Some Windows crash errors are mysterious and more difficult to fix, such as WHEA Uncorrectable Error!
Windows has a long and beautiful (read: painful) history of blue screen error messages. These error screens are affectionately referred to as the blue screen of death and also contain important information about the sudden death of the system.
Some Windows crash errors are more mysterious than others, and therefore more difficult to troubleshoot. The uncorrectable WHEA error is one of them.
This article explains how to fix errors that WHEA cannot correct and prevent them from happening again.
What Is the WHEA Uncorrectable Error?
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (Windows stop code 0x0000124) is a hardware error. There are many common causes of WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (we abbreviate it as WUE), most of which are directly related to your system hardware:
- Corrupt hardware (Damaged hard drives, GPU, CPU, PSU, corrupt RAM, etc.)
- Driver compatibility issues
- Heat and voltage issues (Overclocking and voltage changes)
- Corrupt Windows system files or registry files
Although this is not always the root cause, voltage issues are a common cause of this particular Windows error. The WUE message and stop code 0x0000124 indicate the type of error, but viewing the error image file can provide more information. Your error dump file (DMP) is located under C:/Windows/Minidump and has a time stamp.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide solutions for all issues, but the following fix should alleviate your WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.
How to Fix the WHEA Uncorrectable Error
Remember the list of common system hardware issues that trigger WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR? The following section expands on some of these hardware issues and explains some possible fixes.
1. Run CHKDSK
First, before making certain hardware changes, try to run Windows from the command prompt to check the disk. CHKDSK is a Windows system tool that checks the file system and uses certain settings to repair problems during execution.
- Type command prompt in your Start menu search bar, then right-click the best match and select Run as administrator. (Alternatively, press Windows Key + X, then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.)
- Next, type chkdsk /r and press Enter. The command will scan your system for errors and fix any issues along the way.
2. Check Your System Hardware
WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR is closely related to your system hardware. Therefore, you should physically check your system hardware before performing a system reset and memory test.
Check whether the cooling system is fully functional, whether your RAM is firmly inserted into its slot, and whether the CPU is mysteriously not loose, etc. If you are not sure how to reinstall the system hardware, please view the video below.
3. Reset System Overclocking
If you have overclocked your system in search of faster speeds, you will most likely encounter WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR. The easiest way to remove it from the list is to reset the system BIOS and eliminate the effects of overclocking.
You need to enter the system BIOS or UEFI menu. To do this, shut down the system. Next, turn on the system power again by pressing the BIOS/UEFI menu access key (commonly used keys are F1, F2, F10, DEL and ESC).
BIOS and UEFI settings vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the menu title is usually similar. You are looking for overclocking options. Most overclocking options are located in the advanced, power, frequency, or voltage menus.
Find the menu and reset the overclocking options. Reset will reset your system to delivery state, but it can also remove WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.
4. Reset Your BIOS/UEFI Settings
If you clear the BIOS/UEFI overlock setting, please try to reset the entire BIOS. There is an option somewhere in the BIOS menu to completely reset the BIOS settings or load the default BIOS settings. Find the option and select it.
5. Update Your BIOS/UEFI Settings
This process also varies greatly depending on the motherboard manufacturer of the system. You can use a desktop utility to automatically download and update certain BIOS/UEFI settings. Other manufacturers require you to download a BIOS update and flash the firmware yourself.
Not sure which motherboard you are using? Download and run CPU-Z. Open the motherboard tab and find the make and model of the motherboard. You can also find your BIOS brand and version in this tab.
Once you know this, search for “[your motherboard manufacturer + model] BIOS update” on the Internet. For example, I would search for “Micro-star ms1796 bios update” for my system. You should find instructions, tutorials, and a video or two if you are lucky.
6. Check Your Drivers
Sometimes, the new driver may damage your system. With Windows 10 handling most of the driver updates, this situation is becoming rarer today.
However, this does not mean that cunning drivers will not interfere with your system. Fortunately, Windows 10 lists all driver updates in the Windows Update section (Windows Update may also cause its own errors), so you can quickly identify the source of the problem.
- Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings panel, then select Update & Security > View update history. You can find any driver updates here.
- Now, type device manager in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match. Next, go down the list and check for an error symbol. If there is nothing, your driver status is likely not the source of the issue.
However, you can use third-party tools to update all system drivers at the same time. Check out the list of free tools that can be used to fix most Windows problems. The first two options-IOBit’s Driver Booster and Snappy Driver Installer-do just that.
7. Check Your RAM Using MemTest86
Windows has a built-in memory checker called Windows Memory Diagnostic. Unfortunately, it does not have a good reputation, and it often overlooks another great tool: the problem found by MemTest86.
MemTest86 is a free and independent memory testing tool for x86 computers. You start MemTest86 from a USB flash drive (or bootable CD), and then let it check your system RAM. Now, the MemTest86 RAM test takes a long time to complete; a single pass takes several hours, depending on the amount of RAM installed.
To get a complete MemTest86 experience, you should make at least two passes (ie, two complete cycles). However, according to most reports, MemTest86 should expose serious RAM problems in a short period of time.
Go to the MemTest86 download page and download the image to create a bootable CD (ISO format). Next, you need to write the MemTest86 ISO to a USB flash drive.
Burn MemTest86 with the tool of your choice, and then shut down your system. Next, restart the system while pressing the boot selection menu key (usually F10, F11, DEL or ESC), and then select MemTest86 to boot the USB flash drive. The memory test will start automatically.
If it returns a RAM error, search for the error code on the Internet and enter it to determine your next step.
Related: How to Fix Disney+ Error Code 83
8. Reset Windows 10 (Last Resort)
If there is no other effect, you can use the Windows 10 reset function to update your system.
Windows 10 reset will replace your system files with a new set of files. In theory, it will get rid of any lingering problems related to WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR while keeping most of your important files intact.
Go to “Settings”> “Update & Security”> “Recovery” and select “Start” under “Reset this PC”.
The system will restart immediately after pressing the button, so please make sure to back up all important files beforehand. Your system will restart first, and then you can choose to keep my files or delete them all.
WHEA Uncorrectable Error Cleared!
The blue screen error is frustrating. This is especially true if you don’t really understand the hardware causing the problem. The above fixes will fix your WHEA error, but keep in mind that using your hardware may cause it to appear again.
Another convenient tool for blue screen error codes is BlueScreenView from Nirsoft. It can help you understand the error code so that you can better isolate the problem!
