Tricks to fix the computer or hang

According to technology experts, when the computer crashes, there are many reasons that can be due to software, hardware, sometimes also due to unstable power supply. Depending on the specific cause, there are different remedial tips.

The cause of the computer crash can be due to software

Infected computers are considered the most common reason. There are many types of viruses that cause operating system failures and crashes, which you can fix by using a reliable antivirus program to scan your entire system.

The software bug could be caused by using updates over the years or a lousy Chrome extension. If you can identify which application is causing the problem, make sure that the latest updates are installed for it. Sometimes new versions can solve many types of problems. If that isn't an option, check AlternativeTo.net instead. If the problem occurs in the browser try disabling the extensions one by one to see if that solves the problem.

Computer crashes can be caused by insufficient resources

One of the most common reasons Windows becomes unresponsive is because it doesn't have enough resources to run smoothly. The two components that frequently experience performance problems are RAM (memory) and CPU.

The user needs to know that the computer stores all programs running in RAM. If those processes take up all of the physical memory, the computer must use the page file, a part of its storage drive, to function basically as backup RAM. Even with an SSD drive, usage of the page file is much slower than the actual RAM for this purpose. As a result, it will feel slow when the computer relies on the page file.

To fix this error, open Task Manager by Ctrl + Shift + Esc, switch to the Processes tab and sort by Memory title to see which processes are using the most memory. Close the programs if you no longer need them and the system will be restored.

The cause is a driver problem

Even if a particular piece of hardware doesn't make the computer unresponsive, its driver is still possible. The general rule of thumb with drivers is not to touch them if everything is working properly. Third-party driver update utilities are often 'shady' and can ruin things more than they can fix. If you suspect a problem with the driver, find a way to safely replace outdated drivers.

The reason comes from user tweaking

When the user eliminates all of the above scenarios, it is possible that the stability issue stemmed from some tweaks user made with Windows. Changes in Control Panel or Settings apps won't interfere with the system, but using third-party tools to customize Windows might break something unintended. Therefore, before doing this, please consider carefully your tweaks, to avoid making mistakes.

Lesley Montoya

Update 16 September 2020