Although it can be frustrating when your Windows computer stops responding, there are simple techniques one can use to fix a frozen computer. The first thing you should do when your computer freezes is give your computer some time to process. Your computer may not be frozen at all, it could just be slow or busy processing a task. So, if you give it some time, it could unfreeze itself and you don't have to do anything.

However, if you wait a while and your computer is still not responding, it may be a program or software that is frozen, and not the actual computer. When a program is not responding, hit Ctrl + Alt + Del simultaneously on your computer. This will open the Windows Task Manager, and from here, you can highlight the unresponsive program and click End Task. Most frozen computers can be fixed using this technique, but if this doesn't work, you may need to manually reboot your computer. You can do this by holding down the power button on your computer for five seconds, and then, turning it back on.

It's possible that it may not be your computer that is frozen; the problem could be your mouse or keyboard. Check to see if your keyboard and PC are responding with one another. Click the CAPS lock on your keyboard, and if the indicator light goes on, then you may be able to fix the problem by unplugging the keyboard/mouse from your computer and plugging it back in. If the indicator light does not go on, then the keyboard/mouse is not responding with the computer, and you may need to give your computer a manual reboot.

If your Windows computer constantly freezes on a regular basis, there are a couple things you can do to create a more permanent solution to the problem:

1. Install or use a good heavy duty malware removal software. I like to use Malwarebytes.
   • The free trial version of Malwarebytes detects and eliminates malware, repairs files that are damaged, removes malicious code and rootkits.
   • You can download a free trial version of Malwarebytes by going to this link: www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/ and clicking Free Download.
   • If you decide that you like the free trial version, you might want to consider buying the full version, as it contains a few more useful features that can help protect your computer.
   • After you install the free trial, do a full scan and remove all those bad files. It might take a few hours to complete. Reboot your computer to finish off.
2. Install or update a good anti virus software. I like Kaspersky.
   • Kaspersky is an anti-virus software that protects against all types of malware, such as viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms and more.
   • Download the 30 day free trial version of Kaspersky by going to this link: https://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/ and clicking Kaspersky Anti Virus - Download now.
   • Update all your virus definitions and do a full scan.
   • Purge or quarantine all those little software bugs. It might take a few hours to complete. Reboot your computer to finish off.
3. Uninstall old programs that are no longer being used
   • Click the Start button and search for "Change or Remove a Program" in the search bar.
   • A window will pop up showing a list of all the programs on your computer. Highlight a program and click Uninstall to get rid of it.
   • Reboot after the all those programs have been unistalled.
4. Defrag disk
   • Click the Start button and search for "Defragmentation and optimize your drives" in the search bar.
   • A window will pop up showing a list of your drives.
   • Select the drive you would like to defrag, and click the Analyze button.
   • If the percentage of the fragmentation is above 10%, then you will need to defrag your disc. In this case, click Optimize.
   • After the defragmentation is complete, reboot your computer.
5. Disk error check
   • Open up My Computer and right-click the drive you want to check.
   • Choose properties, select the Tools tab and click Check Now
   • A pop-up should come up regarding the scan. Select both boxes and click Start.
   • Unfortunately, you are unable to do a disk check while you are using your computer, so you will have to schedule a scan the next time you reboot your computer.
6. Update drivers to the latest version
   • Open the Device Manager and find the device you want to update.
   • Right-click on the hardware's name and choose "Update Driver Software"
   • A window should pop up, and you'll want to select "Search automatically for updated driver".
7. Use a registry repair software. Sometimes your system registry gets messed up and you need a software to fix it for you or keep it working well.
   • We like to use RegClinic at https://regclinic.com/.
   • To use, go to https://regclinic.com/, download and install a copy of their software.
   • Run and fix all the registry issues.
   • It might take a while to complete. Reboot your computer to finish off.

If all else fails, you may need to take of all the important data off your computer and do a fresh install of your Windows software. Alternatively, you may even need to replace certain parts of your computer if you want a permanent fix to the problem.