Why Does My Emulator Freeze?
For video game enthusiasts, emulators open up a world of entertainment. Emulators allow you to play video games -- from almost any console -- on your computer. Emulators work by temporarily forcing the computer to function as a game console, such as the Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo. Most games run without any problems, but sometimes, the emulator locks up or freezes.
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Update the Emulator and Your Computer
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If you are using an old version of the emulator, check the developer's website for a newer version. The latest version of the emulator usually features several changes and updates that may fix freezing problems. Update your computer's sound card and video card to get the best performance from the emulator. Sound and video card manufacturers offer the latest drivers in the download section of their websites. Find the name of your video card manufacturer by clicking "Start," "Control Panel" and "Appearance and Personalization." Click "Personalization," "Display Settings," "Advanced Settings" and "Adapter." To find your sound card manufacturer, click "Start," "Control Panel," "System and Maintenance" and "Device Manager." Then click "Sound, video and game controllers."
Change the Settings
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Most emulators allow you to change the settings to match your computer's performance level. If you have an old, slow computer, you may experience frequent freezing, and some games will not run at all. This is particularly true if you try to run 3D emulators, like a PlayStation or Nintendo 64 emulator. Lower the emulator's video and sound settings to improve game performance. Some emulators let you choose between "Fast" and "Nice" emulation. Nice emulation puts a priority on graphics, while fast emulation focuses on speed. Choose fast emulation if you have a slow computer.
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Turn Off Programs and Cheats
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Close all programs on your computer when running an emulator. Running several programs at once decreases the emulator's performance and is likely to cause freezing. Most emulators have a cheat code function that lets you modify the game. Some cheat codes are not compatible with games when used on an emulator. If you notice freezing after activating a cheat code, disable the code. If you have several codes active, deactivate each, one at a time, to find the non-working code.
Load the Game a Different Way
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Some emulators let you load your game from a file or a disc. One example is ePSXe, a PlayStation emulator. If you are trying to load the game from a file on your computer, you may experience freezing if the file is corrupt. Try loading the game from a disc instead. Alternatively, if you have problems when loading a game from disc, the disc may be scratched or damaged. A scratched disc causes freezing. Emulators have a save-state feature that lets you save the game at any time. If you experience freezing when loading a game via save-state, try to load the game via an in-game save instead.
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