{"id":383447,"date":"2021-12-20T03:50:24","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T00:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/"},"modified":"2021-12-20T03:50:24","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T00:50:24","slug":"what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/","title":{"rendered":"#What to do when your computer freezes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a24c14884b6f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a24c14884b6f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#Restart_first\" >Restart first\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#1_Computer_starts_fine\" >1. Computer starts fine\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#2_Computer_asks_you_how_to_boot\" >2. Computer asks you how to boot\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#3_Computer_freezes_again_immediately\" >3. Computer freezes again immediately\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#4_Your_computer_is_checking_the_disk\" >4. Your computer is checking the disk\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#Basic_troubleshooting_steps\" >Basic troubleshooting steps\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/#What_if_its_the_hardware\" >What if it\u2019s the hardware\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#What to do when your computer freezes<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Pop quiz: How often do you need to restart your computer for best performance?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a hint. If you only do it when your machine crashes or needs to update, that\u2019s not enough.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/kims-column\/when-to-restart-your-computer\/777237\/\"><u>Tap or click for my recommendation for keeping your computer happy<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s frustrating to deal with a slow, lagging computer day in and day out.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/kims-column\/ways-to-speed-up-an-old-computer\/752593\/\"><u>Tap or click for six easy tactics to speed up an old PC.<\/u>\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes the issues are more acute. If your computer is unresponsive, slow down and follow these steps.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Restart_first\"><\/span><strong>Restart first<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>OK, this step is obvious, but there is often confusion here. Some people think they have to pull the computer\u2019s power plug or flip the switch on the power s<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>. Instead, hold the computer\u2019s power button for 5 to 10 seconds to power it off.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A few things can h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>en next when your computer comes back on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Computer_starts_fine\"><\/span><strong>1. Computer starts fine<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If the computer starts up fine, don\u2019t just move on without second thought. This is an excellent reminder to back up your important information if a serious problem is on the way. Otherwise, you could find yourself scrambling through more complicated ways to get files off a dead computer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Need help?\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/tech-tips\/good-data-backup-practices\/598739\/\"><u>Here\u2019s what you need to know about backing up like a pro.<\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If your computer does freeze again, keep reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Computer_asks_you_how_to_boot\"><\/span><strong>2. Computer asks you how to boot<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While restarting, the computer might indicate an error with Windows and ask if you want to start normally or in Safe Mode. Choose to start Windows normally. Then back up your data and see if it freezes again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If Windows fails to boot normally three times in a row, it will enter Automatic Repair Mode. Here you can boot into Safe Mode. To do so, interrupt the boot-up process. Before Windows finishes loading, press down on the power button for four seconds to interrupt the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If this is the second time your computer has frozen, choose to boot in \u201cSafe Mode with Networking.\u201d Try using the computer like this and see if it freezes again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If it doesn\u2019t freeze in Safe Mode, it\u2019s likely a software problem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If Windows fails to boot normally three times in a row, it will enter Automatic Repair Mode. Here you can boot into Safe Mode. To do so, interrupt the boot-up process. Before Windows finishes loading, press down on the power button for four seconds to interrupt the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If this is the second time your computer has frozen, choose to boot in \u201cSafe Mode with Networking.\u201d Try using the computer like this and see if it freezes again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If it doesn\u2019t freeze in Safe Mode, it\u2019s likely a software problem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_1154792200.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Laptop computer showing its screen with Microsoft Windows logo on desktop.\" class=\"wp-image-20549088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_1154792200.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_1154792200.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_1154792200.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>If it doesn\u2019t freeze in Safe Mode, it\u2019s likely a software problem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Computer_freezes_again_immediately\"><\/span><strong>3. Computer freezes again immediately<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If the computer freezes again im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely after booting, whether in normal mode or Safe Mode, you could have a serious software or hardware problem. It\u2019s most likely a hardware problem, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Your_computer_is_checking_the_disk\"><\/span><strong>4. Your computer is checking the disk<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There could be corrupt data on your hard drive, and the computer is trying to repair that data. If so, it will start with a check disk. You mustn\u2019t interrupt this process, or you risk further data loss.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to half a day, depending on how far gone the drive is, and you\u2019ll see a percentage counter on your screen. If your drive has failed completely, you\u2019ll need to do a clean install of Windows and replace the disk.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basic_troubleshooting_steps\"><\/span><strong>Basic troubleshooting steps<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An occasional or consistent computer freeze could result from a program acting up. Use the keyboard shortcut\u00a0<strong>Ctrl + Shift + ESC<\/strong>\u00a0to open Windows Task Manager. Select the\u00a0<strong>\u201cPerformance\u201d tab<\/strong>. You might need to click the<strong>\u00a0\u201cMore Details\u201d link<\/strong>\u00a0at the bottom of the Task Manager to see everything running and if a program uses excessive resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Start using your computer as usual, but keep an eye on the CPU, memory, and disk categories. If the computer freezes and one of these is really high, that could be your answer. Make a note of which area was high, then restart the computer and open Task Manager again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This time, choose the\u00a0<strong>\u201cProcesses\u201d tab<\/strong>. Sort the list by CPU, memory, or disk, whichever was high the last time the computer froze, and see what process pops up to the top of the list as the computer freezes. This should tell you what software is giving up trouble so you can uninstall or update it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You might also have hidden software, such as a virus, causing problems. Run a scan with your security software to uncover something that shouldn\u2019t be there.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/news\/free-virus-scanners-mac-windows\/735144\/\"><u>Tap or click for free tools to check if your machine is infected with a virus<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In cases where your computer freezes during startup in normal mode but boots OK in Safe Mode, the problem could be a program that\u2019s loading during the boot sequence.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/kims-column\/speed-up-your-computer-startup\/788978\/\"><u>Tap or click here to make your startup process cleaner<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If your computer is freezing during startup no matter what, and it\u2019s at the same point, the problem could be corruption in Windows or a hardware problem.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/tech-tips\/windows-pc-clean-install\/573630\/\"><u>Tap or click for steps to restore a clean version of Windows on your PC<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_422479543.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Update Upgrade Installation Latest Updating Concept\" class=\"wp-image-20549103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_422479543.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_422479543.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_422479543.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Hold the computer\u2019s power button for 5 to 10 seconds to power it off.\u00a0<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_if_its_the_hardware\"><\/span><strong>What if it\u2019s the hardware<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On the hardware side, start with your peripherals. Unplug everything but your monitor and keyboard and see if the computer starts up. One by one, you can add your accessories back in to see if any triggers an issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The problem could also be with your hard drive, an overheating CPU, bad memory, or a failing power supply. It might also be your motherboard, although that\u2019s rare.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Usually, with a hardware problem, freezing will start sporadic but increase in frequency as time goes on. Or it will trigger when the computer is working hard, but not when you\u2019re doing more basic things.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There are free sites that can tell if you have a failing hard drive.\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/tech-tips\/free-check-hard-drive-failures\/564562\/\"><u>Tap or click for six ways to check for a failing hard drive<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You should also check the temperature of your machine. A program like\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/downloads\/1426\/does-your-computer-have-a-temperature\"><u>SpeedFan<\/u><\/a>\u00a0can tell you if your computer processor is overheating or fluctuating voltages, which might be a problematic power supply.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If these DIY fixes don\u2019t help and your machine is still failing, it might be time to start shopping. If your computer is newer, it might still be under warranty. Contact the manufacturer or seller to check.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bonus Tip:\u00a0<\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/episode\/how-to-find-out-everything-amazon-knows-about-you\/819699\/\"><strong><u>How to find out everything Amazon knows about you<\/u><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Amazon knows your voice, search history, advertiser preferences, favorite books, Alexa history, and more. I speak with two Reuters reporters who exposed the secret war Amazon wages on your privacy in this episode. You\u2019ll learn how to find everything Amazon knows about you \u2014 and how to delete it and stop the tracking for good.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Check out my podcast \u201cKim Komando Explains\u201d on\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/tech-you-should-know\/id660921339\">Apple, Google Podcasts<\/a>, or your favorite podcast player.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.komando.com\/episode\/how-to-find-out-everything-amazon-knows-about-you\/819699\/\"><u>Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts<\/u><\/a>. Just search for my last name, \u201cKomando.\u201d\u00a0\n                        <\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/12\/19\/tech-101-what-to-do-when-your-computer-freezes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#What to do when your computer freezes&#8221; Pop quiz: How often do you need to restart your computer for best performance?\u00a0 Here\u2019s a hint. If you only do it when your machine crashes or needs to update, that\u2019s not enough.\u00a0Tap or click for my recommendation for keeping your computer happy.\u00a0 It\u2019s frustrating to deal with&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":383448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/shutterstock_1482956843.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[122176,78,4965],"class_list":["post-383447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-12-19-21","tag-computers","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/383448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}