# New problem on my computer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 9, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767 "2025-01-09T18:47:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/1 "2025-01-09T18:47:55Z")
If I pause working for about 3 minutes, it just locks up and I have to reboot. Could this be a virus or is my computer going bad? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/2 "2025-01-09T19:53:32Z")
You’ll need to provide a lot more detail than that to even get pointed in the right direction, much less actually fix the problem. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/3 "2025-01-09T20:19:33Z")
It could be a problem with the power saving settings. For instance, if the screen saver is set to come on after three minutes, maybe the screen saver is crashing. Check your power saving settings and see if any are set to activate at three minutes. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/4 "2025-01-09T21:05:44Z")
Thanks I will check that. The only additional info I could give is that the mouse icon does move around but won’t activate anything. The screen looks normal ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/5 "2025-01-09T21:34:36Z")
How old is your computer? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/6 "2025-01-09T21:37:20Z")
3 yr old laptop, I changed the setting to 15 min and it seemed to have worked. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/7 "2025-01-10T00:05:48Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > The only additional info I could give is that the mouse icon does move around but won’t activate anything. There’s a chance that this behavior is related to the screen saver. If it’s hung, the mouse might still be able to be moved on the screen. You could try setting the screen saver to something simpler, like “Blank Screen”. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/8 "2025-01-10T02:34:18Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > There’s a chance that this behavior is related to the screen saver. If it’s hung, the mouse might still be able to be moved on the screen. You could try setting the screen saver to something simpler, like “Blank Screen” It seems ok for now after changing the time on the power saver from 5 to 15 minutes. I might try moving it back later and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/9 "2025-01-10T12:09:37Z")
So… does it now hang after 15 minutes, or is the hanging/locking cured ? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-problem-on-my-computer/1012767/10 "2025-01-10T14:53:20Z")
[quote=“pjd, post:9, topic:1012767, full:true”] So… does it now hang after 15 minutes, or is the hanging/locking cured ? [/quote] It stopped hanging up!! Ok Now. Thanks for all the help.