Frozen

While "frozen" describes the state of Minnesota from November to March, it also refers to an unresponsive computer. When a computer does not respond to any user input, it is said to be frozen. When a computer system freezes, or "locks up," the screen stays the same and does not change no matter what buttons you press on your mouse or keyboard. You can tell if you computer has frozen if the cursor will not move when you move the mouse.

A computer typically freezes due to a software malfunction that causes the operating system to "hang." This may happen because of many possible reasons, including a memory leak, an infinite calculation, or another reason. A computer can also freeze because of a hardware malfunction, such as a bad RAM chip or a processor error.

Since computers are not supposed to freeze, a software crash is often due to a software programming error or unrecognizable input. Fortunately, modern operating systems, such as Mac OS X are designed so that if one program crashes, it will not affect other programs and the computer will not freeze.

If your computer does freeze, you will need to restart the computer to make it function again. You can typically force your computer to shut down by holding the power button for several seconds. And remember - since most computer freezes happen unexpectedly, it is a good idea to save your work frequently!

Updated September 16, 2008 by Per C.

quizTest Your Knowledge

Which of these file types stores a raster graphic image?

A
JPEG
0%
B
AI
0%
C
CDR
0%
D
SVG
0%
Correct! Incorrect!     View the Raster Graphic definition.
More Quizzes →

The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary

The definition of Frozen on this page is an original definition written by the TechTerms.com team. If you would like to reference this page or cite this definition, please use the green citation links above.

The goal of TechTerms.com is to explain computer terminology in a way that is easy to understand. We strive for simplicity and accuracy with every definition we publish. If you have feedback about this definition or would like to suggest a new technical term, please contact us.

Sign up for the free TechTerms Newsletter

How often would you like to receive an email?

You can unsubscribe or change your frequency setting at any time using the links available in each email.

Questions? Please contact us.