Linux system errors

Terminated by User

130
LowLinux System

Reviewed for reference consistency: August 11, 2026

the process was interrupted by a SIGINT signal

What 130 Means

The 130 error on the Linux system errors indicates terminated by user — the process was interrupted by a sigint signal. This typically occurs due to user pressing control-c (ctrl+c) in the terminal.

Exit code 130 is calculated as 128 + 2 (the signal number for SIGINT). it confirms that the process stopped because it received a manual interrupt signal.

How to fix 130

General informational guidance, not professional advice. Commands can affect your system or data — back up first and proceed at your own risk. FixerCode is an independent reference, not affiliated with any vendor mentioned.

  1. Confirm the interruption was intentional

    Exit code 130 means SIGINT (signal 2) was delivered. If you pressed Ctrl+C, this is expected behavior and not a failure.

    echo $?
  2. Check for an unexpected SIGINT source

    If exit code 130 appears without a manual Ctrl+C, another process or a process manager may have sent SIGINT. Inspect recent signal activity.

    journalctl --since '5 min ago' | grep -iE 'signal|SIGINT|interrupt'
  3. Review the script's trap handler for SIGINT

    If a script traps SIGINT for cleanup, it should re-raise the signal afterward so the parent shell sees the correct 130 status. A missing re-raise can mask the real exit state.

    grep -n 'trap' ./script.sh

Technical Background

Exit code 130 is the standard way a process communicates that it was terminated by a SIGINT signal (Signal 2). In Linux, signal-based exits are recorded as 128 + SignalNumber, so 128 + 2 = 130.

When you press Ctrl+C, the terminal sends a SIGINT to the foreground process group. Most well-behaved programs catch this signal, perform necessary cleanup (like closing files or deleting temp data), and then exit with code 130.

Common Causes

  • User pressing Control-C (Ctrl+C) in the terminal
  • Termination signal sent by a script or process manager
  • System shutdown sequence interrupting a foreground task

Typical Scenarios

  • Stopping a long-running 'ping' or 'tail' command manually
  • Canceling a software build process halfway through

What to Know

Exit code 130 serves as confirmation of an intentional interruption by the user. If occurring unexpectedly, verification of parent process signals or process manager configurations is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Linux 130 error

No, it is an indication of a successful interruption as requested by the user.

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