Why Does My Computer Freeze?
At first it happens at the worst possible time: your computer freezes up or crashes. You reboot your computer hoping all is okay and the last thing you worked on still exists.
Sometimes you are lucky, but many times it’s gone.
Here are some things you can do when your computer freezes.
My Computer Freezes Randomly
When your computer freezes randomly, it is obviously frustrating. Windows 10 has been freezing more than usual, and most of these random moments makes it hard to troubleshoot.
Here are some suggestions to try and solve the freezes. You might have to try them all before you get a solution.
- Update your drivers – the computer freezing could be caused by outdated drivers. If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to update the drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.
- Clear your computer’s temp files – when your computer starts to run out of space, there can be no more room for temp files. First, press the Windows key and R simultaneously, then type “temp” in the box and hit Enter. This will open the Temp folder. Select all files and hit Delete on the keyboard to clear all the files in the Temp folder.
- Adjust your virtual memory – an extension of your computer’s physical memory is the virtual memory, a combination of RAM and a portion of your hard drive. Click here for the steps to adjust virtual memory.
- Run a memory check – one of the most common causes of computer freezes is due to faulty memory. Hold the Windows logo key and press R simultaneously. Type “mdsched.exe” in the box and press Enter. To check for problems right away, click Restart now and check for problems(recommended). Otherwise click Check for problems the next time I start my computer. Once Windows restarts, you will see a progress screen of the check. If you don’t see any errors here your memory card probably isn’t the problem.
- Run Disk Check – it might be that your hard drive is as fault. First close all open programs and files. Click Start > File Explorer > This PC. Choose the hard drive to check, right-click on it and choose Properties. Choose the Tools tab, and under Error-checking, click Check. Once the error checking is complete, it’s either success or it might indicate upgrading your hard drive.
- Repair your system files – Windows can randomly freeze due to corrupt, damaged, or missing system files. You can either use the Windows built-in tool to run a basic check or use an automatic tool to perform a complete diagnosis. Click here to see how to repair system files Windows 10 manually and automatically.
- Disable C-States in BIOS – “C-States”, or “CPU States” are power-saving options. These options lower your system’s voltage, multipliers, etc. so your computer uses as little power as possible when idle. When you disable C-States it can make your computer more stable, and reduce unexpected problems like random freezing. To disable C-States, restart your computer and enter setup (before your computer gets to Windows). Once in setup, you need to locate CPU configuration and disable C-States. Now, not all setups will offer the ability to disable C-States.
- Switch to ChromeOS – one last option to try and stop your computer freezing up is to switch operating systems. Windows has been around forever, but that is not necessarily a good thing. The architecture is based on an old system that needs “patches” to keep updated. A newer, more stable option to consider is Chrome OS. It is a faster, more reliable, more secure, easier to use and cheaper operating system. The system is based on using Web apps so it is constantly updated, without you needing to virtually do anything.
So there you have it. Eight possible fixes for what to do when your computer freezes. While this is an extensive list, it is not necessarily everything you could try.
Sometimes it is not your computer issues at all and might likely be a virus or exploitation of your computer – a much bigger problem to manage.
When your pc freezes on startup or the computer screen freezes, take action now by checking out one of the anti-virus packages below…
McAfee
Kaspersky
Norton