OS Error Codes
2 technologies · 64 error codes
Independent reference for operating-system error codes, process exit codes, kernel signals, and errno constants from Linux and Windows with clear explanations.
About OS Error Codes
FixerCode maintains an independent, curated reference of 64 operating-system error codes across 2 technologies. The OS category covers process exit codes, kernel signals, and system error constants that Linux and Windows produce when applications, services, or the kernel itself encounters exceptional conditions.
Linux and Windows use fundamentally different error reporting models. Linux relies on process exit codes (0–255), POSIX signals (such as SIGSEGV and SIGKILL), and errno constants defined in the C standard library. Windows uses numeric system error codes (0–15999) and structured HRESULT values (32-bit hexadecimal codes) that encode severity, facility, and code fields in a single value.
Each entry documents the error meaning, common causes, and how the code relates to the broader operating-system architecture. Use the technology listings below to navigate to specific error families, or browse individual error pages for detailed explanations, scenarios, and related context.
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Current Coverage
Linux System - 38 error codes
Frequently Asked Questions
OS error codes cover process exit codes, kernel signals, and system error constants that Linux and Windows produce. FixerCode documents 64 OS error codes including signal-based termination codes and structured error values.
Linux uses process exit codes (0–255), POSIX signals (SIGSEGV, SIGKILL), and errno constants from the C library. Windows uses numeric system error codes (0–15999) and structured HRESULT values (32-bit hex codes). The two systems are not interchangeable.
Exit code 137 typically means the process was killed by SIGKILL (signal 9). This usually happens when the system's OOM killer terminates a process consuming too much memory, or when a process is manually killed with kill -9.