More annoying than Let It Go on full volume for the eleventy billionth time, imagine you’re in the middle of a task and some nasty computer fairy has waved a glitchy wand and your screen is frozen.
Unresponsive.
Not happy.
Here are our top tips to fix your screen so you get back to work sooner.
1. Check if you can see the mouse cursor move. If it moves, try and close the application. If the mouse cursor isn’t moving, try the next step.
2. Press the Num Lock key on your keyboard and see if the Num Lock light turns on or off. Alternatively, try the Windows key down near Control button bottom left hand side and see if the Windows menu appears. If the keyboard and mouse aren’t responsive, the computer will need a hard reset by holding down the power button on the computer.
3. Check your application title bar at the top to see if it says Not Responding. If so, give the application 1-2 minutes to see if it can correct itself.
4. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del on the keyboard at the same time. If you get a response, select Task Manager. Check the performance tab for a high load. See if the CPU, Memory or Disk are at or near 100%. If they are, go to the Processes tab and find out what Apps are using the majority of the CPU, Memory or Disk. This is likely to be causing your freeze or slowness.
5. If it’s just an application that’s frozen, right click on the program in the Task Bar and select Close window, then restart the application. You can also use the task manager to kill the application, then you can start it again. If this happens frequently the application might need a repair or re-installation. If all else fails, a good old restart should help you get back on track.
RESTARTS ARE GOLD
For best performance your computer should be restarted 2-3 times per week, more frequently for older computers. A computer restart gives Windows a fresh start and reduces potential conflicts between Windows and your applications. It also applies Windows Updates that have been installed but were awaiting a restart. Updates are a common cause of computer issues that can be avoided with regular shutdowns or restarts.
Another way to prevent a freezing computer is to update to the latest version of Windows 10, ensure you have at least 8GB of memory installed and use a SSD hard drive in your computer. These tips should keep you productive and avoid those frustrating interruptions.
