Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing?

Talk about computer freezes and you’ll find yourself in a very uncomfortable and irksome state of mind already. The problem with stuck screens and system crashes is that you never know if you should wait patiently for the screen to unfreeze and troubleshoot the problem or simply bring your baseball bat and smash the whole machine itself.

And, if you think it’s an exaggeration then either you’re too much of a calm person or you haven’t dealt with consistent computer freezes before. However, anyone who has spent a fortune on buying a computer would agree instantly that a computer freeze is the last thing they would want to deal with after spending so much money. Though the statement stands true for every user, regardless of using their device for work or entertainment purposes.

So here, we’ll explore the causes that may lead to computer freezes and discuss what solutions you can implement to fix them.

Why does my computer freeze constantly?

There are several reasons as to why this could happen to your computer. Let’s check them out below.

1. Space issues in the hard drive and RAM:

Not having enough space in the storage is the top reason why your computer could be freezing so much. Checking the amount of space via “File Explorer < This PC” may help you know how much storage in the hard drive is being consumed. You can use that information to organize the programs, apps, documents and all media files you need in your computer, meanwhile deleting everything that’s useless.

When it comes to RAM, you can think of it as the processor’s diligent assistant or highly devoted secretary without which the processor can’t run smooth operations or give you quick results. Like Robin Hood and Batman, the RAM and CPU work hand in hand and complement each other to give the best performance. Therefore, you must figure out if something’s wrong with the memory or if there’s no space in it.

2. Excessive heating:

Overheating itself could be a side effect of multiple issues that later becomes a legit reason for screen freezes in the computer. The biggest culprits that may lead to overheating are unclean fans, blocked vents, viruses and use of multiple heavy applications.

Once any of these issues arise, they may cause excessive heating which would ultimately affect the internal parts. When that starts to happen, a frozen screen wouldn’t be the only thing you’d be worrying about. Your computer’s CPU would be at a high risk of getting damaged.

3. Previous OS drivers conflicting with the new one:

In case you upgraded your Windows OS and after that your computer began to get stuck a lot, chances are that the drivers from the previous operating system didn’t get uninstalled properly and are conflicting with the new version of your OS. This could hamper the system’s performance and make the computer screen get frozen again and again.

4. Malware infestation:

One of the reasons why your computer keeps freezing is malware. Once infected, it could be challenging to notice its movement and what damages it inflicts on your device little by little. However, no matter how sophisticated the malicious codes could get, you can still figure out if it’s present in your system or not by observing any strange behaviour in your computer.

Excessive heating, fully loaded hard drive, operating system crashes, installation of an app which you didn’t even download and many other signs can tell you whether there’s a virus in your computer or not.

5. Corrupted files:

Corrupted files can also be the reason why your computer keeps freezing all the time. Even a hard reset won’t always fix everything. So, you must get rid of the corrupted files.

6. Software issues:

Software issues include outdated operating system and third-party programs. Any conflicts stemming from them can freeze the computer system. Keeping the software and all programs up to date might clear the issue. However, if it doesn’t you may have to implement a clean installation before which backing up your data is recommended.

Solutions that may help cease the computer freezing issues:

You may try the following tricks to resolve the computer freeze complication.

1. Remove all baggage from the hard drive and shift important files to cloud storage:

If you’re confused because you don’t know where to begin, then start from this step.

Delete all programs which you don’t use and utilize a disk cleanup app to clean all drives.

You may shift all important documents and media files to cloud storage like Google drive or OneDrive, etc.

Taking these measures shall help you eliminate all burdens from the hard drive and create enough space for the computer to run its operations efficiently.

2. Pay attention to RAM:

You may monitor the computer’s memory consumption via the Task Manager. You can right-click on the taskbar and select “Task Manager” to open it. Beneath the processes tab, you can observe what programs are hogging the memory and close them.

You may also run a “Memory diagnostics tool” to allow Windows to troubleshoot the RAM and fix errors automatically in case there are any.

3. Get rid of corrupted files:

You can use the command prompt to run the system file checker. If there are any damaged, corrupted or missing files, the system will try to restore them.

You may open the command prompt via search and choose the “Run as administrator” option.

Once the window opens, type the command, “sfc/scannow” and thumb Enter.

The system will try to fix any errors and restore files back to their original condition which may help boost the computer’s performance and speed.

4. Delete previous OS files and update all drivers and apps of the current OS version.

You may delete any files belonging to the previous version of Windows. When you select the “C drive” to clean it, and get an analysis report, you may see an option to clean system files on the pop up window.

Clicking on that, your computer will analyze the amount of space that can be freed and ask you to confirm what files you want to delete permanently. Once you give permission, the disk cleanup will clean any previous operating system drivers and files that may be conflicting with the latest version.

Moreover, you may keep the Windows and other third-party programs up to date. Ensure all the drivers are updated as well.

5. Run a virus scan:

Run a virus scan to ensure your computer is clean from viruses and malware. An antivirus system is a must-have software for your computer. Malwarebytes, Norton and Bitdefender are some of the most reputable antivirus solutions that you could download in your computer.

6. Take it easy on multitasking:

Heavy multitasking could lead to overheating which may in turn cause screen freezes. So, you may take it easy on multitasking and avoid using two or more power hungry software at a time.

Opening too many browsers simultaneously isn’t a good practice either and puts a lot of load on RAM and CPU. Therefore, try not to open more than 5 or 6 tabs at the same time.

7. Clean the fans and maintain optimal room temperature:

When using a computer, you must pay attention to fans. Neither should there be any obstructions in the passage of the vents nor should they be blocked from the outside. You must keep the fans clean and ensure the room temperature isn’t hot to prevent overheating.

8. Perform a factory reset:

If nothing else works, you could perform a factory reset. Type “Reset this PC” in the search bar and open the “Recovery” window. Click on “Get started” and follow on-screen instructions to complete the procedure.

Final Thoughts:

We all know how continuous computer freezes can make us feel. So, if your computer keeps freezing, disrupting your work and mental peace, try all these solutions we mentioned above. You can also call us for help as at Geeks Callout London, we ensure to fix whatever issues your computer throws your way with utmost dedication.6