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Apple

27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

By Fox Van Allen May 26, 2016, 2:43 PM PDT

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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Welcome to our gallery of digital nightmares

Image: Composite by Fox Van Allen

Welcome to our gallery of digital nightmares

For as long as there have been computers, there have been computer crashes — terrible, inconvenient, work-deleting crashes.

But in this gallery, we celebrate the computer error — Blue Screen of Death and inexplicable warning window alike … if you can suppress your anxiety long enough to click through it, that is.

Image: Composite by Fox Van Allen
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 1 has crashed

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows 1 has crashed

In its earliest Windows 1 form, the “Blue Screen of Death” was just a jumble of unreadable nonsense.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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sad-mac.jpg
27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

The 'Sad Mac'

Image: Apple (via ZDNet)

The 'Sad Mac'

It’s never a good sign when your computer has ‘X’s for eyes.

This unhappy little fellow dates back to 1984, when the Macintosh 128K was released.

Image: Apple (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Apple set up us the bomb

Image: Apple (via ZDNet)

Apple set up us the bomb

Seeing the classic Mac “bomb” was never a good sign.

Image: Apple (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Atari ST bombs

Image: Atari (via ZDNet)

Atari ST bombs

The Atari ST (circa 1985) used bombs as an error screen, as well.

The number of bombs shown corresponds to an error code — here, four bombs means “illegal instruction.”

Image: Atari (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

MSDOS read error

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

MSDOS read error

ERROR: Computer is way too old for this nonsense.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Even Amigas crash

Image: Commodore (via Mooseblaster)

Even Amigas crash

Here’s some old-school cool: Error screens from 1980s-era Commodore Amigas feature their own inside joke.

Apparently, early builds crashed so often that programmers would try to calm themselves with “Zen Meditation” during the reboot. This involved balancing motionless on an Amiga Joyboard peripheral for as long as possible without suffering a “Mediation Error.”

Image: Commodore (via Mooseblaster)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 9X

Image: Microsoft

Windows 9X

Someone get Billy Gates on the phone; Netscape Navigator ain’t workin’ right.

Image: Microsoft
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 95 Data Link error

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic

Windows 95 Data Link error

You’d better look into that.

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Excel: Too broken to quit

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic

Excel: Too broken to quit

I wish I knew how to quit you. šŸ™

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

The Windows 98 ... RED screen of death?

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

The Windows 98 ... RED screen of death?

Check it out: This is a special experimental “Red Screen of Death” found in early test versions of Windows 98.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 95 free disk space error

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows 95 free disk space error

You know things are bad when you don’t even have the free disk space to delete stuff anymore.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

The 'Sad iPod'

Image: Apple

The 'Sad iPod'

Time to buy a new iPod.

Image: Apple
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows ME Ghost Error

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows ME Ghost Error

Something went wrong. Somewhere. With something.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 2000 Blue Screen of Death

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows 2000 Blue Screen of Death

Windows 2000 brought the Blue Screen of Death screaming into the 21st century.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Already? That was quick ...

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Already? That was quick ...

You’ve got some big problems. Fortunately, those problems do not exist.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows CE Blue Screen of Death

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows CE Blue Screen of Death

If you will try …

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

The XP Error Cascade

Image: Microsoft

The XP Error Cascade

Our favorite Windows XP game? It’s a tossup between Hearts and “Can You Close These Error Windows Faster Than They Can Flood Your Screen?”

Image: Microsoft
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Win XP is still ruining your day, 10 years later

Image: Fox Van Allen

Win XP is still ruining your day, 10 years later

We’ll get you your coffee and donuts right after we’re done dealing with tech support. Thanks for your patience.

Image: Fox Van Allen
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows Task Manager (Not Responding)

Image: Greg Schultz/TechRepublic

Windows Task Manager (Not Responding)

When Windows Task Manager stops responding, it’s time to just throw your computer out the window and declare it the start of a long weekend.

Image: Greg Schultz/TechRepublic
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Busted BlackBerry

Image: ZDNet

Busted BlackBerry

It was an exciting time for technology when error screens spread from our computers to our phones.

Image: ZDNet
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows Vista error

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows Vista error

Looks like we’ve got a Vistaster on our hands.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

The non-error error

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

The non-error error

In our story’s surprising climax, the lead error warning is stunned to learn that it has become the error itself.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Keyboard failure at the airport

Image: Michael Krigsman for ZDNet

Keyboard failure at the airport

Flight 908 to Portland is ready to board. Please press F1 to continue.

Image: Michael Krigsman for ZDNet
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Windows 8 crash

Image: Microsoft

Windows 8 crash

Hey look, everyone. It’s just one of Windows 8’s many, many problems!

šŸ™

Image: Microsoft
Image: apple-bsod.jpg
Image: apple-bsod.jpg
27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Mac OS X not-so-Blue Screen of Death

Image: Apple

Mac OS X not-so-Blue Screen of Death

Uh oh. Something has gone wrong with your Mac.

Image: Apple
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Apple's most disheartening error of them all

Image: Apple

Apple's most disheartening error of them all

Uh oh — now it’s serious.

This “prohibitory” screen means that your Mac can’t find a System Folder to start up from — perhaps due to a hard drive problem.

Image: Apple
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27 old-school computer error screens that will fill you with anxiety

Coming soon to Win 10: This error

Image: Windows (via CNET)

Coming soon to Win 10: This error

Why look! It’s a bold new error screen from Microsoft!

The added QR code, coming to Windows 10 this summer, represents an exciting new frontier in malfunctioning computer technology. Huzzah for progress!

Image: Windows (via CNET)
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By Fox Van Allen
Fox Van Allen is a Los Angeles-based writer for CBS Interactive covering technology, tech lifestyle and gaming topics for GameSpot, CNET, ZDNet and TechRepublic. He has previously worked as a news and feature writer for a number of other sites, inclu
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