Abort, Retry, Fail? is a catch-all error message in newer versions of MS-DOS and compatible operating systems. It is displayed if necessary data cannot be read from media. It replaced Abort, Retry, Ignore? from MS-DOS 3.30 onwards.
The message would prompt the user to hit "A" to terminate the operation immediately, "R" to try reading the data again, or "F" to attempt to proceed without the necessary data.[1] Since it would not allow the user to proceed unless they picked one of the three options, and because the difference between "Fail" and "Abort" is unclear, it has become programmer parlance for uncompromising, vague error messages. As a storage device became corrupt, retrieval would become inconsistent, and Retry often did not result in correctly retrieved data.
In certain situations, the message "Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?" was displayed instead. This however made little difference in the ability to proceed.
In 1996, White Town released an EP entitled >Abort, Retry, Fail?_.[2]
PC Magazine has used the term as the title of its column highlighting humorous computer-related errors.[3]
  | Abort, Retry, Fail?_ Your Woman - White Town - >Abort, Retry, Fail?_ Your Woman (CD, Maxi) at Discogs |
| | Action Taken on Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail - Action Taken on Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail |
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