Laptop constantly crashes

[rrgelder]

Lately my laptop has randomly started crashing. I will be simply browsing the web and everything will stop responding and I'll wait for 5 minutes or so and sometimes it will respond again but usually I have to shut off the laptop. Not even the classic CTRL+ALT+DELETE works, the keyboard doesn't function when my laptop stops responding so I am forced to shut off the laptop. It's odd because when I'm using Photoshop or something the computer will be just fine, at least it has been so far. I've ran numerous virus tests and they've all said there aren't any, I'm not sure what else to do. Thanks.

 

[ToineF]

could it be some sort of virus or malware?

Does it do the same with all browsers?

 

[rrgelder]

could it be some sort of virus or malware?

Does it do the same with all browsers?

I've run virus tests and it doesn't seem to be the issue and yes it does it with all browsers. Once the browser crashes the whole computer does.

 

[boosted1g]

"I've run virus tests" with what software?? Just because AVG says there is not a virus does not mean crap. Run it with malwarebytes if you have not already.

What is your CPU and Memory usage in task manager?

What browser are you using? How many tabs do you have open? Have you checked it for unwanted extensions/plugins?

 

[Solandri]

I will be simply browsing the web and everything will stop responding and I'll wait for 5 minutes or so and sometimes it will respond again but usually I have to shut off the laptop. Not even the classic CTRL+ALT+DELETE works, the keyboard doesn't function when my laptop stops responding so I am forced to shut off the laptop.

Does the mouse freeze as well? How about the screen - does the clock keep updating the time, or is it frozen at the time the keyboard stopped responding?

ctrl+alt+del bypasses all of Windows and sends an interrupt directly to the system. That's why Windows server uses it to login - it can't be faked remotely or by software, or blocked by software. If the mouse and/or screen are not frozen and ctrl-alt-del doesn't work, then you probably just have a defective keyboard. Try plugging in an external USB keyboard and see if that still works when your laptop keyboard freezes.

It's odd because when I'm using Photoshop or something the computer will be just fine.

If the mouse and screen also freeze, then it sounds like you have a hardware/driver problem. The browser is causing the computer to try to use that hardware or driver (maybe audio or video?), while Photoshop does not.

Edit: How much RAM are you using, and do you have virtual memory turned on?