By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Pick out the useful parts of an error message: who is speaking, what failed and any code.
- Copy or photograph an error message exactly, without retyping it from memory.
- Explain what a log is and find system logs on Ubuntu and Windows.
- Search for an error safely and judge which answers to trust.
- Take a screenshot of a problem and hide private details before sharing it.
An error message looks like an insult, but it is really the computer trying to help. It is the best clue you will get, because it was written by the people who built the software. Most beginners close it without reading. This lesson teaches you to read it, record it, look it up safely and share it with someone who can help, without exposing your private information.
What an error message is made of
An error message is a note from a program or the operating system that says it could not do what you asked. Good messages have three useful parts: who is speaking, what went wrong, and sometimes a code or a hint about what to do next. The text is usually plain, but the code at the end looks like nonsense and is often the most useful part for searching.
The file Budget-2026.docx could not be saved.
There is not enough free space on the drive.
Error code: 0x0001 (disk full)
- Marker 1: Who is speaking: the program or system
- Marker 2: What failed, and which file
- Marker 3: Code and words in brackets: search for these
- Marker 4: The choices you are offered
Read this figure as text
A simulated error dialog about a file that cannot be saved, with numbered labels for the title, the explanation, the error code and the buttons.
A simulated dialog box titled 'Report-Writer'. Marker 1 points to the title, which names the program that is speaking. The body text says 'The file Budget-2026.docx could not be saved.' Marker 2 points to that line, which says what failed. The next line says 'Error code: 0x0001 (disk full)'. Marker 3 points to the code and the words in brackets, which are the best words to search for. Below it are two buttons, Retry and Cancel. Marker 4 points to the buttons: the choices the program offers you. This is an educational simulation and not a real program.
Read the whole message slowly, twice. In the example above the cause is written in plain words: there is not enough free space. The fix is to free some space, which the next module explains. Many errors tell you the answer if you simply read them.
When the message is vague
Some messages say only 'Something went wrong' or 'An unexpected error occurred'. They tell you almost nothing, so you need other evidence. Note what you were doing at that moment, which app was open, what time it was, and whether it happens again. Evidence about the situation replaces evidence the message does not give.
| Words in the message | Usually points to |
|---|---|
Permission denied or 'You need permission' | Your account is not allowed to use that file, folder or setting. |
| 'not enough space' or 'disk full' | The storage is full or nearly full. |
| 'not found' or 'no such file or directory' | The file was moved, deleted or the name or path is wrong. |
| 'connection timed out' or 'cannot connect' | A network problem: Wi-Fi, router, internet or the other computer. |
| 'not responding' | The program is stuck or very busy. Waiting a little may help. |
| 'file is in use' or 'locked' | Another program has the file open. Close it first. |
Copy the exact words
A message paraphrased from memory ('it said something about a file') is useless. A single changed digit in a code leads to a completely different answer. Always capture the message exactly.
- Select and copy the text if the dialog allows it: click in the text and press Ctrl and C. In many Windows dialogs, pressing Ctrl and C while the dialog is active copies the whole message.
- Take a screenshot if you cannot copy (see below).
- Photograph the screen with your phone if the computer is frozen or will not start. Keep the photo sharp and straight.
- Write down the exact code and any words in brackets, character by character, only if there is no other way.
Logs: the computer's diary
A log is a diary that the system and apps write automatically. Each line records a time, who wrote it and what happened. When something fails, the reason is often written in the log even when the pop-up said only 'Something went wrong'. Logs are for reading. You do not need to understand every line. Look for the lines marked error or warning near the time the problem happened.
Oct 24 09:14:02Date and timeMatch to your problem amina-laptop Computer nameWhich machineprinter-service[812]Who wrote itProgram and process number: Job 7 failed: paper jamMessageWhat happenedRead this figure as text
A single log line broken into labelled parts: the date and time, the computer name, the program that wrote it and the message.
A log line reads: Oct 24 09:14:02 amina-laptop printer-service[812]: Job 7 failed: paper jam. It has four labelled parts. 'Oct 24 09:14:02' is the date and time, which you match to when your problem happened. 'amina-laptop' is the name of the computer. 'printer-service[812]' is the program that wrote the line, followed by its process number. 'Job 7 failed: paper jam' is the message that says what happened. This line is a made-up example for teaching.
Finding logs
Logs can contain names of files, devices and networks. Read them yourself, and check before pasting any part into a public place.
On Ubuntu the system journal collects messages from the system and your apps. You read it with the journalctl command in the Terminal. You will learn the terminal properly later in the academy, so for now this is a demonstration: you may simply read it. The command below is read-only and changes nothing. journalctl shows the journal, -p err keeps only errors and worse, -b means 'since this start-up', --no-pager prints everything without a paging screen, and | tail -n 5 shows just the last five lines.
journalctl -p err -b --no-pager | tail -n 5- Marker 1: A read-only command that lists recent errors
- Marker 2: Date and time: compare with when your problem happened
- Marker 3: The message: what failed
Read this figure as text
A simulated terminal where the journalctl command prints a few made-up error lines with a note on how to read them.
A simulated terminal in the home folder. The learner types journalctl -p err -b --no-pager | tail -n 5 (marker 1). Five made-up lines follow, each starting with a date and time and the computer name amina-laptop. One says that a Bluetooth service could not start. One says a printer job failed. Marker 2 points to the date and time, which you compare with when your problem happened. Marker 3 points to the message text, which names the thing that failed. The values are fictional; your lines will differ and an empty result is also normal.
On Windows 11: Event Viewer
Step 1: Open Event Viewer
Click Start, type
Event Viewerand press Enter.You should see: A window opens with a tree on the left, a list in the middle and an Actions pane on the right.
Step 2: Open the System log
On the left, expand Windows Logs and click System.
You should see: A long list of events appears, each with a Level (Information, Warning or Error), a date and time and a Source.
Step 3: Find events near your problem
Look at the Date and Time column for the time your problem happened. Click an event marked Error or Warning near that time.
You should see: The lower pane shows a General tab with the message in words.
Step 4: Close it without changing anything
Reading events changes nothing. Do not use the Clear Log action. It deletes the records you may need.
You should see: Event Viewer closes and your system is unchanged.
Searching for answers safely
Once you have the exact message, search for it, using another device if your computer cannot get online. A good search uses the main words and code, the program name and your system, for example: Ubuntu 24.04 printer job failed paper jam or Windows 11 0x80070005 update. Leave out your name, file names, email addresses and passwords.
- Official Ubuntu, Microsoft or maker pages
- Explains why the fix works
- Uses built-in settings
- Says how to undo it
Use these.
- Downloads called fixer or cleaner
- Tells you to turn off security
- Commands you do not understand
- Asks for a password or payment
Do not follow these.
Read this figure as text
A comparison of answers worth trusting and answers to avoid when searching for how to fix a computer error.
Left column, Safer answers: official help pages from Ubuntu, Microsoft or the manufacturer, answers that explain why the fix works, steps that use built-in settings, and advice that says how to undo the change. Right column, Risky answers: a download called a fixer, cleaner or driver booster, instructions to disable antivirus or the firewall, commands you do not understand copied from a forum, and pages that ask for your password or payment. Verdict for the left: use these. Verdict for the right: do not follow them.
Screenshots that help without exposing you
A Screenshot shows a helper exactly what you see. But screenshots often capture things you did not mean to share: your name, email address, file names, open tabs, notifications and sometimes a password.
Take and check a screenshot
On Ubuntu 24.04
Step 1: Open the screenshot tool
Press the Print Screen key (often marked PrtSc). A screenshot toolbar appears.
You should see: You can choose a selection, a window or the whole screen, then press the round capture button.
Step 2: Capture only the problem
Choose Selection and drag a box around just the error message.
You should see: The screenshot is saved in the Screenshots folder inside Pictures.
Step 3: Check before sharing
Open the file in Files and look for names, email addresses or notifications.
You should see: Nothing private is visible. If it is, take it again after closing those windows.
On Windows 11
Step 1: Open Snipping Tool
Press the Windows key, Shift and S together. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top.
You should see: You can choose a rectangle, a window or the full screen.
Step 2: Capture only the problem
Choose the rectangle option and drag around just the error message.
You should see: A notification appears at the corner of the screen and the picture is copied ready to paste.
Step 3: Check before sharing
Click the notification to open it, and look for names, email addresses or notifications.
You should see: Nothing private is visible. If it is, take it again after closing those windows.
Crop to the error. Close private windows first. If you must keep something private in the picture, cover it with a solid block in an editing tool, not a blur that can sometimes be reversed. Never include a screenshot with a visible password, recovery code or bank detail.
Common mistakes
✖ Instead of: Closing an error dialog without reading it.
✔ Do this: Read it twice and copy it first. Even a vague message may include a code or a file name.
✖ Instead of: Typing the message from memory when asking for help.
✔ Do this: Copy the text or take a cropped screenshot so every character is right.
✖ Instead of: Pasting the whole log or whole screen into a public forum.
✔ Do this: Share only the relevant lines or area, after checking for names, addresses and other private details.
✖ Instead of: Following the first search result that promises a fix.
✔ Do this: Prefer official help pages and answers that explain the cause and how to undo the change.
If something goes wrong
- The error disappears before I can read it.
- Repeat the action while ready to take a screenshot, or film the screen with your phone and pause the video. The event log may also hold the message.
- I cannot copy the text from a dialog.
- Take a cropped screenshot instead, or try pressing Ctrl and C while the dialog is selected, then paste into a text file to check.
- Event Viewer or the journal shows hundreds of errors.
- That is normal. Filter by the time of your problem, look only at the few lines near it and ignore the rest.
- Journalctl prints nothing.
- An empty list for errors since start-up is good news. Try without
-p err, or ask the helper which program to look at.
Key terms
- Error message
- A message from the computer or program that says something went wrong and often where and why.
- Log file
- A record that a system or program writes, line by line, about what happened and when.
- Screenshot
- A picture of what is showing on your screen.
Practise it for real
Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.
Read four error messages
Below are four made-up messages. For each, write who is speaking, what failed and what you would check first. (1) 'Report-Writer: The file Budget.docx could not be saved. Not enough free space.' (2) 'Printer-Helper: Cannot connect to the printer at 192.168.1.50. Connection timed out.' (3) 'Photo-Viewer: Permission denied: /home/amina/shared/photo.jpg'. (4) 'Music-Player: Something went wrong.' For the fourth, list three pieces of evidence you would gather because the message itself says so little.
Challenge: take a clean screenshot
Open any harmless dialog on your laptop, such as the Settings window, and take a screenshot of only one part of it. Before you capture, close anything private. Open the saved picture and check it carefully. Write down two private details you removed or avoided, and two details a helper would find useful.
Knowledge check
6 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.
Summary
- Read an error message slowly: who is speaking, what failed, and any code.
- Copy or photograph the exact words. Never rely on memory.
- Logs record what happened with a time, so match them to when your problem began.
- Search with the code and key words, without personal details, and trust official sources.
- Crop screenshots and check them for private details before sharing.
Checklist: can you do these?
Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).
Related lessons
References and further reading
Official sources for details that can change between versions.
- Ubuntu Desktop help: take screenshots and screen recordings (Ubuntu)
- Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (Microsoft)
- Event Viewer overview (Microsoft Learn)