Freezing screen

Question

In the past few weeks my laptop has started freezing for a few seconds at a time, frequently when I try to scroll. Over time it has been happening more often and at the moment it's at least every few minutes. Even though it's only for a few seconds each time, it is distracting and frustrating. it only freezes the window and I can still move my mouse and type but I can't scroll. Is there any way to fix this? or is my laptop just broken. (I have a G10 Notebook PC)

Thanks.

Answer 1

Let me know how it goes. I hope that helps resolve the issue.

Answer 2

Hi, I’m Jan. It looks like the issue only happens when scrolling, since the system still responds when typing. This can be a problem with mouse or the application itself. But if the freezing happens in the whole system, this can be a driver issue , system file corruption or cause by a background applications.

• Perform a clean boot to disable unnecessary startup and services. clean boot
• If the problem happens when scrolling through pages or browsing. Try disabling or removing browser extensions in your browser settings; in some cases, this can cause freezing issues while browsing.
• Try clearing your browser's browsing data or clearing the cache in the settings.
• Clean and install the graphics drivers. Dowload the latest driver from the manufacturer support website. Then select the clean installation option.
• Try to scan and repair the system files using system file checker. system file checker
• Try removing other external USB devices such as controllers and external storage. This involves checking if they are the ones causing stuttering.
• Test the mouse on another working computer.
• Try using a cooling stand to improve the airflow and avoid overheating. These devices are prone to overheating that can cause freezes and stuttering.

Answer 3

The issue is likely related to Windows temporarily freezing rather than the hardware being permanently broken. Several troubleshooting steps can help narrow down and fix the cause.

Try these steps in order:

1. Check if the whole system or just the app is freezing

• When the freeze happens, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
• If Task Manager opens and updates normally while the window you’re scrolling is frozen, the problem is likely with that specific app or with the display driver.

2. Reset or update the display (graphics) driver Screen or window freezes during scrolling can be caused by a faulty or incompatible display driver.

Reset the graphics driver (Windows 10/11):

• Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B once when the freeze occurs.
• The screen will blink and you may hear a beep; this resets the graphics driver. If this reduces or stops the freezes, the display driver is a likely cause.

Update the display driver:

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click the display adapter and select Update driver.
4. Follow the prompts. If needed, contact the PC or display adapter manufacturer to get the latest driver.

Roll back the display driver (if freezes started after an update):

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters and right-click the adapter → Properties.
3. Go to the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver → Yes.
4. Restart the device.

If Roll Back Driver is unavailable, there is no previous driver stored to revert to.

Uninstall and reinstall the display driver:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters, right-click the adapter → Properties.
3. On the Driver tab, select Uninstall Device.
4. Select the checkbox to remove the driver software (if available), then select OK.
5. Restart the device; Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver automatically.
6. Check for general Windows freezes If freezes become longer or affect more than just scrolling, follow general freeze troubleshooting:

• Note when the freeze happens (which app, what action, how often).
• Check if it happens on multiple apps or only one.
• If the system becomes completely unresponsive, perform a forced shutdown and restart:
  • Press and hold the power button until the device shuts down and restarts and the Windows logo appears (about 20 seconds), then release.

If freezes continue or worsen, more advanced diagnostics (such as collecting logs or memory dumps) may be needed, typically done by an administrator or support technician.

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References:

• Troubleshoot screen flickering in Windows
• Advanced troubleshooting for Windows freezes
• Windows doesn't respond or stops working on Surface