fatal error

[¦fād·əl ′er·ər]

(computer science)

An error in a computer program which causes running of the program to be terminated.

fatal error

(programming, operating system)

Any error which causes abrupt termination of the program. The program may be terminated either by itself or by the operating system (a "fatal exception"). In the former instance, the program contains code which catches the error and, as a result, returns to the operating system or calls an operating system service to terminate the program.

fatal error

A condition that halts processing due to faulty hardware, program bugs, read errors or other anomalies. If you get a fatal error, you generally cannot recover from it, because the operating system has encountered a condition it cannot resolve. Typically, buggy applications cause fatal errors (fatal exception errors), and the computer locks up. In most cases, all data that you have changed that has not yet been saved to disk is lost.

There is no rule of thumb with fatal errors. You may never get one again, or it may manifest until you fix the problem. If you get a fatal error after just adding a new peripheral or installing a new software package, remove or uninstall it and try again.

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References in periodicals archive ?

Schuh says the underlying theme of Fatal Error centres around accepting responsibility for the results of one's choices.

Author Reaches Out to Alternate Education Students

It was, as Miliband has pointed out, a fatal error of judgment.

War on terror: The bitter truth

We are dealing with psychological warfare," stated the senior Iranian official, adding, "Israel knows what a fatal error a military strike would be.

Israel Hints at Military Action Against Iran

Another two per cent made a fatal error of putting coolant in their oil, which could cost them a new engine.

Modern car engines confuse drivers; EXECTUTIVE MOTORS

Wayne Jowett, 18, was recovering from leukaemia when Dr Feda Mulhem made a fatal error and a powerful anti-cancer drug was injected into the teenager's spine, instead of a vein.

Doc jailed for fatal injection

Macaulay warned the House of Lords to avoid the French nobility's fatal error of resisting concessions "till the time had arrived when no concession would avail.

English conservatism in the nineteenth century

Fatal Error tells the remarkable story of a man whose life changed beyond recognition in April 2000 when he reached for that mint.

Tragic moment changed lives

But I never made the fatal error of trying to be Bud Wilkinson.

His royal presence. (Here Below)

It would be a fatal error to be resigned to the lack of vocations" and behave, in fact, as though a priestless church is acceptable "for the future.

Parish priests. (Recent Papal Statements)

In Part 2 of the play, however, he fails to realize how "the routinization of his charismatic movement has diluted the symbolic effect of his physical power" (59), and he makes a fatal error in attempting to pass on his authority to his sons.

Tragic Instance: The Sequence of Shakespearer's Tragedies & Charismatic Authority in Early Modern English Tragedy and Shakespeare's Tragic Form: Spirit in the Wheel. (Reviews)

It's at times like these that you wish you could just start all over and restore your hard drive to the way it was minutes before that fatal error.

Who says you can't go back?

Before testing the date rollover (either manually or with a software utility), the data in the PC being tested should be backed up and procedures put in place for effective data recovery and restoration should a fatal error occur during testing.