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My computer freezes all the time : what should I do ?

A freeze is not a slowdown. Knowing whether the mouse still moves during the freeze is already enough to separate two families of cause.

The detail matters : if the cursor keeps moving while nothing responds, a program is monopolising the machine. If everything is frozen, cursor included, the cause runs deeper - driver, memory or overheating.

When only one application freezes

The cursor moves, the rest of the system responds. Open Task Manager, find the program marked "Not responding" and close it. If it is always the same one, the cause is in that software : update it, reinstall it, or replace it.

One frequent special case : the browser. Forty tabs and a machine with 8 GB of memory produce regular freezes that are no mystery at all.

When everything freezes, cursor included

The possible causes, in order of frequency :

  • The drive. A mechanical drive near the end of its life causes freezes of five to thirty seconds, during which everything stops then resumes. It is the most typical symptom, and the most urgent to deal with.
  • Overheating. Freezes that appear after twenty minutes of use, never from cold, with the fan blowing hard.
  • Memory. A faulty module freezes the machine with no logic and no regularity.
  • The graphics driver. Freezes tied to display : video, games, scrolling a heavy page.

The questions that save time

Before calling anyone, try to answer these - they guide the diagnosis better than any tool :

  • Does the freeze always happen in the same application ?
  • Does it happen from cold, or after a certain time in use ?
  • Do you hear an unusual noise at the moment it freezes ?
  • Does the machine come back on its own after a few seconds, or do you have to force a shutdown ?

The decisive test

Start in safe mode and use the machine that way for an hour or two. No freezes ? The cause is software : a driver, a program or malware. The freezes continue ? It is hardware, and the drive leads the field by a wide margin.

The reflex not to forget

If the freezes come with clicking or with folders being slow to open, treat the drive as suspect and back up immediately. A drive that freezes today often refuses to start the following week.

Having the machine examined

A drive's state of health can be read directly from its internal counters : reallocated sectors, read errors, hours of operation. That reading takes a few minutes and is part of our free diagnosis.

Frequently asked questions

My PC only freezes on the internet, is that the same problem ?

No, that is more likely the browser or the connection. Try another browser and see whether the machine stays responsive during the freeze : if it does, the system is fine.

Should I force a shutdown when everything is frozen ?

Wait a minute or two first, many freezes clear on their own. If nothing moves, a long press on the power button is the only option left - and carries no particular risk once in a while.

Does adding memory stop the freezes ?

Only if they come from memory being full, which Task Manager will show. With a failing drive or overheating, adding memory changes nothing.

Further reading

Blue screen

When the freeze comes with an error code.

Slow computer

The ten causes of slowness.

Overheating

Freezes after a period of use.

Would you rather we took care of it ? See our computer repair at home service, in Lyon and across the Rhone.

Freezing over and over ?

We read the health of the drive and the memory in a few minutes.

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