Common Computer Error Messages Explained

Tap an error to see what typically causes it.

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

A blue screen that appears when a serious error occurs in Windows β€” often caused by a hardware problem or a driver conflict.

"File Not Found"

Appears when a file is missing from the specified path, or has been deleted or moved β€” worth checking whether the file location or name is correct.

"Access Denied"

Occurs when you don't have permission for a given file or folder β€” often resolved by retrying with administrator privileges.

"Not Responding"

Means a program is temporarily frozen from being overloaded β€” you may need to wait a moment or force-quit it from Task Manager.

DNS Error ("This site can't be reached")

Occurs when the browser cannot resolve a website address β€” possibly an internet connection issue or a DNS setting problem.

"Disk Space Is Running Low"

A warning that appears when a storage drive is nearly full β€” you'll need to clear unnecessary files or add more storage.

"Update Failed"

Appears when something goes wrong during a system or program update β€” a poor internet connection or insufficient storage are common causes.

An Error Message Is Your First Clue

A jarring error screen is unnerving, but reading the message text carefully often gives you hints about the underlying cause. Simply searching the exact error message is often enough to find a path to a fix.

Prevention Matters as Much as the Fix

Many of these errors β€” disk-full warnings, failed updates, not-responding programs β€” become far less disruptive if you keep some free storage space and save your work periodically as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I keep getting the blue screen?

A recently installed program or updated driver is often the cause β€” try rolling back recent changes, or reinstalling your graphics card or motherboard drivers with the latest version.

Will I lose data if I force-quit a "Not Responding" program?

Unsaved work can be lost, so building a habit of saving frequently while you work is the best way to prepare for situations like this.