Error message
Encyclopedia
An error message is information displayed when an unexpected condition occurs, usually on a computer
or other device. On modern operating systems with graphical user interfaces, error messages are often displayed using dialog box
es. Error messages are used when user intervention is required, to indicate that a desired operation has failed, or to relay important warnings (such as warning a computer user that they are almost out of hard disk space). Error messages are seen widely throughout computing, and are part of every operating system
or computer hardware device. Proper design of error messages is an important topic in usability
and other fields of human–computer interaction
.
Access denied
The Blue Screen of Death
The device is not ready
File not found
Low Disk Space
Out of memory
[program name] has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Error messages on hardware devices, like computer peripherals, may take the form of dedicated lights indicating an error condition, a brief code that needs to be interpreted using a look-up sheet or a manual, or via a more detailed message on a display.
On computers, error messages may take the form of text printed to a console, or they may be presented as part of a graphical user interface
. Error messages are often presented as a dialog box
, which makes them to cause a following mode error in the user interaction. In many cases the original error can be avoided by error prevention techniques. Instead of raising an error message the system design should have avoided the conditions that caused the error.
While various graphical user interfaces have different conventions for displaying error messages, several techniques have become common:
The three main factors that influence the design of error messages are technical limitations, the amount of information to be presented, and what kind of user input is required.
Some systems have technical limitations that may constrain the amount of information an error message can contain. For example, a printer with a sixteen-character alphanumeric display can only show a very limited amount of information at once, so it may need to display very terse error messages. Even with computer monitors, the programmer must consider the smallest monitor that a user might reasonably use, and ensure that any error messages will fit on that screen.
The nature of the error determines the amount of information required to effectively convey the error message. A complex issue may require a more detailed error message in order to adequately inform the user of the problem.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
or other device. On modern operating systems with graphical user interfaces, error messages are often displayed using dialog box
Dialog box
In a graphical user interface of computers, a dialog box is a type of window used to enable reciprocal communication or "dialog" between a computer and its user. It may communicate information to the user, prompt the user for a response, or both...
es. Error messages are used when user intervention is required, to indicate that a desired operation has failed, or to relay important warnings (such as warning a computer user that they are almost out of hard disk space). Error messages are seen widely throughout computing, and are part of every operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
or computer hardware device. Proper design of error messages is an important topic in usability
Usability
Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a human-made object. The object of use can be a software application, website, book, tool, machine, process, or anything a human interacts with. A usability study may be conducted as a primary job function by a usability analyst or as a secondary job...
and other fields of human–computer interaction
Human–computer interaction
Human–computer Interaction is the study, planning, and design of the interaction between people and computers. It is often regarded as the intersection of computer science, behavioral sciences, design and several other fields of study...
.
Common error messages
The following error messages are commonly seen by modern computer users:Access denied
- This error occurs if the user has insufficient privileges to a file, or if it has been lockedFile lockingFile locking is a mechanism that restricts access to a computer file by allowing only one user or process access at any specific time. Systems implement locking to prevent the classic interceding update scenario ....
by some program or user.
The Blue Screen of Death
Blue Screen of Death
To forse a BSOD Open regedit.exe,Then search: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\i8042prt\ParametersThen make a new DWORD called "CrashOnCtrlScroll" And set the value to 1....
- On Microsoft Windows operating systems, this screen appears when Windows can no longer run because of a severe error. It is roughly analogous to a kernel panicKernel panicA kernel panic is an action taken by an operating system upon detecting an internal fatal error from which it cannot safely recover. The term is largely specific to Unix and Unix-like systems; for Microsoft Windows operating systems the equivalent term is "Bug check" .The kernel routines that...
on UnixUnixUnix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
or Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
.
The device is not ready
- This error most often occurs when there is no floppy diskFloppy diskA floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
(or a bad disk) in the disk drive and the system tries to perform tasks involving this disk.
File not found
- The file concerned may have been damaged, moved, deleted, or a bugSoftware bugA software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
may have caused the error. Alternatively, the file simply might not exist, or the user has mistyped its name.
Low Disk Space
- This error occurs when the hard drive is (nearly) full. To fix this, the user should close some programs (to free swap fileVirtual memoryIn computing, virtual memory is a memory management technique developed for multitasking kernels. This technique virtualizes a computer architecture's various forms of computer data storage , allowing a program to be designed as though there is only one kind of memory, "virtual" memory, which...
usage) and delete some files (normally temporary files, or other files after they have been backed up), or get a bigger hard drive.
Out of memory
Out of memory
Out of memory is a state of computer operation where no additional memory can be allocated for use by programs or the operating system. Such a system will be unable to load any additional programs and since many programs may load additional data into memory during execution, these will cease to...
- This error occurs when the system has run out of memory or tries to load a file too large to store in RAMRandom-access memoryRandom access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
. The fix is to close some programs, or install more memory.
[program name] has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
- This message is displayed by Microsoft Windows XPWindows XPWindows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
when a program causes a general protection faultGeneral protection faultA general protection fault in the Intel x86 and AMD x86-64 architectures, and other unrelated architectures, is a fault that can encompass several cases in which protection mechanisms within the processor architecture are violated by any of the programs that are running, either the kernel or a...
or invalid page faultPage faultA page fault is a trap to the software raised by the hardware when a program accesses a page that is mapped in the virtual address space, but not loaded in physical memory. In the typical case the operating system tries to handle the page fault by making the required page accessible at a location...
.
Infamous error messages
- Abort, Retry, Fail?Abort, Retry, Fail?In computing, Abort, Retry, Fail? is a computer error message in the DOS operating system which indicates a critical error and prompts the end-user for the course of action to follow. This and other similar error messages are given by the default critical error handler...
- Bad command or file nameBad command or file name"Bad command or file name" is a common error message in Microsoft's MS-DOS and some other operating systems.In command.com, the message Bad command or file name is produced if the user mistyped the first word of a command line. This first word must be either the name of built-in "command", or of an...
- PC LOAD LETTERPC Load LetterPC LOAD LETTER is a technology meme, originally a printer error message, which has grown into popular culture as a reference to a confusing or inappropriate error message.-Explanation:...
- Lp0 on fireLp0 on firelp0 on fire is a semi-obsolete error message still generated on some Unix and Unix-like operating systems in response to certain types of printer errors...
- Not a typewriterNot a typewriterIn computer science "Not a typewriter" or ENOTTY is an error code defined in the errno.h found on many Unix systems. This code is used to indicate that an attempt has been made to use a non-TTY device as a TTY device.- Details :...
- Blue Screen of DeathBlue Screen of DeathTo forse a BSOD Open regedit.exe,Then search: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\i8042prt\ParametersThen make a new DWORD called "CrashOnCtrlScroll" And set the value to 1....
- HTTP 404HTTP 404The 404 or Not Found error message is a HTTP standard response code indicating that the client was able to communicate with the server, but the server could not find what was requested. A 404 error should not be confused with "server not found" or similar errors, in which a connection to the...
Message format
The form that error messages take varies between operating systems and programs.Error messages on hardware devices, like computer peripherals, may take the form of dedicated lights indicating an error condition, a brief code that needs to be interpreted using a look-up sheet or a manual, or via a more detailed message on a display.
On computers, error messages may take the form of text printed to a console, or they may be presented as part of a graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
. Error messages are often presented as a dialog box
Dialog box
In a graphical user interface of computers, a dialog box is a type of window used to enable reciprocal communication or "dialog" between a computer and its user. It may communicate information to the user, prompt the user for a response, or both...
, which makes them to cause a following mode error in the user interaction. In many cases the original error can be avoided by error prevention techniques. Instead of raising an error message the system design should have avoided the conditions that caused the error.
While various graphical user interfaces have different conventions for displaying error messages, several techniques have become common:
- A dialog box, or pop-up message, appears in a window on the screen, blocking further interaction with the computer until it is acknowledged. On Mac OS X, sheets are a form of dialog box that are attached to a specific window.
- Notification icons appear to notify a user about a condition without interrupting their work. On Windows, notification icons appear in the System Tray. On Mac OS X, notification icons may appear in the menu bar, or may take the form of an application's icon "bouncing" in the Dock. The GNOMEGNOMEGNOME is a desktop environment and graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system. It is composed entirely of free and open source software...
user interface for Unix systems can display notification icons in a panel. - Minor errors may be displayed in a status bar, a small portion of an application's window that can display brief messages to the user.
The three main factors that influence the design of error messages are technical limitations, the amount of information to be presented, and what kind of user input is required.
Some systems have technical limitations that may constrain the amount of information an error message can contain. For example, a printer with a sixteen-character alphanumeric display can only show a very limited amount of information at once, so it may need to display very terse error messages. Even with computer monitors, the programmer must consider the smallest monitor that a user might reasonably use, and ensure that any error messages will fit on that screen.
The nature of the error determines the amount of information required to effectively convey the error message. A complex issue may require a more detailed error message in order to adequately inform the user of the problem.
See also
- Human–computer interactionHuman–computer interactionHuman–computer Interaction is the study, planning, and design of the interaction between people and computers. It is often regarded as the intersection of computer science, behavioral sciences, design and several other fields of study...
- Interaction designInteraction designIn design, human–computer interaction, and software development, interaction design, often abbreviated IxD, is "the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services." Like many other design fields interaction design also has an interest in form but its main...
- UsabilityUsabilityUsability is the ease of use and learnability of a human-made object. The object of use can be a software application, website, book, tool, machine, process, or anything a human interacts with. A usability study may be conducted as a primary job function by a usability analyst or as a secondary job...
- User interface designUser interface designUser interface design or user interface engineering is the design of computers, appliances, machines, mobile communication devices, software applications, and websites with the focus on the user's experience and interaction...