How to Fix "WHEA Uncorrectable Error" on Windows 10/11

Try these 16 troubleshooting tips to resolve this error

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: April 9, 2025 Fact Checked

Are you getting the "WHEA Uncorrectable Error" blue screen of death (BSOD)? This is a frustrating crash to encounter, especially because the error message doesn't really explain why this error is happening. Unfortunately, this error is quite broad, and usually means some of your computer's hardware has an issue. The hardware could be faulty or broken, or the drivers could be causing the problem. In this article we go over 16 easy, step-by-step ways you can try to fix the error.

Ways to Fix the WHEA Uncorrectable Error

First, make sure all of your hardware and cables are seated properly. Try reverting to old hardware if you've recently updated it. Update your drivers or reinstall them completely with DDU. You can also use the BSOD Troubleshooter, Memory Diagnostic tool, SFC, and DISM to locate and fix potential issues.

1

Check your hardware and cables.

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Ensure all of your computer hardware and cables are seated properly. The WHEA Uncorrectable error usually means something's wrong with the hardware in your device.^{[1]
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Go to source} The first (and easiest) step is to make sure all of your hardware and cables are connected properly.
- If you have a desktop computer, ensure all the parts on your motherboard are correctly seated, especially anything inserted into a PCIe slot like your RAM or GPU. It's easy for these parts not to be inserted properly, which can lead to BSODs.
- If you have a laptop, only open the case if you have computer repair experience. Laptops are more complicated to work on if you don't have the know-how, and this can lead to the computer breaking even more if something goes wrong.
- Unplug and replug each cable on your computer to make sure it's plugged in fully. Make sure each cable is facing the right direction and push it into its slot firmly, but stop if you feel any resistance.
  - Make sure your computer is off for this step, as unplugging it from power when it's on can cause data loss or corruption.

2

Revert to old hardware.

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If you recently changed any of the hardware inside your computer, try putting your old hardware back in (such as your RAM, GPU, or CPU). If you no longer have the old hardware or you know the old hardware is broken, skip this step and try some of the other methods in this article.

3

Update your computer.

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Try updating your computer to fix underlying issues. If your Windows installation is outdated, it can cause a variety of issues with your computer. Updating Windows also allows your computer to find and install any driver updates that you might have missed by manually installing them.
- To check for a Windows update, type "Windows update" in the taskbar search bar, then click Check for updates. If an update is available, install it from this window, then check to see if the BSOD is still occurring.

4

Update your drivers.

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Updating certain device drivers may fix the issue. Bad drivers are one of the leading causes of the WHEA Uncorrectable error. If a bad driver is the case, you can update your drivers using these steps:
- Boot in Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the ⇧ Shift key while on the Windows sign-in screen, then select Power > Restart.
- Right click the Start button and select Device Manager.
- Expand Network Adapters and Display Adapters.
- Right click each device and select Update driver. After the drivers have been updated, restart your PC to see if the error still occurs.

5

Reinstall your drivers.

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Use DDU to completely remove your GPU drivers. Sometimes, new GPU drivers can have bugs that cause crashes, or your drivers might not have installed correctly and are now corrupted. The best way to fix this is to use DDU to uninstall your drivers and then reinstall them from your GPU manufacturer's website.
- Download DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller).
- Restart your computer in Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the ⇧ Shift key while on the Windows sign-in screen, then select Power > Restart.
- Navigate to where you downloaded DDU and run it.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall your GPU drivers. DDU will restart your PC once it's done uninstalling the drivers.
- Go to your GPU manufacturer's website and download the driver you desire. You can try the newest driver, or you may want to go back one or two versions if you're concerned that the newest driver is causing the error.
- Install the drivers once they are finished downloading, following all on-screen instructions.

6

Run the BSOD Troubleshooter.

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Run the BSOD troubleshooter to identify the issue. Windows has a number of built-in troubleshooters to help you figure out why certain things are happening on your computer. One of these troubleshooters can help you with BSOD errors.^{[2]
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- In the taskbar search bar, type "Get help".
- Open the Get Help application.
- In the Get Help app, search for "Troubleshoot blue screen error".
- Click on Troubleshoot blue screen error.
- Go through the troubleshooter to identify the issue, then follow the on-screen steps to fix the problem.

7

Clear the CMOS.

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Remove the CMOS battery to wipe your BIOS settings. Sometimes, custom BIOS settings can interfere with your computer. The best and easiest way to fix this is to remove the CMOS battery to clear out those custom settings, then to put it back into your mobo.
- Locate the coin battery on your motherboard.
- Remove the battery using the latch, and leave it out of the motherboard for a few seconds.
- Place the CMOS battery back in the motherboard.

8

Clean your computer's fans.

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Clean out the inside of your computer to increase airflow. An overheating computer can cause issues with the hardware inside of it, which can lead to the WHEA Uncorrectable error. The easiest way to fix this is to clean out the inside of your computer, especially the fans that push and pull air in and out of the case.
- Open your computer's case. If you have a desktop, simply unscrew the thumbscrews holding on the right side plate and remove the side. If you have a laptop, you may be able to clean the fans without opening the case, but you can also use a screwdriver to remove the bottom of your laptop.
  - Each laptop will be built slightly differently. The bottom of your laptop may not be easily removed.
- Using compressed air, remove any dust that's stuck to the computer's fans or interior. If there's a lot of thick dust, you may want to use the hose attachment on a vacuum to quickly and easily remove the dust.
  - If you blow a lot of dust out of the fans, don't leave the dust inside your case. Brush it out using your hands, a duster, or a brush. You can also use the hose attachment of a vacuum to get it out of the case.

9

Check your cooling system.

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If your cooling system (case fans and CPU heatsink) isn't working properly, this could be the cause of the WHEA Uncorrectable error. High temperatures inside your computer can make your hardware not work properly, and can even cause them to malfunction and break. Make sure all of your fans are working, and if not make sure they're plugged into your motherboard fully. Also, make sure your CPU heatsink is seated properly on top of the CPU.

10

Reapply thermal paste.

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Remove the heatsink and put in new thermal paste. If you use too much or too little thermal paste it can cause the CPU to overheat, which can lead to this error. If you removed your heatsink for any reason and had to put on thermal paste, check to make sure you put the correct amount.
- To remove thermal paste, use rubbing alcohol and a tissue or cotton swab to remove it all. Let the CPU and heatsink dry. Then, place a pea-sized drop of thermal paste in the center of the CPU and place the heatsink on top before screwing it back in.^{[3]
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- If you're on a laptop, you may be unable to access your CPU easily. If this is the case, you may need to bring your computer to a repair technician.

11

Run the Memory Diagnostics tool.

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Check for memory problems with the Windows diagnostic tool. Even if you reseat your RAM, there still might be issues with it. You can use the Memory Diagnostics tool to find out if there are issues with your memory that could be causing this BSOD.
- Type "Windows Memory Diagnostic" into the taskbar search bar.
- Click Restart now and check for problems. If you can't restart your computer at the moment, you can instead click Check for problems the next time I start my computer. The next time you restart your computer, Windows will run the Memory Diagnostic tool.
- Allow the tool to run. It may take some time for it to finish completely.
- Review the results. Your computer will restart after the tool is finished, and will show you a pop-up with the results of the tool.
  - If you have already tried reseating your RAM and the Memory Diagnostic tool states there's a memory issue on your computer, you may want to replace the RAM entirely.

12

Run DISM and SFC.

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Use DISM and SFC to try and repair your computer. Windows has two built-in repair commands, Windows Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and Windows System File Checker (SFC).^{[4]
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Go to source} These tools can help you identify problems on your computer and fix them. To run DISM and SFC, follow these steps:
- Open up the Command Prompt. Type "Command Prompt" into the taskbar search bar and open up the Command Prompt app.
- Run the following commands. You can run both of these tools but Windows recommends running DISM first.
  - DISM: Dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
  - SFC: SFC /scannow
- Restart your PC. After the commands have finished running, restart your computer to see if the error has been resolved.

13

Revert to a System Restore Point.

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Use a System Restore Point. Even though the WHEA Uncorrectable error is usually caused by hardware, you might be able to fix the problem by rolling back to a previous System Restore Point. This can help if you have some severely corrupted driver updates on your system and updating/reinstalling the drivers doesn't work. Your system may have made a restore point before the error started to occur.^{[5]
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- Open the System Restore menu. In the taskbar search bar, type "Recovery" and open the control panel option Recovery from the menu.
- Select "Open System Restore".
- Pick a restore point from the list. If you've made previous restore points you should see them here, or you can select one that your computer created.
- Allow the computer to restore itself. Once the restoration process is complete, your computer should restart to the loaded restore point.

14

Reinstall Windows.

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Try reinstalling Windows to wipe out bad driver issues. If you don't have a System Restore Point or doing a System Restore didn't fix the issue, you can try reinstalling Windows. This is a last resort, but if nothing else fixes the error, you may want to consider this option.^{[6]
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Go to source} However, if the errors persist after reinstalling Windows, the issue is likely with your hardware.
- Restart your PC and hold F8 when the boot screen is visible. This will take you to the Windows Recovery Environment.
  - Some devices may require you to hold down Fn+F8 instead of just F8.
- Navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. Select to either keep your files or remove everything and follow the on-screen instructions to refresh your Windows installation.
- Wait for the process to finish. Once your computer has finished reinstalling your operating system, you should be able to get back into your PC without the error loop occurring.

15

Update your BIOS.

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Updating your BIOS is a last-ditch effort. If nothing else works, try updating your BIOS. Updating the BIOS manually can be tricky, and it can cause your computer to stop working if something goes wrong in the process. If you're not confident in updating the BIOS yourself, bring your computer to a computer repair shop and ask for assistance.
- Check your BIOS version if you can access your computer. If you can't access your computer, skip to the next step.
  - Search for msinfo in the taskbar search bar.
  - Click System Information.
  - Note down what it says your BIOS Version is.
  - Go to your motherboard manufacturer's website and check to see what the latest firmware version is for your motherboard. If your BIOS is outdated, continue with the next step.
- Download the latest BIOS firmware version. If you can't access your computer, you'll need to do this on a different computer.
- Put the BIOS firmware update on a USB drive. If you're doing this on your own computer, you can leave the drive inserted. If you're doing this on another computer, eject the drive once the update file copies over, then insert it into your computer.
- Restart your computer. If your computer is already turned off, you can turn it on.
- Press the BIOS/UEFI button. You'll want to hit the button to open your BIOS/UEFI when you see your motherboard logo pop up on the screen. The button to open the BIOS/UEFI for the most popular motherboard brands are listed below, but you may want to check your motherboard manual for specifics:
  - ASUS: Delete or F2
  - ASRock: Delete or F2
  - EVGA: Delete or F2
  - Gigabyte: Delete or F2
  - MSI: Delete
- Update your BIOS. How you install the update varies between motherboard manufacturers, but you should see an option to Update BIOS from Drive (or something similar). You may have to go to the Boot menu first.
  - Once the update is complete, restart your computer if it doesn't automatically restart.

16

Bring it to a computer repair technician.

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Contact a local computer repair shop for help. If you have exhausted all other options, a professional computer repair specialist might be able to help. The specialist may be able to diagnose the problem more effectively after seeing your PC in person. This is especially helpful if you can't determine which piece of hardware is causing the WHEA Uncorrectable error.
- A repair technician can help identify what hardware is broken. Make sure to ask your repair technician about warranty options if your computer's parts are still relatively new.
- To find a computer repair shop, look on your favorite search engine. Look for professional shops that have a number of good reviews, or get suggestions from friends and family for repair shops.
- If you have a laptop and you're getting the CPU over temperature error, going to a repair shop is the best bet. Laptops are difficult to fix on your own as the parts aren't always the easiest to remove or replace.