One of the most common problems PC users face is the freeze up. It has happened to almost all of us. Whether it takes place when we are playing a game, completing a project, or typing the last sentence an important email, suddenly everything stops working. You are unable type, the mouse refuses to work and the programs will not shut down.

Unfortunately, your only option is to push CTRL-ALT-DEL simultaneously, and try to shut down some programs in order to get your system running again. Sometimes you may have to reboot the entire computer and risk losing everything, if you had not saved them yet.

Freeze ups are definitely more than just mere annoyances, but, they can be prevented. Here are some strategies to keep your computer freeze free.

- Keep Open Programs to a Minimum

Most freeze ups are caused by a lack of RAM. Your computer has a fixed amount of RAM available to operate programs. However, each time you open a program, you are taking away part of that available memory. As such, when all of the memory is being used, the computer has no choice but to lock up.

A big reason for these memory problems is that of having too many programs running at startup. These programs immediately begin draining your RAM, so there is less available memory for the programs you want to work with right now.

You can stop these programs from running at startup by going into their options and making the changes. Additionally, you may only want to use a few programs at a time. Some programs are major drains on RAM and can cause a freeze up easily when used with other softwares.

- Routine Maintenance

Computers, like cars, run best when users perform routine maintenance on them. Two of the most important ones are defragmenting your hard drive and cleaning up your registry.

When you add data to your computer, it is stored on your hard drive. Over time, however, data files get moved around and are often spread out from each other, making the program operate more slowly as it has to piece these files back together. Defragmenting cleans up the hard drive and rearranges the files.

When your registry contains too many files or files that should not be included, it can take longer for your requests made to get through and be fulfilled. That problem can lead to these freeze ups.

Maintenance for both of these problems can be completed with easy-to-use tools that are widely available online.

- Scan for spyware and viruses

Another reason why your computer could be freezing up, especially if it is a new phenomenon, is because of a virus or some type of spyware. These programs can suck up your RAM, alter your registry, or cause other problems your system just cannot deal with.

You should have a reliable anti-spyware and anti-virus program installed on your computer at all times. These programs should be updated regularly ? most come with automatic updates. You should also complete a full scan of your system at least once a week to ensure that there are no problems.

Taking these simple precautions can prevent you from suffering from hours of frustration and lost productivity in the future.