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

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

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)

Apple set up us the bomb

Seeing the classic Mac "bomb" was never a good sign.

Image: Apple (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)

MSDOS read error

ERROR: Computer is way too old for this nonsense.

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

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)

Windows 9X

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

Image: Microsoft

Windows 95 Data Link error

You'd better look into that.

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic

Excel: Too broken to quit

I wish I knew how to quit you. :(

Image: Greg Shultz/TechRepublic

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)

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)

The 'Sad iPod'

Time to buy a new iPod.

Image: Apple

Windows ME Ghost Error

Something went wrong. Somewhere. With something.

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)

Already? That was quick ...

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

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

Windows CE Blue Screen of Death

If you will try ...

Image: Microsoft (via ZDNet)

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

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

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

Busted BlackBerry

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

Image: ZDNet

Windows Vista error

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

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)

Keyboard failure at the airport

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

Image: Michael Krigsman for ZDNet

Windows 8 crash

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

:(

Image: Microsoft

Mac OS X not-so-Blue Screen of Death

Uh oh. Something has gone wrong with your Mac.

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

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)