Dead halt
When a computer completely locks up and does not allow the processing of further commands, it is said to be at a dead halt. This event is commonly called a freeze or lockup of the computer. When a dead halt occurs, the only way to recover the computer is to reboot.
What causes a computer to go into a dead halt?
A dead halt can be caused by a hardware or software error. For example, if a hardware device such as your computer memory has problems it can cause a dead halt. If a program has a problem such as getting into an unbreakable loop, it could also cause a dead halt.
How do I know if the computer in a dead halt?
Sometimes a computer may hang while it is processing information or performing other tasks. You can quickly determine if a computer is still working by pressing the Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock keys on the keyboard and see if the LED (light-emitting diode) indicators change. If the LED indicators change, the computer is still responsive and may recover, if nothing changes the computer is in a dead halt and cannot recover.