It is never a nice feeling when your “brand new” computer (that you’ve had for just over a year now) crashes and you have no idea what would have gone wrong.
Most non-tech persons would panic and may even decide to punish whoever or whatever came in close proximity to the system just prior to it crashing, still, understanding why computers crash or what may cause them to crash will help persons to better deal with the instances when their computer do crash (as it is bound to happen at some point in time) and enable them to better understand what can be done to remedy the situation.
Here are seven (7) common reasons why a computer might crash (there are many others):
1. Hardware conflict or malfunction:
For each piece of hardware in a computer system to work properly it needs to have drivers (the software that run/controls the hardware), these from time to time may need updating when other programs or devices are added to the system. You may also have hardware that do not “play” well with each other or due to wear and tear may have simply failed. If your computer had sustained any jolts or knocks prior to the crashing you may want to check and ensue that every thing is securely connected to the motherboard – lose-fitting hardware components can also lead to system crashes.
2. Bad Memory (RAM):
Dues to bumps or knocks to the computer system unit (the case) the memory may come loose from its slot(s) or it could be that the module has gone bad for whatever reason (there are many). In some cases simply reseating the RAM module(s) properly on the motherboard may resolve the problem – in the worst case scenario you may have to replace the module. WARNING – When handling RAM modules DO NOT touch the gold tips/connectors as this is super sensitive.
3. Presence of viruses and other digital nasties on the computer:
By their very nature most viruses are designed to cripple your computer. If there is no antivirus or other relevant protection software installed on the computer these malicious programs can corrupt and in some cases even delete files which can cause the system to crash or even not boot after the crash and a restart. Always ensure that your protection software is up to date and enabled.
4. Hard drive failure:
Hard drives do not last forever, they will eventually die and even quicker if they are not properly cared for. Avoid bumping or knocking your computer while it’s in use. Do not allow your hard drive to run out of space, this can result in drive failure. Defragment and check the drive for errors at least once every month. Grinding and or knocking sounds are indicators of imminent hard drive failure.
5. Insufficient cooling for the CPU:
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for doing all the work in your computer, this results in it generating quite a bit of heat. If the CPU is not properly cooled it can result in your computer crashing, although this is more of a fail-safe on the part of the processor to protect it from burning itself. Ensure that the fan and heat-sink that cools the processor are properly installed and are clean.
6. Power supply problems:
A computer will not turn on if it does not have power. There are several reasons why a power supply may go bad, from electrical surges to excessive moisture to wear and tear etc.. Please note that just because the lights on the system unit comes on does not mean the power supply is working properly. Based on what went wrong in the power supply it may show signs of being functional when in truth and fact it may be very far from.
7. Bad software or software compatibility issues:
I’m not talking about viruses, but instead of application software like games, word processors etc. that may crash the system simply because they were not properly created or because of conflicts between them and other programs installed on the system.
As I would have stated previously, this is not a complete list of all the things that can lead to a computer crashing, it is more of a “most common culprits” list.
