My computer keeps freezing up...?

Question

My computer is freezing up to the point I have to bring the task manager up and restart it. It happens while we are online and I can not figure out why. Can someone please please help me?

Answer 1

Not an easy question to answer without having the PC or a bunch of questions answered...

BUT...

I fix people's PCs quite often for them.. friends.. relatives, etc.

And you don't have to buy anything. Stuff is free on the net.

The only reason to PAY for something, is if you want protection 24/7 and to have less of worries.

TWO PROGRAMS THAT WORK LIKE A CHARM:
The two programs that usually do it are "ad-aware" and "spbot". Go to google and type in either of those and you can get links to free downloads. I wouldn't install anything but those. Others can actually cause you more problems.

AdAware is easier to use.. Spybot is easy too, but you can also do some more advanced things with it if you know how to get down and dirty ;)

Neither of these programs run all the time. You have to go run them once a week or however often you like.

Some bugs viruses, etc. can recreate themselves. So you may have to run the programs over and over. It took me about 6 hours on this one guys PC.. but it was super slow, and there was a program that would still run itself when windows was in safe mode. It was pure heck.

Honestly, though, I haven't met a PC I couldn't fix with Ad-aware and Spybot.. oh wait.. I also use "Hijack This" Another very good program., but a bit more for intermediate/advanced users.

Worse case... keep stuff you want on disk.. make sure you have program disks for all your stuff.. and run a system restore with the restore CD you have.

You can also use the system restore feature in windows.. if you remember the date that your computer worked last. But it will uninstall and roll most of the system issues back to the way it was on a specific date. I never have used it.. I want to leave my PC the way I had it.. too much stuff changed every day to just wipe out. But I know others that have and it worked for them.

Email me if you want details on that.

Answer 2

Maybe a virus or spyware. I had a similar problem, and it was spyware. I actually first called the maker of my computer and asked one of the tech guys to see what it could be. You might want to try that. Even though my computer warranty or whatever expired, the guy on the phone helped me, but he first said that it was his personal advice, not the advice of the company, etc.

Anyway he said it's probably spyware, so I got McAfee's Internet Security Suite and Anti-spyware programs. They were on sale at the time. They worked for me. I purchased them at Staples, but they are sold in a lot of places--large office supply stores and computer stores--and even online through their company website. Just google "mcafee."

The two programs on disk cost a total of about $100, but they are worth it. I get frequent updates from the company while I am online, and I purchase new disks every year. You can renew online too. The two programs are subscriptions, so when you buy the disks, you are buying one year's subscription.

There is free stuff online, too, but I didn't try those because I was worried about downloading something worse into my computer. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Hum,

This can be a large number of things, from someone hacking you(very unlikely, but quite possible) to virus, to missing configuration files.

As with the others who asked the same question, first thing to do is to deep scan your PC for viruses. AVG is available for free at www.download.com.

Then you have to download, install and run Ad-Aware by lavasoft available on their web site at www.lavasoft.com.

The next step is to perform update of you Operating System(OS).

After you've done this, and if the problem persist, go to add/remove program in the control panel and get rid of thoses you very rarely or never use.

If it still going after all this, backup your important stuff and full format the main drive for a full re-instalation of your OS. If you're running something else than XP in the Windows family, don't forget the boot disc(floppy) required to do so.

After all of that, if it still dosent work properly, you need a technician to help you any further 'cause you can still correct this situation but it's very hard for me to explain and it's an advanced function. I don't like the idea of teaching this over yahoo. It's long, complicate and risky. So get a tech at any PC store.

Good luck....

Abb.

Answer 4

Are you doing the same thing every time it freezes up? What changes have you made recently - downloaded new software or added new hardware?
You might try to restore your computer to a point before you started having problems. There is just too many things it could be to give you a good answer.

Answer 5

Send me a screen shot of all the programs running under the Processes tab in Task Manager when it happens and perhaps I can help.

Send to my email address not my Yahoo Answers name.

Good Luck

Answer 6

After reading all those different solutions, it got here approximately to me that the project would o.k. have no longer something to do with the OS, viruses, or any of that different nonsense. in simple terms placed, it must be a situation resembling what I had a while in the past. i became into experiencing a similar hassles, the only element i ought to do became into to close it down and attempt back later Lo and behold, i desperate to get an superior no longer easychronic sometime, I put in it and the project disappeared. WHY? It seems that the project became into that the HDD became into at fault. A techie instructed me after sorting out it, that a capacitor (a thingie that holds a value for a definite length of time) interior the HDD became into no longer functioning and as a result it became into overheating and closing itself down. answer: Get yet another HDD, installation the OS, installation all your backups and/or reinstall any classes or video games you like. distinctive paintings, yet however, a comp. is barely somewhat hardware, it may and does destroy down with the aid of no fault of your guy or woman. ;-)

Answer 7

Your computer can freeze up by programs in which your RAM doesn't support. You can find what RAM you computer has by going to control panel>system and looking in the general tab. If it is 256MB memory then you might want to upgrade. Most computers can go up to 2GB and have 2 slots. If you do not want to upgrade your RAM then you can get a RAM optimizer download for free at download.com.

Answer 8

I would recommend running ad-aware, spybot search and destroy, and installing zone alarm firewall. They are all free on the internet. Just do a searc. That's the same problem I had and these three freeware programs fixed it for me.

Answer 9

maybe a virus or a website. are you using Dial up?

Answer 10

It is low on Ram. I bet it is only 126mgs. you need more ram