Crashes and Results

• A computer crash is basically when a computer abruptly stops working, usually by freezing up and preventing all commands from working. When a computer crashes, a full reboot is needed to refresh the system. You will likely need to force a shutdown of the system by holding down the power button. There can be many possible causes for a computer crash, but most of them are a result of the computer operating past the limits that its memory--RAM or ROM--will allow. This causes an overload.
  
  

Application Troubles

• An application can cause problems with the computer when it uses up its own available RAM and thus tries to use another application's memory space. The operating system won't allow this, which can cause the entire system to lock up. This can happen when several applications are being used at once. Newer operating systems have "virtual walls" around applications to prevent them from using other memory space. The application alone then shuts down, not the whole system.
  
  

Drivers

• Device drivers can cause issues with computers. The drivers are needed to connect the computer to its additional hardware. Some drivers for newer products may contain bugs that can cause an overload or crash. Manufacturers are constantly updating their drivers to remove these bugs so users can replace the old ones.
  
  

Viruses

• Computer viruses are one of the biggest and most frustrating causes of computer crashes. They are designed to crash a system or even ruin a computer, and are installed without the user's consent. Removal of a virus is complicated and always varies, but it generally involves deleting all its files from the hard drive and its keys from the registry, followed by a complete reboot. It usually takes a professional to completely remove a virus.
  
  

Memory Issues

• As a computer gets older, the chance of a crash becomes more likely. This is because more and more programs have been installed on the system over time, using up more and more of the available memory. RAM is the biggest issue, since it is used to run the applications live. The more RAM the programs require and the less the computer has, the more a computer will overload trying to run multiple programs. Upgrading the computer by adding more memory or replacing it with a computer built with more memory is needed to help prevent crashes.