Windows is a rather well-made and stable OS, but that doesn’t make it immune to the occasional bugs and glitches that users may face from time to time. While most of these errors do come with an error code and some explanation, it’s confusing at best for the regular user.
In this article, we’re talking about the DPC Watchdog Violation, its causes and how you can fix the problem.
What causes the DPC Watchdog Violation?
DPC here stands for Deferred Procedure Call, and watchdog refers to the bug checker that monitors and tracks your Windows programs and PC performance.
An error in this process can cause a BSoD and even render your PC unable to boot in extreme cases. The issue can be caused by several reasons, including hardware misconfigurations, software conflicts, outdated drivers in general or corrupt system files.
Also read: Windows update stuck at 0: 6 Fixes
How to fix the DPC Watchdog Violation?
Here are a few fixes you can try out to possibly resolve the DPC Watchdog violation.
Remove all new hardware
You should first turn your computer off and remove any new hardware or peripherals you may have added to your machine. Then, check to see if your PC boots fine or not.
If you’re removing multiple devices, remove them one at a time while rebooting your PC every time to isolate the faulty hardware.
Remove all new software
Like incompatible hardware can trigger this error, so can incorrect software. If you’ve installed any new programs recently, try removing them to see if that solves your problem.
Once again, if you’re removing multiple programs, remove them one at a time and reboot your PC each time to isolate the software at fault.
Also read: Generic PnP Monitor issue in Windows 10: 5 Fixes
Run the Event viewer
In order to isolate an issue on your PC, you can run the event viewer and watch out for any errors, warnings or notifications that may pop up indicating the real culprit behind the error.
You can launch the Even Viewer by simply pressing the Windows key and searching for it in the start menu. Once the tool is open, check the System folder for any errors or warnings.
Update your SSD drivers
Out of date SSD firmware can also cause this problem.
Step 1: Press Windows key + X to open the quick access menu and click on Device Manager.
Step 2: Select the hardware in question, right-click it and click on Update drivers.
This should help in fixing the problem.
Also read: How to fix “the plain http request was sent to https port”?
Run an SFC scan
Corrupt files are the number one reason why your PC might be behaving weirdly. Here’s how you can get rid of them and potentially resolve your issue.
Step 1: Press Windows Key + S to bring up the Cortana/Search box and search for Powershell. Open Windows Powershell from the search results.
Step 2: Type sfc /scannow to scan your system for issues.
Step 3: If the SFC scan finds any problem, use the following command to resolve them.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart your PC, and the error should’ve been resolved. If that doesn’t help, you can also run a DISM scan to fix any other errors by using this guide.
Run the Check Disk utility
The BSoD can very well be a sign of your boot drive failing to perform as it should. Try running the check disk utility to check whether or not your storage drives are, in fact, functional.
You can refer to our detailed guide here on how to run the check disk utility.
Also read: SD card reader not showing up in File Explorer: 6 fixes
Run the Windows hardware troubleshooter
Windows 10 comes with a few handy troubleshooters that can resolve a bunch of issues. However, for some reason, Microsoft has removed the hardware troubleshooter from the troubleshooter’s menu. So here’s an alternative way to run the hardware troubleshooter.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type cmd and hit enter.
Step 2: Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press enter. This will launch the hardware troubleshooter.
Proceed along as instructed by the troubleshooter.
Also read: How to rate my PC on Windows 10?
