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My PC's display turns off randomly and doesn't come back until I turn off my PC and then start it again.

I have done the following things to resolve the issue, but they didn't work:

  1. I initially thought it was a display driver issue, so I disabled the driver, but the issue persists.

  2. I have replaced RAM several times, but it was of no use.

  3. There's not a problem with the monitor because I have replaced it too.

  4. I have unplugged all the connected devices/peripherals except hard disk, keyboard, and mouse.

  5. I also reinstalled the OS.

The heatsink from one of the components on the motherboard is missing.

Missing heatsink

but I don't think it could have caused the issue because it was like that from the very beginning, but the issue has only occurred for a few days.

My PC's details are:

System:

Dell Optiplex 320

CPU:

Intel Pentium 4

RAM:

1GB DDR2 RAM

Graphics:

ATI Radeon Graphics

EDIT: The issue has gone automatically and now the system is working fine.

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2 Answers 2

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Clearly the problem is the blown capacitors. Capacitors are notorious for eventually going bad, especially when subjected to high temperatures over long periods of time. You should replace not only the capacitors which is a cheap fix if you're good at soldering*, but also the heatsink which is more expensive and possibly downright unobtainable because this is a Pentium 4 computer! I recommend retiring this "space heater" computer because it's not worth the time and money that would be required to fix it.

*What type of solder do I need when replacing capacitors?

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    A missing heatsink will not cause blown capacitors. The IC will not be able to dissipate heat, so it can't heat up parts far away. It's basically the CPU cooler that throws hot air right on them that's the issue. Also, any random heatsink that is small enough is good enough for the iGPU. It was only glued on originally. (yep no paste)
    – Natsu Kage
    Commented Jan 27, 2020 at 4:46
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The answer is that your motherboard is defective. You have capacitors blown that need to be replaced:

enter image description here

Also, I highly suggest adding a heatsink to that component. It is the iGPU of your motherboard (ATI) and needs cooling.

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