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What is DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10?
Regardless of whether the error message you see is “Your PC ran into a problem that it couldn't handle” or “Your PC needs to restart due to a problem,” if the stop code is DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION, they mean the same thing.
"DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION" is a common Windows error message that indicates a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) issue. Before diving into the solutions, let me first explain what DPCs are and why this error occurs.
DPC stands for Deferred Procedure Call. It is a mechanism in the Microsoft Windows operating system that allows high-priority tasks to defer the execution of necessary but lower-priority tasks. DPCs enable device drivers and other low-level event consumers to schedule their processing intelligently by executing higher-priority tasks first and handling non-critical tasks later.
The mechanism in the Microsoft Windows operating system that monitors DPC performance is called the DPC Watchdog Timer. This timer detects if a single DPC routine or a chain of queued DPC routines is running for too long. If a DPC routine (or routines) exceeds the time limit (typically, a DPC routine should not run for more than 100 milliseconds), a DPC Watchdog Violation error occurs.
What causes the "DPC Watchdog Violation" error?
Unlike other boot issues caused by system changes or corrupted system files, such as the Windows Automatic Repair Loop, a DPC Watchdog Violation error is mainly triggered by incompatibilities between software and hardware on your computer. What could cause such a conflict? It might be:
- Installing updates
- Software installation
- Driver installation
- Connecting external hardware
Thinking about these possible causes can lead you to solutions.
How to Fix DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10
Usually, you'll run into this error after installing an update or while using your device. The exact solution will vary depending on your situation.
Scenario 1: Fixing DPC Watchdog Violation after a Windows Update or Installation
If you get the Blue Screen of Death with the error code DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION after installing an update, the corresponding fix would be to simply uninstall that update.
How do you uninstall updates on a computer that won't start? You'll need to access the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), and then boot into Safe Mode. WinRE gives you several built-in Windows recovery options, such as System Restore, System Image Recovery, Startup Repair, and Startup Settings, which includes options related to Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode of Windows that only loads the most basic drivers and services to start Windows, which can help you troubleshoot problems.
How to enter Safe Mode in Windows 10:
Step 1: Hold down the Power button for 10 seconds to turn off the computer.
Step 2: Press and hold the power button to turn on your computer. When you see a sign that Windows is starting (such as the manufacturer's logo), press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to turn off the device.
Step 3: Press the power button to turn on the computer. After Windows restarts, hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your PC.
Step 4. Press the power button to start your PC. This time, don't interrupt it. Your PC should boot into WinRE.
5. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
Step 6: After the restart, you will see a list of options similar to the one shown below. Select "5" or press "F5" to start in Safe Mode with Networking.
Now, in Safe Mode, you can uninstall the update that's causing the DPC Watchdog Violation error on your Windows 10 PC.
Step 1: Type "Control Panel" in the search bar, then click on "Control Panel" from the search results.
Step 2: Choose 'Programs and Features' and then click 'View installed updates' on the left-hand side.
Step 3: To see the most recent updates, click on "Installed On" to sort the updates in descending order.
4. For any suspicious updates, right-click on them and choose Uninstall. Confirm by selecting Yes.
Step 5: After the uninstallation, click “Restart Now” to restart your computer.
Scenario 2: Resolving the DPC Watchdog Violation issue while using a device
If the error occurs while you're using your computer, try to recall if you installed new software, updated a driver, or connected an external device. If you did, uninstall the software, rollback/disable/uninstall the driver, or remove the external hardware to fix the DPC Watchdog Violation error.
Method 1: Remove External Devices
When you see the blue screen, unplug all non-essential peripherals connected to your computer, then allow it to restart on its own. If your computer boots up without issue, you've successfully resolved the “DPC Watchdog Violation” error. If not, you'll need to proceed with uninstalling problematic software or drivers.
To do this, you will also need to enter Safe Mode using the same method as detailed in Situation 1 above. Then, follow these steps:
Method 2: Uninstall Recently Installed Programs
If you had just installed a program before the error occurred, follow these steps.
In Safe Mode, click Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
Step 2: Sort the programs by installation date.
Step 3. Click on the program you want to remove, then select "Uninstall."
Step 4: Restart your computer.
Method 3: Change the SATA AHCI Controller
A Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error is usually caused by a problematic driver, and the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error is particularly associated with the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, specifically those using the SATA AHCI controller. This driver is responsible for the data exchange between storage devices and their memory. Replacing the driver might help resolve the issue.
Step 1: Type Device Manager in the search box, and then select Device Manager from the results.
Step 3: Right-click on "Standard SATA AHCI Controller" and select "Properties."
Step 4: Click the "Driver" tab, and then click "Driver Details". If you see multiple driver files, proceed to the next step. If you only see one driver file, try the next method.
5. Click “Update Driver,” then choose “Browse my computer for driver software.”
Step 6: Click on “Browse my computer for driver software.”
Step 7: Select the driver, and then click Next.
Step 8: Restart your computer.
Method 4: Roll back, disable, or uninstall the driver
The DPC Watchdog Violation error in Windows 10 can also be caused by a driver you recently installed. For third-party drivers, you can roll them back, disable, or uninstall them.
Step 1: Type "Device Manager" in the search box, and then select Device Manager from the results.
Step 2: Expand the device that contains the driver you want to update.
Step 3: Right-click the driver and select Properties.
4. Go to the “Driver” tab and choose “Roll Back Driver,” “Disable Device,” or “Uninstall Device.” (Some drivers that come with the system can't be disabled.)
Method 5: Check and fix disk errors
If none of the above solutions work, you can use a bootable data recovery software to recover files from your computer or use a partition tool like Partition Master as a bootable media. This will allow you to enter the Windows Preinstallation Environment with disk management tools that can be used to fix disk errors and resolve DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION. If the boot issue persists, you can also clone the disk to save your data. (First, you need to create a bootable disk, then boot the problematic computer from this disk and follow the steps below to fix the disk errors.)
Use the Partition Master tool to check and fix disk errors:
Step 1: Open Partition Master on your computer. Then, locate the disk and right-click the partition you wish to check. Select “Advanced” > “Check File System.”
<Step 2> In the Check Disk Utility dialog box, select the option to Try to repair errors when found, and then click Start.
Step 3: The software will now start checking the partition file system on the disk. When it's done, click “Finish.”
These are practical solutions to the DPC Watchdog Violation error in Windows 10.
Knowledge Base
There can be over 100 different Stop error codes that you might encounter during a blue screen crash. Each one can indicate a possible cause and suggest potential solutions. Some codes have the same viable fix. For example, the fix for a DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION in Windows 10 can also apply to the following error codes to fix a blue screen issue:
- Critical process died
- System thread exception not handled
- IRQL not less than or equal
- Detection of video TDR timeout
- Paging fault in non-paged area
- System service exception
If you happen to run into any of these blue screens or any other error code, try the fixes outlined in this article.
Bottom line
Believe it or not, fixing the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error is a lot easier than dealing with other Blue Screen of Death errors that might require you to edit the registry, use the command prompt, or fix issues with your system. As long as you can get into Safe Mode, you can resolve this issue with some simple steps.