Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!linac!att!cbnewsh!jtw
From: jtw@cbnewsh.att.com (jui-tai.wang)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Exception #13
Keywords: What's that?
Message-ID: <1991Mar21.184552.20242@cbnewsh.att.com>
Date: 21 Mar 91 18:45:52 GMT
References: <3026@beguine.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 25

In article <3026@beguine.UUCP>, Brian.Chan@samba.acs.unc.edu (Brian Chan) writes:
> I have a Gateway 386 w/16Megs of RAM and I will  get an error exception
> #13 once in awhile running apps. If I choose `c` to continue, 9/10 times the

Quote from "80386 System Software Writer's Guide" bu Intel, pg 3-11 (Section
about Interrupts and Exceptions):

"3.3.8 General Protection Fault, Number 13

The 80386 raises this fault when a task attempts an operation that is
inconsistent with a segment descriptor. Many such conditions exist, including
writing to a read-only segment, loading a null selector, and accessing a more
privileged segment....In priatice, however, a general protection fault in a
protected mode task indicates a serious program bug and the task should
usually be terminated. V86 tasks, on the other hand, can legitimately raise
this exception to signal the virtual machine monitor to simulate an
instruction...."

I guess you have to find out what program cause you this, can maybe check
with Gateway to see if this has anything to do with your BIOS/DOS also

Richard Wang
ATT-Bl
att!corona!jtw
standard disclaimer follow.