I read that thermal pads very rarely dry out and need to be replaced. I'm certainly no expert on this topic, though. Ultimately, I'd have to bring it to someone else for repair or part replacement. I don't think I'm qualified to do this work.
Keep in mind, this is a very recent development (December, 2023). In my 23+ years of owning this console, the only issue I ever experienced was trouble with the laser lens reading scratched discs and blue discs. I cannot recall any instances of being concerned about the console's temperature. Maybe it is overheating and I simply didn't notice it.
A simple reset or power cycle has not solved the issue. The first time this happened, I had been playing for 5-6 hours. The system hard locked and the Reset button did nothing. I was forced to power cycle it. When I did, it immediately struggled to load the startup screen. The video ended up freezing but I can't remember if the audio continued to play. I tried two or three games (no previous issue with their condition and the system reading them) and saw similar results. At that point, I was pretty quick to turn the system off and take it to the tech shop. The second instance, I had only been playing for 2-3 hours and got the same symptoms. Turned it off and took it back to the shop. The owner thought the laser might need to be adjusted. They replaced the laser lens with another brand new one and tested a bunch of different discs for 5-10 minutes but saw no issues. I took it home and played it for two hours. Happened again. I haven't played it since. Sometimes, I was able to reset the system and sometimes I had to power cycle.
If the tech is only checking to make sure the system boots up, reads all discs, and only playing them for a few minutes, then I'm guessing this is not sufficient to check for overheating.
I appreciate your responses. What's your recommendation for my next step?