The DPC watchdog is a bug check that keeps an eye on the performance of your Windows programs. Additionally, it measures how long it takes for deferred procedure calls and interrupt requests to complete.
The DPC watchdog violation error can occur for many reasons, such as malfunctioning device drivers or software conflicts. Here are some solutions to resolve the problem and restore your computer’s stability.
1. Check for Updates
What Is DPC Watchdog Violation?
When running Windows 10, you may come across the DPC watchdog violation error. It’s an annoying error, and it can be challenging to determine what caused it.
Run a system scan to detect any outdated drivers, particularly those for your graphics card and storage drives. If any of these are outdated, update them immediately in order to resolve the DPC watchdog violation error.
If the DPC watchdog violation error persists after updating your drivers, it could be due to an incompatibility between hardware and software. As such, running the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter is recommended.
This will automatically identify and resolve any problems that might be causing the DPC watchdog violation error on your laptop. If there’s a compatibility issue between your system and any software, it will notify you promptly and provide an easy solution.
2. Run System Restore
System Restore in Windows allows you to restore your computer’s operating system back to a previous state. It’s an invaluable feature for quickly getting back up and running after a crash or recovering your machine to an earlier point when faced with an issue.
But you should be aware that restoring programs may sometimes delete those you’ve installed, leading to further issues in the future. To avoid this, make sure you know which programs and drivers will be removed during a restore process.
You can create a list of programs and drivers you wish to retain, which System Restore will detect if any are missing.
However, it’s worth remembering that System Restore takes some time and may be interrupted multiple times. Therefore, give it a few minutes to finish its job.
3. Check for Incompatibility
The DPC watchdog violation error is a frequent blue screen error that can occur on various Windows systems. This issue could be due to device driver incompatibility, software conflicts, or outdated SSD firmware.
When encountering this error, the most critical step to take is to confirm if there is an incompatibility with your computer system. You can do this by unplugging all external devices connected to the machine and seeing if that resolves the problem.
Once you’ve identified the issue, there are several steps you can take to resolve it: reinstall or uninstall software; update drivers and other hardware components; and run compatibility troubleshooters.
For a more precise diagnosis, you can also utilize a tool to read the minidump file containing information about the error. This will assist in identifying what is causing your DPC watchdog violation error on your computer.
4. Run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
Program Compatibility Troubleshooter is a free program that enables older programs not designed for Windows 11 to run in compatibility mode. This is an invaluable way to keep older software up and running even if its developers have stopped supporting it.
The troubleshooter will identify any incompatible programs on your system and display them for you. Select the one causing issues and click Next.
After clicking ‘Try recommended settings,’ the troubleshooter will suggest some compatibility settings for your program. You can test these out by clicking ‘Test recommended settings’, and if they work, save them by selecting ‘Yes, save these settings for this program’.
If you tried the suggested settings and the program still did not function as expected, try using a different set of options by clicking ‘Try again with different settings’. If that doesn’t solve the problem, report it to Microsoft and search online for solutions.
