If your PC gets stuck, makes a noise, shows a blue screen with a DPC_Watchdog_Violation error, and restarts. This indicates “Your PC ran into a Problem” and you need to fix this issue ASAP. This is a DPC Watchdog Violation error, which is common in Windows 10 and Windows 11. This comprehensive guide will show you why this error appears and how to fix it quickly. Make sure to follow each step carefully to solve this issue.
The DPC Violation error occurs randomly but persistently on PCs running Windows 10 or 11. Microsoft released several updates to fix this issue. But sometimes this appears due to invalid drivers, corrupt software, or damaged hardware. To solve this issue, you just need to know what this error means and what are the main causes of this bluescreen error.
Table of contents
What is the DPC Watchdog Protocol?
The DPC Watchdog is a built-in feature of Windows, designed to monitor the performance of Deferred Procedure Calls (DPCs). It is used to prevent system crashes, Monitor DPC execution time, and Detect excessive delays. But sometimes, an outdated driver, corrupt software, or faulty hardware causes it to show DPC_Watchdog_Violation error.
Main Causes of DPC Watchdog Violation
Before getting into the solution, we need to identify the main cause of this issue. Once you identify the problem, it will be easy for you to solve it on your computer. Here are the main causes of the bluescreen of death error(BSOD).
- Faulty Portable device: If your portable device is not responding to your system, you will see a Bluescreen and your system will restart.
- Corrupt drivers: If you have manually updated your drivers from unauthorized sources.
- Hardware issue: If your Hard Drive or Graphic card is not properly installed or damaged.
- Software Conflict: If your recently installed software conflicts with your system files.
- Malware Attack: A malware attack can temper your internal system files, causing the system to show a Violation screen.
- BIOS Issue: If your BIOS settings in incorrectly configured, you will see this error.
- Memory Overload: Faulty RAM can cause system instability and lead to DPC Violation.
How to Quickly Fix DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 10 or Windows 11
After identifying the root cause of the Violation screen, it is time to fix this issue in your computer. Carefully follow these methods as mentioned below. The first ones are the quickest while the later options significantly take more time.
Undo Changes
Remember, what was the last change that you made to your PC? Like any Hardware Change, software installation, or driver update. If you know what was your last change, Undo it, most Windows users found that it fixed their issue. If you don’t know what is your last change, go through other methods.
Remove Portable Devices
Disconnect all portable devices (e.g. external storage, data cables, USB devices) from your system. These devices conflict with the system, leading to DPC Watchdog Violation errors. To rule out this possibility, remove all external devices:
- Unplug all USB devices, including flash drives, printers, SSD, scanners, and even Mouse and Keyboard.
- Restart your computer without any external device connected
- Now connect your devices one-by-one to identify if a specific device is causing the issue.
If your PC works fine without external devices, one of them is the cause of the problem. Updating their drivers, or replacing faulty ones will resolve this issue.
Update Your PC
Microsoft releases new updates to fix these types of bugs. If your computer is not updated with the latest version, update it now. A few months ago, Microsoft’s server caused a Blue Screen of Death error on millions of PCs worldwide. So, sometimes this is due to Microsoft’s failure and it happens if your PC is connected to the internet. Check for these types of News and keep your PC updated. Follow these steps to update your PC:
- Press
Windows + I
to open Settings. - Navigate to “Update & Security” from the bottom
- Click on “Windows Update” from the left sidebar and select “Check for updates“.
- Install available updates, and restart your computer to see if the problem is resolved. I hope your issue is resolved now.
Update Drivers
Does the error still persist? This might be due to incompatible/misconfigured drivers that are manually installed on your PC. These drivers conflict with Windows system files, causing a DPC Watchdog Violation BSOD error. You need to install/update Authorized drivers on your PC.
- Right-click on “This PC” from the Desktop and click on “Manage Button.”
- Navigate to “Device Manager” from the left sidebar.
- Search for “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers”.
- Right-click on this option and click on “Update Drivers“.
- Click on “Search Automatically for Drivers”, and update it.
Many users found that this method fixed their issues. A few months ago, I faced the same type of issue, when I was trying to update my Android device with a PC. When I connect my mobile to the computer, it blinks, shows Bluescreen for 1 second, and restarts. I noticed that I had installed the wrong driver for my device, so I uninstalled it and installed the correct one.
Scan System Files with Windows Defender
If the error still showing, this may be the work of corrupted system files prey of a Malware Attack. You need to scan your system for viruses and run a system file check (SFC) to check for damaged files.
- Open Windows Security on Your PC
- Navigate to “Virus and Threat” Protection.
- Run a quick scan
After that run the System File Check (SFC) to verify the integrity of all the content on your device.
- Open the Command Prompt as an Administrator
- Type
sfc /scannow
in cmd and press Enter.
- The tool will begin scanning and automatically repair any corrupted files.
- Restart your computer after the scan is complete.
If he finds any corrupted files, he will repair them. Then you have to restart your PC so that changes can take effect. If you do not, then you can close the Windows.
Remove Unnecessary Softwares
UnAuthorized and Unnecessary software often conflicts with the system files, leading to system instability. You can overcome this possibility by removing unnecessary Apps from your Windows.
- Press WIN+I to open the settings.
- Navigate to Apps
- Scroll through the list of installed applications and uninstall any software that might be causing the issue.
- Restart your computer after removing the software.
Never install unauthorized or cracked software because it is often patched with viruses and can damage your hardware.
Reset Your PC
If all else fails, Resetting your PC is the last resort. You have to reset your PC to go back to the original state. Don’t worry; it won’t remove, change, modify, or temper any of your files, folders, or Apps. It will give your PC a fresh look.
- Open Your Settings and Navigate to “Update&Security Section”.
- Select “Recovery” from the left sidebar
- Click on Get Started under “Reset this PC.”
- In the next Windows, you can choose whether you want to keep your files or not. Select Keep Your Files.
- On the next screen, choose whether you want a cloud download or a Local Reinstall. Select Local Reinstall if you have already downloaded a local copy of Windows, otherwise, go for “Cloud Download”.
- Click on Next and then ‘Confirm’ to begin the reset process.
It will take some time (depending on your system’s performance) to complete the process. Your computer will restart several times during this process.
After restarting your PC will work fine and all your errors related to BSOD and DPC Watchdog Violation are resolved now.
Conclusion
You can quickly fix DPC Watchdog Violation by following these methods. If you are not happy with this fix, you can install Windows from scratch but after that, you need to install important software again. Try to prevent such mistakes that lead to system failure. Because prevention is always better than cure. If you are facing any strange issue that is not mentioned here, tell us in the comment box, and we will give you a solution ASAP.
Also Check: How to Make a Bootable USB for Windows 11