Programs Not responding in Windows 7- Solution

Windows 7 is a very stable operating system. But, it is not completely devoid of problems. Sometimes the active programs stop responding and do not become active again. The only option left for you is to close them forcefully. Here is a quick look at some solutions for programs not responding in Windows 7.

Use Task Manager to Close the Programs

One of the best ways to terminate the non-responding programs is to use the Task Manager. It is a great tool that can give you insight into CPU and RAM performance as well as help you close the programs and background processes.

To open Task Manager, right click on the Task Bar and choose ‘Start Task Manager’ from the pop-up menu. Alternately, you can press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select ‘Start Task Manager’ from the list of the options.

Once Task Manager has launched, click the Applications tab. You can see the list of all the ‘Not Responding’ programs. Select the programs individually and then click ‘End Task’ button at the bottom. You can also press Ctrl while clicking to select multiple programs.

You can also choose the ‘Processes’ tab and end the processes related to the programs by selecting them and clicking on ‘End Process’ button.

Reboot the Computer/OS

Most of the times, you will be able to resolve this issue by simply rebooting the computer. Restarting the computer refreshes the operating system, drivers, as well as the applications and programs. But, restarting may not always be as simple as it may sound. You may have to try more than one way to reboot the PC. Here is what you can do:

·         Simple Reboot: If only the open programs are not responding but Windows 7 is otherwise working, you can try the simple reboot. Click the Start button on the Task Bar and select the option ‘Shut down’. This will not shut down the computer instantly as there are open programs running on the OS. This is why you will get the prompt whether you would like to force shutdown all the programs. OS will terminate all the programs forcibly and reboot the PC. But, if you have any unsaved document or data, it may be lost.

·         Ctrl + Alt + Delete: If the Start menu is also not working then you may need to use the keyboard keys to bring up the task menu. For this, you will need to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete simultaneously. This will open a new menu on the screen and you can click ‘shut down’ button on the right corner. Again, this will force terminate all the non-responding applications and you may lose any unsaved data.

·         CPU Power Button: If none of the above methods work then the only option for you is to hard reboot the computer. You can either remove the power cable or press the big power button on the front of the CPU. Whether or not the Windows is responding, you will be able to reboot your computer this way. You will lose the unsaved document or data.

     Marria Silvia is a Blogger who loves to share information on topics related to Windows 7 support, Microsoftsupport, outlook support etc. For more information on these topics keep reading this blog and don’t forget to share your thoughts on the comment box.