(Solved!) DPC Watchdog Violation Error Windows 10

As one of the DSOD errors, DPC Watchdog Violation might occur during the Windows startup process. When such an error happens, you will see your computer keeps restarting until you find ways to fix it. Read on to learn what the DPC Watchdog Violation is, what does it indicate, and how to fix the DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10.

DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION is a common BSOD error code in Windows. Before introducing the solutions from EaseUS to the problem, I'd like to explain what a DPC is and why the error arises.

What Is DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10

DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) is a Windows utility that monitors unresponsive programs. It helps maintain system stability by ensuring that DPC routines, which are used to handle interrupts from hardware devices, are completed within a reasonable time frame. DPC enables device drivers and other low-level event consumers to arrange their processing reasonably by performing prioritized tasks first and non-critical tasks later.

The Microsoft Windows mechanism that monitors the performance of DPC is called the DPC Watchdog Timer. The DPC Watchdog Time will detect whether a DPC routine or a series of queued DPC routines run for too long. If the DPC routine(s) exceeds the time limit (A typical DPC routine should run at most 100ms), the DPC Watchdog Violation error will occur.

What's the Cause of the DPC Watchdog Violation Error

The DPC_Watchdog_Violation error is a common issue encountered by many Windows users. This error usually occurs when the Deferred Procedure Call routine takes longer than expected to execute, leading to system instability. Here are the primary causes of this error:

• Outdated or Damaged Device Drivers: Outdated, corrupted, or improperly installed device drivers for hardware components such as graphics cards, network adapters, and storage devices can lead to DPC_Watchdog_Violation.
• Incompatible Hardware: Incompatible hardware that you installed recently might trigger this error in your system.
• Software Conflicts: Conflicts between applications that attempt to use the same system resources can lead to this violation.
• Firmware Issues: Outdated firmware for devices, particularly Solid State Drives (SSDs), can also be a culprit.
• Corrupted System Files: Damage or corruption in system files can prevent Windows from operating correctly, leading to the DPC Watchdog Violation error.
• Windows Update Issues: This problem can be caused by recent Windows update bugs or corruption.

How to Fix DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10

Now that you've understood why DPC Watchdog Violation might happen, let's see how to fix this error on your PC.

1. Fix 1. Remove External Devices
2. Fix 2. Change SATA AHCI Controller
3. Fix 3. Update SSD Firmware
4. Fix 4. Check and Fix Disk Errors
5. Fix 5. Use BSOD Repair Tool
6. Fix 6. Uninstall the Recent Windows Update
7. Fix 7. Uninstall Recent-Installed Software
8. Fix 8. Rollback, Disable, or Uninstall Driver

Fix 1. Remove External Devices

If the DPC Watchdog Violation BSOD error pops up after you connect an external device to the computer, remove those peripherals and restart your PC.

To identify the cause of the problem, you can connect and check these peripheral devices one by one. If your DPC Watchdog Violation shows up after you connect one of them, remove it from your computer to solve the issue.

 

Fix 2. Change SATA AHCI Controller

Blue screen errors are usually caused by problematic drivers and the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error is usually related to IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers that have the SATA AHCI controller. This driver controls the data exchange between the storage devices and its memory. Changing the driver may help to solve the issue.

Step 1. Type device manager in the search bar and choose "Device Manager" from the result.

Step 2. Expand "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers".

Step 3. Right-click "Standard SATA AHCI Controller" and choose "Properties".

Step 4. Go to the "Driver" tab and click "Driver Details."

Step 5. If the driver file name is "storahci.sys," go back and click "Update Driver."

Step 6. Choose "Browse my computer for driver software" > "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer" and then select "Standard SATA AHCI Controller."

Step 7. After the updating, restart the computer to finish the process.

Fix 3. Update SSD Firmware

If the DPC_Watchdog_Violation is due to outdated or incompatible SSD firmware, you should be able to fix the error by updating the SSD driver.

Step 1. Press "Windows" + "X" and open Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand the "Disk drives" section and note down the model number of your SSD.

Step 3. Visit the SSD manufacturer's website (e.g., Samsung, Crucial, Kingston). Download and launch the appropriate utility tool for your SSD model. It should automatically detect your SSD and install the latest firmware.

If these methods help you resolve the issue, don't forget to share it with others who might benefit from it.

Fix 4. Check and Fix Disk Errors

If none of the solutions above works, you can create a bootable media using a partition tool like EaseUS Partition Master Professional. It will help you boot your computer into the Windows Preinstallation Environment packaged with disk management utility, with which you can fix disk errors to solve the DPC Watchdog Violation error and clone the disk to rescue your data if the boot issue persists.

You need to create a bootable disk, boot the problematic computer from it, and then follow the steps below to fix the disk errors.

Step 1. Open EaseUS Partition Master on your computer. Then, locate the disk, right-click the partition you want to check, and choose "Advanced" > "Check File System".

Step 2. In the Check File System window, keep the "Try to fix errors if found" option selected and click "Start".

Step 3. The software will begin checking your partition file system on your disk. When it completes, click "Finish".

Fix 5. Use BSOD Repair Tool

Not only can EaseUS Partition Master check disk errors, but it can also be a BSOD repair tool that helps users analyze blue screen errors and offers corresponding causes and solutions. With its Boot Repair feature, you can fix BSOD errors with a few simple clicks.

If your computer is unbootable now, start with Step 1 here. If it's bootable, move to Step 3 and start the process.

Step 1. Prepare a new PC and create a bootable media with EaseUS Partition Master

• On a new computer, connect an empty USB to your PC.
• Install and launch EaseUS Partition Master, go to the Bootable Media section, select "Create bootable media" and click "Next".
• Select the empty USB or external disk as target disk to create the bootable media for creating a Blue Screen error check tool.

Step 2. Boot PC from EaseUS bootable USB

Then, connect the bootable USB to your PC with Blue screen error, and reboot PC from the USB by configuring it as a boot drive. The process is: restart PC, press F2/F8/F11/Del key to enter BIOS, go to boot menu and configure the USB as boot drive, save changes and restart the PC.

Step 3. Enable EaseUS Partition Master with its Boot Repair feature, and open "Blue Screen" tool.

When EaseUS Partition Master launches, go to the Toolkit section and click "Boot Repair".

Then, click "Blue Screen" and click the listed Blue Screen error to check it's details. Or, you can type in a specific blue screen code or description to find the respective answer for fixing it.

Step 4. Fix blue screen error

• Now, you can follow the solution guide to get rid of the respective BSOD or blue screen issue from your PC.
• If it doesn't work, you can also click the "Live Chat" button to request a remote assistance for fixing this issue with the help of EaseUS tech support team.

Fix 6. Uninstall the Recent Windows Update

If the blue screen of death with the error code DPC Watchdog Violation prompts after the installation of an update, the corresponding fix is to uninstall the update directly. 

Step 1. Enter control panel in the search bar and click "Control Panel" from the search result.

Step 2. Among the options, choose "Programs and Features", then click "View installed updates" on the left-hand side.

Step 3. To view the latest updates, click "Installed On" to list the updates in decreasing order.

Step 4. To uninstall the suspicious update, right-click it and choose "Uninstall", then choose "Yes" to confirm.

Step 5. After the uninstallation, click "Restart Now" to restart the computer.

🚩Read also: How to Stop Windows 10 Update in Progress in 3 Ways

Fix 7. Uninstall Recent-Installed Software

Follow the steps here if you have just installed a program before the error occurs.

Step 1. In safe mode, click "Start" > "Settings" > "Apps" > "Apps & features".

Step 2. Set to sort the programs by "Install data".

Step 3. Click the target software and choose "Uninstall".

Step 4. Restart the computer.

Fix 8. Rollback, Disable, or Uninstall Driver

The DPC Watchdog Violation error in Windows 10 could also result from the latest driver you installed. For the third-party driver, you can rollback, disable, or uninstall the driver.

Step 1. Type device manager in the search bar and choose "Device Manager" from the result.

Step 2. Expand the device that contains the driver you want to make changes to.

Step 3. Right-click the driver and choose "Properties".

Step 4. Go to the "Driver" tab, choose "Roll Back Driver", "Disable Device" or "Uninstall Device". (You can't disable some system-required drivers.)

Knowledge Base

There are more than 100 stop error codes that may appear in a blue screen of death. Each may suggest a possible cause and imply the potential solution. Some codes have the same workable solutions. For example, the fixes for the DPC Watchdog Violation error in Windows 10 can also be applied to fix a BSOD with the following error codes:

• CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
• SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
• VIDEO_TDR_TIMEOUT_DETECTED
• IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
• PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

If you happen to encounter these blue screen errors or other error codes, you can use the methods in this article to have a try.

The Bottom Line

Believe it or not, fixing the DPC Watchdog Violation error is comparatively easy compared with other blue screen errors that may involve changing registry, using command lines or fixing system related issues. Especially with the assistance from EaseUS Partition Master, which contains a powerful Boot Repair function and BSOD analyze utility.