Blue Screen of Death error is one error which no Windows users would want to see, because this error leads to system crash and you might end up losing all unsaved work.

When you get BSOD screen error you don’t have any other option than rebooting your system. The DPC Watchdog violation error is one of the common BSOD errors experienced by Windows 8 and 10 users.

Many users don’t know what to do next, but there’s no need to worry as there are some quick fixes that could help you.

What is DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error?

The DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION bug check value is 0x00000133.  Whenever you see this bug value in BSOD, it indicates the DPC Watchdog has been executed which resulted in BSOD.

There can be many technical reasons behind it. One of the reasons behind DPC Watchdog execution is your SSD drive uses old firmware that is not supported by the operating system.

Another reason could be one of the hardware components has an outdated driver. For example, if your sound card has an outdated driver, you will get the DPC Watchdog violation error whenever you plug in the headphone.

Though rare, one of the software installations can also lead to DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION BSOD error.

Here are some solutions to fix the issue.

Solution 1 – Change SATA AHCI controller driver

• Press Windows key and X simultaneously on your keyboard
• Click Device Manager from the list

• In Device Manager window, go to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers and expand it

• Right-click SATA AHCI controller and select Properties

• You need to verify you have selected the right controller. Go to Driver tab and click Driver details

• If you see sys listed as a driver, click OK and proceed to the next step. On the other hand, if you see storachi.sys listed as a driver, click OK and abandon these troubleshooting steps and instead try Solution 2.

• In Driver tab, click Update Driver
• Select Browse my computer for driver software option

• Select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer option

• Select Standard SATA AHCI Controller, then click Next

• Follow on-screen instructions to change the SATA AHCI controller driver.
• After the update process is completed, restart the computer to apply changes.

Solution 2 – Use the Event Viewer to find more about the error

This is not actually a solution but it would help you find the device or component that is causing the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error. Here are the steps to follow.

• Press the Windows key and X simultaneously on your keyboard
• Click Event Viewer from the list

• On the left side of the panel, click Windows Logs->

• Look for any entries like error or warning in the middle area of the panel
• Click on Error or Warning entries and see details like the time and the type of error. You can also know more details about the error in the bottom area of the panel in the details

You can use this information to know about the problematic device or hardware component. Once you have this information, disconnect the problematic device and see if the issue is resolved.

Solution 3 – Run Check Disk

If your disk is in a bad state, it could be one of the reasons behind BSOD.

Running Check Disk is one of the options to ensure your disk is in good condition. Here are the steps to follow.

• Press Windows Logo key on the keyboard
• Type cmd in the search box
• Right-click Command Prompt option and select Run as administrator
• In user account control pop-up, click Yes
• In the command prompt window, type chkdsk /f /r and hit Enter

•  Press Y on the keyboard

Windows system will start the check disk utility when you reboot the system and scan your disk for errors. Be patient as the process can take longer time depending on the capacity of the disk. Wait until the process completes.

Solution 4 – Check hardware and software compatibility

As mentioned earlier, hardware and software compatibility issues could be one of the reasons behind DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error. Here are the instructions to check hardware and software compatibility.

To check hardware compatibility

Unplug all USB devices like external hard drives, thumb drives and any other USB devices from your computer. You can keep the USB keyboard and mouse connected. Start the system and see if you get the DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error.

If you don’t get the error for a long time, you can draw a conclusion that one of the USB devices is the culprit. You can either stop using the problematic USB device or update drivers by following the steps in Solution 2.

To check software compatibility

If you are getting DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error recently, try to recall the changes you made to the system which includes installing new software or updating any programs. If you are unable to recall, you can use the Restore option to go back to the previous state of your PC and see if that helps.

Solution 5 – Update Drivers

As mentioned above, outdated drivers could be one of the reasons for DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION error. Updating drivers is one of the ways to resolve the issue. You have two options – update drivers manually or automatically.

Update drivers manually

Updating drivers manually can be a cumbersome and time-consuming task for many users. You need to go to the manufacturer’s website and search for the right driver.

This requires computer skills, patience and time. If you want an easy way to update drivers, we suggest you try Driver Downloader that can update all drivers automatically with a click of a button.

Update Drivers automatically               

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download