How to Fix Computer Freezes: A Troubleshooting Guide

Have you ever experienced the frustration of a frozen computer? One moment you’re happily browsing the web or working on an important project, and the next moment everything comes to a halt. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this comprehensive guide on how to fix computer freezes. In this article, we’ll walk you through some common troubleshooting steps to get your computer back up and running smoothly.

Update Your Device Drivers

Outdated or incorrect device drivers can often be the cause of computer freezes. To fix this problem, you should update your drivers. If you find it too time-consuming or complicated to update them manually, you can use a tool like Driver Easy to do it automatically. Driver Easy will scan your computer, detect any outdated drivers, and download and install the correct versions for you. It’s fast, easy, and guarantees that you get the right drivers.

Adjust Power Plan Settings for Your Hard Drive

Another common cause of computer freezes is incorrect power plan settings for your hard drive. To fix this issue, follow these simple steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key and ‘R’ on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type ‘powercfg.cpl’ and hit Enter.
3. In the power plan settings, click on ‘Change plan settings’ for your preferred plan.
4. Then click on ‘Change advanced power settings’.
5. Double click on ‘Hard Drive’ and set the ‘Turn off hard disk after’ value to ‘Never’.
6. Click ‘OK’ to save the changes.

By adjusting your power plan settings, you can prevent your hard drive from turning off unexpectedly and causing your computer to freeze.

Delete Temporary Files

Accumulated temporary files can take up valuable storage space on your hard drive and lead to computer freezes. To free up space and prevent this issue, you can delete temporary files by following these steps:

1. Press the Windows logo key and ‘R’ on your keyboard.
2. Type ‘temp’ and hit Enter.
3. Press ‘Ctrl’ and ‘A’ to select all temporary files.
4. Click ‘Delete’ to remove the selected files.

Deleting temporary files regularly can help keep your computer running smoothly and avoid freezing issues.

Repair System Files

Corrupted or damaged system files can be another culprit behind computer freezes. To fix this, you have two options:

1. Use a specialized tool like Reimage to repair and replace corrupt system files. Reimage scans your computer for viruses, malware, and damaged files, and replaces them with healthy ones. It’s a clean reinstall of your operating system without losing any user data or program settings.
2. Run a System File Checker (SFC) scan. This built-in Windows feature scans and repairs missing or corrupted system files. To run an SFC scan, open Command Prompt as an administrator, type ‘sfc /scannow’, and hit Enter.

Both of these methods can help restore your system files and resolve freezing issues.

Adjust Your Virtual Memory

If your computer runs out of RAM during intensive tasks, it may lead to freezes. Adjusting your virtual memory can help alleviate this problem. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows logo key and ‘Pause’ at the same time to open System.
2. Click on ‘Advanced system settings’.
3. Under the ‘Advanced’ tab, click on ‘Settings’ in the ‘Performance’ section.
4. Go to the ‘Advanced’ tab in the ‘Performance Options’ window and click on ‘Change’ in the ‘Virtual memory’ section.
5. Uncheck the ‘Automatically manage paging file size for all drives’ option.
6. Select your Windows drive and choose ‘Custom Size’.
7. Set the Initial Size and Maximum Size of virtual memory based on your computer’s specifications.

Adjusting your virtual memory can help prevent freezing caused by low RAM in your system.

Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic

Faulty or bad RAM can also lead to computer freezes. To check if your RAM is the issue, you can use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows logo key and ‘R’ on your keyboard.
2. Type ‘mdsched.exe’ and hit Enter.
3. Choose the option to restart your computer and run the diagnostic test.
4. Wait for the test to complete.
5. If no memory errors are detected, you can exclude bad memory as the cause of the freezing issue. Otherwise, you may need to replace the faulty memory.

Running the Windows Memory Diagnostic can help identify and fix freezing problems caused by faulty RAM.

Perform a System Restore

If all else fails, you can perform a system restore to revert your computer back to a previous working state. This can help eliminate any changes or updates that may have caused the freezing issue. Follow these steps to perform a system restore:

1. Press the Windows logo key and type ‘restore’.
2. Click on ‘Create a restore point’.
3. In the System Protection tab, click on ‘System Restore’.
4. Select a recommended restore point or choose a different one based on your needs.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system restore process.

After the system restore, your computer should be back to its previous working state, hopefully without any freezing issues.

Conclusion

Computer freezes can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can resolve the issue and get your computer back on track. By updating drivers, adjusting power plan settings, deleting temporary files, repairing system files, adjusting virtual memory, running memory diagnostics, or performing a system restore, you can fix most freezing issues. Remember to always stay up to date with the latest software and keep your computer well-maintained to prevent future freezes. Good luck and happy computing!

If you found this guide helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and family to help them tackle computer freezes as well.