Freezing is also known as crashing or hanging. It's frustrating. The computer locks up and the mouse and keyboard do not respond. You may lose data and you certainly lose time and patience. Typically, you need to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to see the programs that are running and to try to close the program that is not responding, or you need to force a restart. So why does your computer freeze up?
Common causes of freezing:
Steps you can take to minimize freezing:
There are many things that you can do to help your computer do what you want without testing your patience...
Disk Cleanup :
For Windows 98 & 2000
You have probably been downloading programs, creating and deleting files, and installing new software without thinking about the effect this has on your disk space. It's probably time to have a clean-up. Windows 98 and 2000 have a feature that cleans up your disks for you. It removes temporary files, the recycle bin and other files - giving you the option to delete or not to delete. It is simple to run.
Do this clean-up as follows:
Start: Programs: Accessories: System Tools: Disk Clean Up
When it opens up, select the C: Drive and start it. It will pop up and show you about four types of files, each with a check box. Check the boxes for files you would like deleted and proceed. It should run through pretty quickly and then you will have more space on your computer.
For Win 95
Windows Temporary Files
Firstly, get rid of your Windows Temporary files.
Go to Start> Find> Files & Folders. Then search for "*.tmp" (minus the quotes). The * allows you to look for any file that has a temporary file type. If you have done it right, only files that have a .tmp after them should appear in the search results. Now just click on the first one, hold shift, use the scroll bar to go all the way to the bottom, then click on the last one, and press delete.
Secondly, get rid of your Temporary Internet files
Go to the Temporary Internet Files folder in the Windows directory. It should be next to the Temp folder. There shouldn't be anything in here that can't be deleted, so you can go ahead and delete the files in this folder.
Thirdly, empty your recycle bin. Right click on the Recycle Bin icon, select Empty Recycle Bin. Many people have hundreds of files they "deleted" but they are still taking up space in the Recycle Bin.
Run the Disk Defragmenter
Editing and deleting files as you work leaves gaps on data storage media. Instead of each file being stored in one continuous block, it ends up in several locations, resulting in inefficient retrieval of your data. As you add more data to your hard drive, the gaps left by previous deletions are filled. Your file becomes split, or fragmented. This will slow down your system ? when you try to retrieve a file, the process is slower than if it was stored in one block. To make your disk storage more efficient, a process called "defragmenting" is used.
Windows has a built in defragmenter, which is located at:
Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
It is a good idea to run this program once a month. When you run the defragmenter, close all programs including your screensaver. If programs are running it can cause data on your hard drive to be changed which makes the defragmenter start from the beginning... and never finish!
The more frequently you use defrag, the faster it will become.
About The Author
Deborah Anderson is a computer consultant who offers free email based computer troubleshooting through her website at http://www.it-solve.com. To benefit from information, advice and tips on using your computer, get a free subscription to SolveIT's newsletter today. To subscribe, send a blank email to subscribe@it-solve.com.
SolveIT - Solving Your Computer Problems
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Having two operating systems is not as difficult as many... Read More
You use Ctrl+Alt+Del to see what's running on your PC,... Read More
Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide... Read More
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a protocol that is part... Read More
Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
MP3 players are everywhere! It seems that the number of... Read More
World War II - Germany decided to attack Poland. Poland... Read More
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: â??Get... Read More
Most people download and save so much information on their... Read More
Many computer users are worried about their computer's performance. After... Read More
Freezing is also known as crashing or hanging. It's frustrating.... Read More
The United States Of America citizen feels that games is... Read More
I have always been interested in computers, but in the... Read More
Flow Text Around a GraphicQuestion: I have inserted a photo... Read More
Winter?the official start of the cold and flu season. Though,... Read More
Introduction In this article I will clearly spell out the... Read More
This article describes the basic properties of color, what the... Read More
We've all seen them, you've been browsing a website and... Read More
Want to save money while promoting your web-based business? Of... Read More
Using SQL Server 2000 and above versions you can retrieve... Read More
Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More
Do you know how many fonts are currently installed on... Read More
Here are some tips on how to use screensavers:First of... Read More
After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating... Read More
That desk in front of you and everything else around... Read More
About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and... Read More
Computers are supposed to speed up our productivity?to help us... Read More
Millions have enjoyed recorded music since 1877 when Thomas Edison... Read More
Passwords have a strange dual nature. The stronger and safer... Read More
JVC developed and used a high-performance reflective film to produce... Read More
Perhaps not yet, but the handwriting might be on the... Read More
IntroOne of the big advantages of PCs over earlier types... Read More
In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More
For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More
Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification... Read More
First things first, what is Firefox? Well, it's a browser.... Read More
In my humble opinion nothing makes a long trip easier... Read More
I've worked my way from the CCNA to the CCIE,... Read More
Are you frustrated with your PC?Is it feeling sluggish or... Read More
Computers have replaced typewriters, but two-finger, hunt-and-peck typing can never... Read More
Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification ExamYou've studied hard; you've... Read More
Yes, it's true. You may have inadvertently invited a spy... Read More
Your first step in removing dangerous infections from your computer... Read More
Stimulus thru Caffiene or Visual Input?It appears that the Mobi... Read More
Do you remember the old saw about how computers would... Read More
We all enjoy our favorite screensavers but in the same... Read More
I got my eyes set on a iPod mini, as... Read More
Saving Lives With A Pocket PCFree medical downloads can be... Read More
One of the most confusing parts of beginning your Cisco... Read More
PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
If you don't have an mp3 player, and even if... Read More
Maybe you always wanted a feature that hasn't been available... Read More
"Automated Testing" is automating the manual testing process currently in... Read More
You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0... Read More
We have just entered the time of year that most... Read More
As the web has evolved, so have the methods of... Read More
All over the world, people carry with them walkmans and... Read More
In Windows Xp, you can install two operating systems on... Read More
If you have a computer for home use or for... Read More
"Aaaaaahhhhhh! I've been invaded by a virus!" Getting a virus... Read More
Cookies, not the kind that Mom makes, but the computer... Read More
Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions... Read More
What led them to this choice, as all four studios... Read More
The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and... Read More
Personal Technology |