Fix DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error in Windows 10

The DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error often occurs when watching videos on the Internet or playing games, and is usually associated with a problem with the disk or its driver.

DPC is an acronym for Deferred Procedure Call, and Watchdog refers to an error checking program that monitors programs and PC performance.

In some cases, this blue screen error may occur along with another BSOD and have a common cause, as stated in the Microsoft help. For example, the disk driver did not respond to requests in time and received an IRQL BSOD, but instead, DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION will be shown. In other words, Windows 11 or Windows 10 was unable to receive a response from a hardware device like a disk, its driver or associated program from the device.

Run disk check

In most cases, the DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION blue screen of death indicates a disk problem. Therefore, you first need to check the disk for errors, and then restore system files if they were damaged. To do this, run Command Prompt as administrator and enter the following commands in order:

chkdsk /f /r
sfc /scannow

If you are asked to confirm, press the Y .

Test of RAM sticks

Diagnosing the status of RAM is a built-in feature in Windows 8 and 10, it is presented in the form of the Windows Memory Checker .

Run the utility shown in the screenshot, check your computer for memory problems, and then restart your PC.

The computer will reboot, after which the monitor will display the process of scanning the RAM for incorrect operation.

Once the process is completed, the system will restart on its own. The scan results will appear in the Windows notification menu.

If the RAM still does not work correctly, you will need to replace the non-functioning strips.

Update IDE ATA/ATAPI Drivers

Press Win+X and select Device Manager. Expand the column “ IDE ATA/ATAP I controllers ” and below in the branch, right-click on the controller, then “ Update driver ”.

Select " Browse this computer for driver software "

Click on “ Select a driver from the list of available drivers on this computer .”

Select Standard SATA AHCI Controller and click Next. Restart your computer.

Windows Update

Lack of the latest system updates is a common cause of errors. To exclude it, install all available updates.

Open "Settings" of Windows 10.
Go to the “Update and Security” section.
On the “Windows Update” tab we look to see if there are any new updates. If an error message is displayed in the window, click “Retry” to check for updates again. After detecting the updates, click on the “Download and install now” button.

This system is long overdue for an update.

The main task is to install all the updates that are available for the operating system. After installing them, we check whether the error has disappeared.

Update your SSD/HDD driver

Incompatible SSD firmware can also be a possible reason for DPC Watchdog error to occur in Windows 10 and Windows 11. In this case, you need to update and install the same for disk devices in the above way with SATA AHCI.

Go to Device Manager using the methods described above.
Expand the disks section, and right-click on your SSD drive, then select Update driver .
Update the driver manually from the list of available ones.
In addition, you can download the driver from the official website of the SSD manufacturer by searching Google or Yandex.

Symptoms of DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION Error

An error appears in the Windows environment when any program stops running.
The same error, but with number 0x00000133 .
An error appears on a blue background with the device constantly rebooting.
Rebooting the device after launching the problematic program and error code 0x00000133 appears.
The reason is in the video adapter drivers, USB 3.0, SATA AHCI, Wi-Fi, LAN.
The culprit is a tracking tool that responds to long pending call routines or IRQs (system interrupts).
There is a delay when inputting from the keyboard and mouse.

Why does this error appear?

There are different cases, but the most common are:

Outdated software and drivers.
Damaged registry.
Viruses.
Hard drive or SSD failure.
Damage to RAM.

Check hardware and software compatibility

Incompatible hardware may be responsible for the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error.

A) Hardware compatibility

If you use multiple external USB devices on your computer, disable them all. If the error disappears, then start connecting one device at a time and restart the PC each time. This way you will identify the culprit of the problem. This also applies to external drives if you have several of them and it is possible to disconnect them.

B) Software compatibility

Sometimes, specific software can cause this type of BSOD error. If you have experienced this problem recently, try uninstalling recent programs or updating them. If you're not sure what to do, then System Restore can help you roll back your system a couple of days to a working state.

Setting up Quick Launch

By default, Windows 10 has Fast Startup enabled. When you shut down your computer, the system saves basic information to a file, just like in hibernation mode. The next time you turn on Windows, it starts from this file much faster than if you booted it from scratch. However, sometimes due to fast startup, errors occur, among which is “DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION”. To get rid of them, you need to disable this feature.

Right-click on the Start menu or press the Win+X key combination to open the system context menu.
Go to the “Power Management” section.
Scroll down the window and click on the “Advanced power settings” link.
Go to the “Actions of the power buttons” section.
Read also: How to fix problems with light sensors on Android
Additional power options
Click on the link “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”
Uncheck the box next to “Enable fast startup”.
Disabling Fast Startup

After disabling fast startup, reboot the computer to apply the configuration and repeat the steps that led to the error. She shouldn't appear again this time.

Launch Event Viewer

Running Event Viewer will help you find out the culprit causing the DPC Watchdog error in Windows 10.

Press the Win+X and select “ Event Viewer ” from the list.
Next, go to Windows Logs > System > and in the middle of the window you will see some entries with a warning sign. Here you will get detailed information about what may be causing the problem.

Other ways to get rid of dpc watchdog violation error

The methods below have already been described using the links I provided. Use them if nothing helps at all.

Use special programs and methods to check RAM for errors.
Defragment your hard drive.
You can use a restore point and go back to the moment when everything worked fine.
Clean your system of junk and temporary files, for example, using CCleaner.
Use special utilities to detect overheating of components. You can use AIDA64.
Use the Debugging Tools for Windows utility, which identifies various problems in Windows.

Bottom line

This error is a serious malfunction in the system, so it must be taken seriously. An effective method of fixing the problem is only reinstallation, but this should be resorted to if the methods described above did not help.

Remove Synaptic Default Drivers

Synaptic drivers have been reported in the Watchdog Violation DPC error. In this case, removing them may fix the problem.

Press Win+R and enter the command devmgmt.msc to open Device Manager.
Now find mice and other pointing devices from the list and double-click on it to expand.
Next, right-click on Synaptics PS/2 Port Touch and select Uninstall devices .
Restart your computer or laptop and the system will reinstall the mouse drivers and the error should disappear.

See also:

Fix Kernel Security Check Failure on Windows 10
CHKDSK: Checking and repairing your hard drive in Windows 10
The file is not a Win32 application
Can't connect to WiFi or Local Network in Windows 10
Why Ntoskrnl.exe System is using CPU and Memory in Windows 10

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BlueScreen View program

A small utility called BlueScreen View will help the user determine which specific driver is out of date (or malfunctioning). You can download it from the link https://www.softportal.com/software-19793-bluescreenview.html. The functionality of the program is to analyze a memory dump file.

In order for the program to be effective for the problem under consideration, you must enable the saving of memory dump files on the system.

RMB on start, a menu will open. Item "System". Next - “ Advanced system settings ” - “Advanced” - “Boot and recovery”.
Select "Boot and Recovery" - "Options».
Check everything that is shown in the screenshot.
Now the dump files will be saved.

Let's return to the BlueScreen View program. Run it after the error occurs to detect the problem.

The user is only interested in files with .sys resolution , as well as ntoskrnl.exe.