Heating Up A Frozen Computer
As a computer owner or user, there is a 70% chance that you have ever experienced a computer in it’s frozen state. It is just amazing that our computers always tend to freeze when one is in a hurry to get something done or when there is something important at stake. Sometimes it is as though our computers have teamed up with some supernatural forces to cause our downfall.
Imagine that your computer freezes just as you are getting ready for a presentation or perhaps in the process of projecting your screen to an audience. Imagine again that you are in the middle of replying to an important email or meeting a deadline and your computer refuses to respond to your commands. Infact, if there is one thing that almost all computer users have in common, it is the fact that we have all been frustrated over a frozen computer at least once in our lifetime.
Reasons
Apart from computers that may have issues to settle with their owners and hence are intentionally punishing them, ideally, computers do not freeze for no reason. Some of the numerous reasons that may account for the freezing of a computer include:
Computer Viruses or Malware
Computer Viruses have been found to be the number one cause of computers frequently malfunctioning. Mostly, computer systems are overwhelmed by the malware which intentionally opens dozens of applications that run in the background, eating up the computer’s memory and causing it to slow down or malfunction.
Overheating
When our computers lack access to proper ventilation, they may start to malfunction. Research shows that overheating causes components in the computer to shut down when and the motherboard temperature sensor instructs hardware such as the hard drive and processor to slow down.
Opening Numerous Programs Simultaneously
The fact that the computer has been proven to be a machine that is great at multitasking does not in any way mean that we should put our computers to test. This is because, depending on its specifications, there is a limit to what computers can do. Giving computers too much to do at a time, literally leaves them confused and freezing is one way they communicate their confusion and frustration to us. Just like most humans, when computers are tested beyond what they can bear, they sometimes crumble.
Solution
Oftentimes, all your computer needs is a few minutes to cool off. Just as we desire to catch some breath after performing a difficult task, computers that are frozen should be given a few minutes to cool down and resume functioning. Apart from this, some other solutions that have been tried and tested include:
Kill the Offending Program
Most times, it is quite difficult to point out exactly what program is causing your PC to freeze, however, if you are lucky enough to figure out the culprit, you can simply close that program. Often, it is difficult to do this since the close button does not respond to mouth clicks, that is when the taskbar comes to your rescue. On windows, right-click the menu bar at the extreme bottom of the page to inspect apps or programs that may be running. Once you identify the problematic program, end that task. On Mac, click on the Apple logo at the top left corner, choose force quit, and select the program to be closed.
Perform a Malware Scan and Fixing
Because viruses are a common cause of freezing computers, it will also help if when your computer is frozen you perform a virus or malware scan to check if there is an attack on your computer. Once you discover any potentially harmful item, immediately get rid of it. This option will favour better those who have potent antivirus software. Those who have not installed any external anti-virus can rely on Windows Defender to assist.
Reboot your Computer
When all the options mentioned above prove futile, reboot your PC. It is ideal to turn it off and wait a while before turning it back on, however, if you are in a hurry and can not afford the time, you can simply restart. The disadvantage with this option though is that, if you didn’t save your work, there are chances that you’ll lose your progress.
Conclusion
In summary, a freezing computer is something that no one deserves and the points above can ensure that you are able to figure out why your computer is frozen in the first place and afterwards do a little troubleshooting, referencing all the solutions that have been suggested. As you do that, I wish you a ‘freeze-free’ computer life.
