPort cable be responsible, or would that usually only cause the display to cut out rather than freeze the entire computer?