crash to desktop

English

Alternative forms

• crash-to-desktop

Noun

crash to desktop (plural crashes to desktop)

1. (computing, software) An event where a software program running on a computer with an operating system that features a graphical desktop unexpectedly terminates without showing any error or halting of the system, and instead returns the user to the desktop.
   • c. 1999, Computer Gaming World - Volumes 181-185‎^[1], Golden Empire Publications:

     Five months in the making, this latest effort goes a long way in fixing various avionics, campaign, AI, multiplayer and crash-to-desktop issues (see the patch on this month's demo disk).

   • 2008, PC Gamer, volume 15, GP Publications, page 6:

     The only force more powerful than the nuclear bunker-buster is the crash to desktop.

   • 2012, Michael Meyers, Mike Meyers' CompTIA A+ Guide to 802 Managing and ...‎^[2], McGraw Hill Professional, →ISBN:

     You're right in the middle of a thrilling fight with the bad guy and then what happens? A crash to desktop (CTD).

Synonyms

• CTD

Verb

crash to desktop (third-person singular simple present crashes to desktop, present participle crashing to desktop, simple past and past participle crashed to desktop)

1. (computing, software) To experience such an error.
   • 2007, PC Gamer, volume 14, numbers 4-6, GP Publications, page 69:

     Finally, as if that wasn't punishment enough, the game crashed to desktop several times during my tests.

   • 2008, Adam Oxford, Windows Vista - Autumn 2008, Future US, →ISSN, page 67:

     Some programs, especially online games, tend to have coding problems that leave them with memory holes - in other words, they don't delete information from your PC's memory once they're finished with it, they just keep adding and adding until everything overflows. Eventually, this can cause the game to crash to desktop, but adding more memory can help prevent this.

   • 2009, Gibson, David, Baek, Young Kyun, Digital Simulations for Improving Education: Learning Through Artificial Teaching Environments: Learning Through Artificial Teaching Environments, IGI Global, →ISBN, page 418:

     Despite extensive planning and countless rounds of testing, we found out (much too late) to our chagrin that the game would “crash to desktop” on certain computers.

Usage notes

Typically used to describe game crashes or occasionally other full screen applications that take the place of the desktop interface while they run.