Key Points
- Identify Faulting Hardware: Review WHEA-Logger events in Event Viewer to isolate CPU, memory, PCIe bus, or storage errors.
- Update BIOS/UEFI Firmware First: Install vendor-supported firmware updates to fix instability from outdated microcode, voltage control, or PCIe initialization.
- Run Targeted Hardware Diagnostics: Stress-test RAM, CPU, and storage using vendor tools or industry-standard diagnostics to confirm whether components fail under load.
- Update Chipset, Storage, and Device Drivers: Install the latest supported drivers to correct hardware signaling issues that may trigger repeated WHEA events.
- Validate Post-Repair Stability: Clear WHEA logs, apply stress tests, and monitor Event Viewer to ensure the system remains stable without recurring hardware faults.
A WHEA (Windows Hardware Error Architecture) Uncorrectable Error (or whea_uncorrectable_error) occurs when hardware reports a fault via the WHEA system. It’s known as a blue screen of death (BSOD) error that comes from failing CPUs, unstable memory, PCIe bus issues, storage faults, or outdated firmware.
This guide delivers a workflow to fix a WHEA Uncorrectable Error. We’ll go through ways on how to identify the hardware source, run targeted diagnostics, update firmware, remove overclocking, and verify system stability.
Steps to fix the WHEA uncorrectable error
To stop the WHEA uncorrectable error code, you will need to perform hardware-focused troubleshooting. Before you go through the steps, you will need to confirm the following requirements:
📌 Prerequisites:
- You will need administrator access on the affected device.
- This requires you to enter BIOS or UEFI for firmware and stability changes.
- You will need to have tools for memory, CPU, and storage diagnostics.
- This requires current vendor support files for BIOS, chipset, and device drivers.
Step 1: Identify the hardware component that triggered the error
📌 Use Cases:
- This helps you isolate whether the WHEA event came from the CPU, memory, PCIe bus, or storage.
- It reduces troubleshooting time by directing diagnostics to the failing device.
📌 Prerequisites:
- This requires access to Event Viewer on the affected device.
- You’ll need the ability to review WHEA-Logger events and understand hardware identifiers.
Steps:
- Open Event Viewer.
- Next, navigate to Windows Logs > System.
- After this, filter the log by Source: WHEA-Logger.
- Check the event details to identify the component, such as Processor Core, PCI Express Root Port, or Storage Device.
- Note the error type and device ID for follow-up testing in later steps.
Step 2: Update BIOS or UEFI Firmware
📌 Use Cases:
- This addresses WHEA errors brought about by unstable microcode, voltage management, or PCIe initialization.
- Ensures the device runs vendor-supported firmware before deeper diagnostics.
📌 Prerequisites:
- You will need the BIOS or UEFI update from the device or motherboard vendor.
- This needs the ability to enter firmware setup and follow vendor-specific update steps safely.
Steps:
- Visit the system or motherboard vendor’s support page.
- Download the latest BIOS or UEFI firmware update for the exact model.
- Apply the update using the vendor’s recommended method. This could be in the form of an installer, USB flash utility, or the firmware menu.
- Restart the device and monitor whether WHEA events stop appearing in Event Viewer.
Step 3: Test memory, CPU, and storage hardware
📌 Use Cases:
- This identifies whether memory, CPU, or storage hardware is responsible for repeated WHEA errors.
- This helps determine if the issue is thermal, electrical, or the result of component degradation.
📌 Prerequisites:
- You will need diagnostic tools such as Windows Memory Diagnostic, MemTest86, CPU stress testing utilities, and storage health tools.
- This needs a maintenance window to run tests.
Steps:
- Run Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86 to check RAM stability.
- Utilize vendor tools or open-source stress tests to load the CPU and monitor for crashes or WHEA log entries.
- Run CHKDSK, vendor-specific SSD utilities, or SMART diagnostics to evaluate the health of the storage device.
- If diagnostics show repeatable or persistent faults during testing, you will need to replace the corresponding hardware.
Step 4: Remove overclocking and restore default system settings
📌 Use Cases:
- This confirms whether manual overclocks, XMP profiles, or undervolting settings are causing hardware faults.
- Restores vendor-validated stability before deeper hardware replacement.
📌 Prerequisites:
- This needs access to the BIOS or UEFI setup on the affected device.
- Requires knowledge of where frequency, voltage, and memory profile settings are located.
Steps:
- Enter the system’s BIOS/UEFI setup.
- Reset all CPU, memory, and voltage settings to their default values.
- Disable XMP or other memory profile settings if instability persists.
- Save the changes and reboot the device.
Step 5: Update chipset, storage, and device drivers
📌 Use Cases:
- This resolves WHEA events that are caused by outdated chipsets, storage, or GPU drivers that mishandle hardware signaling.
- Ensures the system is running vendor-supported drivers before concluding that a hardware upgrade or replacement might be necessary.
📌 Prerequisites:
- This needs access to the latest driver packages from Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, or the device manufacturer.
- You will need a stable network connection or offline driver bundles.
Steps:
- Download and install the latest chipset drivers from Intel, AMD, or the device vendor support page.
- Update NVMe and SATA storage drivers using vendor-specific packages.
- Next, install the latest GPU drivers from the official NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel support sites.
- Restart the device and validate behavior by checking the Event Viewer.
Step 6: Confirm system stability after making repairs
📌 Use Cases:
- Verifies that firmware, hardware, or driver changes actually resolved the WHEA uncorrectable error.
- This provides evidence for closing incidents or change records with a documented stability window.
📌 Prerequisites:
- You will need access to Event Viewer and any stress or burn-in tools you used earlier.
- This will require a maintenance Window long enough to run load tests.
Steps:
- Boot up your computer and sign in to the affected profile.
- Open the Event Viewer and clear existing WHEA-Logger entries to start with a clean baseline.
- Run your chosen stress tests to load CPU, memory, and storage.
- Check Event Viewer periodically and confirm that no new WHEA events appear during or after testing.
⚠️ Things to look out for
| Risks | Potential Consequences | Reversals |
| Outdated firmware remains in use. | Hardware faults may persist even after other repairs have been made. | Apply the latest BIOS or UEFI update and retest system stability. |
| Stress tests generate new WHEA events. | Underlying instability was not resolved by earlier steps. | Re-evaluate CPU, memory, and storage diagnostics and replace failing components |
| Overclock settings remain active. | Voltage or frequency instability continues to trigger hardware faults. | Disable all overclocks, restore defaults, and confirm settings persist across reboots. |
Troubleshooting WHEA uncorrectable error code on Windows 11 persistence
Use these checks to pinpoint why WHEA events continue after initial repairs.
- WHEA persists after update: Test RAM and storage hardware to confirm components are not failing under load.
- WHEA Uncorrectable Error occurs under heavy load: CPU instability is likely in such cases. Remove overclock settings and retest.
- WHEA uncorrectable error occurs during gaming: Update GPU drivers and verify PCIe bus stability with stress or diagnostics tools.
- Happens after sleep or resume: Update chipset, power management, and storage firmware to address instability.
- Frequent events with no clear device: Motherboard voltage regulation issues might be present and require board-level diagnostics.
Restore stability by fixing the WHEA Uncorrectable Error
The WHEA Uncorrectable Error signals a hardware fault that Windows cannot recover from. By identifying the failing component, updating firmware, correcting overclock settings, and validating system behavior with diagnostics, most issues can be resolved without replacing the entire system.
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