HP 15 Notebook PC locks up while watching YouTube videos.

[rdh57]

My HP 15 Laptop locks up while watching YouTube videos, usually longer movies.  It requires a complete shutdown and restart.  I keep all other apps/programs closed and use Chrome as the browser.  I updated the BIOS hoping that would help.  All updates are current and I recently had the computer serviced because Windows had been corrupted.  A new hard drive was installed and Windows 8 reloaded as well as the programs I use.  Everything else seems to be working fine.  I know it is not good to have to shut down the computer using the power button hold.  Any help you can give would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[WAWood]

@rdh57 

You didn't tell us the model number of your laptop, but since you mentioned Windows 8, I have to guess that it is a few years old.

You mentioned YouTube, so you are Streaming videos -- and my guess is that they are high def, as well -- and that can put a lot of strain on a laptop.

I have an older 4-core laptop and if I stream 720p videos, it gets choppy and the processors get to 100% and it locks up.  If I try to stream 1080i or 1080p videos, it just crashes.  I have to go for SD videos.

It's just overwhelming the processor in the laptop -- and not everyone can stream HD videos, especially with older equipment.

[rdh57]

Thank you for your insight.  It sounds like that is what we are dealing with.  Are there alternatives for older laptops to stream movies?  Perhaps out of YouTube or Vimeo?  We don't seem to have any trouble doing Zoom meetings, even long hours with lots of people.