Geek's Advice

Ways to Fix DPC Watchdog Violation on Windows 10/8/8.1

Pro Tip. Use a recommended Windows PC Repair tool to fix or replace damaged files to solve Blue Screen of Death errors.

Method 1. Remove external devices connected to your PC

You can fix DPC Watchdog Violation Windows 10 Error simply by removing or disconnecting all external devices such as hard drives, printers, SSDs, scanners.

1. Unplug one device at a time. Once you remove all of them, reboot your PC.
2. After reboot, test if the issue persists. If it went away, you’ll need to connect back one device at a time and see if the issue comes back. This way, you can identify the culprit and remove it for good.
   

Method 2. Fix faulty system files automatically

You might be dealing with DPC Watchdog Violation error in case there are some specific damaged or corrupted Windows 10 or 8 files. To fix the issue, you’ll need to run a single command via Windows Command Prompt with Administrator’s rights.

1. First of all, search for CMD in Windows Search. Right-click the result and choose Run as Administrator. Click Yes in UAC window.
2. In the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
   
3. Wait until the procedure is finished.

In case the scan doesn’t find any corrupted files, you can close the window and try another fix. If there are some corrupted files, restart your PC for changes to be applied.

Method 3. Run CHKDSK command

You can also check and fix disk errors on Windows 10 to fix DPC Watchdog Violation error by running CHKDSK command. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator again. Search cmd in Windows search, then right-click Command Prompt result and choose Run as Administrator. Click Yes in UAC.
2. In CMD, type chkdsk c: /f /r and press Enter.
3. Press Y and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer: press Windows key, then Power icon and choose Restart.

Method 4. Update SATA AHCI Controller Driver

Updating SATA AHCI Controller can fix DPC Watchdog Violation error instantly. Follow these easy steps to apply this fix.

1. Press Windows key + R to open Run prompt, then type devmgmt.msc and press OK.
   
2. In Device Manager, find category called IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers and double-click it to expand. Here, find SATA AHCI Controller.
   
3. Right-click the SATA AHCI Controller and choose Properties.
4. Go to Driver tab > Driver Details. Here, check if iaStorA.sys driver is listed. If so, you can proceed to the next step.
   
5. Close the Properties by clicking OK.
6. Right-click the SATA AHCI Controller again and click Update driver.
7. Click Browse my computer for driver software.
8. Next, click on Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
   
9. Next, choose Standard SATA AHCI Controller and press Next.
   

Method 5. Install the latest version of SSD Firmware

One of the reasons that cause DPC Watchdog Violation error could be outdated SSD Firmware version that you’re using. To fix this, you’ll need to update it. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Launch Device Manager by pressing Windows key + R, then typing devmgmt.msc in the Run prompt. Click OK.
   Or, you can press Windows key + X and choose Device Manager from the menu.
2. Next, double-click on Disk Drives.
3. Write down the number of your SSD somewhere.
   
4. Look it up online and visit the official manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware version.
5. Download and install the right and up-to-date firmware for your SSD.

Method 6. Uninstall recently added programs

If you have noticed that DPC Watchdog Violation BSOD error started appearing after installing several new programs, try uninstalling them one by one and then monitor whether your PC still triggers the discussed error.

It has been noticed that the issue often arises if the user installs two programs with identical functionality, which can lead to the error. For example, if you install two system cleaners or antivirus programs that run similar processes at once, they might conflict which one should run first, causing the DPC_Watchdog_Violation.

1. To uninstall unwanted programs, go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
2. Select the program to uninstall and click Uninstall. Then follow the instructions provided by the uninstall wizard.
   

Method 7. Find the cause of DPC Watchdog Violation via Event Viewer

Windows Event Viewer is a software which allows checking a history of application and system messages, such as error or crash details, warnings, and other messages. Therefore, you can use it to detect the issue that caused the DPC Watchdog Violation Blue Screen of Death on Windows 10 or 8 so you can investigate the issue in detail.

1. Press Windows key + X simultaneously. Choose Event Viewer from the menu.
2. Look at the left pane and expand the Windows Logs category by double-clicking on it.
3. Now, click on System.
4. Look at the middle pane and inspect events marked as Error or Warning and check for details about the DPC Watchdog Violation.

Method 8. Restore Windows to previous state

One of the easiest ways to fix DCP Watchdog Violation error on Windows is use a system restore point. This brings back your computer to state prior the changes that started causing the annoying Blue Screen of Death error.

Now, you should know that using System Restore point affects programs installed on Windows, system files, registry configurations, reverts any installed OS updates, and can delete files and folders saved on DESKTOP.

System Restore won’t affect your antivirus software, Documents folder, or personal files such as photos or emails.

Here’s how you can use the system restore options to fix the BSOD problem discussed previously.

1. Open Run prompt by pressing Windows key + R and type rstrui.exe into it. Press OK.
2. In System Restore, choose a restore point created prior to the date that the DCP Watchdog issue started occuring. Click Next and follow on-screen directions.
   
3. Check if the issue is solved now.