Author Topic: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.  (Read 9392 times)

Offline Calverley Lad

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #18 on: Saturday 20 April 13 17:08 BST (UK) »
Before you put your laptop into a skip, have you tried blowing the dust out?
Whilst holding the laptop clear of anything easily marked, use what I call 'air duster', (compressed air in a can).
Blow air into the 'air intake' then blow air into the 'air exhaust', if your laptop has a separate graphics card rather than integrated graphics the exhausted air becomes very warm. (Over a certain temperature the computer will switch off, but if just below 'critical temperature' this is when you get noticeable problems.
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Offline LizzieW

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #19 on: Saturday 20 April 13 17:56 BST (UK) »
Thank you Brian and greenrig.  I'll definitely take your advice and find a local pc shop.  Just been to look at new laptops in PC World to check out Windows 8. It seems it isn't compatible with most software - apart from games!  I did say that was ridiculous and what was the point of a computer that people couldn't use, then I said I'd wait until so many people complained that Microsoft updated. At which point the guy in the shop said "Yes up to Windows 9, which will be an update of 7!".


Offline smudwhisk

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #20 on: Saturday 20 April 13 18:11 BST (UK) »
You can still get Windows 7 laptops, there just aren't that many still about.  You won't find them in the retail shops but online with companies like ebuyer.com.  It's worth a look if you are considering upgrading but probably sooner than later since they'll likely be the last available as the manufactuers are now installing with Windows 8 ... no doubt to keep Microsoft happy.  Obviously you have to do more "legwork" looking at what you're going to get spec wise and Windows 7 Home is usually cheaper than Windows 7 Pro, but it's still better than Windows 8.

All I would say about purchasing from an online retailer, is google reviews on them first.  I've used ebuyer for years so can vouch for them, but some of the other online retailers aren't the best.
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Offline LizzieW

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #21 on: Saturday 20 April 13 18:54 BST (UK) »
Thank you for that Smudwhisk, I had wondered about going for a Windows 7 or 7 pro as I saw some for sale on line, but my OH thought it was better to go straight to 8 - but that was before we went to PC World to look at them and try them out. ::)

I'll take a look at ebuyer, it's always useful to know that someone has had a good experience of an online retailer.  When I'm buying small items I usually just take a chance and things seem to work out OK, but I wouldn't want to do that for an expensive item.



Offline LizzieW

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #22 on: Saturday 20 April 13 19:36 BST (UK) »
To no-one's surprise the guy at PC World was wrong ::)  I checked out Legacy, Roboform, Foxit, Irfanview, Skype, QuickTime player etc. and they are all compatible with Windows 8, although I found a site that said that Windows 8.1 is on the way with a start button, as most people don't like not having one.  Oddly the one thing that you can't use on Windows 8, is Windows Media Center.

In the meantime, I'm going to find a local PC man/woman to see if my laptop can be fixed.

Offline LizzieW

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #23 on: Wednesday 24 April 13 14:55 BST (UK) »
Well, I got a a local PC engineer to come to service my laptop.  He took the whole thing apart, and cleaned an inordinate amount of dust from the fan and something else near the fan and then cleaned everything else that couldn't be taken out of the laptop.  It is now running much cooler, but guess what it froze again.

The problem seems to be if I got to a site and then click on a link to another site.  As soon as the 2nd site opens, it freezes.  Is the problem Mozilla?  Or is it the end of the laptop?

Lizzie

Offline silvery

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #24 on: Wednesday 24 April 13 17:26 BST (UK) »
Did you ever try running it without the battery in it?   
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Offline LizzieW

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #25 on: Wednesday 24 April 13 17:34 BST (UK) »
Not since the engineer's been.  I'll try that now, but don't understand why it would make a difference.  Just realised it's not Mozilla, because the same thing happened when I tried using IE.

Offline greenrig

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Re: Why does my laptop keep "freezing" - Completed thanks to all who helped me.
« Reply #26 on: Thursday 25 April 13 10:30 BST (UK) »
You've done the right thing in getting it cleaned out.
Possibly, the constant overheating that happened before has permanently damaged something in the cooling system, or CPU or other circuitry. 

Next time it locks up... are you able to use CTRL-ALT-DEL keys to get to the Windows task manager?  Or has the WHOLE PC frozen (not just the browser).   

If the whole PC has frozen and it's been cleaned, then, sadly, it may be time to look at a new PC as the repair may not be economically justified.
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