How to Fix the Whea Uncorrectable Error Message on Windows

When it comes to Windows computers, they are well known for displaying blue screen of death (BSoD) messages when some critical system component crashes. While blue screens do not necessarily spell disaster, they can be extremely frustrating to deal with if you don’t understand the diagnostic information that is provided about the root problem. Typically, a BSoD will be accompanied by a stop-code and in today’s article, we are going to look at the whea uncorrectable error message.

What Does WHEA Stand For & What Causes it to Error Out?

The Windows Hardware Error Architecture (WHEA) was introduced to Windows operating systems starting with Vista, as an extension on previous versions of hardware error reporting [1]. This architecture takes advantage of the hardware error information that is available in today’s hardware devices and integrates it with your Windows system firmware. This is quite beneficial as it can help you recover hardware errors, determine the root cause of hardware errors, and provides better hardware error reporting mechanisms. However, like every other integrated tool it can fail and when it does, you are likely to see a whea uncorrectable error stop-code.

In the majority of cases, the whea uncorrectable error stop-code will pop up if you have a hardware failure or problems with your hardware or software drivers. However, there are other issues that can cause it to pop up, here are some common scenarios that you might be experiencing.

• Your hard drive disc is not responding.
• Your RAM memory is failing or not responding.
• Your motherboard is failing or not working correctly.
• Your computer is experiencing issues after being overclocked.
• Your computer hardware is overheating.
• Your CPU is improperly seated.
• Your computer is having problems after a BIOS/UEFI update.
• You are missing critical Windows updates.

When this error message occurs, it will appear on your screen as WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.

How Is The Whea Uncorrectable Error Fixed?

The answer to this depends on the root problem that is causing the computer to error out in this manner. Generally though, whea uncorrectable errors will be caused by a hardware failure, so narrowing down the problem hardware and either fixing it or replacing it will do the trick. However, it is always best to start with a few software solutions first as this is quick and easy to do.

9 Solutions to Fix Whea Uncorrectable Error Messages on Windows Computers

1. Update Your Computer Using Windows Updates.

One of the most common reasons for the whea uncorrectable error message is compatibility issues with updates and drivers. Double check to make sure that your system is completely up to date, especially if you do not have automatic updates enabled or your last system update failed.

1. In your computer’s search bar, type in Windows update.
2. Click on Windows update settings to open.
3. In Windows update settings, click on the “check for updates” button.
4. Install any critical or necessary updates.
5. Restart your computer and see if the problem persists.

Keep in mind that Windows updates can take a while to download and install depending on your internet speed and computer system specifications. So, it is best to step away from the computer for a little bit and leave it while it updates.

2. Run a CHKDSK Scan for Hardware Issues.

Before troubleshooting your physical hardware, run a CHKDSK scan to verify the system files and system settings.

1. In your computer’s search bar, type in Command Prompt.
2. Right-click on the Command Prompt tool and run as an administrator.
3. In Command Prompt, type in chkdsk c:/r [enter].
4. Press Y to confirm you want the chkdsk to run on restart.
5. Restart your computer to allow chkdsk to run its scan.

Please note: replace “C” with the drive where your Windows system files are located.

3. Physically Check Your Hardware.

Sometimes the whea uncorrectable error can pop up if there is a physical problem with your system’s hardware. To physically check your hardware, you will need access to the hardware components. For those with “desktop towers” you will need to remove the outer casing panels and for those with laptops, you will need to remove the bottom panel. Turn your computer off before removing any paneling!

Once the paneling is off, make sure that your RAM is secure in its slots. Make sure that your CPU’s fan is in place and that all of the chords are snugly plugged in to the motherboard, power supply, and hard drive discs. If you find nothing loose or out of place, place the paneling back on, reboot, and move on to the next solution below.

4. Reseat & Install Your RAM.

Since the whea uncorrectable error can be caused by faulty RAM, reseating the RAM may solve the problem. To reseat the RAM, you need to remove each memory module from their DIMM slots and then reinstall them in place.

1. Turn your computer off and open the panel that gives you access to the RAM.
2. Find the latches on either side of the DIMM slots and release the clips.
3. Extract the RAM from its DIMM slot.
4. Repeat for all RAM modules.
5. Now place the RAM back into their DIMM slot
6. Firmly press down until you hear it click. If it is not clicking, make sure it is lined up properly. There is a notch in the RAM that matches up with the DIMM slot.
7. Once each RAM module is firmly in place, latch the clasps.

Once the RAM is seated, place the paneling back on and reboot your computer to see if reseating solved the issue.

5. Update Your Drivers.

One of the main causes for a whea uncorrectable error message are faulty or outdated drivers. You can check to see if your drivers need an update by going to your device manager and looking for a yellow error symbol beside each component.

1. In your computer’s search bar, type in settings.
2. In the new window, click on the update and security option.
3. From here, view the history update section.
4. Find driver updates in the list and click on it.
5. This tells you which drivers have been recently updated.

6. Now in your computer’s search bar, type in device manager.
7. Go through all drop-down menus and look for an error symbol.
8. Right-click on any components that have errors and update the driver.

Once you are done updating all drivers, reboot to see if the issue persists.

6. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic to Check RAM.

To find out if your RAM is having issues, you can run a Windows Memory Diagnostic to check it. Here is how to do this.

1. In your computer’s search, type in Windows memory diagnostic.
2. Click on the best result shown (it’s an app).
3. Choose to restart your computer now and check for problems.

If it comes back with hard drive check errors or RAM memory errors, then consider replacing your RAM. Before running the Windows memory diagnostic, save any open work and close all programs.

7. Disable Additional Audio Components.

If you have additional audio devices installed on your computer, their outdated or updated drivers could be the culprit behind the whea uncorrectable error message. You can try fixing the issue by disabling any output and input audio devices that are not set to default.

1. In your computer’s search bar, type in sound.
2. In the sound settings window that opens, look to the right-hand side and find the sound control panel link. Click it.
3. In the sound control window that pops up, tap into the playback tab.
4. Any device in the list that is non-default, right-click and disable it.
5. Repeat for all non-default devices listed.
6. Hit apply and okay to save your changes.

You can also disable any additional sound devices from your device manager. Simply use your computer’s search bar to search up device manager, go to audio devices, and right-click all in the drop-down list that are non-default to disable them. Make sure to confirm the disable.

8. Uninstall Problematic Windows Updates.

When it comes to Window Updates, not every one that goes out will be free from errors and bugs. If you think that a recent Windows Update is causing the error, do a bit of research online to see if others are having trouble with it too and if they are, consider uninstalling it to see if that fixes the whea uncorrectable error message.

1. Either search settings in your computer’s search bar or tap the Windows Key on your keyboard + I.
2. In the settings menu, locate the update and security section and click into it.
3. Now click on “view update history” to see a list of all recent updates.
4. Now choose “uninstall updates” at the top.
5. In the list that appears, find the one giving you problems.
6. Double click on it and remove it.

Restart your computer and see if the whea uncorrectable error persists.

9. Do a System Restore.

If you have made regular backups to your computer, you may be able to roll back with a system restore to a point where you were not getting the whea uncorrectable error.

1. In your computer’s search bar, type in control panel.
2. Select the system and security option, and then system.
3. Choose system protection from the left-hand menu.
4. In the new window that pops up, click the system restore button.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Once the system restore is completed, reboot to see if the issue persists.

Wrapping It Up

If none of the solutions above worked for you, you may need to use a Media Installation Disc to repair your computer. If this does not work, you can try to reset your BIOS or update it’s firmware, but this takes a considerable amount of technical know-how in both knowing how to navigate the BIOS and knowing how to flash it. This is not recommended for those who are uncomfortable with completing a more advanced solution. If you do want to try updating or resetting your BIOS, please refer to your motherboard’s owner manual.

Note: for those who have overclocked the BIOS, you will need to access Windows Advanced Options, navigate to performance and overclocking, and then disable it. Make sure to also revert any overclocking settings directly in your BIOS. Doing this should solve the whea uncorrectable error if it is being caused by overclocking.