Starting with Windows 8, the dpc watchdog violation message is used instead of the classic blue "death screen", which, despite the redesigned design, still indicates a critical malfunction. There may be several reasons for this error, and all of them require a separate solution. This will be discussed in this article.
SSD issues
One of the most common causes of dpc watchdog violation errors is problems with the firmware of the SSD drive. The fact is that Windows can not always correctly interact with these devices without updating the corresponding software and, as a result, system failures occur. To fix this:
- Go to the "Device Manager" and open the category "Disk Devices".
- Find your SSD and rewrite its model.
- Next, go to the website of the manufacturer of your device and download the firmware for your drive from there.
- Run the installer and wait for the software update procedure to complete.
After that, restart the computer and check if the dpc watchdog violation message appears. If the problem was precisely in the SSD, then this malfunction should no longer bother you.
Driver update
Newer versions of drivers do not always work stably and can lead to all kinds of malfunctions. In particular, because of this, an annoying dpc watchdog violation error may appear in Windows 8 or 10. The problem can be fixed by removing the problem software, and it is done like this:
- Open Add or Remove Programs.
- Sort all the programs that are on your computer by the date they were installed.
- Find the drivers in the list that were updated immediately before the first dpc watchdog violation error occurred (pay special attention to the video card driver) and delete them.
- Reboot the computer.
If, after you uninstall the drivers, the error no longer occurs, it means they led to malfunctions in the operating system. In this case, you can download and install one of the earlier versions of the driver or wait until the developers release the patch with the fixes.
Return to successful configuration
It happens that due to a dpc watchdog violation error, the operating system cannot start at all. In this case, you can return to the last successful configuration, thereby eliminating the cause of the malfunction. For this:
- As soon as the computer starts up, press the F8 key. Please note that on laptops this “magic button” may be different, so it is advisable to first study the instructions for your device.
- If everything is done correctly, you will see a menu with the ability to select one of the options for further actions.
- Highlight the “Return to Successful Configuration” line and press Enter.
The computer will restart again, and the system will start up with the most suitable settings. In most cases, this will help you fix the problem.
Viruses
All kinds of malicious programs negatively affect the performance of the OS, so it cannot be ruled out that the dpc watchdog violation error appears precisely because of them. To solve the problem:
- Download some portable antivirus. For example, you can use the CureIt utility or any similar utility.
- Restart your computer, press the F8 button, and select “Safe Mode”.
- Perform a full scan of your PC using an antivirus utility.
- If threats are detected, eliminate them by following the advice of the antivirus.
After the malware search is complete, try starting the operating system normally.
Other reasons
In addition to the above reasons, errors may result in:
- Incorrect operation of the SATA AHCI controller . To fix it, you need to download the appropriate driver from the device manufacturer’s website, and then install it.
- File system issues. In most cases, you can fix them by performing a disk check.
- Mechanical damage. Only a specialized workshop will help you with this problem.
Also do not forget that you can always reinstall the operating system. Of course, this is an extreme measure, but sometimes it is the only option.