If a computer keeps freezing as you are in the middle of working, there could be some underlying issues causing the problem. Therefore, you need to do some troubleshooting. Many people have been in this type of situation when doing something important on work and school projects.
When a computer freezes, it turns useless, and you may even lose all the information and progress on whatever you were working on. Freezing happens at the most inconvenient time. But you don’t have to fret. There are several procedures followed to get the computer working again. Before discussing restoring your computer to normal, let’s first go through why computers freeze.
Reasons Why Your Computer Keeps Freezing
It’s essential to identify the fundamental basis of computer freezing. Below are some reasons why a computer will freeze.
1. Opening Too Many Programs
All programs in the computer need some amount of internal and external resources for proper functioning. When multiple programs are running concurrently, the computer may not have enough memory and computing memory to support every program.
2. Corruption And Errors In The Drivers
Drivers are channels of communication between a hardware device and an operating system. An outdated or damaged driver may be the reason why your windows will keep freezing. Not updating your drivers may be the reason causing the freeze.
3. Overheating
When a computer overheats, it may start running slowly and cause the computer to freeze. Too high temperatures may even damage your system processor’s integrated circuit and make it unusable. To prevent your PC from overheating, you must ensure it is thoroughly ventilated. You can also use computer casing in case of harsh environments.
4. Insufficient RAM
Some computers freeze regularly and frequently because of insufficient RAM. If this happens with your computer, you should consider upgrading the RAM or reinstalling its Operating System to stop it from freezing.
5. BIOS Settings
If you recently modified your BIOS settings, you may put your System in freeze mode. To fix this freezing issue, you can restore the BIOS settings to default.
6. Using A Faulty External Device
A faulty USB and other external devices like the mouse and keyboard may cause the computer to freeze. You may try connecting your appliances one at a time to check the root cause of the freeze. It’s also important to update your USB devise drivers, which may also help fix the problem.
7. Viruses
When a virus gains access to your computer, it may cause it to freeze. It would help if you always had an antivirus in your computer which is efficient enough to remove any virus and keep it running smoothly.
8. Corrupted And Missing System Files
It’s common for windows 10 and 7 to freeze because of corrupted and missing files systems. Therefore, you should check whether there are any and fix them for the proper functioning of the computer.
9. Errors With The Software
Sometimes even software from credible vendors can cause a computer to freeze. Much third-party software is culprits, and if this happens, you should delete the software and reinstall it. Software products try to use resources denied access by windows, causing a freeze. Also, there could be a bug problem with the software driving the freeze.
There is also a high chance that they are using many resources, and your System struggles to run each program. Apart from deleting the software, you may first try fixing the problem by constantly updating all your software products. If you are not using them, deleting them is the best option.
How To Fix Computer Freezing Problem
1. Checking The Performance Of The Browser
Sometimes your browser may get stuck on a particular page. Since many current PC users rely heavily on browsers, you may feel as if your computer is freezing, although it could be a single browser page. To check what’s causing the problem, open your Windows Task Manager, which will notify you that the browser is not responding, where you will need to end the process. To dig further, you should open the browser Task Manager.
Go to google chrome, select Microsoft edge, and press SHIFT + Esc to open your Browser Task Manager. If using Firefox browser, click the menu button and select More > Task Manager. Once you open your browser task manager, you will understand the running processes causing the page to freeze.
2. Checking The Reliability Monitor
If discovering the problem behind the computer freezing proves difficult, your next option is to do extra troubleshooting. You could use Windows 10 Reliability Monitor. Access it by opening Control Panel, then System and Security, Security and Maintenance followed by Reliability Monitor.
Once you open this tool, a graph will appear showing your PC’s reliability over time. You will also be able to find crash logs and other issues, updates, and all currently installed apps.
Suppose you notice any error on your graph appearing simultaneously as when your System froze. In that case, the computer will give you the option of viewing some technical details and checking Microsoft’s database to solve the problem. Another option is googling the error codes and reading more about the issue.
You will see the events that triggered the computer freeze on your graph. If the freeze is connected to a new system update, restoring your system to the previous state is easy. Just select System Restore, and it will go back to the way it was before installing the updates.
3. Reinstalling Drivers
Restoring your System is an excellent way of fixing many computer issues, but it may not always help some situations. For instance, after upgrading your CPU, GPU, and various computer components and installing new drivers, your computer may still experience freezing because of faulty drivers, or perhaps there was something wrong with that installation.
You must uninstall current drivers, download the newest ones available, and install them again to fix the issue.
4. Testing The RAM
A failing RAM stick could cause computer freezing. To know whether this is the cause of your computer freeze, you should run some tests. Click on your Start Menu to test the RAM, then type Windows Memory Diagnostic to access the program. Your System will reboot and test the memory, then notify you if there is an issue.
5. Checking The Hard Drive Performance
A hard drive with faulty sectors may fail, which may cause you a lot of issues. To fix this, scan the hard drive. The internet has plenty of free tools to do this, including CrystalDiskInfo, which notifies you if there are any problems with the HDD.
6. Blue Screen Of Death
Most of the time, a computer freeze may be followed by the Blue Screen of Death. However, this shouldn’t be a reason to cause panic as it can provide you with some extra information regarding why this has happened. Start investigating your stem by checking the QR code and “Stop Code” on your System.
7. Allow Your Computer Time For Catching Up
A computer freeze can also be caused by running any CPU-heavy program that keeps it from keeping up with this intensive task. You try clicking a button or even performing simple tasks such as closing a window, and you’ll feel like your System has frozen while it’s not. Try to give your CPU some time to catch up with every task it is struggling with.
8. Rebooting The System
If the computer still freezes after giving it enough time to catch up, you may need a hard reset. To do this, long press the computer’s power button until the System shuts down. After that, try pressing it again to turn on the computer and boot your System as it was.
9. Uninstall All Resource-Hungry Programs
Some software product utilizes lots of resources, causing computer freeze. You can check how your computer resources are used by opening Windows task manager through the CTRL + SHIFT + Esc. Option.
If your computer is freezing when a particular program is running, you will have to uninstall that program. Some of the available tools you can use to do this include Revo Uninstaller Pro 4, which completely erases every file that your program installation comes with.
10. Scanning The PC For Malware
A computer may experience glitches as a result of malware. To remove malware from your PC, you can download a program to help check if it is infected.
If you try all these methods, but your computer continues freezing, you may be facing a hardware problem that may be difficult to solve. You can contact your PC manufacturer if it is still under warranty to help you solve the glitches or repair the computer. If your hardware components fail after their tests, the manufacturer will probably replace them for you at no cost.
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons why your computer may freeze or begin performing poorly. A software-related issue often causes the problem or if the PC has several programs operating concurrently, making it freeze. Other issues, including insufficient hard disc space and drivers’ issues, may also cause your PC to freeze. Fortunately, you can solve these issues by following the steps outlined above,
