Pages with a StandardController expose a property:
{!Messages}
Without the need for a custom controller or extensions, can do things like:
<apex:pageBlock rendered="{!NOTISNULL(Messages.Empty)}">
<!-- detailed troubleshooting instructions -->
</apex:pageBlock>
<apex:pageBlock rendered="{!NOT(ISNULL(Messages.Empty))}">
<!-- normal page functionality -->
</apex:pageBlock>