Basic Troubleshooting Guide: When Your Laptop is Not Responding or Hanging

Basic Troubleshooting Guide: When Your Laptop is Not Responding or Hanging

If your laptop becomes unresponsive or hangs, follow these steps to try and resolve the issue. If none of the steps work, please contact the IT team by creating a ticket.

1. Check if the Laptop is Completely Frozen

• Try moving the mouse or pressing the Caps Lock key on the keyboard.
• If the Caps Lock light turns on/off or the mouse moves, the system may not be fully frozen. Wait a few minutes to see if it becomes responsive again.

2. Close Unresponsive Programs

• Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager.
• Look for programs that are labeled Not Responding.
• Select the unresponsive program and click End Task.

3. Restart Your Laptop

• If you can, try restarting the laptop:
  • Press the Start Menu button (Windows icon).
  • Click on the Power button and choose Restart.
• If the laptop is completely unresponsive:
  • Hold down the Power button for 10-15 seconds until the laptop turns off.
  • Wait for a few seconds, then press the Power button again to turn it back on.

4. Disconnect External Devices

• Unplug any USB devices (e.g., external drives, mouse, keyboard).
• Sometimes external devices can cause the laptop to freeze.

5. Check for Overheating

• If your laptop feels very hot, it may have overheated. Turn it off and let it cool down for 15-20 minutes.
• Ensure the laptop is on a hard, flat surface to allow proper airflow when using it.

6. Check Battery and Power

• If your laptop runs on battery power, ensure it is sufficiently charged. Plug it into a power outlet and try again.
• If it’s plugged in but not charging, try a different power outlet or check the charger and cable for damage.

7. Contact IT Support

If none of the above steps work, it’s time to contact the IT team

• Submit a Ticket via IT Help Desk Facility:
  • Visit the IT Help Desk Facilty
    
  • Click on Create New Ticket.
  • Fill in the required details (issue description, steps taken, picture if available).
  • Submit the ticket and await a response from the IT team.

Tip: Always back up important files regularly to avoid data loss during system crashes.