You’re working hard when your computer abruptly comes to a standstill. Panic sets in as you consider all of the efforts you may have to redo. Before you pull your hair out, try these methods to unfreeze your laptop computer.
There are, however, other options to consider and some tips to assist you to avoid these problems. This essay will go over all of the specifics of this prevalent issue. First, we will discuss how to unfreeze a computer or laptop.
How to Unfreeze a Computer or Laptop?
Step 1
Allow a few minutes for the non-responsive program to react again. Allow some time and patience. This is the simplest technique to recover any work that was not saved prior to the freeze. If the computer does not unfreeze after waiting, proceed to the next step.
Step 2
In that order, press and hold the “Ctrl,” “Alt,” and “Del” buttons. This may cause the computer to unfreeze or display an option to restart, shut down, or launch the task manager. Open the task manager and check to see if any programs are marked as “not responding.” If there is one, select it and then click “end task.”
The computer will terminate that task and break the freeze. If it doesn’t work, launch task manager and navigate to “processes.” Look for a process towards the top of the list that is consuming a lot of resources. The number next to the procedure indicates how much money is set aside for that program. Choose the one with the highest number (at the top of the list) and click “end procedure.” If your computer is still frozen, proceed to the next step.
Step 3
Change your laptop’s power source. For example, if the laptop was plugged into the wall, unplug it and let it run on battery power. If that doesn’t work, move on to the next step.
Step 4
Remove any devices that are plugged into the laptop, such as thumb drives or memory cards. Continue to the following step if this does not unfreeze the computer.
Step 5
Close your laptop’s lid. Re-open the lid. This may bring the machine back to life and bring it back to the login screen. It may also put the PC in sleep mode. If this fails, proceed to the next step.
Step 6
Press the power button. This may bring up a choice asking if you want to restart or shut down the computer. You will need to restart or shut down the computer at this point. Unless the program offers a recovery method to save your work if this event arises, you will most likely lose what you were working on. Hold down the power button until the computer shuts down if the menu does not appear. Wait 30 seconds before restarting the machine.
Methods for Unfreezing a Computer Without Turning It Off
First and foremost, we want to emphasize that these strategies can be extremely helpful or completely ineffective. It all relies on the severity of the problem as well as your computer’s hardware capabilities. A very old computer, for example, with little RAM or a bad processor, is more likely to freeze frequently.
If, on the other hand, the system has crashed due to a specific issue or failure in an application, the problem is considerably easier to resolve. In any case, here are several tricks you can try:
1. Press the Esc Key to Exit
In extremely rare cases, repeatedly clicking the Esc key causes the computer to unfreeze. However, it is a tactic that rarely works, but because it is so simple, it is worth a shot.
2. Remove Any External Devices
Sometimes external devices cause problems with the computer and impair its performance. USB sticks, external discs, game controllers, and other peripherals, for example, might degrade PC performance, especially if they malfunction.
When the computer freezes, it is always a good idea to remove as many external devices as possible. In general, using any of the following strategies would help unfreeze it or at least speed up the process.
3. Start the Task Manager
It is feasible to close the applications that are causing the system to freeze by using the task manager. However, if your computer is frozen, you’re undoubtedly asking how to open this interface. It is possible to do so via Windows Safe Mode.
Simply press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to bring up a new blue screen menu. You can then choose the task manager and close the “unresponsive” applications when it opens.
If you can’t close an application or program directly, go to the Processes tab, pick the application or process, and then click End task.
4. Sleep the Computer
Technically, it is comparable to turning off the computer, but there is one significant difference. Hibernating the PC saves the data on the hard drive so that when you restart it, everything is still there. If your computer has frozen, try placing it in hibernation mode.
Reopen the menu described in the previous section if you do not have access to the operating system interface. Select Sleep, wait for the machine to enter that condition, and then restart it.
5. Wait
If none of the above-mentioned tips work and you still do not want to switch off your computer, you must wait for it to unfreeze on its own. Fortunately, Windows updates are becoming more successful, and these issues are becoming less common. If problems do occur, the operating system is capable of resolving them in a matter of minutes.
If you attempted the methods above but were unsuccessful, wait a reasonable amount of time and the computer should function correctly again.
How to Avoid Computer Freezing?
1. Reduce the Number of Programs Operating at the Same Time
Too many programs running at once might easily cause a computer to freeze. Opening too many programs at once can cause your computer to freeze.
2. Install New Drivers
Outdated or damaged drivers can cause a computer to freeze. For example, if an issue with your audio driver exists, your computer may stall while playing music or watching YouTube videos. You may get the correct drivers for your PC in two ways: manually or automatically.
Manual driver update – You can manually update your drivers by visiting the manufacturer’s website and looking for the most recent correct driver. Make certain that you only install drivers that are compatible with your Windows version.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to manually update your video and monitor drivers, Driver Easy can do it for you.
3. Install the Most Recent Version of Your Operating System
Check to see if your operating system has been upgraded to the most recent version. Microsoft will provide updates on a regular basis to address frequent errors and bugs. Thus, updating your operating system can protect you from future difficulties such as computer freezing.
4. Perform a Hardware Test
It is possible that problems will arise if your hardware (RAM, hard disc, fan, etc.) is not functioning properly. If you smell something foul or hear weird noises from your computer while using it, you should consider running a hardware test or physically inspecting the hardware status of your computer.
You can discover information on hardware testing on the manufacturer’s website or seek assistance from an official service point.
5. Perform a Security Scan
A viral infection can cause your machine to freeze. Running a security scan with your anti-virus software on a regular basis will help you avoid this problem. Check to see if your anti-virus software has been updated to the most recent version.
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Final Words
We hope you find these methods useful. You are welcome to submit comments and questions in the section below.