What to Do When Your PC Freezes

SafeBytes Software

Computer freezing or crashing is when your computer becomes unresponsive and does not respond to input requests from either the mouse or keyboard. A freeze can be preceded by an error message just before computer locks down which can help in you in knowing the source of lock down.

Freezing may be because of a failing drivers or your operating system being unable to handle request from the processors.

Here is what to do when your computer stalls or freezes.

Uninstall the Offending Program(s)

If freezing is caused by a program, you should make sure the program has the latest updates from the manufacturer's site or install a different version of the same program. If the two options do not work for you, the best option would be to uninstall as indicated below. This will apply to all windows Versions

o Click on the start button and click on run that will open a dialog boxo Type in appwiz.cpl and click OK ( This will open up the Add or Remove Programs).o Click on the affected program and uninstallo When prompted whether you want to remove the application, click on YES and continue

o Restart your computer

Update Device Drivers

You can use third party software such as DriverAssist to scan drivers on your system to check on corrupt drivers or those that need to be updated. DriverAssist has millions of drivers in its database that are compatible with most manufacturers' hardware.

DriverAssist will review all the drivers installed before it scans for all attached drivers and it will replace corrupt, obsolete and install the missing drivers that may be the cause of system freeze. With all drivers installed and updated your computer should now operate normally.

Edit the Registry

A corrupted registry causes instability in system performance of your computer. Registry editor is a complex process that needs the help of a professional. Automated registry editor tools are also available that can help in scanning your system and attempt to fix the prevailing errors.

Update the Operating System

Sometimes your computer could be freezing because of outdated security updates. The updates are available from the official manufacturer's website.

For a windows system

o Open the browser and head on to your operating system's security updates page.o Select the mode of install (Custom or Express)Or Turn on Automatic updates on the control panel (This will point directly windows update site) as indicated

o Click on Start and head on the control panelo On the control panel window look up for Windows updates and click on it.o Change the settings to Automatic and set the preferred time when you want the updates to take placeo Click on OK and then Apply.

Once the update is done your system will install the updates and may restart several times until the installations are finished.

Note: You should have an Internet connection for these settings to work.

Hardware fault is another thing you should look for when your PC freezes.

If this is the case, you will need to do a system review by removing the faulty hardware. You can eliminate this problem by removing all nonessential hardware and re-introducing them one by one. If the offending hardware is identified, you will need to replace it.

When trying to sort out your PC be careful and follow the steps to achieve the best results.