Experienced Windows users can definitely testify that they have come across the occasional crash or program freezing in Windows Vista - it's never pleasant and we all wish our computers could avoid it but it is usually due to software errors that spring right out of the blue. Fortunately, Windows Vista retains the 'Ctrl, Alt and Delete' keyboard-combination miracle cure that has been included with virtually every previous version of Windows to date. 'Ctrl, Alt and Delete' normally helps remedy those pesky freezes but not always.
Next time your computer decides it's time for a good freezing for whatever reason, try applying this remedy: Press your Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys on your keyboard simultaneously to bring up a screen with a beautiful background that contains a list of options that include:
- Lock this computer
- Switch User
- Log off
- Change a password...
- Start Task Manager
I wish I could include a screenshot but sadly while this menu is up the ability to take screenshots is disabled. Anyway, let's proceed; we need the bottom option on the list which is Task Manager. Click it to return to your Windows Vista desktop with the Task Manager menu up and ready for you.
As you can see: I only have a small handful of programs running; Corel Paint Shop Pro XI, SmartFTP, Firefox and my Windows Vista folder which I use to store all my tutorial screenshots in. I can tell they are all functioning perfectly fine by viewing the Status column to the right. Whenever a program of file is working as it should be - it will have a 'Running' status; and whenever a program is misbehaving and possibly causing your computer system to freeze, then its status will change to 'Not Responding'.
If ever you cannot close a program manually due to it crashing (usually by pressing the red X icon in the upper right corner of the program), it's recommended that you use the Task Manager to close the program for you. Simply click the program you want closed from within Task Manager to highlight it and press End Task. Windows Vista will do the rest... most of the time. There are exceptions to when this won't work but it's certainly quite reliable on most occasions. The only other alternative besides this is to turn your computer off at the power plug - which really isn't a good idea at all and should only be used as a last, last resort.
Well, I knew about Ctrl-AlT-Delete, but in my case it doesn't work. And I get the frozen screen quite often. Keep on looking....
Yes Vista sucks if you use Ctrl-alt-delete while IE is freezing, MY experience is that task manager is also frozen. Then what do you do? I used to logout completely on the laptop by unplugging and disconnecting battery. Now I got a quick fix. When retarded Task Manager freezes too and u cant shutdown IE, open up a notepad do not save. Click Cntrl-alt-delete click LogOff it will shut all down without rebooting or loggin out because u have the open notepad asking you do u want to save this click cancel on that then click cancel on the logout. You are good to go no rebooting no logging back in!
ctrl alt del does not work for me. my computer freezes all the time, and only thing i can do is press and hold the shut down button. i think its the windows media player, but for some reason vista does not let you uninstall it. really frustrating and lame. I 've spent more time coming up with a solution that actually using this computer.
The "magic" with ctrl-alt-del works only if you don't need it. Vista sucks.
I have this problem constantly when firefox or msn live messenger freeze on my laptop [ with vista ] they DO NOT close with ctrl alt dlt ... EVER... i have to restart everytime . and happens atleast a few times a day. I keep searching to see if anyone eles has this problem but no luck..
I've had this problem, too... Firefox will freeze first, and then it seems like anything I touch turns to crap. Ctrl-Alt-Delete brings up the selection screen, but the task manager won't open; it just brings me back to the desktop. Right-clicking on the taskbar to open the task manager there, results in the desktop itself freezing (turns milky-white like the other windows do when they stop responding). I'm not sure, but I think it might be related to waking from sleep or hibernation. Possibly, it's not putting the data it saved to my HD back into RAM properly. But I don't know for sure, and nothing seems to be able to fix it thus far.
I have vista home it froze I ran all the test it said hard drive surface scan failed con alt del doesnt help Please fix your site I couldnt read the left side of the messages.
Thank you all in advance.
Richard
I have the freeze issue............it seems to be tied to my hard drive going to sleep. Haven't found a fix, other than to increase time. So much for saving power.
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC will bring up the task manager in Vista without that menu (and sometimes opens when a ctrl+atl+del menu won't open).
I also experience the freezing problem.. It's definitely related to waking up from hibernation, because every time I do firefox has crashed and msn messenger is logged off stuck in the toolbar, crashed as well..
For those who dont know there are many other ways to get to the task manager.. You can right click the taskbar (where your programs are minimized) and click task manager from there, or like the person said before me you can use ctrl+shift+esc.. Both of these generally work when the oldschool ctrl+alt+del doesn't ^^
CTRL+ALT+ESC worked for me - thanks for the handy hints
I used option 3 - log off. It took me to another window where I could shut down the computer, it worked for me.
how do you not know its crtl shift esc. silly compter adive is all wrong and not very helpful. that the problem with the computer world- you can stick anyold junk up and no one check sit. to close frozen programs you put your finger up your nose shout 'walrus' and press enter....well it may as well say this for all the help your is.
doh.
I have the same problem as laur, so he isn't alone
ctrl+alt+del doesn't work at all for me; When Vista freezes, it REALLY freezes.
I haven't tried the ctrl+alt+esc or ctrl+shift+esc methods, but I will when Vista freezes again...5 minutes from now -.-
I would get freezing problems with apps and explorer in General and I couldn't get any apps to run without logging off and logging back on. Even then my internet would stop working and I would have to unplug my ethernet cable from my laptop and replug it to get it working again.
I noticed that I would only get the problem described above when I put my laptop into sleep mode, wake it up, and use it for a few minutes.
After doing a little research using google, a similar person had the same problem and the problem was fixed when he uninstalled and installed an up-to-date version of his graphics card.
Since vista's sleep mode seems to be related to my graphics card drivers and software, I thought I should do the same and install the most up-to-date drivers for my card and lo and behold it works!
THANKS worked fro me
hey How do you uninstall and install an up to date version of your graphics card?
I just restored vista ultimate to the original factory settings. installed safary (i.e), itunes, McAfee. it started a couple days ago. vista will start up, load everything (default resident programs) in memory, and then it shows like a gray circle with horizontal and vertical lines throught it, and that would be the end of vista. from that point you can see the hard drive working, but the mouse looks like if vista was busy. it just stays like that without an end. ctr + alt + del work but task manager doesn't. it comes out but you can't click on anything.
any idea what this might be ???. apparently windows keeps working because you can tell the computer to restart or shut down and it will do it. it looks like it freezes the regular explorer interface.
I would do a system restore, but it was reinstalled so recently that i have nothing to restore to. I would do another reinstallation but i have like 60gb of data that needs to be saved first. Any Ideas will be appreciated BIG TIME.
Hey Orlando I am having the same problem. Did you ever find out what it was, and fix it? Please let me know how to fix this problem if you know. Rst8ofmind@gmail.com Thank you
System forever freezing (Vista Ultimate) it occurs when you leave the computer out of action for sometime and freezes every open window and programs. IE seem to add more problems each rime this is open and does not allow me to access wesite with the HTTPS prefix (secured) when commands are made in IE from the drop down menu the freezing activity starts and the rest of the other programs follow suits with ctrl alt delete doing nothing to assist you in closing down programs to help memory. would appreciate if anyone found any resolution coming out of Microsoft. We cannot keep on paying for their telephone services when this is a bug that is not resolved or hasn't been resolved through their updates.
I have a new Lenovo Laptop (T500) with Vista Ultimate 32-bit. After having to re-image once due to major issues out of the box, I have been extremely careful with putting anything on it (updates, Firefox 3.0.12, and Avast are about it). Using both FF and IE8, I have repeatedly had the machine freeze and CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing. I'll have to try the CTRL-SHFT-ESC next time (5min. from now - LOL chrisman01). The only solution is a hard shutdown. CTRL-ALT-DEL has also failed when the system froze with only Excel open. Miserable, frustrating experience to have a brand new, top of the line machine behave worse than my 3 year old WiinXP laptop. Take care of your shit, MSFT. And "wait for Windows 7" is not an acceptable "fix".
Is there a way to disable that menu, all I ever need is the Task manager, To me the fewest steps to kill a "Non responding" program the better.
Any suggestions?
-Thanks Thom.
Ctrl, Shift, Esc does NOT free frozen programs. It takes you to the Task Manager Menu. That's all. What's the point if if it doesn't unfreeze locked programs? I'm still stuck with the headache of frozen programs.
Well for my windows vista hp laptop it has frozen twice while i was using firefox. I have never had any problems with it before. Recently i have updated my computer. Everything has gone downhill from there. CTRL/ALT/DEL does not work i will try CTRL/SHIFT/ESC in the future if it works.
wow thank you so much ,, i had it frozen for days