diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog.h b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6c9caa418
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#ifndef ERROR_DIALOG_H
+#define ERROR_DIALOG_H
+
+class ErrorDialog {
+	CString ErrorText;
+
+public:
+	void SetErrorText(const CString &error) { ErrorText = error; }
+	CString GetErrorText() const { return ErrorText; }
+
+	/* This is used for showing errors from exceptions, so it might be used
+	 * before SDL has been initialized (or SDL may have failed to init); don't
+	 * use SDL.  If the window has been opened, it'll be hidden or closed. */
+	virtual void ShowError() = 0;
+	virtual ~ErrorDialog() { }
+};
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2002 by the person(s) listed below.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Glenn Maynard
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d26c33040
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#include "../../stdafx.h"
+#include "../../RageUtil.h"
+#include "../../resource.h"
+
+#include "ErrorDialog_Win32.h"
+
+static CString g_sErrorString;
+
+BOOL CALLBACK ErrorWndProc( HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
+{
+	switch( msg )
+	{
+	case WM_INITDIALOG:
+		{
+			CString sMessage = g_sErrorString;
+
+			sMessage.Replace( "\n", "\r\n" );
+			
+			SendDlgItemMessage( 
+				hWnd, 
+				IDC_EDIT_ERROR, 
+				WM_SETTEXT, 
+				0, 
+				(LPARAM)(LPCTSTR)sMessage
+				);
+		}
+		break;
+	case WM_COMMAND:
+		switch (LOWORD(wParam))
+		{
+		case IDC_BUTTON_VIEW_LOG:
+			{
+				PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
+				STARTUPINFO	si;
+				ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) );
+
+				CreateProcess(
+					NULL,		// pointer to name of executable module
+					"notepad.exe log.txt",		// pointer to command line string
+					NULL,  // process security attributes
+					NULL,   // thread security attributes
+					false,  // handle inheritance flag
+					0, // creation flags
+					NULL,  // pointer to new environment block
+					NULL,   // pointer to current directory name
+					&si,  // pointer to STARTUPINFO
+					&pi  // pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION
+				);
+			}
+			break;
+		case IDC_BUTTON_REPORT:
+			GotoURL( "http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=add&group_id=37892&atid=421366" );
+			break;
+		case IDC_BUTTON_RESTART:
+			{
+				/* Clear the startup mutex, since we're starting a new
+				 * instance before ending ourself. */
+				TCHAR szFullAppPath[MAX_PATH];
+				GetModuleFileName(NULL, szFullAppPath, MAX_PATH);
+
+				// Launch StepMania
+				PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
+				STARTUPINFO	si;
+				ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) );
+
+				CreateProcess(
+					NULL,		// pointer to name of executable module
+					szFullAppPath,		// pointer to command line string
+					NULL,  // process security attributes
+					NULL,   // thread security attributes
+					false,  // handle inheritance flag
+					0, // creation flags
+					NULL,  // pointer to new environment block
+					NULL,   // pointer to current directory name
+					&si,  // pointer to STARTUPINFO
+					&pi  // pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION
+				);
+			}
+			EndDialog( hWnd, 0 );
+			break;
+			// fall through
+		case IDOK:
+			EndDialog( hWnd, 0 );
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	return FALSE;
+}
+
+
+void ErrorDialog_Win32::ShowError()
+{
+	g_sErrorString = GetErrorText();
+ 	// throw up a pretty error dialog
+	DialogBox(handle.Get(), MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_ERROR_DIALOG),
+		NULL, ErrorWndProc);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2002 by the person(s) listed below.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Chris Danford
+ * Glenn Maynard
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.h b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..052b54a5e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#ifndef ERROR_DIALOG_WIN32_H
+#define ERROR_DIALOG_WIN32_H
+
+#include "ErrorDialog.h"
+#include "../../archutils/Win32/AppInstance.h"
+
+class ErrorDialog_Win32: public ErrorDialog
+{
+	AppInstance handle;
+
+public:
+	void ShowError();
+};
+
+#undef ARCH_ERROR_DIALOG
+#define ARCH_ERROR_DIALOG ErrorDialog_Win32
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2002 by the person(s) listed below.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Glenn Maynard
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..59393ce071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#include "../../stdafx.h"
+#include "ErrorDialog_stdout.h"
+
+void ErrorDialog_stdout::ShowError()
+{
+	/* Simplest "dialog" ever. */
+	printf("Error: %s\n", GetErrorText().GetString());
+}
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2002 by the person(s) listed below.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Glenn Maynard
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.h b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cd7d719f2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#ifndef ERROR_DIALOG_STDOUT_H
+#define ERROR_DIALOG_STDOUT_H
+
+#include "ErrorDialog.h"
+
+class ErrorDialog_stdout: public ErrorDialog
+{
+public:
+	void ShowError();
+};
+
+#undef ARCH_ERROR_DIALOG
+#define ARCH_ERROR_DIALOG ErrorDialog_stdout
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2002 by the person(s) listed below.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Glenn Maynard
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/arch.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/arch.cpp
index 670e013083..3162a899a6 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/arch.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/arch.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #endif
 
 LoadingWindow *MakeLoadingWindow() { return new ARCH_LOADING_WINDOW; }
+ErrorDialog *MakeErrorDialog() { return new ARCH_ERROR_DIALOG; }
 
 /* Err, this is ugly--breaks arch encapsulation. Hmm. */
 RageSoundDriver *MakeRageSoundDriver(CString drivers)
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/arch.h b/stepmania/src/arch/arch.h
index 5db58b6ac8..793174fdd9 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/arch.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/arch.h
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 #define ARCH_H
 
 /* Include this file if you need to create an instance of a driver object.  */
+class ErrorDialog;
 class LoadingWindow;
 class RageSoundDriver;
 
+ErrorDialog *MakeErrorDialog();
 LoadingWindow *MakeLoadingWindow();
 RageSoundDriver *MakeRageSoundDriver(CString drivers);
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/arch_Win32.h b/stepmania/src/arch/arch_Win32.h
index 5bf91ff5e1..690802d276 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/arch_Win32.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/arch_Win32.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 /* Load drivers for Win32. */
 #include "LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Win32.h"
+#include "ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_Win32.h"
 
 #include "Sound/RageSoundDriver_DSound.h"
 #include "Sound/RageSoundDriver_DSound_Software.h"
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/arch_default.h b/stepmania/src/arch/arch_default.h
index 6529fddb36..70ac43902f 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/arch_default.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/arch_default.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 /* Load default fallback drivers; some of these may be overridden by arch-specific drivers. */
 #include "LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_SDL.h"
+#include "ErrorDialog/ErrorDialog_stdout.h"
 
 /* no default sound driver */