What is the typical result of a kernel panic during usage?

A kernel panic is a critical failure in the operating system that occurs when the kernel, which is the core part of the OS, detects an unrecoverable error. This error stops the normal operation of the operating system because it happens at a level that can’t be managed by regular software processes. The typical result of this scenario is that the system crashes, halting all ongoing processes and generally requiring a restart to regain functionality.

When a kernel panic occurs, users will often see a message on the screen indicating the issue, and their system will become unresponsive. At this point, no further user commands can be executed, and the operating system cannot continue in a stable state. In order to restore normal operation, users typically have to perform a hard reset or manually restart the machine. This critical response to severe errors is a protective feature designed to prevent further corruption or data loss.