Problem: No response from the program, for at least a minute.
Diagnosis: Program has crashed or locked up.
Solution: Use Ctrl-Alt-Delete Key combination (all three at once) to try and bring up the Close Program window. If the window shows up, look through the list and select the locked up program (it will probably be near the top of the list) and then click on End Task. If the window doesn't show up (after a few seconds), the system may have crashed. Wait a little while longer, and try Ctrl-Alt-Delete again. If there is still no response, turn the PC off, wait about ten seconds, then turn it back on. It will probably report some errors and run a program called Scandisk. Once Scandisk is finished, it should go back to Windows. Whatever you were working on will have been lost, up to the last time it was saved. (Save often!)
Warning: Don't rush to use Ctrl-Alt-Delete. This is especially true when you are using the Internet, or printing or scanning something. Many times, problems fix themselves if you wait a moment. Also, do not haphazardly End Tasks. The one you want to end ought to be near the top of the list; the programs listed further down are integral parts of the Windows Operating System, and should be left alone.
Suggestion: If you End a Task and get everything running again, it is a good idea to save your work and restart the system. This will help prevent the problem from recurring.