Reference number: CH000690
Windows freezes or stops responding frequently.
Question:Windows freezes or stops responding frequently.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of
the below possibilities.
- Software related issue.
- Driver related issue.
- Operating system related issue.
- Heat related issue.
- Hardware issue.
- Serious issue with Windows
- Hardware failure.
Answer:This document contains recommendations on what to do if the
computer frequently freezes or completely halts. An easy way to
determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num
Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led
to see if it turns off and/or on.
If you're able to get the light to turn off an on, press CTRL + ALT
+ DEL and attempt to end task the program. Additional information
about this can be found on document CHTSR. Otherwise
continue reading this document.
Software related issue
A computer locking up or freezing is often is caused by a
software related issue. If you're encountering lockups when the
computer is opening a particular program, make sure you have all
the latest updates for that program. You can find the latest
updates for your software through the software
developer or publisher.
Driver related issue
A computer lock up can also be caused by drivers. For example,
if there is an issue that exists with your video drivers a
computer could lock up while playing a game or displaying any
other type of video. Make sure you have the latest drivers for all
major devices in your computer (video, sound, modem, and network).
A listing of driver related pages as well as driver related help
can be found on our drivers page.
Operating system related issue
Make sure your operating system has all of the latest updates
installed on it. Additional information about updating Windows can
be found on document CH000545.
Heat related issue
If the computer processor is getting too hot it can cause the
computer to freeze. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming
from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could
indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power
supply is working by examining the back of the computer and
seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans
in the computer
you will need to either open
the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor
fan and case
fan) and/or if your BIOS
monitors the RPM
of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report
any errors.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is
by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with
these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running too hot. Additional
information about how hot your CPU should be running can be found
on document CH000687.
Hardware issue
In addition to software, hardware can also cause a computer to
lock. If you have recently added any new hardware into the
computer, try temporarily removing it to make sure it is not the
cause of your issue.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not
encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing
Device Manager for errors. Additional information about Device Manager can be found on our Device Manager page.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the
computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a
hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer
that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network
card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not
needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these
cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Note: When opening the computer, make sure you are aware of ESD
and its potential dangers. See our ESD page
for additional information.
Serious issue with Windows
If you have tried all the above recommendations and the
computer continues to frequently lock up, its possible that Windows
may be seriously corrupt. Try running through the basic
troubleshooting steps for your version of Windows on our basic
troubleshooting page. If these additional steps do not resolve
your issue, we suggest you backup all information and erase and
reinstall Windows on your computer. Additional information about
how to do this can be found on document
CH000186.
Hardware failure
If after reinstalling your operating
system, or during the installation of your operating system, your
computer
turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other
hardware
is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM,
CPU,
Motherboard,
and/or Power
Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker
with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test
their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to
determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the
computer serviced.
Additional information:
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