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What Can You Do When Windows Hangs, Locks Up or Becomes Unresponsive

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Jan
9
2009

Everyone who has used a computer regularly has experienced it from time to time. What would you do if programs consume too much CPU or too much memory usage, or too many programs have been started and your computer has become unresponsive? The mouse cursor still moves but no programs are responding, you cannot switch to other programs or even close them. You have even tried to start the Windows Task Manager and even that won’t work because it does not get enough attention from the scheduler to respond to your mouse clicks and keyboard presses. I bet your answer would be hit the reset button to restart Windows.

Hard resetting your computer using the reset button is always the last resort because by doing that, you could be corrupting files that are currently in use or even worst, Windows fails to start up. Before doing that, here is a free tool called AntiFreeze which offers a last recourse when you find your computer in a hung state.


AntiFreeze offers a last recourse when you find your computer in a hung state. As soon as you press the hotkey combination (Alt+Ctrl+WIN+Home) of AntiFreeze, AntiFreeze will suspend most of the running programs so they stop hogging your systems resources. Then it will start a special type of task manager, very much like the standard Windows task manager except that it is designed for the particular task of letting you get the system in a responsive state again. If a program has consumed lots of CPU time it is an indication it may have been responsible for locking up your system. You can terminate the offending program by clicking the ‘End Process’ button.

Restore computer from hang

OK, AntiFreeze doesn’t work all the time as it will only work when:

  • One or more programs are doing very intensive tasks, they consume so much processor cycles that the system becomes unresponsive
  • One or more programs consume so much memory that the swapping file is heavily used, overloading the system
  • Programs are running with a scheduling priority which is so high that they consume all processor resources
  • Too many programs are running at the same time and they all have to compete for attention from the processor

    • There are times when AntiFreeze will fail to work and you’ll have to hit the reset button. AntiFreeze is most likely not to work if your computer is hanging or becomes unresponsive due to hardware problem or when you see your mouse cursor stay at the same location even if you move your mouse. AntiFreeze runs at a high priority level to suspend running processes lower than AntiFreeze but if there are any kernel software or device driver that runs higher than AntiFreeze, then AntiFreeze wouldn’t work.

    Although it’s not a perfect solution when your computer hangs or becomes unresponsive but I am willing to trade only 3MB of my computer’s memory for a chance to save my save or recover your work without hitting the reset button.

    [ Download AntiFreeze ]


    Related posts:
  • Solutions to Taskbar Hangs or Freezes in Windows XP
    • Rekhyt

      Nice one, Thank you Raymond. have a nice week end. :)

    • xje4bv

      Nice program. Been using it for quite a while.

    • shootingspy

      Thanks a gr8 utility again from you I really need it badly

    • =SAF=Quake4

      Ey Thanx Ray

    • webcadre

      cool! try to install it on my pc thanks ray :)

    • Ishaan

      Hey Ray thx….
      Will surely help a lot…

    • Veto

      thanks raymond

    • Roy Raay

      Great tip mate, thanks!

    • Mike

      hey raymond, this has come in good use, this very morning my sytem started to hang after bringing it out of hibernation.

    • http://www.navigaweb.net pomhey

      Oh in my pc it makes it in crash always when i press Alt+Ctrl+WIN+Home ; is it compatible with windows xp service pack 3?

    • RedNavi

      thanks!! raymond~! ^^

    • Jon

      Doesn’t work with Vista Home Premium 64 bit

    • steve

      Thanks raymond. its a useful tool. thanks a lot

    • rpaz

      Hi Raymond,

      Can you please include on your posts the software version you test?
      That information can be also useful when someone search the site and find a old post.
      Suppose you say Software XYZ isn’t compatible with windows Vista, that can be true only for version x.x of that particular software.

    • Nicolas Velasquez

      Great app!
      Thanks!

    • jacksonchua

      i cant find the WIN button on my laptop, pls tell me thk.
      My laptop model is aspire 4930G

    • Firas

      Thank you Raymond .
      Iam using since 2 years this program ( Process Tamer ) and its good . But i dont know if its do the same thing or ???
      for more info about Process Tamer
      http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/proctamer/index.html

    • akjbond007

      thnxxxxxxxx raymond ,,,,,, ;-)

      u r again gr8 . no more words to say about Uuuu :-)

    • dale

      Programs like this suck and are likely to cause more trouble. A couple of apps that are solid and can help with process priority are Process Tamer and Process Lasso.

    • ankit

      ctrl+alt+del(thats all u need)

    • john

      can anyone tell me where the home button is.

    • vikas jain

      Thankx for this gr8 software.. Sir Raymond can you plz give solution to us in case when virus attack the pc and a and regedit or pocket kill box or autorun.exe or icesworn etc. tools are used to determine it but when they are caught the pc reset itself. the safe mode is also not working in that condition. Can we stop that reset without using live cd. I have solution but i want your opinion on this topic.

      Regards
      Vikas Jain
      Your Fan.

    • Kissol

      Process Lasso is amazing!

    • Mark

      Thank you Raymond!

      Does it work OK on a really slow PC?

    • Saj

      Thanks Raymond. It works well

    • Atif

      thnx Raymond

    • Merlin_Magii

      Thank you Raymond.

    • MAhmoud

      Thank you for everything Raymond .

    • john doe

      process tamer or process lasso?

    • jeff parker

      thanks ray!!!

    • Hong Meng

      thanks for the tips

    • Nick

      Thanks Mr. Raymond, i will sure test it out and hopefully i’ll find it useful, regarding the feature, another big thanks again sir^^

    • http://erwin.ried.cl Erwin Ried

      I have created a better way to recover your system from hangs:

      http://erwin.ried.cl/inc/image.php?imagen=img/articles/win_dwm_001/04.png&formato=html

      It is a password protected (http://erwin.ried.cl/inc/image.php?imagen=img/articles/win_dwm_001/05.png&ancholimite=650&altolimite=1000) elevated taskmanager available in the CTRL+ALT+DEL security screen in Vista. That screen is an SYSTEM owned secure desktop (with higher priority than any other process in your machine)

    • ahashmi06

      Thanks Raymond.

      Its really a very useful tool.

    • ahashmi06

      Thanks Raymoond.

      Its really a nice tool.

    • SomeOne

      Crashes my XP Sp3 too everytime I press the hotkey. I have hard restart my laptop twice for this.. :(

    • findmehere.genius

      My low profile low speed PC needed this dearly

      Thanx Ray

    • dontknow

      There are some instances where even mouse stops working. Will it work at that situation?

    • Junn

      Very nice concept.

      Been looking for something like this so long.

      Unfortunately, AntiFreeze doesn’t work in my computer.

      By the way — for those who are familiar — can Process Tamer and Process Governor safely run together, back-to-back?

      On the other hand, I know SuperCharger and Process Governor can.

    • jordao

      hi Ray i love you for all the information you have provided to me i am so geateful.
      i have a concern, i bought a brand new computer, when i try to connect it to internet, it does not give any sign that there is a modem connected to ther computer, even if i go to CONTROL PANEL- NETWORK CONNECTIONS, it shows that “X” sign indicating that the computer is not connedted to the modem.
      My connection is via modem throgh a phone line, please help me Ray if you read this comment.
      i did not install any softwares (registry cleaner, games …), and i do not have any external hardwere attached to the computer.

    • mk

      I dl and installed this prog on my windows vista 32 bit but i dont think it wroks.. again everytime windows blocks this prog from startup and i get an annoying promt. using the 3 hotkeys ctr=alt=windows =home makes my laptop freeze

      ray any inputs for this problem?
      i am going to uninstall this and try process tamer or lasso

    • Will

      Thanx Ray. U are the man.

    • RANGA

      Thankyou verymuch RAY…. I am looking to this type of software for a long time…………………

      Excellent…!!!

    • Michael C.

      I can’t get enuff!! :)

    • http://www.madhabspace.blogspot.com sunkumarspace

      process tamer, process lassso and more importantly, in windows xp “turn on DEPall programs except those i select” by going to the dEP , AND thus also provide some sort of these features.

    • noony

      greaaaaaat Ray, i love your posts!!!

    • http://www.madhabspace.blogspot.com sunkumarspace

      Data Execution Prevention (DEP) monitors programs to verify whether they are using system memory securely. Unlike Windows 7, Windows XP’s DEP is only enabled for necessary operating system programs and services because not all software programs run smoothly with DEP. To enhance security, you can turn on DEP for all programs and then define exceptions for individual programs and services.
      How to enable DEP for all programs
      From the Control Panel, click System
      Click the Advanced tab, then click under Performance
      Click the Data Execution Prevention tab, select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select, and then click OK.
      Save & Restart the computer for this change to take effect
      Defining exceptions – If certain programs cause problems, define them as exceptions.
      From the Control Panel, click System
      Click the Advanced tab, then click under Performance
      Click the Data Execution Prevention tab, then click
      Search & select the program file you want to add as an exception, click Open, and then click OK.
      Repeat Step #4 as needed
      Save & Restart the computer for this change to take effect

    • beton

      thanks Ray.. good one for tool..

    • chandu

      I am using XP, if I lock my computer by using windows +L key then how do I know how much time I locked my system, please advice

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