It happens that the PC starts to work very unstable. Almost any user has encountered this kind of trouble. Even technically savvy people cannot always understand what to do if a computer slows down and freezes. For beginners, it is often impossible to do without the help of professionals. However, everyone can diagnose and fix some causes of a malfunction. The article provides a detailed guide that will help solve most of the standard problems.
Main reasons
To determine what measures need to be taken to improve PC performance, you must first find the root cause of the problems. What can a computer slow down and freeze from?
- Small amount of RAM.
- There is not enough free space on the system partition.
- A lot of extra registry entries.
- Extra programs in startup.
- Hardware overheating.
- Viruses.
Not enough RAM
Year after year, software requirements are only growing. A computer can become obsolete in a few years. If your PC has less than two gigabytes of RAM installed, add one or more additional slats. Today, even browsers require about 1 GB, but usually the system runs several processes and dozens of OS services, which also require a lot of hardware resources.
To find out exactly what amount of RAM is used by the system, you need to right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select "Properties" in the context menu. All the main characteristics of the hardware will be indicated here.
What to do if the computer slows down and freezes Windows XP due to low RAM? In this case, only an upgrade will help. Remember that there are different generations of RAM (DDR 1, 2, 3), while the motherboard can only work with one of them. To avoid mistakes, before going to the store you should write down the model of "mother". Knowing her, the seller will be able to offer suitable equipment.
Low free disk space
There is enough RAM, but still the computer slows down and freezes, what should I do in this case? Check how much free space is on the partition with the letter C. Open the Explorer window and right-click on the hard drive icon. Then select the "Properties" line.
It is recommended that the figure in the "Free" column be at least 15% of the total volume of the volume, but sometimes 3-5 GB is enough for comfortable work.
HDD Cleanup
To safely free up space on drive C, open the control panel. This can be done by expanding the Start menu. In it, select the line "Programs and Features."
Remove unnecessary applications with this utility. If there are no unused programs, you should delete the most voluminous ones, then install them on another volume. Typically, each installation package offers the user to choose where all the files will be unpacked.
To continue solving the problem, if the computer slows down and freezes up due to insufficient free space on drive C, open Explorer. Right-click on the system partition, and then click on the "Properties" line. Click on the "Disk Cleanup" button. For a while, the utility will calculate the amount that can be freed. After this procedure, the user should check all the items in the main application window. Now it remains to click "OK" to start the process of deleting all temporary files.
Viruses
There is enough free space on the system partition, what should I do if the computer slows down and freezes? It is highly likely that viruses are to blame for the unstable operation of a PC.
To fix the problem, you should use an anti-virus scanner. Professionals recommend using Dr. Web Cureit and Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool. Both utilities can be distributed free of charge, they can be said from official sites.
If you decide to use Cureit, after starting the program, click on the line "Select objects to scan" and check the boxes for each available checkbox. Also click on the inscription "Click to select files" and check the box next to "My computer." After that, you can start scanning by clicking on the "Run Scan" button.
Overheat
What to do if the computer slows down and freezes in games and other "heavy" applications? The cooling system is most likely to blame. To verify this fact, you should use programs that allow you to monitor the temperature of the main components of the PC. The best tool for such research is considered AIDA 64.
What to do if the computer slows down and freezes Windows XP, how to check if the PC elements are overheating? Install the AIDA 64 utility and run it. Locate the chart icon on the top line. After clicking on it, a window with the name "Stress Test" will open. It displays the temperature graphs of those devices in the system that have built-in sensors. On the left, check the boxes for all items except "Stress Local Disk" and click on the Start button. Track how diagrams change under load. Upon reaching critical values, the test should be completed by clicking on the "Stop" line.
For different devices, the normal temperature varies. To find out which is considered valid for devices installed in the system, it is worth visiting the manufacturer’s website.
Furmark
AIDA 64 allows you to check the temperature of many components, but the video system cannot be checked with it. The computer slows down and freezes, what should I do if there is a suspicion of overheating of the graphics adapter? The best utility for testing a video card is FurMark.
After starting the program, the settings window will appear on the screen. In it, check the box next to "Fullscreen" and select the maximum resolution supported by the monitor. After completing these steps, click on the "Stress Test" button.
A three-dimensional image will appear on the screen, but you should not consider it. The main attention should be paid to the schedule that appears below. It clearly shows how the temperature of the graphics adapter changes. If it reaches a critical point, press the Esc button to complete the test.
Cleaning
The computer slows down due to overheating, freezes, what should I do to restore stable operation? First of all, you should clean all the radiators of the cooling system with a brush and a vacuum cleaner.
Turn off the PC and remove the side cover. Be careful not to bring the nozzle closer to the boards at a distance of less than 7-10 cm. That is why you should use a brush. She can brush away caked dust that cannot be removed with a vacuum cleaner.
After cleaning, all software tests must be repeated. If the temperature values have not returned to normal, you should consider replacing thermal grease or coolers.
Autoload
What should I do if my computer slows down and freezes when I turn it on? To solve the problem, you should try to remove most applications from startup. To do this, restart the PC. Before starting the OS boot, press the F8 button to display the menu. In it, select "Safe Mode".
After displaying the desktop screen, hold down the "Win + R" combination on the keyboard. The Run window opens. Type "msconfig" in the input line and click on the "OK" button. Go to the "Startup" tab and uncheck all the applications that you do not need constantly. If you are at a loss with the choice, leave the checkboxes only opposite those programs that have "Microsoft" in the "Manufacturer" column.
After execution, click on the "OK" button to save the changes.
Fragmentation
What to do if the computer freezes and slows down while opening applications and files? It might be worth the defragmentation procedure. The fact is that the hard disk is divided into sectors. In this case, one recorded file can occupy several thousand sectors on the hard drive. Not always all parts of a single document are located next to each other. Consequently, the reading speed decreases .
To organize the information posted on the HDD, you should regularly perform defragmentation. To run the Windows built-in utility, open Explorer. Right-click on any section and select "Properties." Go to the "Service" tab, and then click on the "Defragment" button.
In the window that opens, select the disk and click on the word "Defragment". It is advisable to carry out this procedure for all volumes in turn.
RAM hardware problems
For no apparent reason, the computer began to slow down and freeze, what should I do if none of the above tips helped? Often the unstable operation of a PC is associated with corrupted RAM. You can check the RAM slots using the utility built into the OS. Open the control panel. Its icon is located on the right side of the Start menu. Click on "Administration". In the window that opens, find the "Memory Checker" item and run it like any other program.
The user will be asked whether to test after the next power-up or restart the computer now. There is not much difference in them. The first option will allow you to save all documents, if necessary.
After restarting the PC, the testing process will begin. Its operating time may vary on different systems. If during the test the messages highlighted in red appear on the screen, then the RAM is to blame for the failures.
What should I do if the computer freezes and slows down due to a “broken” RAM?
First of all, to solve the problem, it is worth cleaning the contacts from dust and oxide. Remove the system unit cover. Pull out the RAM strips by sliding the levers that hold the device and pulling it towards you. Take cotton buds, dip them in alcohol or cologne and wipe the contacts. After drying, put the RAM in place and perform its testing again.
What to do if the computer freezes and slows down even after this procedure? Often, several RAM slots are installed in the system unit at once. Run the verification utility for each of them separately. This will reveal which device destabilizes the PC. Damaged equipment should be replaced or simply not installed.
Conclusion
The answer to the question "What if the computer freezes and slows down?" fully disclosed. I must say that, first of all, it is necessary to carry out measures aimed at optimizing the software part, and then move on to checking the hardware. In addition, rarely unstable PC operation is associated with only one factor. Usually, serious problems begin only when several reasons come into effect at once. Therefore, it is worth approaching the issue of computer repair comprehensively.