How to Exit a "Frozen" Windows Program

When a program "freezes," you can't work in it or exit it. The menus and toolbar buttons don't respond. You're trapped! But not if you follow these instructions, which work for Windows 95/98.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microsoft Windows

1. Use the keyboard command Control+Alt+Delete, pressing the keys simultaneously. A box labeled Close Programs appears.

2. Scroll through the list of open programs until you come to the one that has frozen.

3. Select the frozen program.

4. Click on End Task.

5. A message will appear saying, 'Program is not responding. End task?' Click on End Task. The program will shut down, and you'll be able to reopen it in the usual way.

Tips & Warnings

• Using the keyboard command Control-Alt-Delete twice in a row will shut down the computer.
• If your programs keep freezing, restart the computer.
• When a program freezes, any unsaved material will be lost. Some software applications may allow you to recover some material lost in a crash, but total recovery may not be possible.

on 11/22/2005 When you have used the "3 Finger Salute" Give it a minute or too (you have a frozen program). the computer is just waiting for the earilest possible time to respond. BTW pressing these keys twice in in Win95/98 will RESTART the machine NOT SHUT IT DOWN

on 11/22/2005 The "three-finger-salute"
(ctrl-alt-del) has never worked for me in Windows 98 v.1. I'm convinced that there is no alternative other than rebooting (hit the "reset" button or the off/on button).
I've queried a lot of "gurus" on this to no avail.

on 11/22/2005 Most of the time, Ctrl+Alt+Delete doesn't work. That's when you should hit the restart button on your PC.

on 11/22/2005 Ctrl+Alt+Delete works in Windows 95, too.