The WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR is a critical error message (with a stop code of 0x00000124) that appears on a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in Windows 10. This error indicates that a hardware error has occurred in your computer system. WHEA stands for Windows Hardware Error Architecture, which is a feature introduced by Microsoft starting with Windows Vista. It’s designed to report hardware errors to the operating system.
Encountering a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) can be intimidating for any Windows user. One such dreaded error is the WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, a signal from your system that a critical hardware fault has occurred. This article delves into troubleshooting steps to resolve this error and get your system back up and running.
The WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, identified by the stop code 0x00000124, is primarily triggered by hardware issues, overheating, power supply problems, or even driver conflicts. Before proceeding with the fixes, it’s essential to back up important data to avoid any potential loss.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting:- Check for Overheating: Overheating can cause your system to crash. Check if your cooling system is working correctly. Ensure that the fans are not obstructed and that the thermal paste on the CPU is not dried out.
- Run Hardware Diagnostics: Most computer manufacturers offer built-in diagnostics tools to check the health of your hardware components. Run these diagnostics to identify any failing hardware.
- Update Drivers and Firmware: Outdated drivers can cause conflicts leading to BSODs. Ensure all your device drivers and firmware are up to date, focusing on major components like the motherboard, GPU, and network adapters.
- Disable Overclocking: If you’ve overclocked your CPU or GPU, revert to the default settings. Overclocking can cause instability and errors, especially if the system is not adequately cooled.
- System File Check (SFC) and Check Disk (CHKDSK): Corrupted system files can contribute to BSODs. Run the System File Checker and Check Disk utilities to repair Windows files.
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Enter sfc /scannow to start the SFC scan.
- After completion, run chkdsk /f /r to check the disk for errors.
- Memory and Hard Drive Tests: Faulty RAM or hard drive errors can trigger this BSOD. Use Windows Memory Diagnostic for RAM tests and manufacturer tools for hard drive assessments.
In some computers you can check CPU temperature in BIOS setup or install third-party software designed to monitor system temperatures such as HWMonitor.
As an example, we can look at UEFI hardware diagnostics of a Lenovo computer. To do so, turn on your computer and immediately press F12 or F1, but it can vary depending on the model of your Lenovo device. You might need to press the key several times as soon as the Lenovo logo appears on the screen.
Select an option to start the diagnostics. Lenovo’s UEFI diagnostics might offer different types of tests, including quick tests, full scans, and specific hardware component checks.
Lets look at the Memory diagnostics results.
The Memory diagnostics look very normal.
In Windows 10 and 11, press Start and type Device Manager and launch Device Manager.
In Device Manager window, expand the device driver and then click on Update Driver to check for driver updates.
Click Start and type Windows Memory Diagnostic and press Enter.
start-windows-memory-diagnostics
A confirmation prompt window will pop up. Click on ‘Restart now and check for problems (Recommended).
The computer will restart and run Memory diagnostics.
