I don't understand this at all.
I don't understand this at all.
I've experienced this problem where my PC freezes after running for over an hour or when I switch tabs quickly, except the mouse and some background tasks. It's been happening for about a year across eight different Windows versions, with new hardware each time—new CPU, RAM, PSU, GPU, motherboard, SSD, and still the same issue persists. Malwarebytes and Windows Defender didn't detect anything, though Fortescue found 3919 corrupt files (they were fixed) and the problem remains. The Event Viewer shows several warnings and errors, including critical ones. Programs like NIS, NSIPROXY, and ADF stopped working. All drivers are updated and compatible, but when I ran the CMD command to check, it crashed. After a repair, both SFC and Windows Defender fixed the corrupt files. Note: The wallpaper engine was disabled and the issue seemed less frequent then. Update: I removed the wallpaper engine and it works better now.
This was the last part you didn’t fix, which is what I didn’t want either. Here are a few possibilities: You might need a new GPU, or perhaps an updated driver. It seems the most probable issue is a faulty graphics card. I think the most likely steps are checking for a budget GPU—around $30 to $70—that you can test out. If you’re okay with simpler settings, try running everything in borderless or windowed mode without fullscreen. That usually avoids extra complications.
I realized I was missing something. I did get a new GPU as well—upgraded from 550 to 560 and then to an RTX 2080 Ti Super. All three had the same problem, but the driver was correct. It turns out it’s definitely a driver issue. The fix came when I uninstalled the wallpaper engine, which resolved the problem. Still, I’m trying to understand why that happened. Honestly, upgrading from 1030 to what I have now feels like a big step back.
It was only for testing, never meant to switch permanently. It’s the most affordable GPU available that still handles basic graphics work. If you’re not using it, update your graphics driver and install the proper one from Nvidia. Avoid the wallpaper engine—it consumes a lot of resources and could hit your CPU limits. Your PSU should be 800W or higher; 750 is okay but your CPU might struggle. With an 80 Plus rating, aim for at least 800W. If problems persist, check if there’s an HDD/SSD issue or a Windows problem.