Using a computer that keeps crashing can be extremely frustrating, especially if you don’t know what is causing the crash (and therefore don’t know how to fix it)! Regular crashes can cause data loss, modify files, or even damage (or break) your computer. The most common crashes include restarting or
shutting down your computer for no reason, the Blue Screen of Death, or your screen turning off unexpectedly. Here are some common causes for this kind of problem and how to fix them.
Overheated
A computer that overheats will often have a tendency to crash. If your PC’s cooling system (desktop or laptop) isn’t working or isn’t powerful enough, your computer may overheat and crash. All computers are sold with an internal fan to prevent this.
However, these fans tend to be slowed down by dust or crumbs which can cause problems; it is therefore important to clean your computer fan regularly. Also, be careful not to block air access by placing large objects too close to your computer to prevent crashes.
Another tip: listen to the noise your computer fan makes. The more you use your PC, the more the processor and the hard drive heat up, which means that the fan has to run even more intensely to cool your machine, and therefore it makes more noise. Your fan is designed to do this job and be relatively quiet, but heavy use can damage it. So if you hear your fan making a lot of noise, let your computer slow down and cool off before you use it more.
Equipment
If your computer tends to crash regularly, it may be caused by your computer itself rather than operating system memory. Operating system memory is an archive that stores settings for Windows components, software, and applications on your computer. This archive can be corrupted but can be repaired with specialized software that restores the system.
Your computer can also crash due to a hard drive error, for example. In this case, you will receive a notification from Windows or a disk slowdown which will indicate that this is the case. Identifying which part of the drive is responsible, on the other hand, can be very difficult so the wisest solution is to reinstall parts such as graphics and motherboard. You can speed up this process by using installer software that lets you make sure everything is installed correctly and kept up to date.
Software
Although it is often thought that a computer crashes due to bad software, in reality this is rarely the case. If a program you are using crashes or stops for no apparent reason, your operating system will usually offer to shut it down rather than affecting your computer’s performance. Occasionally, software may actually have a bug or contain a virus that shuts down your computer. If this happens, be patient and wait for your computer to close the software in question, or restart it manually.
Of course, a large number of malicious content and other viruses can also generate this kind of problem. Here are some tips to check if your computer is infected, and information here to help you protect it from viruses.
If you’re using Windows Vista or a newer operating system, a built-in monitor gives you more information about the potential reasons for your computer’s problems.
Press the key that looks like a Windows window on your keyboard and search for “error” or “MMC” to open the control window and see the history of recent crashes on your computer.
