In many computer operating systems a special type of error message will display onscreen when the system has experienced a fatal error. Computer users have dubbed these messages screens of death as they typically result in unsaved work being lost and often indicate serious problems with the system’s hardware or software.
Screens of death are usually the result of a ‘kernel panic’ (an action taken by an operating system upon detecting an internal fatal error from which it cannot safely recover), although the terms are frequently used interchangeably. Most screens of death are displayed on an even background color with a message advising the user to restart the computer.
The Daily Omnivore 
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