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If your computer freezes, you will be unable to carry out any activity with it. In such a situation, your cursor would hang, and your keyboard keys would not function. This could be for a few minutes or could drag for a long time.
And no, shouting and smashing the table won’t help to fix it.
Regardless of why your computer keeps freezing, the truth is that it can get uncomfortable; it even gets ickier if the freeze happens frequently. Beyond making you uncomfortable, it affects your productivity.
Here, we look at some of the common culprits that could be causing your computer to freeze. You also find simple solutions you can implement to make your laptop work nice and fast. Do bear in mind that the suggestions here are not supposed to replace your technician’s advice.
If you try the suggestions and they do not work, or you suspect that the problems are not exactly generic, you may want to escalate to your technician.
Why is my computer freezing?
Here are the possible reasons why your computer is freezing:
1. Faulty external device
An overheated or faulty external device could also be the reason why your computer is freezing. If your Central Processing Unit (CPU) or external hardware gets heated up, you should get concerned.
This is because an extremely high temperature could damage the integrated circuit of your system processor. Also, be on the lookout for when your computer’s internal fans start making loud noises. This could be an indication of overheating.
2. Limited storage device
Every electronic device needs ample storage space to be able to function optimally. Your computer is no exception. Thus, if you download apps that use 3D software or video editing software, you will need to open up your storage.
On the other hand, you could try eliminating some of the apps. Or, at least, avoid opening them simultaneously.
3. Corrupted driver
Drivers act as a bridge between your computer software and hardware. Hence, when it gets faulty, outdated, or damaged, both your computer hardware and software will have problems.
A common indicator of such a problem is that your computer starts freezing or takes a long time to respond to prompts.
This is easily fixable.
You could simply download a new driver that will be compatible with your device. In the steps below, we will show you how.
4. Malware
Viruses and malware can wreak havoc on your computer. They could serve as a gateway for bad actors to gain access to your system.
In some cases, they could also hamper the regular functioning of your computer. There are several ways viruses can infect your device. In addition, there are various strategies you can implement to fix the problem.
We will discuss those subsequently.
5 Ways to stop your computer from freezing
We have curated some of the easiest remedies to employ if your computer keeps freezing.
You will have zero problems implementing them. Jump in!
1. Restart your computer
You can simply turn off and unplug the computer from the power socket. If it is a temporary freeze, this should sort the problem.
2. Run a memory check to detect the problem
If you restart the computer and the problem still doesn’t go away, you should then run a memory check to detect where exactly the problem is from. Here are the steps to do so:
- Press your Windows and R keep together. A dialog box will pop up.
- Type mdsched.exe into the dialog box and press ENTER.
- Restart the computer to complete this process.
If you notice that your system files are corrupted or missing, you can try this strategy:
- Click on Start and type cmd into the search box.
- Right-click the Command Prompt. Some options will show up. Click on Run as Administrator. Then follow the prompt and click Yes.
- Type SFC and click on ENTER.
- Windows will scan your computer and detect the corrupted files and then try to fix them.
- Type Exit and click on ENTER.
Note: This process only works on computers running the Windows 10 system.
3. Update your driver
It is always important to update your device’s software. Specifically, when your computer keeps freezing, it could be an indication that the driver needs an update.
Go to Windows Update to check if your driver is still active. If it is outdated, you have the option of implementing either a manual or automatic update.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Right-click on This PC.
- Select Manage, and then go to Device Manager.
- Navigate to the option that contains the driver you wish to update yours too.
- Follow the process to update the driver for your particular device.
Note that there may be slight variations, depending on the Windows version your computer operates.
For Windows 10 and 8, you will have to right-click the hardware icon and select Update Driver Software.
For Windows 7, you select the hardware and right-click. Next, select Update Driver under the Driver Tab.
4. Use a malware blocker
Malware blockers and antivirus software can deal with this particular problem that may be plaguing your computer.
There are many out there, although the most effective ones are mostly paid for. If you are using a free virus detector, it might not be so effective. You may want to switch to a paid version.
If your virus detector software is also outdated, you should also consider updating them.
Furthermore, you may also want to jump on the VPN wagon to secure your laptop. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is software that primarily works to improve a user’s security.
It encrypts your network and prevents malware from infiltrating your device in the first place. If you already have malware on your device, most VPNs have malware-blocking capabilities.
Hence, they will detect and block the malware from disrupting the flow of your computer.
5. Take your computer to a repair shop
If you have tried all of these strategies and nothing seems to work, take the device to a repair shop. A technician will be better able to diagnose and help you fix the problem.
Conclusion
So, is your computer still freezing? Well, that is a common problem most people experience but, luckily, it is easy to fix it in most cases.
