Why my HP computer freezes or locks up?

Why my HP computer freezes or locks up?

Note: This guide is for HP computers with Windows 8 or Windows 10 installed.

It may seldom happen that your Windows operating system may stop recognizing mouse or keyboard input, or your mouse cursor/pointer keeps on spinning continuously. This malfunction is called lock-up of the computer. If you HP computer freezes or locks up, follow this guide to resolve the issue and make your computer perform optimally again.

Step 1: Close all applications that may be causing such issues on your system

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your keyboard and open the Task Manager. Then go through the list of active processes and close any application that may be conflicting with the system.

1. Disconnect all the input and output devices from the computer except keyboard, mouse and the monitor.
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select Task Manager Otherwise, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to directly open the task manager.
3. Click More Details and expand the task manager options.
4. Under the tab Processes, look for applications that have stopped responding.
5. If an application is not responding, right-click on it and click on End Task from the menu that opens.
6. Continue following the steps for any other applications that have stopped responding.
7. Once completed, close the task manager.
8. If your HP computer still stays frozen or locked up, continue to the next step.

Note:

1. In the task manager, some applications may have a green leaf icon beside them. This icon signifies that the applications are suspended by the system to conserve the system resources and improve the performance of your HP computer. You do not need to close them.
2. If you click End Task to terminate an application, any unsaved data might get lost. If an autosave feature is enabled, you may be able to recover the data on the next start-up of the application.

Step 2: Force-Restart your HP computer

To force-restart, your computer, press the power button of the computer and hold it for a few seconds until the computer turns off. Wait for a few more seconds, and then press the power button to switch on the computer.

Step 3: Run hardware diagnostic tests

If your HP computer continues freezing or locking up, follow the steps below to run hardware diagnostic tests on your HP computer.

1. In your Windows OS, search and run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics for Windows. If it is not installed on your computer, download and install it from http://hp.com/go/techcenter/pcdiags.
2. Click on System Tests from the main menu.
3. Click System Fast Test. Then, click Run Once.
4. The tests will now run and display the progress on your computer screen.
5. If a hardware peripheral fails the test, it will be displayed on the screen. Take a note of the 24-digit failure ID that is displayed in the Test Logs. Contact HP Customer Support at https://support.hp.com/us-en.
   If no hardware component failed, continue to the next step.
6. Click System Test, and then click System Extensive Test. This test might take a longer time to complete that may range up to several hours.
7. If any component fails the test, take a note of the 24-digit failure ID code and contact HP Customer Support. If nothing fails, proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Update the BIOS

BIOS updates can resolve any issues that are about HP computer freezes and lock up. Go to https://support.hp.com/redirect/hub/s-002 to check for any available BIOS update.

In the Let’s identify your product to get started page, select your computer type, computer’s model name, and then click Submit. The page will display all the updates that are available for your HP computer.

If a BIOS update is available, download the BIOS update. Then follow these guides to install the BIOS update on your HP computer or laptop:

For HP Desktop computer: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00007682

For HP Notebook PC: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00042629

Take extreme caution: Incorrectly installing a BIOS update can prevent your computer from booting and you may not be able to use your computer. Please exercise extreme caution and care while updating the BIOS of your HP computer. Make sure to follow the instructions very carefully.

Step 5: Reset your HP computer

If your HP computer continues to freeze or lock-up, then you can reset your computer by reinstalling Windows operating system. Please follow this guide to reinstall Windows: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04742289

Remember to back up all your personal data before performing a full reset of your HP computer.