We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Software

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Fatal Error?

Malcolm Tatum
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 28,090
Share

A fatal error is a type of computer issue in which some type of activity causes a currently running program to cease functioning and close. In most cases, the occurrence of a fatal error leads to the display of a message that partially explains the nature of the error, then returns the user to the operating system. In spite of the ominous sound of the name, the occurrence of this type of computer error does not usually mean the hardware is permanently disabled or corrupted, although the assistance of an information system specialist may be required to correct the problem.

While the reasons for a fatal error vary, there are a few scenarios that account for the majority of the incidents. One of the more common is the reception of an illegal instruction, or instructions that are not in harmony with the programming code. When this occurs, the program usually shuts down, since there are no protocols within the programming that make it possible to proceed.

In the event that some type of invalid code or data is accessed while the program is executing a specific instruction, a fatal error may occur. The underlying cause for the problem could be code or data that has been corrupted in some manner, or that is no longer present on the hard drive for use. Once again, the program is unable to process the order and shuts down rather than attempting to proceed.

Once a program has aborted due to the occurrence of a fatal error, there is a good chance that any data that the program was processing at the time of the failure will be lost. For this reason, it is important to consistently take a moment to save data during the session. This means that if someone is using a word processing program, depending on an auto-save feature is not sufficient. Stopping every few minutes to initiate a manual save will at least mean that the loss of data is kept to a minimum, and the specific file can always be copied and loaded onto a different system if necessary.

While the term can inspire fear of major problems, a fatal error is usually a serious but short-term issue that can be successfully identified and corrected. By analyzing the error message that is displayed and using that data to isolate the problem, it is often possible to correct the origin of the error and allow the system performance to proceed without further incident. While some users may have the background to accurately diagnose and fix errors of this type, others will require the attention of a professional such as a computer programmer.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Malcolm Tatum
By Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including EasyTechJunkie, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.
Discussion Comments
By Terrificli — On Apr 02, 2014

@Melonlity -- it's important to remember that fatal errors aren't as common as they used to be. Remember when those infamous blue screens of death could bring a Windows computer to it's knees? When is the last time you saw one of those?

The fact is a lot of fatal errors were caused by buggy operating systems (or, more precisely, Windows operating systems mated to cheap or nonstandard hardware). Windows XP took care of a lot of those problems and Microsoft has improved things since then (for the most part). Fatal errors, then, are rarer than they used to be.

By Melonlity — On Apr 01, 2014

These can still cause problems, but they are not as catastrophic as they once were. Programs such as Microsoft Office and Adobe InDesign constantly record save states so that you can often pick up right where you left off in the case of a fatal error.

A fatal error can still be a sign of an underlying problem, but at least software manufacturers now recognize that users are usually horrible about saving regularly and have taken steps to protect us from ourselves.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing...
Learn more
Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-fatal-error.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.