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Get the fix to "<strong>0xc0000124: WHEA UNCORRECTABLE ERROR</strong>" for<strong> Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8,</strong><strong> 8.1, </strong>and<strong> 10</strong> operating systems.
<h2>About the "<strong>0xc0000124</strong>" error</h2>
[kbintro]
<h3>Description and Symptoms</h3>
The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.
<h4>Symptom 1: 0xc0000124 error screen on startup</h4>
The 0x0000124 is a hardware error that indicates that your system has found an uncorrectable hardware error. It's also known as WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.

The most common cause is the CPU voltage being too low, but here are some other common causes for this error:
<ul>
 	<li>corrupt hardware: damaged hard disk, video card problem, RAM corruption, problems with the processor</li>
 	<li>driver compatibility issues (this especially happens for Windows 8.1 systems)</li>
 	<li>driver conflict</li>
 	<li>heat related problems, e.g. overclocking the system</li>
 	<li>a corrupt Windows registry</li>
 	<li>corrupt or removed Windows-specific system files</li>
</ul>
On Windows 8.1 systems, the screen will mention WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR, while on other systems you'll see the 0x0000124 error code instead:

<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/0x0000124-WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-3360 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/0x0000124-WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR.jpg" alt="Screenshot of 0x0000124 error" width="980" height="490" /></a>
<pre>:(

Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting some error info, and then we'll restart for you. (0% complete)

If you'd like to know more, you can search online later for this error: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR</pre>
<h3>Causes of this Error</h3>
This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:
<h4>Cause 1: Damaged hardware</h4>
One possible cause of this error is the hardware(memory, motherboard, hard drives or videocard) that became damaged. This is especially prominent in overclocked systems.
<h4>Cause 2: Driver conflicts</h4>
Another possible cause is a misconfigured or outdated driver that causes conflicts in the I/O system. This may happen after a driver update or an incorrect Windows upgrade(downgrade).
<h4>Cause 3: Corrupt registry or system files</h4>
The last possible cause of this error is an important system file, or a registry hive that is corrupt or missing. That may happen because of disk read/write errors, power outages or virus attacks.
<h2>Fixing "0xc0000124" on Windows</h2>
[setupcd]
<h3>Fix #1: Disable overclocking from BIOS</h3>
In order to fix the 0x0000124 (WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR) error on Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 systems, make sure the <strong>Overclocking</strong> feature from your computer's BIOS is disabled.

To do so, follow these methods to open BIOS.

<strong>Method #1: Complete shutdown</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Hold the <kbd>Shift</kbd> key while also pressing the <kbd>Shutdown</kbd> button</li>
 	<li>Select <strong>Restart</strong></li>
</ol>
<strong>Method #2: Open Charm Bar</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Press the [winkey] key and the <kbd>C</kbd> key (or swipe from the right of the screen) to open the Charm Bar</li>
 	<li>Click Settings</li>
 	<li>Click Change PC Settings</li>
 	<li>Click General</li>
 	<li>Click on Advanced Startup and then click <strong>Restart Now</strong></li>
 	<li>Go to Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options and then <strong>UEFI Firmware Settings</strong></li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Restart</strong></li>
</ol>
After your computer restarted, it should open into the BIOS menu automatically:
<ol>
 	<li>Go to <strong>Advanced</strong> tab</li>
 	<li>Go to <strong>Performance</strong></li>
 	<li>Look for a <strong>Overclocking</strong> option</li>
 	<li>Make sure it's disabled</li>
 	<li>If it's enabled, disable it</li>
 	<li>Save the settings and exit BIOS by hitting the <kbd>F10</kbd> key. Choose <strong>Yes</strong> if you're asked to exit with saving the changes</li>
</ol>
<h3>Fix #2: Check drivers</h3>
If you recently installed a new driver, make sure it's compatible with the Windows version you currently have on your computer.

To do so, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Start your computer</li>
 	<li>Press the [winkey] and <kbd>C</kbd> keys to open Charm Bar</li>
 	<li>Type <strong>Device Manager</strong> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Determine if there's any corrupt drivers installed (any errors reported) from the list of drivers installed.If there are no errors reported in Device Manager, update the software of your most recently installed driver.To do so, right-click on the drive and click <strong>Update Driver Software</strong>

[caption id="attachment_3363" align="alignnone" width="584"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/device-manager-update-driver-software.jpg"><img class="wp-image-3363 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/device-manager-update-driver-software.jpg" alt="Device Manager screen" width="584" height="309" /></a> Device Manager screen[/caption]</li>
</ol>
If you can't boot into Windows to run Device Manager, boot into <strong>Safe Mode</strong> and run Device Manager from there:
<ol>
 	<li>Insert the Windows installation media (DVD or USB)</li>
 	<li>Restart the computer</li>
 	<li>Press any key to boot from the media</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong>

[caption id="attachment_2111" align="alignnone" width="610"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-8-repair-your-computer-screen.png"><img class="wp-image-2111 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-8-repair-your-computer-screen.png" alt="Windows 8 Repair Your Computer Menu" width="610" height="430" /></a> Windows 8 Repair Your Computer Menu[/caption]</li>
 	<li>Click Troubleshoot</li>
 	<li>Click Advanced options</li>
 	<li>Click Startup Settings</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Restart</strong></li>
 	<li>At the <em>Startup Settings</em> screen, press <kbd>F4</kbd> to boot into Safe Mode

[caption id="attachment_1398" align="alignnone" width="980"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Windows-8-Advanced-Boot-Options.png"><img class="wp-image-1398 size-large" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Windows-8-Advanced-Boot-Options-1024x767.png" alt="Windows 8 Advanced Boot Options/Startup Settings" width="980" height="734" /></a> Windows 8 Advanced Boot Options/Startup Settings[/caption]</li>
</ol>
<h3>Fix #3: Run chkdsk or Windows Memory Diagnostic</h3>
To troubleshoot if the 0x0000124 (WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR) error is caused by a corrupt or failing hard drive or memory, you can run the following tools:
<ul>
 	<li>chkdsk</li>
 	<li>Windows Memory Diagnostic</li>
 	<li>Easy Recovery Essentials</li>
</ul>
To run chkdsk, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Press the [winkey] and <kbd>C</kbd> keys to open Charm Bar</li>
 	<li>Type <code>cmd</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Right-click on <strong>Command Prompt</strong> from the results list</li>
 	<li>Click <strong>Run as Administrator</strong></li>
 	<li>Once Command Prompt has loaded, type:
<pre>chkdsk C: /f</pre>
Replace <code>C:</code> with the letter of the drive where your Windows is installed.</li>
</ol>
To run Windows Memory Diagnostic, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Press the [winkey] and <kbd>C</kbd> keys to open the search box from Charm Bar</li>
 	<li>Type <code>Windows Memory Diagnostic</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Click on <strong>Windows Memory Diagnostic</strong> from the search results list</li>
 	<li>Continue with the Windows Memory Diagnostic wizard to complete the process and wait for the results</li>
</ol>
To run Easy Recovery Essentials and automatically detecting if your hard disk or RAM memory is corrupt or is failing, follow these steps:

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<h2>Fix 0x0000124 in Windows 10. 8, 7, Vista, XP</h2>
<h3>Fix #1: Reset BIOS</h3>
An easy method to fix the 0x0000124 error is to reset your computer's BIOS to its default settings.
<p class="info">For more information and methods to reset BIOS to its default settings, <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/reset-bios-cmos/">read this guide</a>.</p>
To do so, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Restart your computer</li>
 	<li>Press the necessary key to open BIOS. The usual key is <kbd>Del</kbd> or <kbd>F12</kbd>, but other manufacturers may request different keys to access BIOS.

[caption id="attachment_1419" align="alignnone" width="450"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Dell-POST.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1419 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Dell-POST.jpg" alt="Dell BIOS screen showing special key options" width="450" height="337" /></a> Notice the key guide in the top-right corner.[/caption]</li>
 	<li>Find the option to reset the BIOS to its default settings. It can be named like any of the following: Load Default, Load Fail-Safe Defaults, Load BIOS Defaults, Load Default Settings, Load Setup Default, Get Default Values</li>
 	<li>Save the changes by pressing the <kbd>F10</kbd> key to exit BIOS with saving the changes</li>
</ol>
<h3>Fix #2: Check drivers</h3>
<a href="#Fix_0x0000124_in_Windows_8">Follow the same steps from the Windows 8 instructions</a> on how to check for errors with currently installed drivers and/or update the software for drivers.

You need to make sure that the software for each driver installed is compatible with your Windows version you are currently running.

If you can't boot into Windows, boot into Safe Mode to open Device Manager:
<ol>
 	<li>Boot the computer</li>
 	<li>Press the <kbd>F8</kbd> key before the Windows logo appears to open <strong>Advanced Boot Options</strong> menu</li>
 	<li>At <em>Advanced Boot Options</em> menu, select <strong>Safe Mode</strong></li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_1397" align="alignnone" width="1024"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Advanced-Boot-Options-menu.png"><img class="wp-image-1397 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/09/Advanced-Boot-Options-menu.png" alt="The Advanced Boot Options screen in Windows Vista" width="1024" height="768" /></a> The Advanced Boot Options screen in Windows Vista[/caption]
<h3>Fix #3: Run chkdsk or Windows Memory Diagnostic</h3>
The steps to run chkdsk and Windows Memory Diagnostic tool are similar to <a href="#Fix_0x0000124_in_Windows_8">those of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 systems</a>.

To run chkdsk, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Start</li>
 	<li>Type <code>cmd</code> in the search box and click <strong>Command Prompt</strong> from the search results list. On a Windows XP system, click Start &gt; Run &gt; Type cmd, click OK.</li>
 	<li>When Command Prompt has loaded, type:
<pre>chkdsk c: /f /x /r</pre>
Where <code>c:</code> is the letter of the drive where Windows is installed on.</li>
 	<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4545" align="alignnone" width="980"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/chkdsk.png"><img class="wp-image-4545 size-large" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/chkdsk-1024x768.png" alt="chkdsk utility results" width="980" height="735" /></a> chkdsk utility results[/caption]

To run Windows Memory Diagnostic, follow these isntructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Click <strong>Start</strong></li>
 	<li>Type <code>Windows Memory Diagnostic</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Choose <strong>Restart now and check for problems</strong></li>
 	<li>The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool will restart your computer and run shortly after booting</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_3362" align="alignnone" width="381"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/windows-memory-diagnostic-tool-restart-now.jpg"><img class="wp-image-3362 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/04/windows-memory-diagnostic-tool-restart-now.jpg" alt="Windows Memory Diagnostic screen" width="381" height="290" /></a> Windows Memory Diagnostic screen[/caption]
<h2>General fixes for 0x0000124</h2>
The following fixes can apply to all computers, regardless of Windows version installed (XP, Vista, 7 or 8).

<strong>Tip #1: Check the cooling system</strong>

Make sure your computer is properly cooled.

<strong>Tip #2: Clean and/or remove hardware</strong>

Try removing unimportant hardware pieces from your computer and restart the system to check if a certain piece of hardware is causing the 0x0000124 error.

Make sure your computer is not plugged-in/powered on!

You can also try to clean the hardware from your computer, e.g. clean the RAM sockets as much as possible.

<strong>Tip #3: Reinstall Windows</strong>

If the above tips aren't working and the specific Windows instructions doesn't work either to fix the 0x0000124 error, try to reinstall Windows.
<h2>More Information</h2>
<h3>Linked Entries</h3>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/chkdsk/">chkdsk</a></li>
 	<li><a href="//neosmart.net/wiki/reset-bios-cmos/">Reset BIOS</a></li>
</ul>
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