Computer Crashes

The Problem:
I've been watching Windows get better and stronger over the years in which I've been administering Windows networks and computers. Freezes, hangs, and crashes are certainly less common since Windows 2000, and my experiences with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 have been almost crash-free.

Recently, a couple of us old-timers were engaging in conversation with some younger administrators (should I call them new-timers?) whose total IT experience consisted of working with Windows, and at that, only NT 4.0 and later.

The sages in the group were amusing ourselves with crash stories and expressing our gratitude for the diminished number of serious emergencies we have to deal with these days. The undertone of our conversation was aimed at the newbies: We presented the view that these kids don't know what it's like to work under the tension that afflicts you when you're always expecting a crash somewhere on the network. The young 'uns (you can tell I'm really old) didn't understand the jargon that flew around the room that day, which led me to devise this month's challenge.

See how many of the following questions about crashing computers you can answer.

1. Which of the following terms that describes a Windows computer crash is technically the correct terminology?
1. Stop error
2. BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)
3. Bugcheck
4. Non-recoverable failure
2. Your heart started beating faster because you saw the word ABEND on a monitor. Which network OS are you administering?
1. Windows 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups)
2. BeOS
3. NetWare
4. Linux
3. Which one of the following terms tells you that a UNIX server has crashed?
1. Kernel Panic
2. Kernel Failure
3. General Kernel Fault
4. General Kernel Protection Fault

Solutions

Question 1: The correct answer is choice A, Stop error, and choice C, Bugcheck.

Question 2: The correct answer is choice C, NetWare.

Question 3: The correct answer is choice A, Kernel Panic.